The Refining is For My Good

April 22nd, 2022

By: David Hoskins

The way that God qualifies us for the good stuff is through refinement and His own unique equipping process. As believers, we need to get to a place where we embrace the fire knowing that He is walking through the fire with us.

Daniel 3:24-27 (NIV)

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”

They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”

25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”

So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

Many times we struggle with the equipping, refinement process because it feels like He is trying to kill us. In a way He is. He has to deal with what will hinder us as we move into the next level of authority and empowerment. Some of us do not die very well.

Speaking as one who has whined a time or two, I believe that it is very important to participate emotionally with the equipping process. God is on our side. Be reminded that even the enemy may be useful at times to help us rise up into our potential. We seldom know what we can deal with until we have to experience it. We learn through that experience how to gain our stripes and authority in the Spirit. We learn to fight well by fighting. And sometimes we learn how to win by losing a battle or two.

I think one of our biggest problems in Christianity right now is that we want to win but we do not want to have to fight.

Complaining about the process is one thing but it is another thing for us to bring accusations toward God and his character because we are going through hard times.

We tend to want to blame somebody. It is part of our fallen nature. The blame game does not serve us well. Why do we blame the one who is working all things together for our good. It is a false accusation and a wrong perspective which keeps us from potential inheritance in the kingdom.

In the parables of the steward, one of the stewards buried his talent in the ground because “he knew” that the owner was a hard taskmaster reaping where he had not sown.

We need to be careful not to accuse the Lord. Sometimes we can lose our opportunity to shine simply by not walking through the equipping process very maturely. The talent that was given to the steward was taken away from him because of his mindset and it was given to another that would produce the kingdom.

2 Samuel 22:31-41 (NIV)

31 “As for God, his way is perfect:

The LORD’s word is flawless;

he shields all who take refuge in him.

32 For who is God besides the LORD?

And who is the Rock except our God?

33 It is God who arms me with strength

and keeps my way secure.

34 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;he causes me to stand on the heights.

35 He trains my hands for battle;

my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

36 You make your saving help my shield;your help has made me great.

37 You provide a broad path for my feet,

so that my ankles do not give way.

38 “I pursued my enemies and crushed them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed.

39 I crushed them completely, and they could not rise;

they fell beneath my feet.

40 You armed me with strength for battle; you humbled my adversaries before me.

41 You made my enemies turn their backs in flight, and I destroyed my foes.