Have you ever seen a Swordsmith forge a new sword? I love those old Medieval movies that show that. The Swordsmith takes that piece of metal and sticks it in the fire and then folds it over again and again repeating the process many times. The blade is shaped and sharpened by the Swordsmith. He takes it in his hand and sticks it into the fire and then beats on to make it sharper and more beautiful. All the impurities of the metal are burned off in the fire.  Then, when it is red hot, the Swordsmith takes the new sword and quenches it in water, all to harden the blade. There is steam everywhere and the sword is born. The sword was forged in the fire.

I looked up the meaning of “forged” (but not like a check, lol):

1.  make or shape (a metal object) by heating it in a fire or furnace and beating or hammering it. More synonyms – hammer out, beat into, shape, found, cast, mold, model

I like swords. They are used in battle. They are beautiful and magnificant. They are sharp – sharper than a knife. The Word of God is like that:

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. – Hebrews 4:12-13 NKJV

In the Bible, God shares that His Word is our Sword and it is used in battle:

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,  for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. – Ephesians 6:10-20NKJV

So just like a warrior holds his sword to defeat his enemies, we are to hold the WORD OF GOD as our sword.

It is God’s Word that will defeat the enemies in our lives, not our own swords or our own effort.

What if we spoke to the enemies in our lives – whether sickness, disease, poverty, lack, depression, etc. and spoke the Word of God to them? Would we then see our enemies sliced and diced and dead?

What if it meant going through the fire first?

For You, O God, have tested us;
You have refined us as silver is refined. – Psalm 66″ 10 NKJV

For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.  If anyone’s work which he has built on itendures, he will receive a reward.  If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. – 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 NKJV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,  that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,  whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,  receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. – 1 Peter 1: 3-9 NKJV

Would you do it? Like those 3 boys, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego  – would you go in the furnace in order not to bow to the idols or false kings in this world? Remember, Jesus is there with you in that furnace. And you will come out and not even smell like smoke.

It wasn’t until after the boys went through the fire that the king and all of his followers bowed to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego…that’s when the revival took place, after the fire. The reviaval and the promotion came AFTER the fire:

 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel^[g] and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God!  Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this.”  Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon. – Daniel 3: 28-30NKJV

The Shepherd Savior