Walking Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death

WALKING THROUGH THE VALLEY

Psalm 23:4 CSB

4 Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me.

Journey Series – Trinity Worship Center Pastor Jeff Spring

INTRODUCTION

Today I want to continue talking about life's journey.

Every one of us is on a journey.

Some are walking through a season of blessing. Some are walking through a season of growth. Some are walking through a season of waiting.

And some are walking through a valley.

David writes:

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me."

Notice David does not say if.

He says though.

The valley is not a possibility. The valley is an inevitability.

If you live long enough, you'll walk through valleys.

Valleys of grief.

Valleys of disappointment.

Valleys of uncertainty.

Valleys of sickness.

Valleys of spiritual warfare.

Valleys nobody else knows about.

But David gives us hope.

The focus of Psalm 23 is not the valley.

The focus is the Shepherd.

The presence of the valley does not mean the absence of the Shepherd.

I. THE VALLEY IS PART OF THE JOURNEY

"Though I walk through the valley..."

The same Shepherd who leads us beside still waters also leads us through valleys.

The Christian life is not one uninterrupted pasture.

There are mountaintops and there are valleys.

There are victories and there are battles.

There are celebrations and there are tears.

Many people believe if they are in a valley they must have missed God.

But sometimes the valley is exactly where God is leading.

The Shepherd knows the route.

The Shepherd knows the terrain.

The Shepherd knows what lies ahead.

Here is the truth:

The Shepherd doesn't lead us into valleys to leave us there. He leads us through valleys to get us somewhere.

The valley is not merely a place of pain.

It is often a pathway to purpose.

To reach the next pasture, you may have to walk through a valley.

To reach greater faith, you may have to walk through a valley.

To reach greater maturity, you may have to walk through a valley.

To reach greater usefulness, you may have to walk through a valley.

The sheep can only see the valley.

The Shepherd sees the destination.

Preaching Moment

If God is leading me through it, there must be something worth reaching on the other side of it.

Israel went through the wilderness to reach the Promised Land.

Joseph went through the pit and prison to reach the palace.

David went through caves before reaching the throne.

Jesus went through the cross before the resurrection.

God often takes us through difficult places because He is leading us to greater places.

The journey isn't about the valley.

The journey is about where the Shepherd is taking you.

II. THE VALLEY IS TEMPORARY

David did not say:

"I live in the valley."

He said:

"I walk through the valley."

The Shepherd never intended for the valley to become your permanent address.

It is a passageway.

It is not a destination.

One of the enemy's greatest lies is that your current struggle will never end.

He whispers:

"Nothing will ever change."

"You'll always feel this way."

"You'll always carry this burden."

But David reminds us:

You are walking THROUGH.

Not staying.

Not settling.

Not dying there.

Going through.

Preaching Line

You may be in the valley today.

But you won't be in the valley forever.

The Shepherd is still moving.

The Shepherd is still leading.

The Shepherd is still working.

Keep walking.

Don't build a house in a place God intended to be a hallway.

III. THE VALLEY IS ONLY A SHADOW

David calls it:

"The valley of the shadow of death."

Not death.

A shadow.

Shadows appear frightening.

But they have no substance.

They cannot hurt you.

They cannot bind you.

They cannot destroy you.

A shadow simply points to something greater.

And where there is a shadow, there must be a light.

Jesus Christ is that Light.

Because of Calvary:

Death lost its sting.

The grave lost its victory.

The power of sin was broken.

The believer does not walk in darkness without hope.

We walk with the confidence that Jesus has already conquered our greatest enemy.

Preaching Moment

The enemy wants you focused on the shadow.

God wants you focused on the Shepherd.

The shadow may be beside you.

But the Shepherd is with you.

IV. THE SHEPHERD IS CLOSEST IN THE VALLEY

One of the most beautiful truths in Psalm 23 is found in David's language.

Earlier in the Psalm David says:

"He leads me."

"He makes me lie down."

"He restores me."

David is talking about God.

But when he gets to the valley, everything changes.

Now he says:

"Thou art with me."

In the valley David stops talking ABOUT God and starts talking TO God.

Why?

Because the Shepherd is near.

Sometimes God seems distant when the pasture is green.

But in the valley His presence becomes more personal.

Many of us can testify that we learned more about God's faithfulness in a valley than we ever did on a mountaintop.

We discovered:

He really is a healer.

He really is a provider.

He really is a comforter.

He really is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.

Preaching Line

You may not enjoy the valley.

But you may discover God there in ways you've never known Him before.

V. THE ROD AND STAFF STILL WORK IN THE VALLEY

David says:

"Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me."

The rod speaks of protection.

The rod speaks of authority.

The rod speaks of victory over the enemy.

The staff speaks of guidance.

The staff speaks of correction.

The staff speaks of rescue.

Notice this:

The Shepherd doesn't put down His rod because the valley gets dark.

The Shepherd doesn't abandon the staff because the road gets difficult.

Everything necessary for your protection and guidance remains available in the valley.

The same God who kept you in the pasture can keep you in the valley.

The same God who blessed you on the mountain can sustain you in the darkness.

Preaching Moment

The valley may change your surroundings.

But it does not change your Shepherd.

CONCLUSION

The story of Psalm 23 is not the story of a valley.

It is the story of a Shepherd.

You may be walking through a difficult season.

You may not understand why.

You may not see the other side.

But remember:

The Shepherd is leading.

The valley is temporary.

The shadow has no power.

His presence is near.

His rod and His staff still work.

And He is taking you somewhere.

Final Declaration

Say it with me:

"I am walking."

"I am not stopping."

"I am not turning back."

"I am not living in the valley."

"The Shepherd is with me."

"The Shepherd is leading me."

"The Shepherd is taking me somewhere."

"And because He is with me, I am coming through."

ALTAR CALL

Today there are people walking through valleys.

Some are carrying grief.

Some are carrying fear.

Some are carrying uncertainty.

Some have questions they cannot answer.

The invitation is simple:

Stop looking at the valley.

Start looking at the Shepherd.

The valley is not your destination.

The Shepherd is leading you through because He has already prepared what is on the other side.

Prayer:

"Father, thank You that You never abandon us in the valleys. Thank You for Your presence that walks beside us, Your rod that protects us, and Your staff that guides us. Strengthen every weary heart today. Help us trust the Shepherd more than we fear the valley. Give us courage to keep walking until we reach everything You have prepared for us. In Jesus' name, Amen."