Page |1 THE VALLEY EXPERIENCES Joshua 7:22-26 Hosea 2:15 Introduction:

Have you ever noticed that after the mountain top experience there is a valley experience? We can't stay on the mountain top all the time. There are 35 valleys mentioned in scripture and there is a lesson to learn in each valley. For every mountain there is a valley. What is a valley? It is a depression in the earths surface between two ranges of mountains, hills or other uplands. In the NKJV the word valley the translation of several Hebrew and Greek words. 1. One Hebrew word refers to a split or cleft place more like a plain than a valley. This word is used 2. 3. 4. 5.
in the valley of Aven, Jericho, Lebanon and Mizpah. Deep Place refers to a long, broad sweep of land between parallel hill or mountain ranges. Such as the valley of Achor, Hebron and Succoth. Ravine refers to a bed or channel of a stream that is usually dry except during the rainy season, when it may become a rushing torrent. gorge refers to a deep narrow ravine, usually with a stream at the bottom. Valleys such as Hamon Gog and Hinnon. A Greek word translated as valley means precipice Luke 3:5 mention this valley. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill brought low.

A spiritual valley does not consist of an actual physical place but rather a state of being, a state of mind, circumstances and adversities. But even in the cleft of the rock, he will cover you there with his hands. You may find yourself in a deep dark place, sometimes we are in too deep, up to our neck in trouble and woes, a deep place of depression and loneliness. Or you may be in a real tight spot a narrow ravine. The Bible tells us that narrow is the way and strait is the gate that leads to eternal life. So dont worry or fret, if life is squeezing you into a corner, its in the valley that God does his best work in our lives. The mountain top is the place of victory and triumph, where you can look out and see the beauty of the valley, but the price you pay to get there is unmeasureable. Everything that lands on the mountain flows into the valley rocks, snow rain, hail and winds. All the beauty viewed from the mountain top is the very valley we admire that we just passed through. Yet so many of us despise our valleys and are impatient to get out. You cant get lost in the valley as long as you have a view of the mountain.

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As I began to meditate upon this pattern of thinking, I began to realize that this is a truth found throughout Scripture. Adam indeed must have been on the mountain in the beginning. God had created the Garden of Eden for him. He had every kind of good fruit to eat. God had provided a canopy over him to keep him from getting sunburned. Then God provided the PERFECT woman for him. Wow! He had access to the tree of life. He had it made. God had given him such a mind that he could name all the animals. He even walked with and fellowshipped with God in the cool of the evening. Then Eve offered him the forbidden fruit and he stepped into sin. (Genesis 1-3). Noah was a man that found grace in the eyes of God. God instructed him to build the ark and Noah was obedient. Then God saved him and his family from the flood. They were in the ark for 150 days before the water receded. He received the promise of God that God would never destroy the earth by water again and sealed the promise with the first beautiful rainbow. It was indeed a mountain top experience. Noah celebrated the experience by offering a sacrifice unto God. However, almost immediately, he planted a vineyard, got drunk, and became the subject of his son's sexual desires while he was asleep. (Genesis 7-9:25). The children of Israel were slaves to the Egyptians for 430 years. Then God called Moses to deliver them out of the Egyptian bondage. Overnight, God brought a shepherd from the back side of the desert to a leader of a nation of people. Through various miracles Moses led the people out of Egypt. They spoiled the Egyptians of their treasures of silver, gold, and fine clothing. (Exodus 12:35). They came out of bondage in a great victory, a mountain top experience. However, God led the people to the valley of the Red Sea. Then God hardened the heart of the Pharaoh to chase after them. This seems to be a pattern. After the mountain top experience, God leads us into the valley. Then in the valley, the enemy comes to attack us. It is here that we are tempted to complain even as the people did to Moses (Exodus 14:11-12). God will provide a way out even when the enemy comes. Moses lifted up his hands with the rod in it. The sea parted and the people walked across on dry ground. Then God closed the sea upon the Egyptian army. The people have another mountain top experience seeing the mighty work of God. Exodus 15:1-19 is Moses' song of victory celebration! Then God leads the people to Marah, the place of bitter water, the valley experience. Let's look at the personal experience of Moses, the leader of the people. God calls Moses up to Mt. Sinai, talks to him personally, and gives him the Ten Commandments written by His own finger on two tables of stone. Indeed, this was a mountain top experience to tell about. However, when Moses came down the mountain, He discovered that the people were breaking the first two commands that God had given him to deliver to the people. They were worshipping the golden calf which Aaron had made. The very person who Moses had left in charge over the people had violated Moses' trust. I understand why Moses was tempted to get angry and throw down the tables of stone. (Exodus 31-32). Elijah, the prophet of God waxed bold and went before the evil king, Ahab and told him that it would not rain upon the land, except when he said so. (I Kings 17:1) God fulfilled Elijah's word and there was a great famine in the land. God miraculously fed Elijah by a brook using ravens to bring food to him. When the brook dried up, God sent him to a widow to feed him. When Elijah

