THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH
FREEDOM RETREATS 2024 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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INTRODUCTION:
INTRODUCTION:
Psalm 23 (NKJV)
A Psalm of David.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
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.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.
WHAT IS A VALLEY AND WILDERNESS?
WHAT IS A VALLEY AND WILDERNESS?
An elongate depression of the earth’s surface usally between hills or mountains. A low point or condition.
An arid land with usally sparse vegetation. A desolate or forbidding area. Little water.
Rivers of living water no longer feel like it is flowing.
You feel dry, desolate, even attacked.
There is evil in the valley
FIGHTING GOD
FIGHTING GOD
Have you ever bound, loosed, rebuked, cast out, broken, burned up, laid the fire on it, plead the blood of Jesus etc… and it still happened?
Have you ever prayed against something yet it still happened?
You are following God yet you are going through constant trial?
You may be in a valley.
We can blame the devil for what God is doing.
EXAMPLES:
EXAMPLES:
Joseph
Genesis 39:1–7 (NKJV)
Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there.
The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand.
So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority.
So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had in the house and in the field.
Thus he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.
And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.”
Genesis 39:21 (NKJV)
But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
Genesis 45:1–8 (NKJV)
Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Make everyone go out from me!” So no one stood with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers.
And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard it.
Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph; does my father still live?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence.
And Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” So they came near. Then he said: “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.
But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.
For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting.
And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
-Joseph received a mantle of many colours.
-Dreams that he told.
-Brothers hated him.
-Thrown into the pit.
-Sold into slavery
-Thrown into prison
-Cheif baker and butler.
-Butler forgot about him for 2 years. Remained in prison.
-Pharoh dream, Joseph became as Pharoh.
-Crying so loud everyone could hear.
-Conclusion, God sent him there.
**** When Joseph resisted the rest it looked like he was being thrown into prison but he was actually being promoted.
Job
Job 1:6–12 (NKJV)
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.
And the Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.”
Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?”
So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing?
Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.
But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”
And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
Job 2:1–6 (NKJV)
Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord.
And the Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.”
Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause.”
So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life.
But stretch out Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”
And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life.”
-Job was blameless and upright.
-GOD boasted about Job without Satan bringing him up.
-The devil accused God saying, are you really worthy enough for him to love you just for you? Or for what you give him?
-God gives all of Job’s into Satan’s power, with limitations.
-God allows the enemy to attack Job.
-God was incited against Job without cause.
-Job feared, the enemy comes at an opportune time.
-Friend’s assumed Job was in sin. God had boasted about him,
-God corrects Job as his foundation began to shake and pride started to set in.
-Double is returned.
David
THE PURPOSE OF A VALLEY
THE PURPOSE OF A VALLEY
Testing of our faith
James 1:2–4 (NKJV)
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
1 Peter 1:7 (NKJV)
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, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
-He will provide a way to escape temptation.
-How do you know your faith is real unless it is tested? A phone cannot be called waterproof until you test it and see that it is undamaged by the water.
-Reveals shaky foundations.
Refiners fire
Isaiah 6...
Job 6:9 (NKJV)
That it would please God to crush me, That He would loose His hand and cut me off!
-Woe is me a man of unclean lips.
-Coals of fire.
-Send me.
-It pleased God to crush Jesus and Job (it pleased God to bruise him)
-He knew what would come out of it.
cCloser you are to God the more your sin is revealed
When you come out of the valley there is a sending that takes place
Humility
So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.
-Joseph spoke the dreams of him ruling, immaturity and pride. Prophetic people, do not always speak what you see. Use wisdom.
-Balance is needed to keep us humble and reliant.
-You are lukewarm when you are prideful. “think you have need of nothing”. Hunger for God is recognizing your need. You need food.
Preperation
-Moses 40 years before the burning bush.
-David running for years from Saul.
-Joseph 13 years in slavery and prison.
-Jesus and John the Baptist
-God put you in the wilderness to see if you are ready for the promise.
-He tests your heart, the greatest tests come before the promised land.
-In the valley your character is prepared to carry the anointing.
TEMPTATIONS IN THE VALLEY
TEMPTATIONS IN THE VALLEY
Psalm 23:4 (NKJV)
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 valley is a SHADOW of death. You will not die, bit there will be intimidation of death. It will look like death and feel like you are dying.
TEMPTATIONS IN THE VALLEY
TEMPTATIONS IN THE VALLEY
Hopelessness
Job 10:20-22
Job 10:20–22 (NKJV)
Are not my days few? Cease! Leave me alone, that I may take a little comfort,
Before I go to the place from which I shall not return, To the land of darkness and the shadow of death,
A land as dark as darkness itself, As the shadow of death, without any order, Where even the light is like darkness.’ ”
Joy of the Lord is your strength, where there is no hope there is no joy and therefore no strength.
Something is wrong with you.
Job 11:5–6 (NKJV)
But oh, that God would speak, And open His lips against you,
That He would show you the secrets of wisdom! For they would double your prudence. Know therefore that God exacts from you Less than your iniquity deserves.
-Sometimes in deliverance ministry we assume a person is going through something because they have sinned and opened a door to demons.
-Many times this is true but not always.
-Read Job 1: God boasted about Job. God initiated the attacks.
-Sometimes the attacks that rise up against you are because God is boasting about you.
-When God begins to boast about you, you are put into the valley. Because there is a preperation that needs to happen.
-On the other side of the valley there is blessing and breakthrough. The enemy can see this.
-There is a ministry, a business, a job, family breakthrough, finances, etc on the other side.
-A seed cannot be planted and grow into a tree to give fruit to many without the seed first dying.
-In the valley the natural man dies, not the spiritual man.
So then death is working in us, but life in you.
