¿Y si sí? | What if? (Week 3) | Pastor Kristian Bojorquez | Strong Church | Mesa, AZ.

Sep 21, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: When Babylon Renames You, Remember Who Named You First

The world tries to redefine identity through achievements, past failures, or cultural labels. But three Hebrew men in exile held an unshakable truth: their names given by God mattered more than names imposed by empire. Babylon stripped Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of their God-honoring names, yet could not strip their allegiance. True identity isn’t earned through productivity or destroyed by shame—it’s rooted in being called “child of God.” Standing firm begins when we reject the world’s narratives to cling to the name written on our hearts. [16:50]

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
(Daniel 3:16–18, ESV)

Reflection: What labels or narratives has culture tried to attach to you that conflict with your identity in Christ? How might clinging to God’s name for you—"child,” “beloved,” “redeemed”—shift your perspective today?

Day 2: Convictions Built in Secret Don’t Crumble in Public

The furnace didn’t create the three men’s faith—it revealed what they’d nurtured in hidden choices. Long before refusing Nebuchadnezzar’s statue, they refused his food, quietly aligning their habits with God’s ways. Boldness isn’t mustered in crisis but cultivated through daily “small obediences”: honest words when no one checks, integrity in unseen moments, prayers whispered without applause. What we practice in private becomes unshakable in the fire. [22:07]

But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.
(Daniel 1:8, ESV)

Reflection: Where is God inviting you to practice “small obedience” today—a choice that seems insignificant but aligns your heart with His character? How might this prepare you for greater faithfulness?

Day 3: Serving Babylon Without Becoming Babylon

Exile forced the Hebrews to work within a pagan system, yet they refused to let its values seep into their souls. Babylon wanted their skills without their spirituality, their labor without their loyalty to God. Compromise often whispers, “Fit in to influence,” but the three men proved that impact flows from unwavering difference. They served the king without serving his gods—a call to engage culture without letting it define our worship. [11:13]

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
(Romans 12:2, ESV)

Reflection: What parts of your daily life (work, relationships, routines) risk conforming to cultural values that conflict with Christ? Where might God be asking you to stand distinct?

Day 4: “Even If He Doesn’t” Is Where Trust Begins

Shadrach’s declaration held two truths: God could rescue them, and He remained worthy of worship even if He didn’t. Faith often demands holding both—believing in God’s power while surrendering our timelines. Trust isn’t bargaining for outcomes but anchoring in God’s nature. The men’s courage came not from certainty of deliverance but certainty of God’s goodness, whether they walked from the fire or through it. [32:09]

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines… yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
(Habakkuk 3:17–18, ESV)

Reflection: What “even if” situation are you facing where God is asking you to trust His character over a specific outcome? How might releasing control deepen your worship?

Day 5: The Fire That Doesn’t Consume Reveals What’s Holy

The furnace didn’t destroy the three men—it revealed a fourth figure walking with them. Their trial became a testimony when pagan eyes saw God’s presence in the flames. Our hardest seasons often become sacred spaces where others glimpse Christ’s nearness. The fire that feels like an ending may be the very place God shows His faithfulness to those watching your life. [39:59]

He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”
(Daniel 3:25, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life needs to see God’s presence in your challenges? How might your steadfastness in difficulty point them to Christ’s faithfulness?

Sermon Summary

Daniel begins with a hard truth that changes the whole story: the Lord gave Judah into Babylon’s hands. Babylon did not defeat God. Nebuchadnezzar was not finally in control. God was still God, even when everything looked backwards, the temple was messed up, and God’s people were far from home. Daniel calls God’s people to trust that they do not have to understand everything God is doing in order to believe that He is still in control.

Babylon comes after more than the young men’s location. Babylon wants their minds, their culture, their names, and their identity. Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah carry names that point to Yahweh’s grace, help, and greatness, but Babylon replaces those names with names honoring false gods. Culture still tries to do the same thing, defining people by money, career, success, failure, or past mistakes. God, however, calls His people His children and defines them by what Christ has already done.

Daniel shows that boldness begins long before the furnace. The young men do not suddenly discover courage when the fire comes. Daniel 1 reveals that they had already decided not to defile themselves with the king’s food. Private obedience built public conviction. Small choices to pray, say no, walk in integrity, and trust God with little things prepare God’s people to stand when obedience costs something.

The golden statue exposes the difference between knowing about God and remaining faithful to God. Almost everybody bows, but Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stay on their feet. Their stand is not built on confidence that God must rescue them exactly how they want. Their faith says God is able. Their trust says, “Even if He doesn’t,” He is still worthy of obedience.

