FLOODS, FIRES AND FAITH

ISAIAH 43: 1-10

INTRODUCTION

Life is characterized as a journey or a passage with a point of departure and a place of destination. The truth is we are passing through. We are looking for a “better country” where God dwells, we will have to pass through the water and the fire. Notice, the Bible does not say “If”, but “when”. No one is immune from trials, tribulations, troubles, distress and death in this life. These things affect us all. Jesus Christ said- John 16:33. Job declared “A man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble” (John 14:1) God does not want you to be alone, He says “Fear not”. Fear is a very powerful thing. Fear of the past, present and future, fear of illness, sickness, disease and death. But God assures us (2 Tim.1:7). Someone said for SAFETY’S SAKE.

• Do not ride on an automobile, they cause 20% of all fatal accidents.
• Do not stay at home, 17% of all accidents occur at home.
• Do not walk on the streets, 14% of all accidents happen to pedestrians.
• Do not travel by air or water, 6% of all accidents happen
• Only 0.001% of all deaths occur in worship service in the church and those are related to previous physical disorders.

Going through the waters and fire represents tribulations, temptations and afflictions.

Let us learn:

I.  A TERRIBLE PATHWAY- WALKING THROUGH WATERS & FIRES.

• The children of God have never had an easy road to journey.
• Cain lifted up his cruel hand to slay his brother Abel.
• Cain mocked the children of Seth, the chosen one of God.
• Noah the preacher of righteousness endured 120 years of mockery.
• Abraham, Isaac and Jacob went through the fires of persecution.
• “He that is born after the flesh persecutes him that is born after the spirit”
• The children of Israel 430 years of slavery in Egypt.
• Look at David and Saul, Hezekiah and Sennacherib.
• How about Sanballat the Heronite and Nehemiah
• Between the Maccabees and Antiochus Epiphanes.
• Ever since the time of John the Baptist, the kingdom of God suffereth violence (Matt 11:12)
• From the blood of Abel to the blood of Zacharias the son of Barachias. The pathway of the church has been a blood-sprinkled time.
• Stephen expired beneath a shower of stones, James was killed with the sword. Isaiah was sawed in half. Peter and his wife were crucified upside down.
• The pathway of the church then has been one of waters, floods and flames of fire.
• The church is always in the enemy’s country, she is a stranger upon the earth.
• True Christians are alien, foreigners and strangers in the world, therefore it is the pathway of trial and opposition.
• But fearful disasters in your life will stimulate and nourish you to grow in Christ.
• Do you have strange temptations, you are placed in a position where you are constantly exposed to sin- God is with you in the fire!! Through much tribulations, we must enter the Kingdom

II.  AN AWFUL DANGER

• The promise of the text is based on a prophecy that follows it.
• We walk through fire in fulfilling God’s mission
• God restrains the fire by putting supernatural protection around the believer.
• Dear saints, the church has had very painful experiences that persecution is a fire which does burn.
• Too many people have forsaken the church as Demas forsook Paul.
• The hypocrites who crowd our aisles cannot stand the fire. Hypocrites cannot bear the cross, its weight is too much for them to bear.
• We must walk through the fire, we are in imminent danger.
• Do you face men and women who are full of lust, do you stand in the midst of vulgar companions, do you live in a house where you are tempted to evil, are you facing the sneers of the ungodly- it is fire!!
• Many like lot’s wife have become pillars of salt- they have lost their souls.
• Temptations, trials and tribulations are real fires.

III.  THERE IS A DOUBLE INSURANCE.

• “You will not be burned” and “the flames will not set you ablaze”
• The three Hebrew youths in the furnace it is said “Upon their bodies the fire had no power, not a hair on their head burned”. They had no smell of fire upon them!
• The Christians church under all its trials has never been consumed by the fire of persecution!!
• Your trials cannot destroy you, you lose nothing by them- you will not be burned- “the flames will not set you ablaze”
• Your ground will always be safe if the Lord has called you by His grace, all men on earth, all devils of hell cannot reverse the calling!
• You will find in the end that you have not suffered any loss, the flames have not burned you- you will bless God for it.
• Through the gates of paradise, you will look back on your paths of the way to heaven and you will say, “It was well for me to carry that cross”

CONCLUSION

• Who is on the Lord’s side among you today?
• You who are on His side, set up your banners that say “Fear not, I am with you, when you walk through the fire, you will not be burned and the flame will not set you ablaze.”
• If you are not yet saved- call upon the Lord now.
• The fires and floods of life help us to realize our limitations, force us to reach out to God, reveal the presence of God and help us recognize God’s purpose in our trials.