Israel had a history and reputation of being able to fight and win battles in the hills, on the mountains. But they were believed to be vulnerable in the valleys. So the Syrians conspired to attack and overthrow them in the valley. They wrongly believed that God was only with them on the mountains and hills. But God is also the God of the valleys. God uses valleys to teach us some things that mountain top experiences cannot. We must learn how to fight against the enemy not only when we are on the mountain, but down in the valley.
Can you trust God in your valley? Can you “watch, fight and pray” while standing in the midst of the valley? If you can only praise God on the mountain top then you need to check your praise. We must learn to say like David, “I will bless the Lord at ALL TIMES His praise shall CONTINUALLY BE IN MY MOUTH!”
It’s not easy to praise in the valley. That’s why the enemy tries to fight us there – the valley is where we are vulnerable…the valley is where doubts and fears try to beat us up…the valley is where we begin to question everything that we thought we believed about God. The valley is where our faith is challenged. But it’s in the valley that we have the greatest opportunity to affirm our stance that God is with us. In the valley is where we have the greatest opportunity to build ourselves up on our most holy faith. In the valley is where we bring the “sacrifice of praise.” Can you fight in the valley? Can you stand in the valley? Can you continue to trust God in the valley? Is God still God in the valley? If God is God when we are on the mountain, then God is God when we are in the valley!
Yes, the valley is a hard place, but the valley can be a transforming place…a place that can teach you, a place that can strengthen you and a place that can show the enemy that you worship and serve God whether on the mountain or in the valley! The devil would have you believe that you cannot be delivered from the valley. Some today are stuck in the valley. They are stuck in the valley because discouragement, devastation, and disappointment have made them heavy with bitterness, anger, resentment, hostility and fear. But you don’t have to stay in the valley. You can recover from the valley.
Somebody is asking the question today, “Lord, I’ve tried and failed so many times, will I ever recover? Will I ever succeed?” And God is saying “Yes, but you must fight the battle my way and not your own.” Pain is real. Suffering is real. The valley is real!!! The enemy has tactics devised to keep us broken, keep us wounded, keep us drowning in sorrow and without hope. But greater is the God within us than the devil in the world! When we yield ourselves to God daily…submitting our hearts to the altar daily…seeking God’s face daily…God will give us the grace, the strength, the peace, the power to face each valley experience. One step at a time, one day at a time, holding to God’s unchanging hand, believing in God’s Holy Word, standing on God’s promises, God will teach our hands to war and will show us how to be victorious not only on the mountain top but down in the valley.
The song writer said,
“All the way my Savior leads mePost a comment or send me an email at Shepastor1@hotmail.com
What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His tender mercies?
Who through life has been my guide
Heavenly peace, divinest comfort
Ere by faith in Him to dwell
For I know whate'er fall me
Jesus doeth all things well…”
Until next Wednesday,
In Faith, Hope and Perseverance,
Pastor Chris
www.shepastorchris.org
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