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00:00:01 The theme for my discussion 00:00:03 is “Never Let Satan Intimidate You.” 00:00:08 To intimidate means to try to get someone 00:00:11 to do or not do something by bullying, 00:00:14 terrorizing, threatening them. 00:00:17 And of course, Satan is a god of intimidation. 00:00:20 That’s one way he tries to get people to do what he wants. 00:00:23 On the other hand, Jehovah always motivates by love. 00:00:27 The word “intimidate” 00:00:29 is found twice in the Study Bible notes. 00:00:32 And the word “intimidated” 00:00:34 is found once in the main text of our Bible, 00:00:38 Deuteronomy 1:17, 00:00:40 where the judges who were to assist Moses were told: 00:00:44 ‘Do not be intimidated by men; 00:00:47 render impartial judgment.’ 00:00:50 But now, even though these words 00:00:52 are not used so much in the Bible, 00:00:55 the idea is found many times. 00:00:58 As a few examples, think of Goliath —who was nine and a half feet (2.9 m) tall— 00:01:03 trying to intimidate young David. 00:01:06 Remember what he said to him? 00:01:08 First Samuel chapter 17, he said: 00:01:11 “Just come to me, and I will give your flesh 00:01:15 to the birds of the heavens and to the beasts of the field.” 00:01:19 ‘Just come to me, little boy, 00:01:21 and I’ll feed your corpse to the buzzards and hyenas’ 00:01:25 —big-time intimidation. 00:01:28 Or what about the Rabshakeh 00:01:30 in loud, fluent Hebrew trying to intimidate the Jews 00:01:33 in the time of Hezekiah 00:01:35 or Sanballat and Tobiah 00:01:38 trying to ridicule Nehemiah and the Jews for building the wall? 00:01:43 Or another example found in today’s Watchtower comments 00:01:47 was that Nebuchadnezzar really tried to intimidate the three Hebrews 00:01:51 into worshiping an idol. 00:01:53 How did he do it? 00:01:55 Well, Daniel 3:1 says 00:01:57 he erected an immense image 00:02:01 almost 90 feet (27.4 m) tall and 9 feet (2.7 m) wide, 00:02:04 and that was intimidating in itself. 00:02:07 But then he assembled, according to verse 2, 00:02:10 a huge throng of people: “satraps, prefects, governors, advisers,” 00:02:15 etcetera, etcetera —an intimidating throng. 00:02:19 And then in verses 4-6, 00:02:21 he had it loudly proclaimed: ‘You are commanded, . . . 00:02:25 ‘when you hear the horn, the pipe, the zither, . . . 00:02:28 ‘you must fall down and worship this image. 00:02:31 ‘And anyone who does not do so immediately 00:02:35 will be thrown into the burning, fiery furnace.’ 00:02:38 Very intimidating 00:02:40 —but those three Hebrews remained unintimidated. 00:02:45 But of course, Satan, as we said, 00:02:48 still tries to use intimidation today. 00:02:51 ‘If you don’t take this blood transfusion, you will surely die.’ 00:02:56 ‘If you don’t accept this job 00:02:58 ‘(talking about a job that’ll damage you spiritually), 00:03:01 your family will starve.’ 00:03:04 ‘Why won’t you smoke this cigarette? 00:03:06 Are you afraid? Are you chicken?’ 00:03:08 ‘Why won’t you date this girl in your class who likes you? 00:03:12 Are you a homosexual?’ 00:03:14 Today, Satan uses intimidation. 00:03:18 First Peter 5:8 says 00:03:20 that the Devil “walks about like a roaring lion.” 00:03:23 And often those roars take the form of intimidation 00:03:28 —kind of like the roars of a literal lion, 00:03:31 according to the Insight book, are calculated to cause domestic animals 00:03:36 to stampede and break out of their protective enclosure. 00:03:41 But, now, here’s a question: 00:03:43 What lessons can we learn from those three Hebrews 00:03:48 that will help us to never let Satan intimidate us? 00:03:52 Well, here are a few lessons. 00:03:54 One: Never quit trusting Jehovah 00:03:57 with all your heart despite the roars of the Devil. 