For God to do something big through us, He first must do something deep in us. God works in us when we are going through a valley. That’s a place of stretching. It’s a time of growth and preparation. And it can feel like warfare.
Many Christians—especially those with Pentecostal backgrounds—will start speaking in tongues, casting out demons, and pleading the blood of Jesus when in a valley. They feel as though the devil is after them and everything is against them.
But what we may think is the devil just might be the Lord. Matthew 4:1 (NIV) says, “Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” His time in the wilderness prepared Him for His three and a half years of ministry. If Jesus had wilderness experiences, so will we.
Some Christians don’t know how to navigate valleys. And they wonder why they never seem to get to the mountaintop, or grow in God, or go deeper with Him. It might be that they are not handling the valley the way God intended. Although He may lead us into a valley, the devil wants to keep us there.
It’s okay to say, “I don’t know what I’m doing.”
Here are five ways we can better navigate through life’s valleys.
- Know that God is with you.
We are not perfect, and sometimes we make stupid choices. Ezekiel 37:1 in The Message translation says, “God grabbed me.” I love that. When we make dumb decisions, God grabs us and holds us in the palm of His hand.
When all hell is coming against us, let’s remember that God no longer dwells in a tabernacle. His Holy Spirit lives in us. We are the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, and Matthew 16:18 says that “the gates of hell will not prevail against the church.”
- Look for possibilities.
Sometimes we can feel like we are surrounded by negativity. But we can choose to look for possibilities in every situation. We live by faith and not by sight. Our focus must remain on Jesus. He shines so much brighter than our circumstances.
Twelve spies went into the Promised Land and saw giants there. Ten said they couldn’t conquer them. Two said, “We’re well able.” Same situation, same circumstances, same promise. Just a different perspective. Two saw through the lens of possibility.
- Take a step into the unknown.
Give God your not enough. He can take what you have and make it enough. God is a master at doing a lot with a little.
It can seem like we don’t have much to offer. But guess what? God will take our little faith and turn it into great faith.
It’s okay to say, “I don’t know what I’m doing.” We don’t have to know the process. We only need to know the God Who is walking us through it.
I’ve learned to love that feeling in the pit of my stomach when I don’t know what will happen next. It keeps me on my knees. If we’re always ready for everything God sends our way, our pride is too high or our vision is too small.
- Prophesy to your situation.
We are never told to talk about the mountain. Jesus told us to speak to it (Mark 11:23). Talking about something can lead to complaining. And complaining is what kept the Israelites in the wilderness.
We have to learn to speak. Speak until we believe, and keep speaking until we see.
- Invite the Holy Spirit.
We shouldn’t do life without the Holy Spirit. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. We need Him in our lives. The Holy Spirit is here to guide, comfort, and walk with us.
So let’s invite Him into our circumstances—into our valleys. He will bring us through them.
Author
Zach Morris
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