The fire does not have the final word. God does not promise a life without fire, but His presence meets His people in the fire. The king sees the fourth man walking with them, even though the three faithful men are not said to have seen Him. Faith rests in God’s character when feelings and sight cannot prove anything. God’s presence in the fire becomes visible through joy, peace, patience, and a life that makes others say, “There is no other who can deliver.”

Key Takeaways

1. God remains God in Babylon God’s sovereignty does not disappear when circumstances look defeated. Daniel refuses to let exile become proof that God has abandoned His people. Faith begins by trusting God’s rule even when His reasons remain unseen. [07:16]
2. Babylon cannot define God’s children Culture can rename people, measure them, and remind them of their failures, but it cannot replace the identity God gives. God’s definition rests in His grace and in what He has done through the cross. Conviction becomes strong when identity is received from God instead of borrowed from the world. [17:26]
3. Private obedience builds public boldness The furnace revealed a faith that had already been built through hidden decisions. Small obedience forms the kind of conviction that does not collapse under pressure. Integrity in unseen places prepares God’s people to stand in visible ones. [24:24]
4. Trust says even if He doesn’t Faith believes that God is able to deliver, but trust refuses to make obedience dependent on the outcome. God is not obligated to fulfill every human expectation, because He remains Creator and Lord. His worthiness does not change when the answer is different than hoped. [32:32]
5. God’s presence meets people in fire The fire may be unavoidable, but it is never outside God’s presence. Faith does not require visible proof before it rests in God’s character. God’s nearness can become most visible to others through peace and joy that survive the flames.

## [39:59]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:42] - The Stand Before the Furnace
[04:26] - God Is Still in Control
[08:03] - Remember Who You Are
[14:28] - Babylon Tries to Change Identity
[19:31] - Decide Before the Fire
[26:17] - Stand No Matter What
[30:22] - Even If He Doesn’t
[35:42] - God Is With Them in the Fire
[38:15] - Others Will See His Presence

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Daniel 3:16–18
“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.’” [01:02]

Daniel 1:2
“And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god.” [04:29]

Daniel 1:8
“But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.” [20:14]

Observation questions

According to Daniel 1:2, who gave Judah’s king into Babylon’s hand, and what items from God’s house were taken to Babylon?
What did Babylon try to change about Daniel and his friends besides their location, and how did the new names point away from the God of Israel? [14:28]
What decision had Daniel already made in Daniel 1:8, and how did that private decision come before the public test in Daniel 3? [21:31]
In Daniel 3:16–18, what two clear commitments did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego make to Nebuchadnezzar about God’s ability and their refusal to worship the statue? [30:22]

Interpretation questions

Daniel 1:2 says that the Lord gave Judah into Babylon’s hand. How does this truth change the way believers understand painful seasons when it looks like evil, loss, or confusion has won? [06:24]
Babylon gave Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah new names, but it could not change their allegiance to God. What are some common ways culture tries to define a believer’s identity today, and why is that identity weaker than what God says through Christ? [16:46]
Daniel’s choice not to defile himself with the king’s food came before the furnace. Why do small, unseen choices of obedience often shape a believer’s ability to stand in a larger moment of pressure? [22:05]
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego believed God was able to rescue them, yet they remained obedient even if He did not rescue them in the way they hoped. What does this reveal about the difference between trusting God’s power and demanding a particular outcome from God? [31:01]

Application questions

Is there a difficult situation in your life that feels like “Babylon”—a place where God seems distant or where things appear to be moving in the wrong direction? What would it look like to trust that God is still God even when you do not understand what He is doing? [07:16]
What label has been most tempting for you to accept as your identity: success, money, career, failure, a past mistake, or someone else’s opinion? How can you actively remember this week that God calls you His child and defines you by what Christ has done? [17:54]
What is one small area where you may be tempted to compromise when no one else is watching—your words, integrity at work, entertainment, relationships, spending, or private habits? What specific act of obedience can you choose before a greater test comes? [23:33]
Where do you feel pressure to “bow” in order to fit in, avoid conflict, gain approval, or protect an opportunity? What would a faithful, wise, and loving stand look like in that situation? [33:41]
Is there a prayer or hoped-for outcome that has not happened the way you wanted? How can you honestly bring that disappointment to God while also saying, “Even if He doesn’t, He is still worthy of my obedience”? [32:37]
If you are walking through a fire right now, what might it look like to rest in God’s presence even when you do not feel or see clear proof that He is near? Who around you may be able to see God’s peace, joy, patience, or kindness in your life during this season? [39:54]

Sermon Clips

49s

#FaithOverFear

“And that is the the point of this message today. Ese es el punto de ese mensaje de hoy. Faith says, God can, but trust says, even if he doesn't, he's still God. Amen. La fe dice, dios puede, pero la confianza en dios dice, aunque no lo haga, él sigue siendo dios. The boldness of these three young men wasn't based on the outcome that they would receive. It was based on their knowledge of God. La la la la el la valentía de esos tres jóvenes no estaba fundada sobre qué es lo que puede pasar, estaba fundada en el conocimiento de quién es dios.”

