The Fourth Man

If you follow American college football then you most likely have heard of the Twelfth Man, the belief that the fans in the stands can have the impact of a twelfth player on the field. Call it home field advantage if you like, but the energy produced by a roaring stadium of fans is impactful. Both teams line up with eleven players on the field, but that twelfth man, although not visible on the field, has the potential to affect the outcome of the game. 

 

In the Contemporary Christian song entitled Trust in God, the band Elevation Worship alludes to a similar” twelfth man" scenario from the Bible, "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine, He's been my fourth man in the fire time after time". Much like the influence of the twelfth man in the stands the lives of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were impacted by the fourth man in the fire!

 

In the Old Testament Book of Daniel, you'll find the story of these three followers of God who were tossed into a fiery furnace for paying reverence to God over King Nebuchadnezzar. When the King looked inside the furnace he saw not three, but four men in the fire. When the men were retrieved from the fire not even the hair on their head was singed and the king himself started praising God. Talk about a fan in the stands!

 

As you walk through the fiery trials of your life, keep in mind that you are not walking alone! It doesn't matter what it is God is always present right there with you. Does that mean we will never feel pain and suddenly all of our worries will disappear? No, that is not the promise, God's promise is that He will be with us, just as any father would be with his son or daughter. We serve a limitless God that is with us through whatever life drops in our lap. Mightier than any twelfth man, God is with us and He won't let us go it alone! "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isiah 41:10. Trust God, walk with Him and you will never walk alone. 

 

Coach Carter