THE VOICE OF THE VALLEYS
Pt 3
“The Valley of Decision”
Joel 3:10 “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.”
If you were to read the entire third chapter of the Book of Joel, you would see very quickly that it is prophecy pointing to the last days and return of Christ.
At the end of the 7 year Great Tribulation period, the powers of the heathen Gentile nations, under the direction of the antichrist, will gather for one final attempt to destroy the nation of Israel and the Jews from the face of the earth.
It will happen in the valley of Megiddo and is called the war of Armageddon.
What they don’t realize is that it is God Himself who has put a hook into their jaw and brought them to this valley for one final great battle.
At that time multitudes will find themselves in the valley of decision where all of humanity will make the final decision of whether to turn to God, or continue in their deadly rebellion against Him.
So the context is about the very end of the Great Tribulation period just prior to the return of Christ.
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But I want to speak on how all of us experience valleys of decision.
Before I do, how do you know you’re in a valley experience?
Here are a few signs you’re in a valley:
ONE, difficulties have multiplied.
Paul wrote of a particularly difficult valley time in his own life, saying: “We are hard pressed on every side…we are perplexed…we are persecuted…we are cast down.” (2 Cor. 4:8-9)
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TWO, you feel isolated, even though surrounded by people.
This is a unique feature of a valley experience.
In the worst valley time of his life, Elijah was isolated and alone in a cave.
Job had his remaining 3 friends turn against him, and even his own wife told him to curse God and die.
Though he ruled a kingdom, David wrote, “I lie awake, lonely as a solitary bird on the roof.”–Ps 102:7
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THREE, your spiritual fire has gone from flame to flicker.
Valleys are dry places–In a valley experience you often struggle to find the flame of zeal and excitement you knew so well before.
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FOUR, you struggling to find hope.
Hope is the belief something good is coming your way–You have something to hope for.
In a valley experience it’s sometimes difficult to imagine yourself coming out into a better place–You feel stuck there.
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FIVE, God seems far away.
He’s NOT far away, but it FEELS like He is.
Again, it was David that cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?”–Ps 22:1
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-Whether your valley comes as a result of this sin-sick creation,
-as a wilderness experience preparing you for battle,
-as divine discipline when our heavenly Father lovingly corrects,
-or as the result of our own poor choices,
-they come.
-Every artist knows you can’t have a great picture if you don’t have shadows.
-Likewise God, the divine artist, knows the same thing is true about his children.
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Here’s the thing to remember: There’s a message in your mess, a lesson to learn, and fruit that will flourish in the valley’s aftermath.
In fact, the Bible reveals that the richest fruit is grown, not on mountaintops, but in the valley!
The Bible says, “As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools.” – Psalm 84:6
Ro 5:3-4 “…we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”–Romans 5:3-4
Song 6:11 “I went down to the grove of walnut trees, to see the fruit of the valley, to see if the vines were in bloom, to see if the pomegranates had budded.”
ILLUS: Consider how a PEARL is formed.
A grain of sand makes its way inside an oyster’s shell through a tiny opening, which causes immediate irritation for the oyster.
In response to the irritation, the oyster secretes a protective coating that produces a pearl.
All oysters don’t produce pearls — only the ones who recover from the irritation and the wound.
A pearl is basically a healed wound–No wound, no pearl!
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Now, whether or not the valleys produce fruit and work for our good depends to a great extent on the decisions we make while there–which is why the Bible calls it the Valley of Decision.
Whether we’re in a valley due to our own sins and mistakes, or we’re in a valley due to things completely out of our control, valleys require decisions.
It’s not what you’re in that most matters, it’s how you respond to what you’re in.
The decisions we make can even decide whether or not we come out of the valley or stay there.
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Now, for the valleys of life to become fruitful, there are three wise decisions we should make while there.
First,
I. The decision to draw close to God, not away from Him
Some people become angry with God and pull away from Him in the valley.
While others press in closer to Him and dig deeper in the Word and prayer.
It’s important to remember that GOD IS THERE in your valley!
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For you are WITH ME…!”–Ps 23:4
The Bible says, “The Lord is NEAR to the broken in heart.”–Ps 34:18
There’s an old saying, “The same sun that melts butter hardens clay.”
This is true of people!–The hot sun of hard trials hardens some hearts against God, while others melt into His nail-scarred hands.
Sadly, many of God’s children make a permanent dwelling place right there in the valley.
Instead of running toward God, they run away from Him.
They lose their vision and purpose, and become discouraged and depressed in their valleys.
They think their life is over because someone betrayed them, abandoned them, or their own sins have chained them to a permanent valley.
But that’s the devil’s lie! The Bible says, “Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise Him!”–Ps 43:5
–In the valley it is crucial to draw close to the shepherd.
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The 2nd decision you should make in the valley is:
II. To clean up what the Holy Spirit points out
Some of the decisions you make should have been made before the valley, but now the valley is forcing it.
Like the decision to spend more time with God,
or to pay closer attention to key relationships,
or to deal with some hidden sin.
Valleys have a way of causing us to reassess our life,
take stock of how we’re living,
what our priorities are, and
the direction we’re going in life.
Psalm 119: 67,71 says, “I used to wander off until you disciplined me; but now I closely follow your word…It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.”
In other words, The valley cleaned me up!
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III. The decision to keep walking
The key word in every valley is THROUGH.
“Yea, though I walk THROUGH the valley of the shadow…”
“As they pass THROUGH the Valley of Baca,”
–Keep walking, even if it is with a limp.
Keep walking by faith, not by sight.
Don’t get analysis paralysis in the valley–You can’t afford to stop and analyze to death why you had to go through it.
Listen!–Faith chooses to survive what it cannot explain!
Did you know the phrase “valley of deep darkness” is used nine times in the book of Job.
Yet God never once explained the valley to Job.
Though Job was on the right path, he never did understand why God sent him through the valley of deep darkness.
Before I went through my first valley as a young Christian, I believed IN God.
But it was during my time in the valley, walking beside Him through the darkness that I learned whether or not I BELIEVED God.
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So next time you find yourself in a valley, remember:
Seek God
Clean up
Keep walking