One of Tom Petty’s song released in the 1980’s has never failed to inspire me. Indeed, it’s one of my top ten hit songs of all time, it goes this way:
‘I won’t back down, No I won’t back down, you can stand me up at the gates of hell But I won’t back down. No I’ll stand my ground, won’t be turned around And I’ll keep this world from draggin me down, gonna stand my ground … and I won’t back down.
I won’t back down, oh baby, there ain’t no easy way out and I won’t back down, hey I will stand my ground, and I won’t back down. Well I know what’s right, I got just one life, in a world that keeps on pushin me around but I’ll stand my ground …and I won’t back down’.
In case you’re not familiar with Daniel’s mates, they were called Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, they refused to worship king Nebuchadnezzar’s idols. Even when warned to ‘Bow or burn’ they said, ‘The God we serve is able to…rescue us… if he doesn’t…We still wouldn’t serve your gods…’ (Daniel 3:17-18). And because they ‘kept the faith’ and refused to back down, God delivered them – and promoted them!
Now, chances are you’ll never find yourself in a lion’s den – like Daniel, in a fiery furnace – like his three mates, or facing a giant – like David, although some days it’ll feel like it! But when you’re under attack and hard pressed on all fronts, when it appears as if the whole world is against you and the gates of hell seem to be prevailing, keep the faith, don’t back down, go in the name of the Lord.