Today’s New Covenant nugget is from 1 Kings 20:28
Then a man of God came and spoke to the king of Israel, and said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The Lord is God of the hills, but He is not God of the valleys,” therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’
During King Ahab’s reign over Israel, Ben-Hadad the king of Syria gathered all his forces, including thirty-two allied kings and their troops… he went up to attack Samaria. His plans were to raid the homes of Samaria and take whatever they wanted, including the wives their children, their silver and their gold.
After a word from the Lord, King Ahab gathered troops and launched a pre-empted strike on Syria and its allies. The king of Israel went out and attacked the horses and chariots, and killed the Syrians with a great slaughter. Afterward the prophet said to King Ahab, “Get ready for another attack. Begin making plans now, for the king of Syria will come back next spring.”
After their defeat, Ben-Hadad’s officers said to him, “The Israelite gods are gods of the hills; that is why they won. But we can beat them easily on the valley.” Then a man of God came and spoke to the king of Israel, and said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The Lord is God of the hills, but He is not God of the valleys,” therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’
ISRAEL WENT ON TO KILL 100,000 SYRIANS IN THE VALLEY, IN ONE DAY! HE IS GOD OF THE VALLEYS!
Just like in the days of King Ahab, the devil is still persuaded that our God is only effective on the mountaintops of life… the enemy thinks that Christians can only thrive in good times, but that they will be defeated in times of hardship. The truth is that we thrive in challenging times… our God is God of the valleys!
Psalm 23:4-5 says, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.”
LIFE IS NOT A CONTINUAL MOUNTAINTOP EXPERIENCE
MUCH OF LIFE IS WALKING IN A VALLEY…
GOD DOES NOT CAUSE NEGATIVE, DARK VALLEY EXPERIENCES, BUT HE USES THEM TO INSTILL CHARACTER, WHICH LEADS TO TRIUMPHANT LIVING
Romans 5:3-4 says, “We glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
The Amplified Bible, classic addition says, “Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of]joyful and confident hope.”
THE LORD DOES NOT LEAD US AROUND VALLEYS, HE LEADS US THROUGH THEM!
KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD, ESPECIALLY IN VALLEYS!
Let’s look at Psalm 23 again and see what revelation we can gain concerning triumphing in the valleys of life…
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I WILL FEAR NO EVIL; for You are with me; YOUR ROD and YOUR STAFF, they comfort me.”
THE SHEPHERD’S ROD WAS USED TO STRIKE PREDATORS (DAVID KILLED A LION AND A BEAR WITH HIS ROD.)
Our great Shepherd, Jesus carries a supernatural rod. Just like shepherds used their rod’s to protect their sheep from predators, Jesus is there with you in every valley of life… He stands ready to use His supernatural rod to strike down any demonic predator. Do not fear, Jesus is near!
THE STAFF WAS USED TO HOOK THE SHEEP AND PULL THEM AWAY FROM DANGER.
Sheep, if left alone unsupervised will eat harmful things and even fall into holes in the ground, or walk over cliffs… shepherds use their staff’s to hook the sheep by the neck and pull them away from self-imposed danger. Sometimes we are our own biggest enemy… especially in the valleys of life. Jesus is there with His staff to rescue us from ourselves, to rescue us from the stupid things we do under pressure. When you are in a valley, Jesus is committed to keep you safe from demonic predators, as well as from yourself!
DO NOT FEAR WHEN IN A DARK VALLEY, THE LORD WILL PROTECT YOU AND GUIDE YOU THROUGH!
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies”
I love this part of Psalm 23… Jesus prepares a table of blessings for us, while we are in the valley, in the presence of our enemies! While the devil and the spirits of darkness are planning your demise in the valley of the shadow of death, Jesus is preparing a table of blessings for you. What Jesus is doing may not be visible to you, but the devil and spirits of darkness see it. They witness that while they are setting ambushes against you in the valley, Jesus is preparing a banquet of blessings for you… praise God forevermore!
“You anoint my head with oil”
THE ONLY WAY THAT THE ENEMY CAN GET TO YOU IS THROUGH YOUR HEAD!
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NLT) says, ”We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God (from the knowledge of God). We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.”
TAKE EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE TO THE ANOINTING.
It is so important to maintain ‘anointed thinking’ in the valleys of life. The enemy will try to put thoughts into your head to discourage you, to deceive you, or to put fear into you… receive the anointing that Jesus pours onto your head while you are in the valley and keep your mind on Philippians 4:8!
“My cup runs over”
VALLEYS ALWAYS LEAD TO OVERFLOWING BLESSINGS…
WHEN VALLEY’S COME YOUR WAY, START SHOUTING AND DANCING… YOUR CUP IS ABOUT TO RUN OVER!
HE IS GOD OF THE VALLEYS!
GOLIATH DID NOT BREAK DAVID, HE MADE DAVID!
THE FIERY FURNACE DID NOT BREAK SHADRACH, MESHACH, OR ABEDNEGO, IT MADE THEM!
THE LIONS DID NOT BREAK DANIEL, THEY MADE HIM!
THE CROSS DID NOT BREAK JESUS, IT MADE HIM!
THIS VALLEY IS NOT GOING TO BREAK YOU, IT IS GOING TO MAKE YOU!
CONFESSION
“The valley I face will not break me, it will make me!
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil;
for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
By grace, challenging times build endurance, and endurance develops character, and character receives the prize, in Jesus Name!!”
In His amazing love, Nick
