Grapevine Ministries
Messages from the bible to uplift and encourage those that need a word from the Lord, to strengthen their faith. Ps Phillip Barker is an itinerant pastor in Perth, Western Australia.
Grapevine Ministries
Faith Under Fire: Navigating Spiritual Battles
Faith comes under fire in seasons of intense spiritual warfare, often targeting our families and personal walk with God. Pastor Gary Pratt delivers a timely message about standing strong when everything seems to burn around you.
Drawing profound parallels between Daniel's experience in Babylon and our modern challenges, Pastor Gary illuminates how the enemy uses similar tactics across time. Just as Nebuchadnezzar attempted to transform young Hebrew captives through education, language and culture, today's world systematically attempts to transform our children into its image. The spiritual battle begins at the youngest ages with subtle indoctrination.
What made Daniel and his friends extraordinary wasn't simply surviving captivity but thriving despite it. When offered comfortable compromise, they chose faithful obedience instead. Their stand resulted not in loss but in supernatural blessing—appearing healthier and stronger than those enjoying worldly privileges. Later, when thrown into the literal fires of persecution, they emerged without even the smell of smoke on their garments. Most remarkably, they weren't alone in their trial—a divine presence joined them in their suffering.
Are you facing your own fiery furnace today? Remember whose you are and the power that lives within you. Don't be ashamed of the gospel—let Christ shine through your life as a compelling witness to those around you.
Good morning, good afternoon, wherever you are in the world - Welcome to Grapevine Ministries.
Here we are back again, and I've got one more message from Pastor Gary Pratt from People of Destiny in Busselton, and then I'll be back on deck and you'll have to start listening to me speaking about the Word of God. So today, pastor Gary is going to be speaking about faith under fire, and so listen very carefully to what he's got to say about this, and we'll talk to you very soon here on Grapevine Ministries.
Speaker 2:I'm going to share about it this morning, and probably in the last four months, I've never seen such an intensity of what the enemy is trying to do in families as individuals.
Speaker 3:I think I can get to the next one.
Speaker 2:I've just been thinking about it and I really believe this is a word for us today and it's called faith under fire. And when you begin to think about what I just said, faith under fire, it's about what the enemy is trying to do in our lives and our families, because that's what he's out to do to destroy them. You know, he comes to steal, kill and destroy. That's what he's all about. And I want to tell you this morning we're on the winning team. Okay, we're the head, we're not the tail, we're not the losers, we're the winners. And you've got to keep reminding the enemy to read Revelation to see what happens, and he already knows the Scriptures anyway, so he knows what's going to go on. I just want to talk a little bit about this this morning. I want to talk about a few people that went through this situation in their lives. I want to look at Daniel and his friends with Nebuchadnezzar. We all know the story with Daniel. What was going on? One of the things with Nebuchadnezzar, it's like any nation that takes over a nation like Rome when it did take over the world at that time, whatever was happening in Rome was happening where they were. So whatever language, whatever school. Whatever teaching they had is what they brought in. See, when you read the story with Daniel, that's exactly what Nebuchadnezzar was doing and you look around the world and it's no different. Today, the world is trying to transform our kids into what the world is thinking and doing. So the enemy is still doing the same thing, same old thing, to influence our young. When you're reading Daniel, it helps us to understand our spiritual ground. Instead of conforming to the world, conforming to the word of God and what he says.
Speaker 2:Daniel 1 and 3 and 7 tells us how the northern kingdom of Israel fell to Syria in 722 BC After almost 20 years slow demise. The kingdom fell because of sin and God allowed them to be taken into captivity. We know all about that, but in the southern kingdom they should have took great warning what was happening in the northern, because not long after they fell, in exactly the same way, jeremiah pleaded with the leaders and the people of Judah, but they did not heed the warning. Jeremiah pleaded with the leaders and the people of Judah, but they did not heed the warning. Like us, we can tell the people out there, but they still don't heed the warning that's set before them. If you keep going down this path, you're going to lose your life. If you keep going in sin, you're going to lose your life. So there's a language that we speak. There's a language for them. Out there is that I know God, that can heal you, that can save you. It's divine to serve.
Speaker 3:He knows Jesus Christ and God in the world.
Speaker 2:For every single person you get into a place that people don't want to hear the message anymore, and it doesn't stop us preaching the message.
Speaker 3:Whatever the world is doing out there, it doesn't matter.
