“Tent Pitched in the Valley” By Brother Kenneth Ray Sunday, February 7th,
2010 Are you on top of the mountain, on the slope of the mountain, or in the valley? Job
1:6-11
…put forth thine hand now
and touch all that he hath and he will curse thee… The Bible says that Job was the greatest man in the east (Job 1:3). Because of his relationship with God, Job was blessed. Job was on the mountaintop, if you will, as he should be, for he was perfect and upright, feared God and eschewed evil (Job 1:1) (to eschew means to decline, withdraw, or to be without). He was right where God would have him to be. Satan said (not in these exact words), I’ll bring him down to the valley; see how he likes having his tent pitched there. The Bible says that your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). As the story of Job continues, we see an all-out assault. Satan hits fast, and he hits hard. It made Job forget about the good times; replaced them with sorrow. Satan works hard to get you to curse God; he doesn’t want you to be blessed. Let me remind you that Job was twice as great in the end as in the beginning (Job 42:10). We don’t look at the story of Job to glorify trials and temptations, or Satan and his devices. The enemy is subtle. Genesis tells us that the serpent was more subtle than all the beasts of the field (Genesis 3:1); when Satan comes to us, he comes as a serpent. He unleashes many tactics, but they all have the same purpose: to steal, to fill, and to destroy. John
10:10
The thief cometh not but
for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy… Satan comes to get you to move your tent. He wants to rob your joy, your hope, your stability, your vision, your God, your cornerstone, but Jesus came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly. There’s been a lot in the news lately about people pulling Ponzi schemes, bad real estate deals, bad bills of goods… You think you’re getting one thing, but when you actually get it, it isn’t what you thought it would be or what you wanted. There’s a
lot of
broken thinking. Lot
and his family were
told not to look back (you can’t move forward if you’re looking back),
but In business, real estate, or relationships with God, there are three important things: Location, location, and location. Blessing come down to location; where are you in relation to God? Where have you positioned yourself to the work of God? Are you on the front line, or maybe working your way up; maybe you’ve fallen to second tier, or maybe you’re in your comfort zone. Maybe your couch has become a shroud. If you are looking to enlist, there are plenty of openings in the Army of God. Is your tent pitched on the mountaintop, on the side of the mountain, or in the valley? Where are your best days? Are you looking back at them, or are they in front of you, and the best is yet to come? 1
Peter 1:3-9 …according
to his
abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope… I was watching Animal Planet: Wolves hunt the weak, the young, the old, but they will also hunt strong animals, if they get left alone without the protection of the group. God has a great relocation plan if someone needs it today. Maybe you need a fresh start today, a new beginning. Maybe your battery is low; have you ever tried to start a car with a low battery? God can rejuvenate you. Look to the hills (Psalms 121:1), and remember the pit (Isaiah 51:1), but don’t live in it. God wants us to pass through the valleys of life to come out victors on the other side. Genesis
19:17-18
…escape to the
mountain, lest thou be consumed. Sermon notes by Pete Shepherd |
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