Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. Joel 3:14.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
To live the sanctified life is a decision that every person must make. And it began with the first man Adam and it will be the determinative factor in each person’s life of whether they will see Me or not.
Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man. John 2:23-25.
This was a question that Jude asked of My Son. He wanted to know why Jesus would not just reveal Himself to the whole world in all His splendor so they could see Him and believe. And My Son explained that He would only entrust Himself and reveal Himself to those who love Him, and that the same was true for Me to make our home with you and you with us. And how would I know that you love Me? Only one test—will you keep My Word no matter what.
He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me. John 14:21-24.
When you keep My Word, My Word sanctifies you. My Word is living and active, sharper than any two-edged (two mouthed is the word used there in the Greek in which that passage was first written, and it means two witnesses, you and Me), it goes to work piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12. All in your life is laid bare to Me. I am your audience of one. By that I mean I am the only one with whom you have to do for eternity. I am the only one that knows you through and through. I search all your innermost parts, to the depths of your spirit and soul.
And the more you walk in My Word the deeper your relationship will become with Me. And it is there in our secret place that sanctification takes place. And it is transformation by revelation and impartation of holiness. Without which no one can see Me.
And the more you obey and delight in My Word, the more I reveal Myself and show up in your life. When Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego refused to bow down to the idols or worship the golden image which Nebuchadnezzar set up. Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and anger, had them tied up and thrown into a furnace of fire, heated up seven times. But in obeying Me is perfect protection, I extended My arm down to them in Jesus and He walked with them in the furnace and for them it became a lovely place. Nebuchadnezzar, expecting to see them burned up to a crisp, looked on in amazement.
He said, “Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!” Daniel 3:25.
Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego came out of the midst of the fire. The satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king’s high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men that the fire had no effect on their bodies nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their clothes damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them. Daniel 3:26-27.
The safest place to be is obeying Me.
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you. Isaiah 43:1-2.
Remember Jesus told you that when you keep My Word, I make My dwelling place with you and there is perfect protection with and in Me. For if I am with you, who can be against you? Obviously, no one. I am the Most High.
For you have made the LORD, your refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place. No evil will befall you nor will any plague come near your tent. Psalm 91:9-10.
And now I want to show you a man who did just that and lived the joy of a sanctified life in the midst of his enemies. And so can you if you do as he did.
There was a descendant of David named Jehoshaphat. His father, Asa, had put up many idols and practiced evil, but Jehoshaphat had a heart towards Me as David had. Once he became king he tore down the idols and taught the people My Word again. His name in Hebrew (יהושפט) means “The LORD is judge,” it also means that I have judged and found upright. He again instituted the Passover and the music of David before Me in the temple.
Jesus told you that in this world as it is now you will have tribulation. Troubles and trials caused by the one Adam submitted to and made the “god” of this world who blinds the minds of unbelievers to keep them in the dark by disobedience to My Word. If only they would renew their minds to My Word the light would shine into their darkness and the darkness cannot overcome light, and I would be able to heal them. Jesus came to undo the work of the devil. But if you will not open to His voice knocking at the door to your heart, you shut out the light and remain in darkness all your life. It all has to do with one decision and how you decide will determine the quality of your life now and forever.
Jerusalem and Judah were prospering under the leadership of Jehoshaphat and the neighboring nations wanted to take their prosperity from them and put them into servitude. Three armies banded together and came to conquer Judah. And news that they were advancing with multitudes coming to take Jerusalem reached Jehoshaphat and at first he feared, but he knew what to do.
He put out a call to all Judah to come to My house in Jerusalem and put their attention entirely on Me for victory. Everyone came and when all gathered before Me, Jehoshaphat and all the people raised their voices as they worshipped Me and reminded Me of My covenant with them whereby I had promised them that land and My promise to Solomon that I would hear and answer when they came to pray to Me in My house.
And Jehoshaphat did just what I tell you to do, he cast all the care on Me to solve the situation and then waited to obey whatever I would tell him to do.
O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You.” 2 Chronicles 20:12.
And a descendant of Asaph, the Levite musician who played My songs in My house before Me under the direction of David, got a word of wisdom from Me and gave the good news that I would fight for them and give them victory. But they still had to go out and face the enemy.
“Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the LORD to you, ‘Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s. Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley in front of the wilderness of Jeruel. You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the LORD is with you.” 2 Chronicles 20:15-17.
