In Walking through the Valley Devotional Part One, I encouraged you to not run away from your valley or camp out in your valley. Remember it takes longer to avoid the valley or camp out in the valley. Instead I encouraged you to face it and walk through it. This devotional is about how to actually do that.
So start by going back to the valley. Face it. Identify your valley. Is your valley: financial, grief, relationship conflict, health scare, a rebellious child, hurt feelings, or an addiction. Now put your shoes on and start walking. While your walking begin to find your voice and use it.
Don’t you hate it when people tell you to just do something, but don’t tell you how. I validate your feelings. It is hard. However, it is possible. When I was battling an eating disorder many people would say to me just start eating. As if it were that simple. If it were that simple I wouldn’t have had an eating disorder. First, I had to learn how to do that. I learned a powerful and profound tool during my journey. I found my voice and I begin to use it to defeat the disorder. I have learned to use this tool to face many different valleys in my life. I want to teach you the same tool to get you to the other side of the valley.
Your voice has to be stronger and louder than any other voice. It has to be louder and stronger than the devils voice, addictions voice, hurt feelings, sickness, self doubt, rejection, discouragement, or any other negative voice in your head. Self talk is a powerful tool in life. Your words will dictate your destination. For most of us the problem starts and grows in the mind. Think about what your thinking about. You can learn to think differently by speaking differently. Here’s the key: you have to speak differently.
I encourage you to write down your confessions. You can begin to prophecy over your future. Your words dictate your destination.
I’m not going to quit. I’m not going to give up. I’m not going to be defeated. I will make it to the other side of this valley.
Then begin to confess these things out loud. Talk your way through the valley. Fight for yourself with aggressive faith. When self-doubt enters your mind, speak the opposite. When discouragement enters your mind, speak the opposite. When grief enters your soul, speak the opposite. When temptation enters your mind, speak the opposite. When hurt feelings enter your mind, speak the opposite . You don’t have to feel that way to speak that way. Eventually your feelings will catch up with your words.
You have to be willing to do spiritual warfare on your own behalf. You do warfare with the word of God. Speak the word of God over your life. Pick up your sword of the spirit, put on the helmet of salvation, buckle your belt of truth through the word of God, pick up your shield of faith, put on your boots with the readiness of the gospel, cover yourself with the breastplate of righteousness and go to battle. Fight for yourself. Here are some powerful scriptural truths that you can begin to speak over your life.
Greater is he that is in me than He that is in the world. 1 John 4:4
The devil is a liar. John 8:44
All things are possible with God. Mathew 19:26
What’s impossible with man is possible with God. Luke 18:27
They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. Isaiah 40:31
For I know that God has good plans for me. Plans to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
I can do all things through Jesus Christ who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13
No weapon formed against me shall prosper. Isaiah 54:17
Let’s summarize what we have learned.
- Go back to the valley.
- Face the valley.
- Identify the valley.
- Put your shoes on and start walking.
- While you are walking begin to declare out loud your confessions and spiritual truths.
Don’t stop walking. Don’t stop speaking your declarations. Don’t stop until you are all the way to the other side of the valley. I declare that you are going to make it to the other side of your valley!!!