Next, they were redeemed from sickness, because, “there was not one feeble person among their tribes” (Psalm 105:37), after many years of back breaking labor. In the same way Christ has paid for our healing, “for with His stripes we are healed” (1st Peter 2:24).

Then, the Israelites were redeemed from poverty. The went from being paupers to being prosperous overnight, and “asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and of clothing…so they plundered the Egyptians” (Exodus 12:35-36). The Lord “brought out Israel, laden with silver and gold” (Psalm 105:37), providing them with all they needed in order to live and build the tabernacle in the wilderness.

Sometimes situations in life can seem overwhelming. It can be frustrating when we follow all the rules and seemingly do not reap the rewards. The world has such a warped sense of prosperity. Prosperity is not about the abundance of things, it is about a relationship with the Living God who loves us. We must also understand that we live in body that is subject to sickness because we live here on the earth. Our bodies are subject to the challenges that we face in a fallen world.

Jesus put it this way, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation, but take courage, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). We can rejoice even in the face of adversity and we can claim a full inheritance of provision for any need we have to advance the glory of God. Our redemption is not with the blood of bulls and goats, but with the precious blood of Christ.

The trial by fire is the moment in our lives when we decide if surving God is worth losing everything for. These three boys reached a quality decision before the king. “If we are thrown into the blazzing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us…But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods” (Daniel 3:17-18). The courageous young men had determined that, no matter the outcome, they were going to serve God.

Once you have decided you are going to, “rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Chirst” (1st Peter 4:13). Christ will enter the fire with you (Daniel 3:25). Romans 8:35-38 tells us that “nothing shall seperate us from Christ, not tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, nakedness, danger, or sword…” Paul goes on to say that he is persuaded that neither, “death, nor life, nor angels, nor pirncipalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shalll seperate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

No matter what you face today, know that the love of God is much stronger. The thing that I always take away from the story of the fiery furnace is this, the first thing that the fire does is burn away the bindings of the three young boys. Your trial may seem frieghtening, but trust that God is in control and with you even in the midst of a fiery furnace.