Objection, an expression or feeling of disapproval or opposition. How many of you have ever felt the disapproval of others for being who you are or doing something that they might deem as inappropriate?
I remember sitting at a table being interviewed for a job. The interviewer kicked off our conversation asking me to tell her about my current role at my company. I informed her that I was unemployed at the moment. The interviewer responded with an intense eyebrow raise and stated, “you’re unemployed?....So you’re not doing anything right now?” By the interviewers unspoken eyebrow raise and her condescending tone once I stated my unemployment, I immediately began to sense some sort of disapproval from her and altered my response. I let her know that I was completely unemployed at the moment but that I currently volunteered with multiple organizations. I went into depth naming each organization, what their mission was and the capacity to which I volunteered with each one.
I remember sitting at a table being interviewed for a job. The interviewer kicked off our conversation asking me to tell her about my current role at my company. I informed her that I was unemployed at the moment. The interviewer responded with an intense eyebrow raise and stated, “you’re unemployed?....So you’re not doing anything right now?” By the interviewers unspoken eyebrow raise and her condescending tone once I stated my unemployment, I immediately began to sense some sort of disapproval from her and altered my response. I let her know that I was completely unemployed at the moment but that I currently volunteered with multiple organizations. I went into depth naming each organization, what their mission was and the capacity to which I volunteered with each one.
Following the interview, it became obvious to me that because I felt a sense of disapproval by my interviewer, that I tried to overcompensate and defend myself by providing reasoning and explanation behind all of my answers. Later on that evening, God led me to read Exodus 14:14 NIV which states, “the Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” For everyone reading this blog who has ever experienced objection or may experience objection this month, I believe that God wants you to know that all you need to do is stand still.
I love the story in the bible about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego being thrown into the fiery furnace in Daniel 3. King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue and commanded that all people bow to the ground, serve and worship the statue whenever they heard musical instruments. For anyone who refused to obey that command, King Nebuchadnezzar threatened to throw them into a fiery furnace. So at the sound of musical instruments all people bowed to the ground and worshiped King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue. A few spectators came back and informed the King that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to obey this command serving the King’s gods and worshiping the gold statue.
I love the story in the bible about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego being thrown into the fiery furnace in Daniel 3. King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue and commanded that all people bow to the ground, serve and worship the statue whenever they heard musical instruments. For anyone who refused to obey that command, King Nebuchadnezzar threatened to throw them into a fiery furnace. So at the sound of musical instruments all people bowed to the ground and worshiped King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue. A few spectators came back and informed the King that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to obey this command serving the King’s gods and worshiping the gold statue.
When King Nebuchadnezzar heard about this, he was angry and asked that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him immediately. When they arrived before King Nebuchadnezzar, he asked them if it was true that they refused to obey his command and offered one final chance for the three men to bow down and worship the gold statue unless they wanted to be thrown into the blazing furnace. The King went on to ask the men, “And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood firm in their decision and replied letting the King know that they did not need to defend themselves because the God that they served would save them from his power. King Nebuchadnezzar was outraged by their response and he commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual and that all three men be bound and thrown in. In Daniel 3: 20-29 NLT we see how things play out:
20 Then he ordered some of the strongest men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So they tied them up and threw them into the furnace, fully dressed in their pants, turbans, robes, and other garments. 22 And because the king, in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in. 23 So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames.
20 Then he ordered some of the strongest men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So they tied them up and threw them into the furnace, fully dressed in their pants, turbans, robes, and other garments. 22 And because the king, in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in. 23 So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames.
24 But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?”
“Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did,” they replied.
25 “Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!”
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the door of the flaming furnace and shouted: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. 27 Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke!
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!”
God is your strong tower and He will go before you and fight on your behalf. In the same way that God defended Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the blazing furnace, He will defend you. Whenever you face objection this month remember Exodus 14:14 NIV before you react and surrender to God instead. Below is a song I fell in love with about surrendering and allowing God to fight for you called "I Surrender (LIVE)" by Psalmist Raine. It is ridiculously long but definitely a beautiful song worth listening to if you have the time before saying the prayer below.
“Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did,” they replied.
25 “Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!”
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the door of the flaming furnace and shouted: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. 27 Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke!
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!”
God is your strong tower and He will go before you and fight on your behalf. In the same way that God defended Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the blazing furnace, He will defend you. Whenever you face objection this month remember Exodus 14:14 NIV before you react and surrender to God instead. Below is a song I fell in love with about surrendering and allowing God to fight for you called "I Surrender (LIVE)" by Psalmist Raine. It is ridiculously long but definitely a beautiful song worth listening to if you have the time before saying the prayer below.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father
You are our Holy, sovereign, mighty, faithful, loving, kind, gentle, and merciful. We magnify your name God because you are everything to us. Glory be to you God! Hallelujah! We completely surrender to you Lord with a yes in our soul. Have your way in our lives God while captivating our hearts and minds. You are our deliverer, your are our sustainer and you are our strong tower Lord! We honor you for your goodness! We honor you for your sacrifice! We appreciate you for being who you are and we thank you for never leaving our side. Thank you for fighting for us. Thank you for protecting us. Thank you for never letting anything stand in the way of your will. Lord we pray that throughout the month of March that you instill Exodus 14:14 NIV within us so that we may always remember that you will fight for us and all we need to do is be still. Bind the spirit of offense and the feeling of having to be on defense whenever we are faced with objection. Teach us to totally surrender to you always. Teach us to trust you always. Never allow our faith to waiver when it comes to you. We love you and give you glory in advance for fighting on our behalf. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Heavenly Father
You are our Holy, sovereign, mighty, faithful, loving, kind, gentle, and merciful. We magnify your name God because you are everything to us. Glory be to you God! Hallelujah! We completely surrender to you Lord with a yes in our soul. Have your way in our lives God while captivating our hearts and minds. You are our deliverer, your are our sustainer and you are our strong tower Lord! We honor you for your goodness! We honor you for your sacrifice! We appreciate you for being who you are and we thank you for never leaving our side. Thank you for fighting for us. Thank you for protecting us. Thank you for never letting anything stand in the way of your will. Lord we pray that throughout the month of March that you instill Exodus 14:14 NIV within us so that we may always remember that you will fight for us and all we need to do is be still. Bind the spirit of offense and the feeling of having to be on defense whenever we are faced with objection. Teach us to totally surrender to you always. Teach us to trust you always. Never allow our faith to waiver when it comes to you. We love you and give you glory in advance for fighting on our behalf. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.