Speaker 2:The word of God does not change. It never has and never will. So we need to come to a place in our own lives to know who we are in Christ, sons and daughters of the living God. So Jeremiah tells him in 25, 1 and 9, he says he went and told him that this is a terrible demise that's going to happen to you. You're going to go into captivity for 70 years. And that's exactly what happened when you read through Judah. They had spiritual reveals and they had spiritual demise. One day they're up here and the next day they're down here and they went into a spiritual idolatry with the foreign gods. It is no different to what we see around us today. It's nothing. God knew that their greatness would come to an end. There was no stopping them from choosing idols over Yahweh. And you read through Daniel, 1 through 1 through to 7. There are things that begin to see out of that story. If you want to make changes, you need to indoctrinate the children. That's exactly where we see the world today indoctrinating our children To create them in their own image. The Bible tells us and even warns regarding children who run with the wicked. The Bible also speaks about parents how to train up a child in wisdom and understanding of the scripture.
Speaker 2:Nebuchadnezzar had a plan to change their nation, and it starts with the young. That's what happened with Daniel and his friends. They got the best of everything when they went into their situation. There was nothing they were denied. It starts with them. So they were taught what Babylonians were taught their teaching, their philosophy, everything about it. They were trained in the three years. They were trained because he wanted them to be the next leaders, and that's why they went that way. They gave them names, not Hebrew ones, but Chaldean ones, and over the three-year period he can create these young men into wise men that he needs to improve Babylon. That's what he got them for. Then you go and you have a look at Moses. Exactly the same thing, the very same thing that happened when he was weaned off his Hebrew mum. He was given to the Egyptian princess, who gave him every opportunity of what he could be as an Egyptian His clothing, his teaching, his banner's, dressed Everything was provided for him. There was nothing that he didn't need yet, but his heart was not in addiction. His heart was still Hebrew, and that was the difference.
Speaker 2:The Bible describes Daniel and his friends as without any physical defect, must be like me Handsome, showing Hallelujah. Give that man a lolly. Showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, they were quick in their understanding, qualified to serve in the king's palace Kind of like me, I suppose Daniel. Daniel and his friends had to make a choice. Do we take the easy way? We can serve in the king's court, a place of power and influence, and have a great opportunity. Or, like Daniel, do I conform to this world or do I make a stand and it's like the word says? As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Speaker 1:When you read through Daniel 11, 11, 16.
Speaker 2:Daniel said to Melzar, who was the prince of the eunuchs, who had said, over Daniel and them, he says Prove thy servants over the next ten days and let us give us pulse to eat. What is pulse? It doesn't sound very nice. It's not like a Macca's hamburger or a Hungry Jack. It says they were dried beans, peas and lentils and water. That's not a pretty as bright. I don't know how I'd go with that. Anyway, and let thy countenance be looked upon before, in the countenance of the children that ate the portion of the king's table of meat and others, and thou would see and deal with thy servants. So he set this 10 days up for him We'll eat what we believe to eat, they can eat what the king's portion is, and then you have a look at us and have a look at them and see who looks good. And Malazar took away the portion when they came back and he observed them all. They were so much fairer and better and fatter and everything. I don't know how you're going to eat this stuff that you can be fairer and fatter and everything. I don't know how you go on eating this stuff that you can be fairer, fatter. Anyway, you can see the promotion. They got in that.
Speaker 2:The world says be transformed. The word says be transformed by the renewing of your mind To be in the king's service. The king they should serve with their whole heart is not going to be Nebuchadnezzar or Belshazzar or Cyrus. The king that they would serve is the king of kings and the Lord of lords. That's for you and me. It's not about what the world can offer, jesus said. He said do not. Do not. Jesus did not say discuss me. He said follow me. I wasn't just talking about him, but he said follow me. Christianity does not mean being interested in Jesus. Okay, it means becoming a servant who does the will of God. Daniel 3, 1 and 30,.
Speaker 2:It says they were all thrown into the fiery furnace. We know the story. They stood the ground, but they were saved and promoted. Three men were thrown into fire and yet there were four men walking in the midst of the fire. Three men were thrown into fire and yet there were four men walking in the midst of the fire. No-transcript. Deuteronomy 31.6,. Be strong and be of good courage. Do not be afraid of them, for the Lord, your God, is the one who goes with you. Amen.
Speaker 2:It's interesting when you read the story when they were thrown into the fire in verse 26, 27. And then the king Nebuchadnezzar saw them walking. He said get them out of there, bring them out. And the king ordered and they came out and everybody gathered around. It's really interesting All the leaders gathered around because these guys come out of the fire.
Speaker 2:The fire had no power over them. Their hair on their head was not singed Praise God Can't afford to lose him Nor were their garments affected and the smell of fire was not on them. And you know what it's like when you get around a fire having. You know like you get around and cooking steak and you eat sausages Steve knows what it's like and you end up smelling like fire but there's no smell on them. Enough, smelling like fire, but there's no smell on them.
