Faith Under Fire — When the Heat Gets Turned Up

Have you ever felt like the moment you decided to do the right thing… everything started going wrong?

In this opening episode of Season 3, I dive into what it truly means to experience faith under fire. When the pressure increases, the answers feel delayed, and life seems to intensify......this is not the time to panic, but to understand what God is doing.

Recorded during the Easter season on Holy Thursday, this episode draws a powerful parallel between our personal trials and the moment Jesus faced intense pressure before the cross, reminding us that faith is not proven in comfort, but in surrender under pressure.

If you’ve been asking, “Why is this happening to me?” this episode will give you clarity, perspective, and strength to keep going.

🔥 KEY TAKEAWAY

The fire is not here to destroy you—it’s here to refine you.
 And what you’re in right now has a purpose.

📖 SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

1 Peter 4:12
 Daniel 3
 Luke 22:44

🎧 CONNECT WITH ME

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:14

Welcome back, Warriors, to season three of our podcast. It's been way too long, and I feel like I say this every single time that I come on. But I promise you, I am trying to be consistent on all platforms. I have been consistent on other platforms. Let me point that out, you know. But I I intend to be consistent on all platforms. I'm trying, you know, I'm trying. But I do have a lot of assignments and engagements, so um, I do apologize for not uh giving you the episodes like I should be giving, right? And um, I'm not gonna go back over the fact that oh, this episode or the season should have been posted from last year, blah blah blah. No, I'm not gonna go over that. We're diving straight into season number three, right? And um I have I've had the opportunity to have some conversations, you know, with my brothers and sisters in the faith. And, you know, I've seen where a lot of us are struggling, we're in different seasons of our lives, and um I I believe that it is fitting that I, you know, I come out and I just encourage you know my brothers out there who I have not gotten a chance to like talk to on a one on one basis, like just encourage you to hold the faith, right? But I know we've been feeling the pressure and the pain and you know, the questions, and for those of us who have been praying for God to do something in our lives, you know, we've been in the waiting room and uh it's uh it's tiresome for some. And some of us just started, some of us have been in the waiting room for a little bit, and you're waiting for names to be called in all right. Um, you know, we have our moments where you know, we've been wondering, God, what me could I do? Why you know I go through this and some of us believe that it is punishment. I was talking to a gentleman the other day and he did mention that why we need too bad still and I saw I don't want me to go through right now, but it's a punishment. And I'm like, no, while I laughed about it, you know, I I really did understand where he was coming from because he was dead serious that he does believe that you know it's actually punishment. So some of us do believe that you know a lot of what we're going through is a punishment. Uh I do believe that it is preparation for the next season of our lives. Um, sometimes we ask why, you know, how when. And these are valid questions to ask because you know, when we're in, I mean we're in the the flesh, but we're not of the flesh, but we do sometimes uh, you know, have to ask these questions because the flesh is speaking. But when you tap into your spirit, man, you know, you become a little bit more in tune with the Holy Spirit, and it kind of puts you back into a position where you say, you know what? Them away because all things work together for good to them that love the Lord, you know, and uh, but but there's always a constant uh you know war between the spirit and the flesh, so we have to ensure that we we keep the the the flesh in check sometimes and we you know we lean more towards the spirit man, right? So um, so this season I really want to encourage uh my brothers and sisters for going through trials and tribulations because this is a season three, and in season three, um, we're gonna be talking about trials and tribulations. And if you have not yet gotten a copy of the book, we're in part three, and that part three is trials and tribulations. Within that part, we have uh about six or seven chapters where we'll be talking about different aspects and areas of trials and tribulations, and we'll be going a little bit deeper, right? So, stick around with us. We're gonna be dropping an episode every single week until we're finished with uh season number three. I um will be going through the different uh chapters, and uh these are if you're in the book, you can find that the chapters I'll be going through throughout the the this season are primary trials, which is what we'll be doing today. Why God allows trials, how to respond to trials, the benefits of trials, hope in trials, and turning your trials into triumph. These are the episodes that we'll be going through for this season, and I do hope that you stick around um as we encourage each other. Yes, all right. So I I I find it a little bit significant that um I am recording today on this holy Thursday, right? Um because I I and I think the reason why I'm pumped to do it is because it reminds me of what it really does look like to be under pressure and still choose obedience, right? Because before the cross, before the victory, and this is something that was revealed to