00:04:01 If you go to Daniel chapter 3, 00:04:04 notice how they put implicit trust in Jehovah 00:04:09 despite this intimidating situation 00:04:12 —chapter 3, verse 16: 00:04:14 “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego 00:04:16 “answered the king: ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, 00:04:20 “‘we have no need to answer you in this matter. 00:04:24 “‘If it must be, our God whom we serve 00:04:27 “‘is able to rescue us from the burning fiery furnace, O king, 00:04:31 “‘and to rescue us from your hand. 00:04:34 “‘But even if he does not, let it be known to you, O king, 00:04:39 “‘that we will not serve your gods 00:04:42 or worship the image of gold that you have set up.’” 00:04:46 See, they trusted Jehovah. 00:04:48 Now, here’s another lesson: 00:04:50 Holy spirit will help us remain calm 00:04:54 —not panic— 00:04:56 and give a good answer to our persecutors. 00:04:58 When you think about what we just read, the answer they gave 00:05:01 —amazing composure— 00:05:03 amazing answer they gave. 00:05:06 Obviously, holy spirit was working powerfully upon them. 00:05:09 And we’re promised the same will be true for us. 00:05:12 At Luke 12:11, 12, Jesus said: 00:05:16 “When they bring you in before public assemblies, 00:05:18 “government officials, and authorities, 00:05:21 “do not become anxious about . . . what you will say, 00:05:24 “for the holy spirit will teach you in that very hour” what to say. 00:05:29 Now, here’s another lesson: 00:05:31 Jehovah can use his powerful angels 00:05:34 to rescue us from an intimidating situation. 00:05:38 In the case of the three Hebrews, they were rescued miraculously. 00:05:42 When the king looked into that furnace, 00:05:45 instead of seeing three men bound being cremated, 00:05:49 he saw four walking about freely, 00:05:53 the fourth obviously an angel. 00:05:56 Now, when they were brought out of that furnace, 00:05:58 Daniel 3:27 says they didn’t even have “the smell of fire.” 00:06:03 No hair of their body was singed. 00:06:05 Now, we’ve been in homes where people are smokers 00:06:08 and you pick up that smell of smoke very easily. 00:06:11 Talking about singeing your hair, hair singes very easily. 00:06:15 Some time back I tried to light a gas stove using a match. 00:06:20 I didn’t get the timing exactly right. 00:06:24 It blew back —burned about half the hairs off my arm. 00:06:27 But here, they didn’t have a hair singed, not even the smell of smoke. 00:06:31 Now, today, we don’t expect Jehovah’s angels 00:06:36 to deliver us miraculously. 00:06:38 But Jehovah can use them to maneuver circumstances. 00:06:43 So we find a job to provide for our family. 00:06:47 So we find a cooperative doctor who respects our stand on blood, 00:06:51 as just a couple of examples. 00:06:53 Or he may use the angels to strengthen us 00:06:56 to be faithful in the face of that fiery test. 00:07:00 Now, here’s another lesson we can learn: 00:07:02 Firm belief in the resurrection 00:07:04 can powerfully fortify us, 00:07:07 even if we’re threatened with death. 00:07:09 Undoubtedly, those three Hebrews knew Job’s words 00:07:13 of Job 14:13, 00:07:15 where Job asked Jehovah to conceal him in the grave, 00:07:18 set a time limit, 00:07:20 and then remember him—resurrect him. 00:07:23 Likely, they were familiar with the resurrections of Elijah and Elisha. 00:07:28 Now, they didn’t know if they’d be miraculously delivered, 00:07:31 but they did know they would be resurrected if they kept their integrity. 00:07:35 The same is true with us today. 00:07:37 And that firm belief in the resurrection, if you think about it, 00:07:41 strips Satan of his power 00:07:44 to intimidate us even in the face of death. 00:07:48 You could say that hope is like our secret weapon. 00:07:52 Now, here’s one more lesson we can learn: 00:07:54 Remaining staunchly unintimidated 00:07:57 will give a powerful witness to onlookers. 