Speaker 2:I remember when we used to go into Indonesia and we'd go into the places over there and everything's cooked on the open fire. We'd come back and we'd be smelling like ferrets, because they never had showers either. So you can imagine what it was. And you're sleeping on a grass mat. So it wasn't about five-star motel living and most of the time you had to take your own food in because they didn't have it. Anyway, that's another story for another day. There is no other God who can deliver like this.
Speaker 2:Here's another story. We read in Matthew 4.1. And Jesus is coming up from a spiritual high point. He's having this mountaintop experience. He gets baptized with John. The dove comes down, the mother speaks out. This is my son, who I am well pleased.
Speaker 2:The next thing you see, jesus faith is being put to death. He's sent out for the 40 days. There you go, 40 days. I think I'd be a set out for 40 days. There you go, 40 days. I think I'd be a bit hungry after 40 days. I went for 24 days. That was enough. I was hungry after that. So he has this mountain top experience. Then he goes out. There's many times when we come down. You know when we have that mountain top experience is when we come down. You know, when we have that mountain top experiences, when we come down from the mountaintop back into the valley, that it always seems we get hammered. The enemy likes to have a go oh, they've been up here having a good time. Now I'll get stuck into them while they're back.
Speaker 2:I mean, the next thing you see is that Jesus' faith is being put to the test. It comes from a mountaintop experience, as we often find our faith under fire. No different to Jesus, he was led out to a place of testing by the Holy Spirit and Satan. The tempter was there, and God uses our trials and temptations to refine our character and strengthen our faith. In those times, jesus has been gone 40 days with no food, no water.
Speaker 2:Matthew 4.2 says the enemy will always go after you at your weakest point, when you're tired, stressed, sick and alone. Okay, I'll repeat it when you're tired, stressed, sick and alone, the temptations always seem to intensify. Always be aware of your condition as well. Okay, when you're going through those things, remember who you are. Remember the Word of God. It says the devil came and said to him if you are the Son of God, change these stones into loaves of bread. Bread would have sounded good at that moment, I would imagine.
Speaker 2:Satan's temptations are always a challenge to your place in the kingdom of God. I remember Charles speaking the other month about did God really say that when he spoke at the garden? When the enemy spoke at the garden and we often hear that as an expression Did God really say that? You know you can't do that. Did he really say that. That's why you need to be back in the word of God.
Speaker 2:Jesus combats Satan's attack with the word of God, and it's the same defense for us, which is his word. Okay, too often we don't read it. Too often we don't wait on God. Too often we find everything else to do other than sit at his feet and begin to read and just listen. God, what have you got for me today? Who have you got for me to speak to? What have you got for me this week? What doors are you going to open up that I can minister to others? So we need to always be sitting at his feet, listening and that's the biggest point about listening, because we're like on this Ferris wheel. We're just so intensified going around, around, around. It's hard to get off. We need to set aside time that we can sit at his feet and hear what he wants to say to us.
Speaker 2:We need to spend more time in his word, that becomes a part of our DNA. Get the word, that God's word, that that word gets in you. Amen. Matthew 4.4. Then the devil took him up to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the temple, and said if you are the son of God, jump off. For the scripture says he orders his angels to protect you and they will hold you with their hands to keep you from striking your foot on a stone. Matthew 4.5 and 6.
Speaker 2:Satan presents to scripture with a little twist. It always sounds good with a little twist. Realize the enemy knows the scripture as well. Okay, and he'll try and use it to his advantage. That's why you need to be in the word. Remember he's the author of confusion. Jesus responded. The scripture also says do not test the Lord, your God. Matthew 4, 10, 11,. His word says resist the devil and he will flee. Never forget that Satan must yield to the authority of Christ. In you you have the same authority as Christ. Never forget that the same Holy Ghost that is in you, that was the same Holy Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, is in you, resident in you. It's important to remember that God cares for you, those that stand strong in the face of trials and tribulations and trust God in every area. Amen, trust is a big word.
Speaker 3:Do I trust God in everything, or do I just give him what I need? Because that's how I feel about this. I want to tell you something. You know what it is. You walk away. Five minutes later I'm going back to grab what I just got Because I don't think God's doing it all right. I think I can go further, but that's not what God's grace is. Amen. Don't just give it to him and then, five minutes later, take it back.
Speaker 2:Because it's not yours to carry it.