me, uh, I believe it was on Monday when I was preparing a message, you know, to deliver. It just came home to me that you know Jesus Christ is the perfect example. Not that we I didn't know it before, but a lot of times, you know, we kind of you know, we know certain things, but it doesn't come home to us until we're in the position where we're actually going to be delivering a message. And I I look at it and I like Jesus Christ is the perfect example of what it looks like to you know to be under pressure and still choose obedience. You know, sometimes when we're going through what we're going through, it's so easy for us to say, just not bada, came by that just you know, just stop it in the middle of it and not continue because it's pressuring and you don't want to endure it because it's easier to just ease out the pressure and just step out of the game rather than you know enduring the pressure and keep pushing forward, right? So we look at it and I'm saying that before the cross, right? Before the victory, there was a moment where the weight was so heavy upon him, right? A moment where he he felt the intensity of what was ahead. And uh that was when he went to pray, and you know, he was talking to that Lord is gonna pass. And it just goes to show that uh things in life are really going to get heavy and intense on us, but uh because Jesus Christ would have overcome everything, he overcame everything for us, we too can do it, right? And even through all of that, that Jesus Christ was going through and what was ahead. I mean, he was 100% man and God at the same time. So, you know, while he he he he he he was in a position to say, you know, this is you know walk in the park, he was man, so he was feeling every single thing. So the the the flesh was saying, you can't manage this, you can't manage this, the table is back out, right? The flesh was saying just snap your finger and everything will be over, you know. But he had to go through it. The suffering, he surrendered, right? And this is what faith under fire looks like it's not the absence of pressure, right? Pressure has to be applied, and uh, you know, the decision to remain, the decision to remain faithful in the middle of all this pressure is what is going to bring you the victory at the end of the day. So today we're starting right here, you know, because uh some of you that are listening, you are not in a calm season, you're in a season where the heat is turned up, right? And you're trying to understand why. Oh God, why right? And you want answers, you want answers, and uh you know God hasn't yet answered you, but you're still you're still pressing because uh you now move until hear something that is concrete enough to say, ah Lord, now I understand what you were actually saying. Where's this mic? So I fixed it right now. I understand what you were actually saying, right? So we're gonna be talking today about uh what uh faith looks like uh under pressure, you know what faith under fire looks like. So we're gonna look at it uh from a practical standpoint, uh, right? Faith under fire doesn't always look uh spiritual on the outside, it doesn't look like that. Sometimes it looks like you you finally decide to get serious with God. And I was talking to a young lady last week about this, right? You finally decide, say, alright, me and you God, me and you pandas. And all of a sudden, out of nowhere, you know, um your finances get a little bit tight, right? And uh, I mean, when you were out there in the world, you had money flowing from all angles, you know, you're getting money from here, there, and everywhere, and you're never lacking, you're always taking care of you're always good. And the moment you decide, say, alright, you know, um, I'm gonna surrender my life to Christ and I'm gonna walk the walk, is when uh you know everything dries up and you realize that you're broke and uh you're tempted now to go open up some streams of income that are not righteous, that are not holy, that when God looks upon it, God said it's abomination, right? But this is what it looks like when your faith is on the fire, you know. You you decide that you know I'm gonna be intentional about my prayer life, you know. I'm gonna get up and I'm gonna pray. You're going to pray, and you set it prayer, you set your alarm on your phone to make sure that you know you you observe your prayer times, and all of a sudden you realize that you know your relationship starts shifting. And all of a sudden you had a lot of friends and you come like a lone nade kiddy, and you're going through what you're going through. And when you pick up your phone to dial somebody, you have nobody to call, you have nobody to talk to, and you're wondering, where did everybody go? Right? You're trying to do right because you've come to the realization say, you know, some of the things that uh you know you were doing before, they're not pleasing to God and so you want to clean up your act, and you're trying to do things right, and all of a sudden everything around you just feel unstable, right? And it's as if what you're doing it don't make any sense, or even you know, you you step out to start something and nothing is flowing like you expected. You have everything right on paper, how you're going to do it and what you're going to do, and you step out to do it, and then everything starts AY. And you're wondering what is happening. You're trusting God for direction, and all you're getting is silence, it's nothing, and uh, you know, you're doing the right, but it feels harder, not easier. And you're saying, like, what is going on? But there's a scripture verse that says um in 1 Peter 4.