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arrived, the widow was about to fix her last meal for her son and herself before they died of starvation. However, God continued to provide meal (flour) and oil as long as they needed it. Then Elijah confronts the people and asks them how long they are going to straddle the fence between serving God and serving Baal. Elijah even challenges the 450 prophets of Baal to a duel (I Kings 18). Elijah tells them to build an altar, put a bull upon it, put wood under the altar, and then call upon Baal to light the fire. The prophets of Baal cry out to Baal, but the false god cannot light the fire. Then Elijah builds another altar, and puts a bull upon the altar, puts wood under the altar, and has the people to pour three barrels of water over the entire altar and the wood, even filling a trench around the altar. Elijah then calls fire down from heaven from God to consume everything. It a great display of the mighty power of God. He then kills the 450 prophets of Baal. Indeed, this is a mountain top experience. He even prays again and God sends a mighty rain. However, for Elijah, the mountain top experience soon becomes a valley experience. When the wicked queen Jezebel gets news that Elijah has killed the prophet of Baal, she become furious, and sends word that by this time the next day she will have Elijah killed (I Kings 19). Even the life of Jesus demonstrates the principle of the valley following the mountain top experience. Jesus just turns thirty years old, the age of manhood. He becomes obedient to the law by being baptized. The Holy Spirit came and rested upon him as a dove. Then the Father said, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." This had to be a mountain top experience even though it physically took place at the Jordan River. However, look at what happened next. Matthew records in Matthew 4:1 "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil." Mark says that the Spirit drove him as one would prod an animal. "And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness" (Mark 1:12). The valley experience for Jesus was on the Mountain where the devil came to tempt him after forty days of fasting. However, we must also note that Jesus overcome the tempter through the Word of God. There is Victory in the valley: Just because we have a valley experience does not mean that we can't have victory in the valley. Benhadad the king of Syria brought his army upon the mountain against Ahab, king of Israel, but God gave the king of Israel a victory over the king of Syria. Then the servants of the king of Syria said, "Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they" (I Kings 20:23b). For Israel, the valley experience looked like an impossible situation. "And the children of Israel were numbered, and were all present, and went against them: and the children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of kids; but the Syrians filled the country" (I Kings 20:27). However, "And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the LORD" (I Kings 20:28). When the people came together for battle, the children of Israel killed one hundred thousand of the enemies' footmen in one day. The rest fled for their lives. We also can see this principle as David wrote it in the Twenty-third Psalm. "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's

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sake. 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. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever." (Psalms 23:1-6). Look at the first several verses. He is on the mountain top. The LORD is his shepherd. The Shepherd had provided everything for him. He has a tranquil place to rest. He is led along a safe path. His soul is refreshed. The shepherd gives him direction. THEN look at the next verse. The Shepherd has led into the shadowy valley. It is the Shepherd's doing. However, he chooses not to fear. Why? He does not fear because the Shepherd is with him in the valley just as he is on the mountain top. The Shepherd is still his protector. Furthermore, the Shepherd has prepared a banquet before him in the presence of his enemies. Now, imagine God providing a feast in the midst of the eyes of the enemy. That is what God does! God protects us from the enemy through the anointing which He places upon us. He gives us more blessing than we can handle! In Joshua 7 the valley of Achor was also known as the valley of trouble. Achan got into trouble because of his disobedience and hid some spoils in his tent when he was told not to take anything after the children of Israel had plundered Jericho. So in the next battle against Ai, they were defeated. Joshua sought God and asked why. God told him there was sin in the camp. He traced the sin to the family of Judah the tribe of praise until he laid hold of Achan and his family. When confronted Achan confessed, Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, I saw the spoils, I coveted them, I took them and hid them in my tent verse 20-21. Verses 22-26 describes the judgment against Achans household, his sons, daughters, oxen, asses, and sheep. They were stoned, burnt and buried in the valley of Achor. From that day, every time the Valley of Achor is mentioned, the Israelites remembered the sin of Achan and Gods discipline for the nation of Israel. But there is hope even in the midst of a valley of trouble, the valley of Achor. Hosea 2:15 says, And I will give her her vineyards from now on, and the Valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. I want to let you know that if you are in the valley of trouble, God will prepare of door of hope. This valley of trouble will be transformed into a door of hope when the returning exiles pass thru to return to the land. God will and can transform your valley of trouble into a door of hope for your future. He knows the plans he has for you, to give you hope and an expected end. Repentance in the valley Joel 3:14 multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. You have a choice in the valley, you must decide in the valley to serve God. Choose you this day whom you will serve. The song writer says, Life is easy when youre up on the mountain But the God of the mountain is still God in the valley Achan confessed his sin and Gods judgement was death. But thank God for Jesus and the price he paid, when we should have died, he made a way for us to have eternal life. The Bible says, If you confess your sins, he is faithful and just to forgive you of your sins and to cleanse you from all unrighteusness. Thank God we have an advocate with the Father through Jesus

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Christ. The decision is yours, you decide if you want to be born again, you decide in the valley if you want to be baptized, you decide if you want to serve God truthfully, you decide in the valley if you want to walk in love and forgiveness, you decide whether or not to lay aside the weight of sin that so easily beset you. You cannot climb a mountain successfully so much baggage. There are multitudes in the valley of decision. Restoration and resurrection in the valley Ezekiel 37:1 In the valley of dry bones God breathed, the prophet prophesied and there arose an exceeding great army. Refreshing in the valley. Psalms 84:6 Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; rain also filleth the pools. The valley of Baca is also known as the valley of weeping. There is a whole lot of tears in the valley, but when you seek God in the valley you will be refreshed by the rains and streams of spiritual waters, and out of your bellies shall flow rivers of living waters to refresh others. Song of Solomon calls him the lilly of the valley. There is peace in the valley There is hope in the valley There is salvation in the valley There is healing in the valley There is love in the valley There is joy in the valley There is deliverance in the valley There is God in the valley