Text: I Kings 20:23-30; Heb 13:8

 

Have you ever faced a valley before? Where it seemed that you were out numbered; surrounded; and were completely and totally helpless. This must have been the way Israel felt this day. The year before, Ben-hadad had brought 32 Kings and their armies against Samaria, and God brought a wonderful victory. But now Ben-hadad is back. A servant has convinced him that Israel’s God is the god of mountaintops, but their gods are gods of the valley. If they could get Israel into a battle in the valley, they would be victorious.

 

Israel is so outnumbered that they look like two small herds of sheep, while Ben-hadad’s armies cover the whole valley. Could you imagine the fear that gripped the hearts of the army of Israel? Discouragement and despair must have filled their minds. Thoughts of giving-up; surrender must have been the discussion of the day.

 

But God was not going to stand for the idea that His presence was limited to the mountaintops.

 

When the Lord shows up at your mountaintop, people count it as luck, or you succeeded because you knew someone or that your progress was given.

 

Many times in our lives, we find ourselves in the middle of a valley. We are weak, tired, empty, and alone. We feel so far from the presences and the anointing of God. And when we call on him, we feel like we get a busy signal.

 

We are like the man that went to the doctor and the doctor told him “I have bad news for you. You only have 24 hours to live”. I can’t imagine what could be worse than that!”

 

But I want you to know today that God is not only God of the Mountain but He is God of every valley that you will face in your life.

 

A. Valley is a place of trial

 

The valley is the place where our faith is put to the test. 1 Pet 1:6-7 “ In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honour, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ”.

 

B. The valley is hard

 

Psalms 84:5-6 Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, They make it a spring; the rain also covers it with pools.

 

Valley of Baca is a place of weeping, full of thorns and brush, It could not be passed through without labour and tears.

 

What he is saying is that even though the valley is hard, those who trust in God will find that:

 

- God will care for them in the valley

 

- God will bring them out.

 

C. Mountain Tops is where the Power of God fills your Spirit

 

There is nothing like those services where the anointing is so great. Where souls are being saved, people are being filled with the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and many are slain in the Spirit.

 

The Saint of God needed the Mountain Tops

 

Peter, James, and John needed encouragement for the days ahead

 

Moses Mountain Tops experience: He needed direction for what God had called him to do. He did not even know how to refer to God. Moses needed encouragement to face Pharaoh

 

We need these mountain top experiences. But as much as we would like to we cannot live on the mountaintops. We experience these wonderful mountaintops to prepare us for our valleys

 

D. In the valley, our faith is stretched

 

Mary and Martha were in a valley

 

- Lazarus was sick

 

- They had called for Jesus

 

- Jesus delayed His coming

 

- Martha & Mary both said “If you only…”

 

- But Jesus said, “I Am The Resurrection, and Life, do you believe?

 

What a valley of despair to walk through.

 

- They had done everything right

 

- They had given to the ministry

 

- They called on Jesus when their brother got sick

 

…but Jesus was stretching their faith.

 

- Martha, do you believe

 

- I am here in the middle of your valley

 

- Do you trust me?

 

He is God of the mountain, but He also God of the valley

 

A Valley is a place that ultimately leads to Victory

 

Israel stood on the edge of the valley for forty days listening to Goliath (1 Sam 17)

 

- Fear had gripped their hearts

 

- Depression hung heavy over the Army of Israel

 

- They were being humiliated, hiding in the rocks.

 

David stood that day full of the anointing, Proclaiming the Power of God over this heathen that defiled The Living God. The moment that rock hit it’s mark, Victory was heard in the valley, as all of the army of Israel rose up to defeat the Philistine army.

 

God was God in THEIR VALLEY that day.

 

Victory comes to those that place their trust in Him.

 

The woman with the issue of blood was in her valley for 12 years. (Luke 8:43-48)

 

Blind Bartimaeus was in his valley (Mark 10:46-52)

 

The impotent man by the pool of bethesda was in his valley for 38 years (John 5:2-8)

 

There was a man that was in a valley

 

- His son was possessed

 

- Would through himself into fire & water to destroy him

 

- Deaf and Mute

 

- The man brought him the Jesus

 

Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

 

Mark 9:24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

 

Prayer: Father help my unbelief. Wherever I have put my trust in any other thing than you, have mercy upon me

 

- What the man was saying is, “Jesus I believe as far as my earthly faith will take me. Come alongside me, in the midst of my valley, and extend my faith

 

No matter how hard it gets, no matter how alone you feel, you can rest on his promises that he will be with us.

 

Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

 

There is a song by Lynda Randle that goes thus:

 

The God on the mountain is still god in the valley;

 

When things go wrong; He’ll make them right;

 

The God of the good times is still God in the bad times;

 

The God of the day is still God in the night.

 

He is the omnipotent, the all-powerful God

 

Not only will He be God in our valley but He will lead us through

 

PRAYER: Father, as I go through my valley, lead me through, be with me, guide me and let me not despair.

 

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

PRAYER: Father, as I go through my valley, lead me through, be with me, guide me and let me not despair.

 

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”