SPEAKER_00 12:56

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the Farage trial, which is to try you, as both some strange thing happen unto you, but rejoice inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye will be glad also with exceeding joy.

SPEAKER_01 13:19

Right? Um we have to be honest that sometimes it it feels strange, you know, when obedience uh leads pressure, right? In the book of Daniel, chapter three, the Bible says that the furnace was heated seven times hotter, not just hot, but hotter. And that's what some of you are experiencing right now, right? It's not just that you're going through something. Because boy, I tell you, sometimes I listen to what um some people are going through, and I'm like, God, you're the cryer for people because this is too much. This is a lot, you know. So it's not that you're just you're you're going through something, it's it's it's that it feels like it is increasing. It is just increasing. One bill turns into multiple bills, and you just can't catch a break. You can't catch a you can't keep your head above the waters. You know, one issue becomes um attention everywhere. I don't know if you ever had a had a headache. If you catch up in here too tight, sometimes you have a headache, sometimes you wonder where the headache comes from. You know, you don't you don't realize that it's like you catch, catch a little. You don't realize that you you have you know probably cut your hair too tight, right? And so you know you fancy myself and you're gone on the road, you feel good, you look good, you smell nice, and you're gone on the road, right? And you catch up really nice and neat, and then all of a sudden your head just starts hurting. You have head, your head hurt, your eyes are hurting, ears are hurting everywhere. Up your start hurt, and you wonder what could cause it. I wanna you have a headache for the entire day, tension, pressure. You couldn't even smell throughout the day because you know the pressure on your head. And when you go home and you put out the earphone and realize everything fixed, everything alright. You said, What? I didn't really this I got a headache, right? So so this is what sometimes some of us are going through. One little issue, one little issue that we have, it becomes a tension in every single area of our lives, you know. Also, one delay, yeah, experience one delay, and it becomes like uh like a cycle, a cycle of stepback, one delay, and it comes like say you take 10,000 steps backward, like it cannot go forward, right? And you know, these are some things, uh, these are some of the realities that us as a children of God has to go through. And uh the the truth is that the heat increases when your faith refuses to bow. If we're going to look at Daniel chapter 3, people of God, listen, the heat increases when your faith refuses to bow. Because it was right, the reason why the the the the the the fire was uh the furnace was heated seven times hotter was because these men decided Shadrach, Mishkin, and Pendico, they decided they're not going to bow down to no golden image. They can't see their God. Yeah, you're crazy. You know, they're not going to bow because he is not the true living God. That is not the true living God, right? The God that they serve, even if he does not deliver them from that, they will still not go because they'll still know the God with them trust. And it's the faith that they had in their God, it's the faith that they had that that that pushed them to not bow was the reason why the fire got hotter. So, what you're going through, the reason why it is getting hotter is because you refuse. You refuse to bow. You refuse to turn to anything else for support. You refuse to turn to anyone else for help because God, Jesus Christ, is your plan A, B, C, B, E, F, G. You don't have any other plan. And so, this is why it feels like it is hotter, and it feels like you have multiple bills, and it feels like the tension is everywhere, and it feels like you have multiple setbacks, right? Because your faith refuses to bow to what the pressure is sending on you, right? And this is where many of us get discouraged because we were taught, right, that if I do right, things should actually go right. Yeah, that's what we were taught. But the kingdom of God doesn't always work like that, right? You choose integrity and know you're overlooked. You walk away from some something unhealthy, and now you feel like uh you're alone on God and this error. You know, you you you commit yourself to growth, and now life feels a little bit uncomfortable, right? And this is the tension the fire is confusing because it contradicts your own expectations, it contradicts your own expectations, right? But I want to tell you that God is strengthening your faith. In spite of what it looks like, God is strengthening your faith, and faith does not grow in comfort, faith does not grow in comfort, faith grows under pressure. So trusting God, even when money is low, yeah, you still trust God because guess what? Your job is not the source, your husband is not the source, your kids are not the source, your business is not the source, and Jesus Christ is your source. So when you find yourself shortened, you will not look anywhere else because uh I trust in God, right? You're showing up where even when you feel discouraged, you're still showing up, right? You're encouraging and you're making sure that you're there in the presence of the Lord. You believe in God even when nothing is changing. That is your faith being built because you're no sell here. It may not happen yet, but it will happen, it soon happened because the God that you serve never fail, is a never failing God, and He is indeed a