Introduction

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https://juliefillinger.com/why-our-view-of-god-matters-part-2

Last week, Eric and I started the Courage for the Journey Live series at our church, and I reflected on the first session on the last podcast. 
 
Why our view of God matters could not be contained in one week, and it continues this week with attributes of our God who strengthens and our God who is able. These are attributes of God that give us particular insight on this journey to learn how to live courageously.  

Eric and I discussed and disagreed and then came to some measure of agreement on which attributes to include in this series, knowing God’s character will naturally arise in our teaching as we go.

It would take at least 23 weeks to discuss a more thorough list, so we encouraged our class to download the kindle app and purchase A.W. Tozer’s book, Knowledge of the Holy: Understanding the Attributes and Nature of God, for 19 cents.  

Tozer writes 23 fairly short chapters to his congregation in a way that is easy to understand so they could embrace the beautiful Truths of who God is.  

And here it is, re-published in 2025, for us to enhance our understanding of Why Our View of God Matters. I plan to add this book to my list of reading for 2026. I haven’t finished my reading list from 2025, but that’s okay. My goals in general tend to carry over from year to year.  

Our God Strengthens 

The primary passages we used to teach more about the nature of God this week are from Isaiah 40 from which we learn Our God Strengthens and Daniel 3 – Our God is Able. 

Isaiah 40 complements what we learned about God last week from David in Psalm 139: 

• He is the everlasting Creator 
• His almighty power endures 
• His knowledge and understanding are impossible to comprehend.  

And yet, when you behold the greatness of God, you see everything else in life in its proper perspective. 

Does God Even Care 

The context of Isaiah 40 is that the nation of Israel is returning from Babylonia to Jerusalem. This is where they have been exiled for 70 years as judgment for continuous gross idolatry.  

Jerusalem is supposed to be heralding the good news that this return could only be accomplished by the mighty arm of God. But the people aren’t feeling it. The nation of Israel tells God that He isn’t seeing their plight and the journey from Babylon back to Jerusalem is too long and too difficult and God doesn’t even seem to care.  

It’s as if they would rather be exiles than the sovereign nation God called them to be as His chosen people. 

Strength Renewed 

Isaiah then moves on to tell them how God renews His people.  

Isaiah 40:29-31 says:

 
He gives power to the faint, 
    and to him who has no might he increases strength. 
Even youths shall faint and be weary, 
    and young men shall fall exhausted; 
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; 
    they shall mount up with wings like eagles; 
they shall run and not be weary; 
    they shall walk and not faint. 

He gives power to the weak, not the kind of strength and energy of a young person that eventually fades. This power renews and never fades. Every speed and every ability is included in this promise.  

The Condition 

But there is a condition. You must wait for the Lord. 

What does it mean to “wait for the Lord?” 

Does anyone like to wait?  

We asked our class to list what they don’t like to wait for. They said the waiting room at the doctor’s office, redlights, and the grocery line. That person is apparently frugal because she doesn’t use a grocery delivery service. It seems faster for her to just go and do it herself.  Until she has to wait in line to pay.  
I’m just kidding. She is a friend of mine and she knows I am not patient either. It’s one of the fruits of the Spirit that God has been trying to teach me my whole life. It seems like things we don’t yield to the control of the Holy Spirit just get more magnified as we get older. I am really hoping to have this figured out in the next couple of decades. I can tell I am improving though.  

I take my mother-in-law to all of her Dr’s appointments. She always brings her Kindle and has taught me I can take a book with me on the kindle app on my phone everywhere I go.  

We plan to use the time in the waiting room to read. So, I get disappointed if she finishes up before I’m ready. I’m thinking, “can you wait a minute until I get to the end of the chapter?”  

Waiting on the Lord from Hebrews 11 

But that’s not the same as waiting on the Lord.  
It seems easier to wait if it’s something I can plan for. But when the Lord brings something unexpected and asks me to wait on Him, even though I know a large part of my growth occurs in the waiting, it feels like a very long time.  
 
In Hebrews 11, the heroes of the faith were counted as such because they waited and waited but never received what was promised this side of heaven. By faith, these saints looked forward to a physical city whose designer and builder was God.  

