1 Peter 1:6-7 (NLT) - 6 So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. 7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold?though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

Daniel 3:1-7 (NLT) - 1 King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ninety feet tall and nine feet wide and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 Then he sent messages to the high officers, officials, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials to come to the dedication of the statue he had set up. 3 So all these officials came and stood before the statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 Then a herald shouted out, ?People of all races and nations and languages, listen to the king?s command! 5 When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments, bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar?s gold statue. 6 Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.? 7 So at the sound of the musical instruments, all the people, whatever their race or nation or language, bowed to the ground and worshiped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

1. Babylon wants you to bow to temptation.

1. The gold statue
2. The music
3. Everyone did it.

Daniel 3:13-18 (NLT) - 13 Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him. When they were brought in, 14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them, ?Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up? 15 I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?? 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, ?O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. 18 But even if he doesn?t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.?

2. Babylon wants you to conform to pressure.

1. Babylon wants you in the box with everybody else.
2. Romans 12:2 (NASB95) - 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

3. Babylon wants you to melt in trials.

1. When you stand for your faith, there will be consequences.
2. 1 Peter 4:12?13 (NASB95) - 12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; 13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.

The end result of this story is that Jesus is in the fire.

• He wasn't visible in the crowd of temptation.
• He wasn't visible before the king of pressure.
• He was visible in the fire of trials.

Your bow belongs to God; give it only to Him.

Revelation 3:12-13 (NASB95) - 12 "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."