promise-keeping God. So, so so what we have to understand is one, God is strengthening your faith. Two, God is breaking all's dependences. So sometimes we say we trust God, right? But uh, we're really trusting other things, and I have found myself there too. So, you know, I'm none of us are perfect in this arena. So, what happens is that the fire exposes it, so the job becomes a little bit uh becomes unstable. The person that you leaned on, you know, eventually pulls away, right? The plan that you would have so carefully put together, you know, just fall apart. And this is where you realize that God will shake what you depend on to reveal what he is in your life, or to reveal that he is your only source, your only source of survival. We sing the song, he's my source of survival every minute of the day. Give me Jesus. Other times we sing these songs and we're not even we're not even realizing what we're singing. It's song good in the moon, but we're not peanut to the words. But there are times when the Lord puts us through things because he has to reveal himself as the healer, not the doctor, not the medication that he puts to hand, but he himself is your bombing gilead, right? So he has to put us through things so that we can understand that he is who we're actually supposed to be depending on, not creation, not what he's created, but he, the creator. Right. Number three, God is drawing you closer to Him. And we have to be honest. There are some prayers we only pray in pressure. There's a song that says, Oh my god, what's the name of the song again? A song that says that you know, um, or problems or or what we go through is what keeps us on our knees. If anybody remember the song, can just post it in the in the in the in the comment section. That'll be good, right? But the the things that we go through in this life is what will keep us on our knees, right? So there are some prayers we only pray in pressure. You seek God deeper when you're desperate for a move, you're desperate for a miracle, you're desperate for an answer, you're knocking on a door and you need a referral open for you because there is no you need to move and you can't move unless it's through open. Let me tell you something: your prayer is so different and desperate when you're going through certain things, you know. You listen even more, you're you're so attentive to the voice of God when you don't have the right answers yet, but you're waiting for God to answer you. You're so attentive, right? This is the fire, and this is why I said before that the faith, the fire, the pressure that you go through is not punishment. This is the preparation for the next season of your life, preparation for God opening up your spiritual ears so you can finally be sensitive to his voice. This is the Lord bringing you through a season where you can become sensitive to his touch, right? Because it can't depend upon anybody else in the season but me, right? So the fire pushes you into intimacy with God. So the fire, the faith that is under fire is God drawing you closer to Him. So even Jesus Christ experienced this kind of pressure. The Bible says that he prayed so intensely that it was like drops of blood. And I don't know if anybody has ever prayed like that before, where you know, you lose your voice. Oh God. Have you ever prayed to the point where your chest, your chest start, you have to calm down and start breathing a little bit different? Have you ever prayed to the point where you cry and cry and cry till you have no voice left? That is not a calm moment, that is a pressure. Have you ever prayed to God to the point where you depend on your knees and when your knees then start hurting, you can't wake it up? Hello, somebody. If you have not prayed that prayer before, you have never been under pressure, you have never been under pressure, and yet still, Jesus said, Not my will, but yours be done. That is a faith under fire. Not that you don't feel it, but that you don't abandon God in it. You know, get up and run somewhere else. Because at the end of the day, who's gonna help you? Who else is gonna help you when you serve a God who knows all, sees all, more powerful than all. So you stay in it until God brings you through it. No, this is where your faith needs to rise, right? What the fire cannot do, right? So in Daniel chapter 3, when they came out of the fire, the fire did not burn them, right? It did not consume them, it did not leave them smelling like smoke, it did not leave them smelling like smoke. So, what this tells me is that whatever it is that I go through, and what I want you to understand is that whatever it is that you are going through, it may test you, but it will not break you. It may pressure you, but it will not destroy you, it may shake you, but it will not finish you. What you're in has limits, even if it is overwhelming in the moment, just know that you're gonna come out even better than you went in. I know it's hard to feel in the moment, but when you come out, you testify. When you come out, you look back and you say, only you God, because there are things that we go through in this life that really and truly know we don't really have to go through it, you know. You know, but God has to prove to us that listen, me, I am the way, the truth, and the life. I am the only one that will have taken you through it, right? And the scripture that says that God is a jealous God, he his glory will give to another, not another. We have to take that a little bit more practical and serious because uh there are times when we go through things in life, you know, and you know, a brother can help, you know, but God make brother, you know, they stand away far to the point where he's not in a position