00:08:00 Do you remember what the king said 00:08:02 when they came out unharmed from that furnace? 00:08:05 He said: “Praised be the God of Shadrach, 00:08:09 “Meshach, and Abednego, . . . 00:08:12 “for there is no other god 00:08:14 who is able to rescue like this one.” 00:08:17 And think about this, 00:08:19 if Nebuchadnezzar and other Babylonian onlookers 00:08:23 are resurrected as part of “the unrighteous” 00:08:26 mentioned at Acts 24:15, 00:08:29 this experience will give them a head start in the new world 00:08:33 on taking a stand with Jehovah. 00:08:35 And think about even the men 00:08:37 who threw them into the furnace who died doing so. 00:08:41 Now, if they’re resurrected, 00:08:43 they’ll be told about what happened subsequent to their untimely death. 00:08:47 And undoubtedly, that will be an impetus 00:08:49 toward spiritual progress in the new world. 00:08:53 Well, the same is true today. 00:08:55 When we stand firm, unintimidated, 00:08:58 we give a powerful witness. 00:09:00 And there are many that are now in the truth 00:09:03 as a result of such a witness. 00:09:05 Well, there we have five 00:09:07 anti-intimidation lessons 00:09:11 we can learn from those three Hebrews. 00:09:13 In review: Never quit trusting Jehovah 00:09:17 despite the roars of the Devil. 00:09:20 Two: Holy spirit will help us remain calm, 00:09:22 not panic, and give a good answer. 00:09:24 Three: Jehovah can use his angels in various ways 00:09:29 to rescue us from intimidating circumstances. 00:09:32 And number four: 00:09:34 The resurrection hope will powerfully fortify us 00:09:38 not to be intimidated even in the face of death. 00:09:42 And number five: Remaining staunchly unintimidated 00:09:46 will give a profound witness to onlookers. 00:09:50 So may all of us, like those three Hebrews, be determined 00:09:55 to never let Satan intimidate us.
00:00:01 The theme for my discussion 00:00:03 is “Never Let Satan Intimidate You.” 00:00:08 To intimidate means to try to get someone 00:00:11 to do or not do something by bullying, 00:00:14 terrorizing, threatening them. 00:00:17 And of course, Satan is a god of intimidation. 00:00:20 That’s one way he tries to get people to do what he wants. 00:00:23 On the other hand, Jehovah always motivates by love. 00:00:27 The word “intimidate” 00:00:29 is found twice in the Study Bible notes. 00:00:32 And the word “intimidated” 00:00:34 is found once in the main text of our Bible, 00:00:38 Deuteronomy 1:17, 00:00:40 where the judges who were to assist Moses were told: 00:00:44 ‘Do not be intimidated by men; 00:00:47 render impartial judgment.’ 00:00:50 But now, even though these words 00:00:52 are not used so much in the Bible, 00:00:55 the idea is found many times. 00:00:58 As a few examples, think of Goliath —who was nine and a half feet (2.9 m) tall— 00:01:03 trying to intimidate young David. 00:01:06 Remember what he said to him? 00:01:08 First Samuel chapter 17, he said: 00:01:11 “Just come to me, and I will give your flesh 00:01:15 to the birds of the heavens and to the beasts of the field.” 00:01:19 ‘Just come to me, little boy, 00:01:21 and I’ll feed your corpse to the buzzards and hyenas’ 00:01:25 —big-time intimidation. 00:01:28 Or what about the Rabshakeh 00:01:30 in loud, fluent Hebrew trying to intimidate the Jews 00:01:33 in the time of Hezekiah 00:01:35 or Sanballat and Tobiah 00:01:38 trying to ridicule Nehemiah and the Jews for building the wall? 00:01:43 Or another example found in today’s Watchtower comments 00:01:47 was that Nebuchadnezzar really tried to intimidate the three Hebrews 00:01:51 into worshiping an idol. 00:01:53 How did he do it? 00:01:55 Well, Daniel 3:1 says 00:01:57 he erected an immense image 00:02:01 almost 90 feet (27.4 m) tall and 9 feet (2.7 m) wide, 00:02:04 and that was intimidating in itself. 