by Dr. Tony Evans

Sometimes God will deliver you from whatever it is that seeks to do you harm. But there are other times when, because He wants to give you a special encounter with Himself, He will not deliver you from it—but He will join you in it. Sometimes He wants you to see that even when you are in the fire, just like the bush Moses encountered, you will not be burned up. Sometimes heaven wants to join you in a bad situation instead of taking you out of it. 

But whether He takes you from it or joins you in it, you can have an encounter with the Living God because He has a perfect plan for it. 

So rather than getting all shook up when the devil has you all tied up, open your eyes instead. Look for the presence of the Living God and His calming peace.

Fire doesn’t have the last say when God is involved. 

First Peter 2:20 tells us why God sometimes allows the fire in our lives. It says, “For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.” 

When you do the right thing in the face of persecution, threat, pain or any number of potential fears, this brings you favor with God. Not only that, but it also brings you His blessing.

Dr. Tony Evans is the pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, and founder of The Urban Alternative. He is also the author of over 100 books and Bible studies. His radio broadcast, The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans, can be heard on more than 1,300 US outlets daily and in more than 130 countries.