The Valley is Real...But so is the Victory

Illustration

🖼️“You may be in a valley right now—facing pressure, pain, or problems you didn’t plan for. But hear this truth: the valley is real… but so is the victory.”

Turn to the Text

That’s where David is in Psalm 23:4.

He doesn’t deny the valley. He doesn’t pretend it’s not dark. But he makes a bold declaration:

“I will fear no evil…”

Why? Because he understands something we must never forget—

🎯The valley is real… but so is the victory.

Introduction

I know you are familiar with this beautiful passage of scripture, and do you know that one of the great dangers is that we may be so familiar with this Psalm that we miss some of the beauties. With studying the bible, we often see where the Shepherd is talking to or about the sheep. But in this passage the sheep speaks about the Shepherd, and David says The Lord is my Shepherd.

In these days, a Shepherd was an appointed leader. No one was knocking down the door looking for a job as a Shepherd. No one went to four years of college to become a Shepherd. This job was a nasty job. The pay was low and the hours were long because the job market for a Shepherd was low. A Shepherd is one who led their flocks to pastures of grass, ponds of water, protected the flock from seen and unseen danger. But yet despite the characteristics of a Shepherd, David says, “The Lord is my shepherd.”

He does not say the Lord was my shepherd—that would place the relationship in the past.

He does not say the Lord will be my shepherd—that would place it in the future.

David roots the relationship in the present tense: “The Lord is my shepherd.”

After establishing the relationship in the present, David makes it personal.

When the Lord is your shepherd, you will never have to be in want.

That is why David can then say, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” David understood that he was not going to the valley—he was going through the valley.

When the Lord is your shepherd, you don’t go into the valley along - and you don’t come out defeated. The same God who walks you in will bring you out in victory. You must believe, before the valley ever comes, that God is able to deliver you and guide you through. That is why David could say, “I will fear no evil.”

He was not afraid of what he would encounter in the valley. 🎯The Valley is Real...But so is the Victory.

Observation

What is this, Valley?

Valley’s are geographical places of low elevation between hills and mountains. We see the Shepherd taking the sheep:

From not being in want to now being in a dark valley

From green pastures to now there is little to no grass

From still waters to now there is little to no water

From a restored soul to now a wretched soul

In the path of righteousness to now the valley of the shadow of death

Interpretation

Why does it appear that the Shepherd is leading the sheep from prosperity to problems?

Look at verse 3, Because of His name’s sake. Because of His reputation He will uphold.

🎯Actually the valley is part of the journey to your blessings.

It is in your valley experiences where transformations happen.

James Chapter 1 says count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations because your faith worketh patience.

He takes the sheep through the dark valley because on the other side is the marvelous light of victory. Jesus says in John 10:10 that He came that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.

1 Peter 2:9 ESV

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

God’s presence in the valley is His promise.

God’s presence in the valley is His protection for His sheep. 🎯“He will never leave nor forsake you.”

It shows God’s redemptive character.

🌱Application

“You may be in a valley—burdened by depression, weighed down by sorrow, battling health issues, or stretched by more bills than money—but when the Lord is your Shepherd, you are never left in a dark valley alone.”

And it may seem like you cannot see Him or the victory right now...that is why Jesus said...My sheep know my voice.

I encourage you to walk by faith and not by sight.

🎯He is not leaving you in the valley, He is leading you through the valley.

How do you become victorious?

Observation:

We see the Presence, Provision, and Protection of the Shepherd

How can we experience the Power and become victorious?

Walk with the Lord

Sheep are timid animals and would not willingly walk into a dark place (Illustration: Social Media video about the Shepherd)

Sheep are not like cattle; they cannot be driven, but have to be led. Therefore, since the Shepherd is leading them through this frighten place, they will follow. Song: Where He leads me, I will follow.

🎯The only path out of the valley is up a hill.

John 8:12 ESV

12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Fear no evil (evil means harm, danger)

Fear and Victory cannot occupy the same heart; when one moves in, the other must move out.

The sheep are able to overcome fear because the love of the Shepherd is more powerful than fear.

A small child is terrified during a thunderstorm—every crash of thunder makes them jump. But the moment their father walks into the room and sits beside them, nothing about the storm changes…yet everything feels different. The thunder is still loud, the lightning still flashes, but now the child rests, because love is stronger than fear. That’s how it is with the sheep. The valley doesn’t have to change when the Shepherd is near—His presence is enough to quiet what once terrified them.

1 John 4:4 KJV 1900

4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Comfort - means to console, assurance, or security

🎯“The Shepherd’s rod and staff are not just tools—they are reminders of His presence, bringing comfort and calming every fear.”

🎯“The rod defends, the staff guides—and together they remind the sheep that the Shepherd is near, settling every fear within them.”

🌱Application:

What do the sheep do when both hands are full?

What do the sheep do when the Shepherd is using the rod to fight off predators and using the staff to help guide through this valley....🎯They follow the voice of the Shepherd. “Lean and Depend on His Word”

🎯The Valley is Real...But so is the Victory.

Conclusion

We can face the valley of the shadow of death because Jesus took the full reality of death on the cross

A shadow

Does not have substance of its own

Cannot grab you

Cannot destroy you

It only exists because there is a light shining somewhere behind you from the 🎯SON. The Light is Jesus

The Lord is my Shepherd

Where He leads me, I will follow

Jesus says my sheep know my voice...Can you hear Jesus calling you to victory

He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. There is no other name to call upon than Jesus Christ. Because one day every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that He is Lord

Christ

One Day Jesus was down in the valley.

One Friday He hung out on a cross on Calvary Hill. (Remember I told you that the only way out of a valley is up a hill). Jesus went up that hill one day for you and me.

He died and they placed his body inside the tomb. Death and Satan had a party to celebrate the death of Jesus. But when Jesus said out on the cross that “It is finished”. With Jesus as your Shepherd...you cannot lose because we are more than conquerors.

You just remember to walk with Jesus and fear no evil because He is right there to comfort you while in the valley

You just hold on and your journey from the Valley to Victory will come sooner rather than later.