00:02:07 But then he assembled, according to verse 2, 00:02:10 a huge throng of people: “satraps, prefects, governors, advisers,” 00:02:15 etcetera, etcetera —an intimidating throng. 00:02:19 And then in verses 4-6, 00:02:21 he had it loudly proclaimed: ‘You are commanded, . . . 00:02:25 ‘when you hear the horn, the pipe, the zither, . . . 00:02:28 ‘you must fall down and worship this image. 00:02:31 ‘And anyone who does not do so immediately 00:02:35 will be thrown into the burning, fiery furnace.’ 00:02:38 Very intimidating 00:02:40 —but those three Hebrews remained unintimidated. 00:02:45 But of course, Satan, as we said, 00:02:48 still tries to use intimidation today. 00:02:51 ‘If you don’t take this blood transfusion, you will surely die.’ 00:02:56 ‘If you don’t accept this job 00:02:58 ‘(talking about a job that’ll damage you spiritually), 00:03:01 your family will starve.’ 00:03:04 ‘Why won’t you smoke this cigarette? 00:03:06 Are you afraid? Are you chicken?’ 00:03:08 ‘Why won’t you date this girl in your class who likes you? 00:03:12 Are you a homosexual?’ 00:03:14 Today, Satan uses intimidation. 00:03:18 First Peter 5:8 says 00:03:20 that the Devil “walks about like a roaring lion.” 00:03:23 And often those roars take the form of intimidation 00:03:28 —kind of like the roars of a literal lion, 00:03:31 according to the Insight book, are calculated to cause domestic animals 00:03:36 to stampede and break out of their protective enclosure. 00:03:41 But, now, here’s a question: 00:03:43 What lessons can we learn from those three Hebrews 00:03:48 that will help us to never let Satan intimidate us? 00:03:52 Well, here are a few lessons. 00:03:54 One: Never quit trusting Jehovah 00:03:57 with all your heart despite the roars of the Devil. 00:04:01 If you go to Daniel chapter 3, 00:04:04 notice how they put implicit trust in Jehovah 00:04:09 despite this intimidating situation 00:04:12 —chapter 3, verse 16: 00:04:14 “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego 00:04:16 “answered the king: ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, 00:04:20 “‘we have no need to answer you in this matter. 00:04:24 “‘If it must be, our God whom we serve 00:04:27 “‘is able to rescue us from the burning fiery furnace, O king, 00:04:31 “‘and to rescue us from your hand. 00:04:34 “‘But even if he does not, let it be known to you, O king, 00:04:39 “‘that we will not serve your gods 00:04:42 or worship the image of gold that you have set up.’” 00:04:46 See, they trusted Jehovah. 00:04:48 Now, here’s another lesson: 00:04:50 Holy spirit will help us remain calm 00:04:54 —not panic— 00:04:56 and give a good answer to our persecutors. 00:04:58 When you think about what we just read, the answer they gave 00:05:01 —amazing composure— 00:05:03 amazing answer they gave. 00:05:06 Obviously, holy spirit was working powerfully upon them. 00:05:09 And we’re promised the same will be true for us. 00:05:12 At Luke 12:11, 12, Jesus said: 00:05:16 “When they bring you in before public assemblies, 00:05:18 “government officials, and authorities, 00:05:21 “do not become anxious about . . . what you will say, 00:05:24 “for the holy spirit will teach you in that very hour” what to say. 00:05:29 Now, here’s another lesson: 00:05:31 Jehovah can use his powerful angels 00:05:34 to rescue us from an intimidating situation. 00:05:38 In the case of the three Hebrews, they were rescued miraculously. 00:05:42 When the king looked into that furnace, 00:05:45 instead of seeing three men bound being cremated, 00:05:49 he saw four walking about freely, 00:05:53 the fourth obviously an angel. 00:05:56 Now, when they were brought out of that furnace, 00:05:58 Daniel 3:27 says they didn’t even have “the smell of fire.” 00:06:03 No hair of their body was singed. 