Does this sound familiar to you? It should. I tell you to be strong in Me and the power of My might and to put on My full armor of light and stand your ground and keep standing. And what do I mean by standing? I mean that you accept nothing except what I promise you in My Word and if things are contrary to that you still refuse to budge off obedience. Like Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego.
And how did Jehoshaphat and the people of Jerusalem respond to this word of wisdom from the descendant of Asaph? With faith, and faith gives you joy! They responded with the voice of thanksgiving and the voice of thanksgiving works wonders. It is the catalyst to the timing of your answer, of your miracle.
Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshiping the LORD. The Levites, from the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons of the Korahites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel, with a very loud voice. 2 Chronicles 20:18-19.
Stop here and think about yourself. Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah were facing a formidable enemy that way outnumbered them. And the three armies were camped outside the city in the valley of trouble. They were in the dark valley of the shadow of death.
How would you respond? They had a promise from Me that I would protect and deliver them but the enemies were still just as much there as before the promise of My Word. But you have many magnificent promises from Me that I tell you are all “YES” to you in Christ Jesus.
For example, if you got a report from the doctor that you had a terminal illness that was going to kill you within a short time would you take hold of the Scriptures that tell you that I am the LORD your healer, that by the stripes of Jesus you were healed, that He bore all your illness, disease and pain, taking it from you, and that I sent My Word to heal you and deliver you from all destruction, would you throw yourself on the ground to worship because you were so overwhelmed with joy and get up to praise Me that I had given you healing?
And that is just what Jehoshaphat and the people did. They saw no result yet, but they had My Word and to them that was enough, more than enough to take them from fear and confusion to joy and clarity.
And that response of obedience gave them joy. And it brought Me down to act on their behalf.
They were so eager to partner with Me in victory that they all rose up early in the morning filled with enthusiasm and went to the wilderness to go face the enemy. And Jehoshaphat encouraged the people to put their trust in Me and obey My Word to them through the prophets.
Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust in the LORD your God and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed.” 2 Chronicles 20:20.
And then all were inspired to add an extra voice of thanksgiving to what I had told them to do. I had told them to go and face the enemy. But they wanted to go an extra mile, so to speak.
When he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the LORD and those who praised Him in holy attire, as they went out before the army and said, “Give thanks to the LORD, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” 2 Chronicles 20:21.
They, like the redeemed in Heaven, could not keep from singing of My lovingkindness in protecting them and blessing them. Even before it manifested. They had the prophetic word and that was enough. And hope does not disappoint. I am enthroned on your praises. That is the way you enthrone Me in your life, by obedience with joyful thanksgiving because then I know your faith is true. And faith pleases Me for it means you trust Me as true to My Word. And that is obedience.
When they began singing and praising, the LORD set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were routed. For the sons of Ammon and Moab rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir destroying them completely; and when they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another. 2 Chronicles 20:22-23.
I took care of them, so when they got to the lookout, they saw I had taken care of the matter already. All they had to do was collect the harvest of their obedience.
When Judah came to the lookout of the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude, and behold, they were corpses lying on the ground, and no one had escaped. When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found much among them, including goods, garments and valuable things which they took for themselves, more than they could carry. And they were three days taking the spoil because there was so much. 2 Chronicles 20:24-25.
My blessing makes rich and adds no sorrow to it, no painful toil to it.
Then on the fourth day they assembled in the valley of Beracah, for there they blessed the LORD. Therefore they have named that place “The Valley of Beracah” until today. 2 Chronicles 20:26-27.
And they renamed the valley from the valley of trouble (achor) to the valley of blessing (Beracah). They did not forget Me, they blessed Me and just kept singing praise. They thanked Me before they saw it manifest based on My promise and they thanked Me after it did manifest. And it brough them not only victory over the enemy, but all the riches of their enemies besides. The wealth of the wicked is stored up for the righteous.
Every man of Judah and Jerusalem returned with Jehoshaphat at their head, returning to Jerusalem with joy, for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies. They came to Jerusalem with harps, lyres and trumpets to the house of the LORD. And the dread of God was on all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel. So the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God gave him rest on all sides. 2 Chronicles 20:27-30.
And there you are back into My rest again. Rest from your enemies on every side. The devil cannot touch those who are sanctified. There is no snatching out of My hand.
We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God, God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. 1 John 5:18-20.
I love you. And you might be interested to know that My prophet Joel, under the inspiration of My Spirit, calls the valley of decision, the valley of Jehoshaphat. Joel 3:12-14.
Are you going to rejoice and sing over My promise when you are in the dark valley of trouble? Those who are willing and obey will have the best of the land. You will always be above and not beneath.