They acknowledged they were strangers and exiles on this earth and were seeking their Homeland. They would have been given the opportunity to return to the land of promise on this earth. But because they desired a better heavenly Country, they waved and greeted the temporal promised land from afar. They found they didn’t need it.  

God had made ready a better City for them.  

They desired it and Him over anything this earth had to offer.  

This enabled them to wait with endurance as they looked forward to the realization of Going Home.  

Why It’s Good to Wait 

Learning to wait is one of the hardest but most important aspects of Christian life. It develops absolute dependence on God and ensures actions are taken in His timing.  
 
This kind of waiting is characterized by persistent expectation, like a watchman waiting for morning, and involves hoping in God’s Word and trusting He will come through as He promised. 
 
Why is it good to wait for the Lord?  
 
He is with us every moment and working for our good because He loves us. We can be strong and let our heart take courage even as we realize this is hard. Then keep on seeking and keep on waiting for the Lord who will hear us. (Lam. 3:25-26, Psa. 27:14, Prov. 3:5-6, Mic. 7:7) 

Paul Waited

Do you remember Paul’s take on waiting for the Lord from 2 Corinthians 12?  
 
Three times He asked God to take away something that was inflicting him and grieving him. We don’t know exactly what he was enduring, but Paul endured beatings, snake bites, and shipwrecks -so it appears to be something of significance.  
 
He concluded that God’s grace was sufficient as God’s power was perfected in Paul’s weakness. Paul could boast of his affliction because that’s when the power of Christ rested on him. 

Our God is Able  

Do you ever doubt the power of God? 

Maybe you’re like me and you start thinking, “if God is so powerful, why doesn’t He use that power to heal my loved one or protect them from harm?”  

I don’t struggle with how powerful God is. I am fully aware of His almighty power. I struggle when He doesn’t use that power to do what I want Him to.  
I am going to get serious with you for just a minute. 

When we cried out and asked God to save Nicholas, we knew He had the power to do it, so why didn’t He? Since He has this awesome power, what is He going to use it for if not to do something that seemed so obvious to us?  

But it’s not just us. We aren’t the only ones enduring trials. There is enough suffering in the world to go around. And honestly, we what have suffered is mild in comparison to what others have endured. And what our brothers and sisters in Christ who suffer persecution around the world endure.  

Suffering is not new. The fall of man opened the door for the evil genius prince satan to wreak havoc on Christians.  

Faith not Outcome Makes You Heroic 

Here’s what Hebrews 11 has to say about those heroes of faith. Brace yourself because it’s kind of graphic. 

Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. ³⁶Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. ³⁷They were stoned, they were sawn in two,^[a] they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— ³⁸of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

Hebrews 11:35b-38

These verses immediately follow those who victoriously conquered kingdoms, stopped the mouths of lions, and escaped the edge of the sword. As if their faith is what made them heroic, not the outcome. 

Jesus Conquered the Grave 

Nicholas means victorious, but he had a short earthly life.  

We have struggled with anger about why that happened when we know God could have done something about it. But we couldn’t stay angry when we considered God wasn’t asking us to do anything He hadn’t done Himself. He gave His Son to die a horrible death so our son could have an eternal life.  
Then Jesus victoriously conquered death with His resurrection.  

So, we can wait a little longer until we meet again and then for all eternity.  
The days can seem long. We need encouragement along the way as other annoying trials come up. I’m tempted to think, Lord, why is this happening? Don’t You think I have endured enough suffering to last a lifetime? Eric is asking similar questions, just maybe not out loud or so brazenly. 

Do you want to know how God answers us? He gently leans in and His Spirit whispers, “I will meet you in the fire.” 

God meets us in the fire. 

This is what we learn from Daniel 3.  

Four Outstanding Men  

The historical context comes before what was recorded in Isaiah 40. At this point in the story, Babylon has just conquered Judah. As stated before, God uses this to judge his people for the purpose of getting them to see their sin of idolatry.  
God planned all along to return them to the land of promise, but they have to re-learn dependence on the Him first. And they are going to learn that by being in exile. But not before the King of Judah thinks he can rebel against the King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.  