00:06:05 Now, we’ve been in homes where people are smokers 00:06:08 and you pick up that smell of smoke very easily. 00:06:11 Talking about singeing your hair, hair singes very easily. 00:06:15 Some time back I tried to light a gas stove using a match. 00:06:20 I didn’t get the timing exactly right. 00:06:24 It blew back —burned about half the hairs off my arm. 00:06:27 But here, they didn’t have a hair singed, not even the smell of smoke. 00:06:31 Now, today, we don’t expect Jehovah’s angels 00:06:36 to deliver us miraculously. 00:06:38 But Jehovah can use them to maneuver circumstances. 00:06:43 So we find a job to provide for our family. 00:06:47 So we find a cooperative doctor who respects our stand on blood, 00:06:51 as just a couple of examples. 00:06:53 Or he may use the angels to strengthen us 00:06:56 to be faithful in the face of that fiery test. 00:07:00 Now, here’s another lesson we can learn: 00:07:02 Firm belief in the resurrection 00:07:04 can powerfully fortify us, 00:07:07 even if we’re threatened with death. 00:07:09 Undoubtedly, those three Hebrews knew Job’s words 00:07:13 of Job 14:13, 00:07:15 where Job asked Jehovah to conceal him in the grave, 00:07:18 set a time limit, 00:07:20 and then remember him—resurrect him. 00:07:23 Likely, they were familiar with the resurrections of Elijah and Elisha. 00:07:28 Now, they didn’t know if they’d be miraculously delivered, 00:07:31 but they did know they would be resurrected if they kept their integrity. 00:07:35 The same is true with us today. 00:07:37 And that firm belief in the resurrection, if you think about it, 00:07:41 strips Satan of his power 00:07:44 to intimidate us even in the face of death. 00:07:48 You could say that hope is like our secret weapon. 00:07:52 Now, here’s one more lesson we can learn: 00:07:54 Remaining staunchly unintimidated 00:07:57 will give a powerful witness to onlookers. 00:08:00 Do you remember what the king said 00:08:02 when they came out unharmed from that furnace? 00:08:05 He said: “Praised be the God of Shadrach, 00:08:09 “Meshach, and Abednego, . . . 00:08:12 “for there is no other god 00:08:14 who is able to rescue like this one.” 00:08:17 And think about this, 00:08:19 if Nebuchadnezzar and other Babylonian onlookers 00:08:23 are resurrected as part of “the unrighteous” 00:08:26 mentioned at Acts 24:15, 00:08:29 this experience will give them a head start in the new world 00:08:33 on taking a stand with Jehovah. 00:08:35 And think about even the men 00:08:37 who threw them into the furnace who died doing so. 00:08:41 Now, if they’re resurrected, 00:08:43 they’ll be told about what happened subsequent to their untimely death. 00:08:47 And undoubtedly, that will be an impetus 00:08:49 toward spiritual progress in the new world. 00:08:53 Well, the same is true today. 00:08:55 When we stand firm, unintimidated, 00:08:58 we give a powerful witness. 00:09:00 And there are many that are now in the truth 00:09:03 as a result of such a witness. 00:09:05 Well, there we have five 00:09:07 anti-intimidation lessons 00:09:11 we can learn from those three Hebrews. 00:09:13 In review: Never quit trusting Jehovah 00:09:17 despite the roars of the Devil. 00:09:20 Two: Holy spirit will help us remain calm, 00:09:22 not panic, and give a good answer. 00:09:24 Three: Jehovah can use his angels in various ways 00:09:29 to rescue us from intimidating circumstances. 00:09:32 And number four: 00:09:34 The resurrection hope will powerfully fortify us 00:09:38 not to be intimidated even in the face of death. 00:09:42 And number five: Remaining staunchly unintimidated 00:09:46 will give a profound witness to onlookers. 00:09:50 So may all of us, like those three Hebrews, be determined 00:09:55 to never let Satan intimidate us.