to help, just so we can experience him for ourselves. Wonderful understand that right. So when you find yourselves in these situations where when you find yourself in these situations where you know that the heat is hot, you know, you have to know how to handle it and handle it in a practical way. Don't panic when it escalates, don't panic at all because uh just because it's getting worse doesn't mean that God is not there with you, doesn't mean that God take a vic God gonna sleep and be tired. Just because it is getting hotter or the situation is getting worse. I I remember saying something back in, I think it was uh season one, where I mentioned that I need a seven days fasting for God to fix the situation, and after the seven days of fasting, the situation got worse. The situation got worse. Just because it got worse doesn't mean that God has stepped away, God not take a break, you must sleep, right? Just remain consistent, even if it doesn't look like it's going to happen, even if it don't look perfect, just keep praying, keep showing up, keep trusting God. You know, watch your words because your words are very powerful. Do not speak defeat in a season of your life that was meant to build you, right? So you're going through a dark season, you're going through your winter season where your leaves have uh you know gone, your shit out of the leaf and it looks like there's no hope. You just feel bare, and you know, there's no fruit. You just feel like say you just in a one dry season, cold, dark, gloomy, and there's no way out. Don't speak doom and gloom over you or your life or your situation in that season, don't speak defeat. Jesus is the winner, man, and you're on the winning side. Speak life over you. I am a conqueror, I am healed, I am delivered, I'm set free, I am the righteousness of God. Speak over you, speak life over yourself. So instead of uh saying that nothing is working out, and you do, you know, and every every time you try to do this, uh, you know, it's just that come like say you come like a salt. You know, these are some of the things that we say about your lives that you know, nothing ever works out for me. Everything I try to do in this life, me have to work, work, work, work, work, work, work for it. Oh, what around with me, and all these things are my curse, I'm a family line curse, and all this don't speak those things if you don't understand it yet. But you just keep quiet and say, I trust in God because he never fails. All right, if you if you if you cannot find the strength to speak positive, just say, Lord, I trust you, Lord, I trust you, Lord, I trust you, and keep moving, all right. Do not move out of the position, so don't leave what uh God planted in you, right? Just because it's a little bit uncomfortable, don't get up and just left up because a lot of us leave or season before anything can come into fruition, right? Have you ever planted a tree and uh you know you've been one watering it and nurturing it and not come, just look like you just uh like I want to go past that tree, like not going for it, and uh you know you take it up and you dig it up and you move it because yes, uh you know, you know, look like say anything will come off it, right? When if you had left it and kept on nurturing it, it would have come to something, right? Do not move out of the position where God has placed you, right? If you're there and uh the pressure is intense, sit on tonight, sit on tonight. I know it's easy, it's easier said than done, but I believe that if God has brought you to it, then he will bring you through it, all right. So there are things that we go through in this life. You know, I know a lot of people are going through marital problems, you're going through family issues where it feels as though your bloodline is accursed. I know you're going through um family issues where your children are not talking to you, um, where your children seem as though they're wayward and you're praying, and nothing seems to be working, you're having issues at work, you're having issues in your finances, your health is a problem. You know, there's so many different uh things, the battles and fire that you're facing, your business is not making any money, and it seems as though you want a lock shop because it's don't make any sense. There's so many things that you're going through, but in this season, I want you to endure the fiery trials because if the heat has been turned up in your life, this is not the time to panic. This is a time to recognize that you're in a moment where God wants to build you, right? If the heat is turned up, I want you to not believe that God has stepped away from you and you're in this alone. God is with you every step of the way. The scripture says that I will be with you. Lo, I will be with you always, even until the end of the earth, right? So I want you to understand that when this is over, you won't smell like what you have been, you won't look like what you have been through, but you will be refined, right? You won't just say you have faith, but you know that your faith can survive the test of time. And understand that the fire did not come to destroy you in any way, but it came to prove you, right? You may be in a trial today, but you are not without purpose. And if God allowed it, I want you to understand that He already planned your victory. He already planned your victory, He already planned your victory. So don't give up, don't give in, keep on fighting, keep on moving. Just like the three Hebrew boys, you will come out because Jesus Christ is with you in the fire, and you will come out, not harmed, not touched, not even looking or smelling like what you have been through. Until next time, God bless you.