56s

#GodInTheFire

“There's gonna be times that no matter how hard you pray or how much you fast or how loud you worship, you're still gonna have to go through it. Hay momentos que no importa qué tanto horas, qué tantos días ayunes, qué tan fuerte adores, vas a pasar por el fuego. Es. Just reality. they walk into the fire, and god is with them. Caminan al end del fuego, y dios está con ellos. Gloria a dios. Gracias. God didn't promise us a life without fire. He promised us his presence in the fire. Dios no nos permitió, prometió una vida sin fuego, nos prometió su presencia en el fuego.”

50s

#NotOfThisWorld

“You can live in Babylon without letting Babylon live in you. Puedes vivir en Babilonia sin permitir que Babilonia viva en ti. They had to Babylon was trying to change everything about these three young men. Babilonia quería cambiar todo de esos tres hombres. They wanted to change their education, they wanted to change the way they think, they wanted to change their culture, Querían cambiar su educación, su cultura, la manera que piensan. They even changed their names. Hasta cambiaron sus nombres, because Babylon will always want to take the identity of the children of God. Porque Babilonia siempre querrá quitarle la identidad a los hijos de dios.”

54s

#TrustGodAlways

“What if this is the time, what if this is the year where you decide to trust God and be bold for him? ¿Qué si ese es el año, que ese es el tiempo en cual tú decides confiarle a dios y vivir una vida de valentía para él? Not a life that says, I know what God's gonna do, but a life that says, I know who God is. No una vida que dice, yo sé lo que Dios va a hacer, pero una vida que diga, yo sé quién es Dios. Not a lieth that says, well, god's gonna deliver me from this. No una vida que diga, dios me va a librar de esta, pero una vida que diga, dios puede, y aún si no lo hace, voy a seguir confiando en él.”

52s

#ObedienceOverOutcome

“Just because you pray for something doesn't mean God has to do it. Nomás porque oras por algo, no significa que Dios tiene que hacerlo. He's not obligated to his creation because he's the creator. Él no tiene obligación con su creación porque él es el creador. Amén. He knows better than we do. Él sabe mejor que nosotros. God doesn't have to do what we want, but it doesn't mean that he's not worthy of my obedience. Dios no tiene que hacer lo que yo quiero que él haga, pero eso no significa que él no es digno de mi obediencia. He is worthy of my obedience regardless of what he chooses to do. Él es digno de mi obediencia, sin importar qué es lo que él decide hacer.”

57s

#FaithBeforeTheFire

“Ellos ya habían hecho la decisión que Babilonia no iba a vivir dentro de ellos. They had already resolved that Babylon was not gonna live inside of them. Before there was a furnace, there was already a decision. Antes de que había un horno, ya tenían la decisión hecha. The furnace didn't create their faith. El horno no creó su fe. It revealed the faith they had built, reveló la fe que habían edificado. They were able to stand publicly in chapter three because they stood privately in chapter one. Pudieron ponerse de pie en el capítulo tres públicamente porque se mantuvieron firmes privadamente en el capítulo uno.”

35s

#IdentityInChrist

“The world calls you a number, but God calls you his child. El mundo te llama a un número, pero dios te llama a su hijo. The world calls you by your past, but god calls you by your purpose. El mundo te llama de acuerdo a tu pasado, pero dios te llama de acuerdo a tu propósito. The world tries to define you by what you do, but god defines you by what he's already done. El mundo quiere definirte por lo que has hecho, pero dios te define por lo que ya se fue hecho en la cruz.”

68s

#ObedienceInSecret

“Can I obey God when nobody sees? ¿Puedo obedecer a dios cuando nadie me ve? Can I pray without everybody knowing about it? ¿Puedo orar sin que todos sepan que yo oro? Can I say no when nobody will find out? ¿Puedo decir no cuando nadie se va a dar cuenta? Can I choose integrity when compromise feels best? ¿Puedo escoger integridad cuando el compromiso de mis valores se siente como fuera mejor? Can I trust God with the little things? ¿Puedo confiarle a dios con las cosas pequeñas? Small obedience builds strong conviction. Obediencia pequeña edifica convicción fuerte, and strong conviction produces boldness. Y una convicción fuerte produce valentía.”

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