Sermon: Walking Through Difficult Times

Ps 23

Psalm 23:1–6 ESV

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even 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. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Scripture

Psalm 23:4–5 ESV

4 Even 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. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Opening

I am sure now, at this moment in time, there are many people that are facing dark times.

There are some that have lost their jobs during the course of this pandemic.

There are some who are in need of essential resources, such as food, finances, and a place to call home.

There are some that have lost love ones to senseless violence and unrest.

All of us have been directly or indirectly impacted with the Coronavirus.

Walking Through The Valley

Like David, many of us are walking through the valley.

You see many of us are walking “through the valley of the shadow of death” because our soul, our inner-man is cast down.

Some of us feel defeated in life because of various reasons, and no matter the degree of the reason, we still feel as though we’re in the death-shade of life.

Being in a low state brings a feeling of defeat.

Those of us who were once in a low state, or if we are currently in a low state, we know what defeat feels like.

We know that everything that we are trying to do seems to fail everyday.

Some of us may have ambitions, desires, and aspirations, but everything that we put our hand to do to reach what we are aspiring for seems to fail. Failure is what we only seem to know.

Not God’s fault: We can make unwise choices

Let me be clear. Sometimes can make unwise decisions in life that will humble us tremendously, and have us calling out to God in desperation.

What if I were to tell you that the valley that you are passing through is a part of God’s plan?

God Is There In the Valley

God is a God of the hills and valleys.

Many of us know that God is present with us on the hill, but we tend to forget that God is also there with us in the valley.

You see Psalm 23 starts out very nice, with the Lord being our Shepherd that leads us in peaceful lands that are rich with the resources that we need.

Standing on the hill

It’s easy for us to see God’s hand moving for us and on us when we are standing on the hill. We even bow our head to thank Him and honor Him for all that He has blessed us with.

Standing in the valley

When we are walking through the valley low, we tend to not see God’s hand moving.

We actually tend to ask God where is He when we feel we need Him most.

God is there with us, and I will go far enough to say that God may have led us into the “valley of the shadow of death.”

God will not put you a place that will bring shame to His kingdom

Read Scripture: Ps 23:3

Psalm 23:3 ESV

3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Psalm 23:3 NLT

3 He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.

God leads you along right paths.

If God is leading you into a place, God is doing so for “His name’s sake.”

As believers in God’s word, we have to know that He is His word, and His word is His promise.

Ps 23:4: God is our comfortable.

English Standard Version Psalm 23

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me

God will protect His sheep.

Even though we are going through the hardship.

Even though we feel defeated.

Even through we are depressed.

God protects His sheep.

God Matures You

There has to a maturation process in your relationship with God.

You have to mature in your Christian walk, you cannot always stay a babe in Christ Jesus. You must grow up.

As Jesus Christ leads you through the valley where death’s shadow is, know that He has you.

Ps 23:5 - God provides for you needs

English Standard Version Psalm 23

You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies

The provision of God. God will take care of us.

The table that the David mentions is him recognizing that God provided for him, even in the valley.

We have to know that God will take care of us through out darkest hours.

In despite of what we are going through, God sets the table. In essence, God provides even in darkness.

The Anointing Comes During Dark Hours

Ps 23:5 - The anointing from God

English Standard Version Psalm 23

you anoint my head with oil

The anointing comes during difficult times.

Imagine hold an olive between two fingers.

Imagine squeezing the olive and seeing the olive oil come out.

Our anointing comes when we go through.

Sometimes when we go through the fire, we feel as though we are being squeezed on every side.

As we are going through our valley, the more of God’s anointing oil is being poured out onto us.

Know that you are anointed to go through your valley, just like you are anointed to stand onto of your mountain.

Believe in the promise that He is here with us.

In Matthew 28:20, Jesus promised that He will always be with His disciples “to the end of age.”

If we are disciples of Jesus Christ, His promise to be with us is to the end of age.

Since God is with us, we have to know that He is not only with us when we are on the mountain top, but also in the lowest valley point.