Nebuchadnezzar is one the most arrogant characters you will find in the bible. He doesn’t take kindly to rebellion. So, he takes away the nobles and the best and brightest of Judah to serve him in his palace.  

Four men stood out. These are strong, handsome, intelligent young men who had a bright future ahead them. And they proclaimed Yahweh is the only true God.  

We remember Daniel, but the other three we remember by their pagan Babylonian names. 
Once captured, they were indoctrinated in the ways of the world of Babylon. Their names were changed in an attempt to change their identity.  
Hananiah which means Yahweh has been gracious was changed to Shadrach which means command of Aku, a Babylonian god. 

Mishael – who is like the Lord is changed to Meshach – who is like Aku 
Azariah – the Lord is my helper is changed to Abed-nego -servant of Nego, the vegetation god. 

Daniel means Yahweh God is my judge and his name was changed to Belteshazzar -Bel protect the king. Meaning the pagan god Bel would protect the king of Babylon. 

These name changes were intended to be degrading and insulting, but these godly young men did not forget who they really served. 

King Neb’s Statue 

Meanwhile King Neb sets up this giant 90-foot statue of himself and commands everyone to bow down and worship. And if they don’t, they will be thrown in the fiery furnace. Three men don’t bow to the image. They quietly disobey the command, choosing to obey God rather than men. I don’t know where Daniel was. Based on what we know about him, we can assume he wouldn’t bow down either. 

They have remained faithful to God. He had a purpose in making them successful beyond expectation and they have been appointed over the affairs of Babylon.  

The Babylonian fortune tellers hate them and maliciously accuse them before King Neb saying, “those Jews you appointed don’t pay any attention to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the golden image you set up. So, what are you gonna do about it?” 

Egomaniacs are easily enraged. Nebuchadnezzar furiously commands these three to come before him. He questions if these accusations are true and gives them another chance. But then says, “if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?” 

We Are Not Going To Bow Down 

Ole Nebbie had no idea this was the exact wrong thing to say. Those words only encouraged them to stand with a rod of steel in their backbone.  

They said, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image you have set up.” 

Nebbie is filled with fury. He orders the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual. It’s so overheated, his mighty men were killed by the flames as they took up these three to throw them in. And the three fell bound into the burning fiery furnace. 

In just a short time, Nebbie says, “wait a second, didn’t we throw in three men?” His counselors agree this is true. “Then why do I see four men unbound walking around in the midst of the fire? They are not even hurt and the fourth has the appearance like a son of the gods.” 

Nebbie came near to the door and declares, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come on out of there!” 

Remember what their Babylonian names mean? It’s as if he is declaring their gods are nothing compared to the Most High God. We know that’s true, but for a pagan king to declare is something else. 

When they come out, not a hair on their heads was singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and there was not even the smell of smoke on them. 

I’m not saying Ole King Neb became a Christian that day. But he did humble himself just enough to say, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. For there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.”  

Neb also characteristically adds that anyone who speaks against their God will be torn limb from limb. But alas, he’s a work in progress. 

We Were Made to Worship God 

We hear more about Daniel’s time in Babylon and how he courageously continued to serve God, but these three brave men are never heard of again. What we do learn from them is timeless.  

Who do you worship?  

We were made to worship. Our chief end is to bring glory to God and worship Him in all that we say and do forever. Anything other than that is idolatry. Period.  

It may not be a 90-foot statue, but it could easily become science, status, or accomplishment. This is misplaced worship and it will not satisfy. When the hard times come, they will scream in your face just like Nebuchadnezzar, “who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”  

The only right response is to be like these brave young men. Even if you are quaking in your boots, take a stand, and say, “My God whom I serve is able to deliver me, but even if He doesn’t, let it be known, I will not serve any other god.” 

Closing 

Just because God is able doesn’t mean He will. Sometimes the fire is learning to live with the outcome that we did not want.  

Like these three, we don’t presume to know God’s will. But we do know God is faithful and true to His character. He has never not been faithful on this Journey.  

Like me, He will meet you in this fire. Not in the threat of fire, but in the fire. And along the way He will give you the courage to keep on keepin on just a little bit longer. 

Why do we go through difficult circumstances? So we can meet Jesus!