Breaking Point: Fear

Text: Daniel 3:8-30

Summary:  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednago faced a huge fear when their lives were threatened if they refused to worship another god.  However, God used the fire in their life to teach them and the king a few things.  God uses fire in our lives to help us draw closer to Him.  We can actually benefit from the correct response to fears in our lives, and can also help get other people to Jesus in the process.


1.  Some of our greatest fears can be curbed through good planning.  What am I going to do when I can't work anymore? (we save for retirement from the time we start working).  What happens to my family when I die? (we get life insurance to cover our expenses and take care of our families).  What happens if I have an unexpected expense? (we save money in a rainy day fund to cover car repairs, emergencies, and other unplanned expenses).

So what are you doing to plan spiritually to avoid facing fears in the future?  Is your relationship with God solid so that it can withstand the grip of fear?  Is your familiarity with Scripture strong so that you can remember the promises that God has told you?  Do you have a rehearsed response when bad things happen so that you'll be faithful instead of buckling to fear and making irrational decisions?


2.  The 3 men were walking around in the fire, unharmed and unfazed by what had happened.  How could they possibly have peace at a time like that?!  How can YOU have peace despite your troubles, worries, and fears?  These men decided that no matter what happened, they would remember that God loved them, God would never leave them, and that God would always take care of His people.  Have you decided that no matter what fears hits you, you can rest in the same 3 things?


3.  When these 3 men were thrown in the fire, the only thing that was burned off was the rope that had them BOUND.  Sometimes God uses the fires of life to free you from the things that you keeping you enslaved (like fear) and helps purify your life to be closer to Him.

Would anyone be willing to share a story of a time in your life that you had to walk through "the fire," but God used it for your benefit and growth and prosperity once you got through it?


4.  Scripture shows that the way that the 3 men handled the fire that they were going through actually had a profound effect on the king.  Did you know that the way you handle fear and worry and anxiety in your life can actually help other people know more about Jesus?  Let's compare and contrast.  How should a person that knows Jesus respond to difficulty?  How is that different for someone without a relationship with Jesus?  How can you use this difference as a way to help your non-Christian friends understand the incredible value of an authentic relationship with Jesus?