Speaker 3:I want to tell someone here this morning it is not yours to carry its head and we're doing this. It's like we're running this attack all the time. We need to create a way to destroy it is I it's mostly straight is I can't do it. I'm just speaking to him. Ages ago, we carry this sword. We carry this sword the weapons of life, you and me, and we need to begin to carry it as it is. Don't water it down. It can't be watered down. It's got to be as it is.
Speaker 1:Like Pastor Gary has been saying, you need to know that you have God's authority within you. Luke 4, 18 and 19 says the Spirit of the Lord is upon you because he's anointed you to preach the gospel, to heal the brokenhearted, to set those that are in captivity free and to declare the acceptable year of the Lord. We have the Spirit of God living in us. Jesus sent the Comforter for us and we need to use that. When we don't know what to do or what to say, we just call on the Holy Spirit and say Lord, help me here. But we know, like in John 10.10, the thief has come to rob, kill and destroy, but you, as in Jesus, has come to give us life more abundantly. And an abundant life means that we live a life full of grace and mercy, and God will never leave us nor forsake us. He's always there. Like Pastor Gary said, he's always working in the background, even though we may not see him. I was talking to my wife this morning and I reminded her of something like when we were away. We had some challenges that were set before us, but you could see the little tiny things that the Lord was doing and he had everything under control. You could see these. It's like, almost like little breadcrumbs. You know Everybody's waiting for that big, massive, you know wow moment when you see God move. You know it's just like the three that were in the fire Meshach, radrach and Abednego. They're in the fire, you know. They expected to suffer because of their faith, but God made sure that that didn't happen and Jesus went into the fire with them. But they were prepared to go into the fire and die. It's the same as Abraham. You look at the things that these great men and women have done. Abraham was told to take his son up the mountain and to sacrifice him. Yet, you know, unaware of remembering that, hang on, I'm supposed to be the father of many nations, you know. And so his lineage, in other words his son, was going to be the start of you, of the expansion of God's words throughout the world. But he just saw that he had to sacrifice his son, and he was going to do exactly that. He had him on the altar, he had the knife, he was prepared to actually sacrifice his son because that's what God had asked him to do. And at that last moment, god revealed to Abraham a perfect lamb. That would be the sacrifice that was needed and his son would be spared. Needed and his son would be spared.
Speaker 1:I think that a lot of people these days don't see how they can have an impact by just being a good Christian. We need to be more Christ-like each and every day. So everything that we do and everything we say, we've got to think well, what would God do here? How would Jesus handle this situation? Be true to yourself and don't be ashamed of the gospel. I'm not asking everybody to go out there and be Bible bashers, but just given the opportunity, you can just plant a seed, because I tell you what, like Pastor Gary was saying earlier, the enemy the world as we know it is planting seeds in our life all the time.
Speaker 1:When I was over with my granddaughter, she likes watching all of these educational shows and all that sort of stuff, and there was this new one out um, I won't mention the name, I don't want to get anybody in trouble, or I don't want to get myself in trouble, but basically what it was. I'd noticed almost straight away that she was watching this show and it was all about, you know, being a vet, you know, and looking after animals and all this sort of stuff, but there was this subtle little bit in there that nobody saw. But I saw it because God allowed me to see this and so therefore, because I have I have such a really good relationship with my granddaughter I was able to steer her in the direction of another show that was still educational, still about being a well, it wasn't a vet, it was just being a doctor. But the doctor was for animals, because all the characters were animals. That was Dr McStuffy, but the other one it was very subtly put in there but the vet, this girl had two fathers, right, so she had a gay couple as her parents and it was just so subtly put into the show that the kids that are watching that would see that as normal. That's acceptable. So that's acceptable in society.
Speaker 1:Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not getting on a soapbox about same-sex marriages and all of this sort of stuff, but I'm just talking about the subtlety that the devil has and he plants these seeds and if we don't uproot them and get them out of our lives, they will grow and they will manifest and, without even knowing it, we are representing something that is not truly God, the love of Jesus Christ, walking a Christian lifestyle and living a life full of glory and honor and blessings, of glory and honor and blessings.
Speaker 1:You know, don't go about doing good and healing all those who are oppressed of the devil. It's in that scripture for a reason. We need to be aware of the devil's tactics, we need to be aware of what he's doing and what he's up to, and we need to block it and stop it at every opportunity we have. And that's why don't be ashamed of the gospel. I'm not saying, go out there and be a Bible basher, but let people see Christ that dwells within you. As you live a Christian lifestyle, you can actually show people the way to live a good, godly life. I think that's enough for today and I'll be back next week with something else, and I think it's going to be spirit led by the Holy Spirit. So we'll talk to you next week and bye for now.
