Worship & Walking Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death
Every person on earth will walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death in their lives, many times over, whether they are followers of Christ or not. The fact is that life and death will exist together in an endless cycle of beauty and ugliness, joy and pain until the return of Jesus Christ.
As followers of Christ, your hope, through Him, is that once your earthly existence ceases, you will continue into an eternal life as Jesus did because “Christ risen from the dead and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:20)
But in spite of the hope of eternity, the fallen condition of the world that is gripped by wickedness and sin means that you will journey through the Valley of the Shadow of Death more than once, but the difference is this: YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
What is the Valley of the Shadow of Death?
When David wrote Psalm 23:4, “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,” he spoke of the comfort He had in the Lord’s presence during the hardest times of his life, when it felt impossible to see any light anywhere.
The Valley of the Shadow of Death is how David described the worst and lowest seasons of life whether it is because of something you caused to yourself or because the fallenness of the world and it’s sin has driven you into that place.
You can’t escape the Valley of the Shadow of Death – but you can prepare for it.
~ Alicia Purdy ~
In those dark seasons, you are vulnerable to the enemy’s attacks because you are already suffering in some way emotionally, spiritually, mentally, or even physically. In the worst times of your life, the enemy will attack you the hardest with fear, doubt, bitterness, despair and hopelessness, anger, exhaustion, and hardness of heart because he knows where you are weak, probably better than you do.
You cannot help that you will travel through The Valley of the Shadow of Death, and that it will hurt and that you will experience pain and suffering and sadness and regret and that your emotions will threaten to overtake you. You can’t escape the Valley of the Shadow of Death – but you can prepare for it.
The Valley of the Shadow of Death Still Has Light
2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “For we walk by faith, not by sight,” and this Scripture is a direct reference to the hope believers have of life after death, but even so, the Valley of the Shadow of Death looms over everyone bringing anxiety, fear, “vain imaginations” and “evil forebodings”.
Life is hard. Jesus said it would be so. (Matthew 16:33) Sicknesses and diseases, accidents, sin and its consequences, trials and tribulations, wayward children, divorce, loss, and everything in between will press down on you as long as you journey on earth.
On top of that, you have an enemy that seeks to “steal, kill, and destroy” (John 10:10) “seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). But you don’t have to fear the darkness when you walk in the light.
In John 8:12, Jesus said that He is the Light of the world, but SO ARE YOU.
Jesus said you are the light of the world. (Matthew 5:14)
Paul wrote that, “…you shine as lights in the world.” (Philippians 2:15)
You carry His light within you.
Jesus is like the sun, created to govern the day.
You are like the moon, created to govern in the darkness with the light that you reflect from the Son.
This is a profound and powerful assignment given to all believers who live as “sojourners” (Psalm 119:19) or “strangers” (Hebrews 11:13) on this earth, asspiritual beings having an earthly experience. But it is not an easy task to be given in a world filled with darkness. From his own experience, the Apostle John wrote:
“In [Christ] In Him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. The light shines in darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:4-5)
Because of Christ, the darkness CANNOT OVERTAKE YOU. In fact, the shadows that are in the dark valley are, in and of themselves, the very proof of the light you’ve been looking for! Shadows are the images of what is blocking the light, which means there is light behind them.
The shadows that are in the dark valley are, in and of themselves, the very proof of the light you’ve been looking for!
~ Alicia Purdy ~
However, you will need spiritual eyes to see the Light of the World as you walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. Worship will develop your perception in the spirit because it ushers you into the dwelling place of the Most High, who lives in “unapproachable light”. (1 Timothy 6:16)
When You Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death… WORSHIP
The enemy would love nothing more than to silence you, to shut your mouth or to put his words into your mouth instead of the “new song” the Lord has promised you. (Psalm 40:1-3).
When you praise and worship the Lord from the shadows and you minister to Him from the valley with the sacrifice of praise, your mind becomes refocused, your spirit becomes stronger, your faith grows and you find that ability to continue forward on the path the Lord has laid out for you.
The enemy doesn’t want that! He wants you endlessly defeated because he knows that:
The Lord “dwells within the praises” of His people. (Psalm 22:3)
“In His presence is fullness of joy” (Ps. 16:11)
“The joy of the Lord is your strength”. (Nehemiah. 8:1)
Famously, in Psalm 23:4 (MEV) David wrote:
“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.”
If anyone had ever experienced the difficulties and pain in the “Valley of the Shadow of Death” it was David! David had walked through many valleys and had learned this: “I will fear no evil for You are with me.” This wasn’t a statement of faith- this was a statement of EXPERIENCE in his relationship with the Lord.
Jesus said:
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12, ESV)
You also have your own testimonies of the Lord’s faithfulness, goodness, and mercy, of His saving grace, of His strength and rescue. It is praise and worship of the Lord for those moments of His hand on your life that will provide the light you need to navigate the seasons of darkness.
A shadow has no substance, but takes the shape of whatever is blocking the light and distorts the picture.
Learn more about the 7 Hebrew Words for Praise and how each one helps create strength, intimacy, and fresh revelation as you understand more about God’s plan for praise in your life!
Worshipping the Lord, ministering to Him, is what brings His presence and His light close in a unique way because it moves you into Hisdwelling place – your permanent residence.
As you’re on your journey in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, remember that it is a temporary place. HIS dwelling place is where you were meant to live forever.
Through Every Valley is a Path of Praise
There are no easy answers to the pain you will experience on earth as a result of sin, and the process of grief will likely be part of your journey for the rest of your life. But remember: The shadows only have the power and authority over you that you give to them.
Your experiences may truly challenge your faith, your strength, your joy, and your peace, but that doesn’t mean you’re alone or that the darkness has overtaken you. Your enemy, the devil will try to make you think the shadows mean darkness, when in reality, the shadows mean there is LIGHT!
The “shadows”, which the enemy has tried to get you to fear, are the very proof that God is with you. Yes, you may have to walk through a terrible valley, but true darkness is not possible when the Lord is with you.
Fighting the shadows with the light means choosing to look to the light and walk in the light and toward the light and choosing to look away from the distorted view of reality the shadows want you to believe.
Your natural experiences and feelings may tell you there’s nothing but darkness and shadows all around, but you must stand upon the truth of God’s Word! GOD IS LIGHT. (1 John 1:5-7) Praise and worship keep you surrounded by the LIGHT of God’s power, presence, protection, and promises.
Thought for Today: There is no Substance to the Shadows in the Valley
Remember that fear is a spirit, not an emotion (2 Timothy 1:7) and the enemy will try to convince you that all your fears will come true, so you must stand in the spiritual authority God has given you, and fight from within His presence.
If you are in the valley of the shadow of death in a situation in your life, take heart. You are not alone, and you are not weaponless. Everyone walks through dark valleys, but not everyone knows how to find the light to guide them through.
It will be a battle to push past your flesh and your feelings, but when your “heart and your flesh fail”, God will prove Himself to be your strength as you draw closer to Him through praise. (Psalm 73:26) His light will reflect from you into the darkness and shadows of your situation.
Psalm 119:54 says, “Your statutes have been my songsin the house of my temporary dwelling.” Death is a very real part of this life on earth and it comes in all forms, sometimes too soon, however even death is a temporary dwelling.
Don’t turn your back on God in the Valley – TURN YOUR FACE TO HIM. Minister to the LORD before, during, and after your journey through the dark valleys and each time you walk through one, you’ll come out stronger than when you went in.
