To many people, the word "commitment" is a bad word. But really it is a great word! It is through commitment that you find out what you really stand for.

Many people say, "I believe in this" or "I believe in that" but you'll often find that they don't believe what they say at all. You see, when push comes to shove, they're not committed to it; they don't really believe it. They're just saying they do.

Commitment will cause you to stand alone. Connivance will go with the crowd and its desires. But commitment is willing to stand alone on principles and values.

Are you willing to commit yourself to the Word of God and stand alone on its principles and values? If you are, you'll find that you will receive great blessings.

When you make a commitment of any kind—natural or spiritual—you will be led to a fork in the road where you can take the easy way or stay with your commitment. No one else can walk that road but you. You must make the choice.

Look at Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel chapter 3. King Nebuchadnezzar had built a huge, golden idol. He then commanded that at the sound of music, every knee was to bow to the idol.

However, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were determined to follow another commandment—that of the Lord Jehovah who had said, "You shall not bow your knee to any other god but the true God" (Ex. 23:24).

Therefore, when the music played and everyone's knee bowed, these three men stood out like a sore thumb. They weren't standing behind a bush. They were standing with everyone else out in the middle of the plain of Dura.

Now, a plain is nothing but a large, flat area. So there were Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego out there on a big, flat plain when the horns began to blow and the music played. As you can imagine, when everyone else fell to their knees and these three Israelites didn't, they really stood out!

Let's read what happened then:

But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, O king. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.
(Dan. 3:12 NIV)

When you make a commitment for God, there's going to be some reaction. People will take notice of your commitment. Also, there will always be someone who is annoyed by your commitment to God. Sometimes it's your family. Sometimes it's close friends. Let's read on:

Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, And Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up?"
(Dan. 3:13-14 NIV)

Here was the test of their commitment. As these three men stood before King Nebuchadnezzar, they may have thought, "Can God really deliver us? What would it hurt if we bowed down just this one time? It's not going to hurt anything. We don't have to mean it. We wouldn't be worshipping an idol if we bent down and maybe tightened our sandals."

When you make a decision and a commitment to the things of God, it will cost you something. There's no such thing as a free commitment. It may cost you a friendship. It may cost you some votes in the popularity poll. But you must remember that people will be influenced by your decisions. People will be influenced by your commitment.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego said, "O Nebuchadnezzar, if we're thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it. He will rescue us from you" (Dan. 3:17).

That was their faith talking. And in the next verse, their commitment to what they believed came out: "But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the image of God you've set up" (Dan. 3:18).

That's a strong commitment. But when you believe something, you will commit to it! When you make a commitment, you can count on the fact that if you will stand for God, you will be delivered. As you continue reading in chapter 3, you will find that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were not only delivered—they were also promoted!

Choose today to commit your life to God. A new commitment will enable you to receive great things from God. And a new level of commitment will raise you to a new level of blessings. It is good to occasionally renew your commitment to God, because it's that commitment that will bring you the blessings of God. The decision is yours today!

Kenneth Hagin Ministries
All rights reserved. Used by permission.