EXCHANGED LIFE PODCAST | THE REFINING FIRE
Featuring David Tredway & Dr. Stephen Phinney
In our recent interview with David Tredway, the conversation turned toward one of the most profound and often misunderstood aspects of the Christian journey: the believer’s refining fire. David, drawing from both his military experience and deep spiritual insight, spoke candidly about the trials that shape us—not as punishment, but as preparation. He reminded us that Yeshua does not merely walk with us through the fire; He is the fire. His indwelling presence purifies, strengthens, and reveals the true nature of our faith.
David shared how his own seasons of hardship—combat tours, personal loss, and ministry challenges—became sacred ground for transformation. “The refining fire,” he said, “is where the dross of self is burned away, and the image of Christ begins to shine through.” He pointed to Zechariah 13:9, where God declares, “I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined…”—a verse that became a cornerstone of our discussion. For David, this isn’t poetic metaphor; it’s lived reality.
Together, we explored how Gen-Z and modern believers often resist discomfort, yet it is precisely in discomfort that divine identity is forged. David emphasized that the refining fire is not about survival—it’s about surrender. When believers yield to the process, they emerge not just stronger, but more Christlike. “It’s not the absence of pain that marks maturity,” he said, “but the presence of Yeshua in the midst of it.”
This interview was more than a conversation—it was a commissioning. A call to embrace the fire, not fear it. To see trials as invitations to deeper intimacy with the One who refines us. And as David so powerfully put it, “If you’re in the fire, rejoice—because the Refiner is near, and He never takes His eyes off the gold.
Visit David's Substack HERE.