Identity
Matthew 4:3 (NKJV)
Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
The enemy will try to come with rejection, doubt, is God really with me, if God is really with you shouldnt you have ___
If this is who you are and God is with you then why does you life look like this
Self pity
“My soul loathes my life; I will give free course to my complaint, I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
‘Why then have You brought me out of the womb? Oh, that I had perished and no eye had seen me!
Accusation of God to you, and you to God “Make these stones become bread” “Do not tempt the Lord your God”.
Job 10:3–8 (NKJV) > let them read it
“Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? He who rebukes God, let him answer it.”
Job 34:34–37 (NKJV)
“Men of understanding say to me, Wise men who listen to me:
‘Job speaks without knowledge, His words are without wisdom.’
Oh, that Job were tried to the utmost, Because his answers are like those of wicked men!
For he adds rebellion to his sin; He claps his hands among us, And multiplies his words against God.”
In accusing Job to God, Satan was accusing God. Job only loves you because of what you gave him not because of you.
So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing?
Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.
But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”
Pride “I will give you all the kingdoms of the world if you bow down to me”.
So these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
Job 33:8–10 (NKJV)
“Surely you have spoken in my hearing, And I have heard the sound of your words, saying,
‘I am pure, without transgression; I am innocent, and there is no iniquity in me.
Yet He finds occasions against me, He counts me as His enemy;
Job 33:12–13 (NKJV)
“Look, in this you are not righteous. I will answer you, For God is greater than man.
Why do you contend with Him? For He does not give an accounting of any of His words.
Bitterness
Genesis 42:7 (LEB)
And Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger to them. And he spoke with them harshly
Fear, intimidation, doubting God, unbelief
So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
Complaining
And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak,
Numbers 14:1–4 (NKJV)
So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night.
And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness!
Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?”
So they said to one another, “Let us select a leader and return to Egypt.”
THE WILDERNESS
THE WILDERNESS
Numbers 13:30–33 (NKJV)
Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”
But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.”
And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature.
There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”
Numbers 14:11–12 (NKJV)
Then the Lord said to Moses: “How long will these people reject Me? And how long will they not believe Me, with all the signs which I have performed among them?
I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.”
Numbers 14:20–24 (NKJV)
Then the Lord said: “I have pardoned, according to your word;
but truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord—
because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice,
they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it.
But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it.
Numbers 14:26–31 (NKJV)
And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,
“How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me.
Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you:
The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above.
Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I swore I would make you dwell in.
But your little ones, whom you said would be victims, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised.
-Eve had a conversation with the serpent.
-You extend your time in the wilderness when you do not pass the temptations but let the devil have your ear.
-When the seeds have been planted you complain out of the fruit of your heart.
-They could have arrived in 40 days but instead they wandered 40 years and never entered the promise.
-Many never enter their promised land because of this. They remain in the wilderness and never come into the fullness of the calling of God for their lives.
- SIN: If Joseph had slept with his master’s wife...
GETTING OUT OF THE VALLEY
GETTING OUT OF THE VALLEY
Jesus rebuking the devil, do not have a conversation with the enemy. Do not give the enemy a foothold.
Stand on the word, in your identity, do not let doubt sink in. Peter sunk when he took his eyes off Jesus.
Renew the mind. The Isrealites bodies were out of Egypt but their minds were still in Egypt.
Speak life, prophesy to the dead bones that they may live. Change the way you talk.
Valleys are surrounded by mountains, but faith moves mountains.
Remain concious of His presence even if you feel dry.
Repentance. Allow the Lord to refine you. He is doing it for a purpose. Sin will keep you in the wilderness.
If you do not pass the test you will go through the same test over and over again.
Die to self, selflessness. Job had everything restored after he prayed for his friends. Maturity is when you can pour out and serve, even when you yourself need to be poured into. Die for somebody else.
How much more can you get through the valley with the Holy Spirit?
THE ANOINTING
THE ANOINTING
Psalm 23:5–6 (NKJV)
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.
Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.
Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.
Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.
Only after the valley did Jesus return in power and move in signs and wonders. Only then did His ministry begin.
You have overcome your enemies, they can only watch as God elevates you. God exhaults the humble.
After the valley, comes the oil. The anointing come upon you after the valley.
The anointing breaks the yoke.
Anointing, shepherds anointed sheep. They would rub the oil into the sheep. To kill parasites and cause them to fall off, and to heal wounds. As evil comes in the valley. “I will fear no evi”.
The demons that may have attached in the valley are cast out, the wounds that occured are healed.
Every time you are anointed, deliverance and healing comes.
After the valley comes the burning bush experience.
After the valley: Job 42:5
“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You.
Your cup begins to run over.
When your cup runs over you pour oil out onto others. You minister from the overflow.
You bring others through the valley when you know how to walk through it yourself.
David was a shepherd, you become a shepherd with a cup running over.
Do not underestimate when a shepherd anoints his sheep. Deliverance and healing, breakthrough is always the result.
Peter: the devil has asked to sift you like wheat, you will deny me 3 times, but I prayed for you that your faith wouldn’t fail. But after you return, from the valley, strengthen your brethren. He saved 3000 souls.
David, Paul, John etc we all must go through this valley.
We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—
always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
Greatest men and women of God had great trials.
You do not know the price men and women of God have paid. Do you desire the anointing? The oil must be crushed before oil can come.
Job had not died to all he had, he grieved when he lost it. Have you died to all? Naked I came naked I will go. Have you nailed it to the cross? Hannah gave up to the Lord the very thing she desired.
Gold was put in the fire and the fire caused impurities to rise to the top, the refiner would skim them from the top then put the gold back in at a higher heat as mire impurities would surface. This is done over and over again.