Anita Alexander: "Though I Walk Through the Valley...It is NOT the End Result!"

From the desk of Steve Shultz:

If you are going through it...and I mean really "going through it"...this word from Anita Alexander of Australia is just for YOU!

Anita shares here:

Valleys are seasons we pass through, but they are not our end result. They are seasons of great forging and fortifying – of testing and proving. They can be seasons of heartache and pain, frustration and waiting. But they are seasons where the Lord's rod and staff comfort us. His rod of protection and His guiding staff bring comfort to us in these times.

Remember, you are passing THROUGH and not staying in the valley. I encourage you to let God work things for the good and WATCH HIM deliver you out! (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)

"Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." (Psalm 23:4)

You may be one walking through the valley of the shadow of death right now. You may be sensing death all around you. On all sides, circumstances and situations look hopeless. You may even smell death, but the Lord wants to encourage you that you are only walking through.

Death is not the end result for you. When Jesus said after receiving news of Lazarus' illness in John 11:4 that Lazarus' sickness was not unto death but unto the glory of God, He didn't say that Lazarus wasn't going to die, He was saying that it wasn't going to end there!

Valleys are seasons we pass through, but they are not our end result. They are seasons of great forging and fortifying – of testing and proving. They can be seasons of heartache and pain, frustration and waiting. But they are seasons where the Lord's rod and staff comfort us. His rod of protection and His guiding staff bring comfort to us in these times.

Don't Fight the Valleys – Beauty is Found in the Valley

"The table set in the presence of the enemies is also a representation of celebration and victory. It is a celebration in the midst of the enemy that the Lord is our victor and our reward."

There are depths in the Lord that are uncovered and found in times and seasons of great struggles of the heart – that will never be found when everything is going your way. There are realms of faith and trust that can never be forged in places of comfortable circumstances and mountaintop experiences.

"Don't fight the valleys, for though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you shall fear no evil, My staff and My rod and my staff will comfort you," (see Psalm 23:4).

The valley is where the lily blooms. Lilies are sweet and fragrant with a strong scent; beautiful, pure and white. They exceed all other flowers for whiteness.

A lily is fruitful, with one root able to put forth fifty bulbs. It's one of the tallest flowers that bows its head low. So we see here if the lily is a picture that certain beauty blooms in the valley, we can be assured that beauty, fragrance, purity, humility and much fruit can come forth from our valley times.

The Table in the Presence of Your Enemies

Notice in Psalm 23 that the very next verse after the valley, the Lord talks about setting the table before you in the presence of your enemies. Battles are fought in the valleys.

Psalm 23:5 says, "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over."

Enemies are fought in the valleys and there are many opposing forces. The winds of opposition carry voices – voices that scream and are violent in their pursuit of you. BUT GOD! He sets the table in the presence of Your enemies. He is the one who sets it. He decides the menu and He sends an invitation to wine and dine with Him in the midst of opposition. In the contrary place He says, "Let's take a seat and have a meal. Come into My presence where there is fullness of joy."

At the table, the unshakeable Kingdom is forged inside of you. It's in this place where you can behold the power of the table. The power of communion, the power of the wine, and the bread. The power of His Blood and His body. The power of His presence and His Word. The power of this intimate place, this place of being hidden in Him, under the shadow of the almighty where no foe can withstand.

When He sets a table and says, "Let's dine," you know you are truly experiencing the Kingdom of Heaven. The elements of this earth cannot touch, harm or maim you here. It's a place where no matter what is going on, you can have access to joy and peace. This is the table.

In seasons where you find yourself in the midst of the enemy and he's screaming at you, the Lord has a table set for you to wine and dine with Him. To have joy at the table, to have peace at the table. And the key is: IN the PRESENCE OF YOUR ENEMIES!

There are times and seasons we bind, rebuke and cast down and the enemy flees – that is warfare. But another level of warfare is found at the table. That is higher warfare: to sit with Him in the midst of opposition where He says, "Let's dine instead."

And we say, "But Lord! Can't You see the enemy at the gate? Can't You see he's sending tormenting arrows and he's mocking me and hissing at me?" And the Lord answers, "Yes, I can see that, but come and dine!"

"But why aren't You just blitzing the enemy?" We say.

And He replies, "Because there is a place you find in Me in the midst of your darkest hour – if you just choose to dine – that you can never access in times of peace. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)

"Drink of My presence and eat of My Word, and you will flow in the fruit of the struggle and it will be something that cannot be shaken and cannot be moved because it has been forged in the fire."

No kingdom of this earth will be able to shake it, because God is shaking that which can be shaken so that the Kingdom of God is what remains. For is He not an all consuming fire? (See Hebrews 12:28-29.)

The Lord has often said to me many times, "If you can endure My fire then the fire of the enemy is a piece of cake."

Malachi 3:2, "Who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and fullers soap."

If Need Be

1 Peter 1:6 says in the NKJ version, "...if need be, you have been grieved by various trials." We all "need be" at times, but it's for the purpose of the testing the "genuineness" of our faith which is more precious than gold (1 Peter 1:7).

Will we only say yes when it goes our way? Will we only say yes if God does what we want Him to when we want Him to do it? Will we continue doing what God has asked even though it doesn't feel all cushy and cozy?

How genuine is our faith? How pure and real is it? The fire of trials test and prove what real faith is and, if we will let it, purifies the pollution of unbelief out of our heart. The fire of trials and testing – of opposing circumstances – proves our YES! It tests it and if it is weak and shaky in areas because of fears or hardness of heart, it will act as a forging instrument to reinforce those areas into an unshakeable fortress.

It's not that God is inflicting us, but rather through trials we have the opportunity to discover our sonship to a greater measure and realize the untapped power of the Godhead that dwells within us. We become like a tree planted by the river that will bloom in and out of season.

"Most blessed is the man who believes in, trusts in, and relies on the Lord, and whose hope and confidence the Lord is. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters that spreads out its roots by the river; and it shall not see and fear when the heat comes; but its leaf shall be green. It shall not be anxious and full of care in the year of drought, nor shall it cease yielding fruit." (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

It is possible to not only survive but FLOURISH in unfavorable circumstances. Would you call drought a favorable place? How?

The Power is in the Yield

Jeremiah 17:7 says the answer is in trust. It's in the yield. The Lord is saying the answer is in the surrender – in yielding to the process. Maybe in the place where we are trying to fight off demons, thoughts, change circumstances and people, and everything out of our control, God is saying, "Yield to the fire. Let Me burn away those things that hinder the joy, peace and righteousness. Let Me burn away the fears. Don't try and 'overcome' them in your own strength, but rather the answer is in the yield. Don't fight the process, and rest in trust."

I have fought so many seasons trying to "faith" the circumstances to change to bring me peace, but one day I heard the Lord say to me, "Anita, this season isn't about you using your faith to change the circumstance but rather being able to 'find' joy and peace in an unfavorable place."

There is something in you that only can be forged in that place. The power is in the yield. Not yielding to the voice of the circumstances that scream at you but rather yielding to the process of refining and fire – to uproot the enemy out of your land. Not having expectation on "how" and "when" God will deliver you but rather simply "hoping" in God! That is the hope that doesn't disappoint. That is the yield: to hope in God and His way. Not hoping in the timing and for Him to hurry up and deliver you!

"At the table, the unshakeable Kingdom is forged inside of you."

Rather, sit at the table. Dine on His Word and drink of His presence, because the food at His table in times of war is so much richer than in times of peace. It takes an act of faith to celebrate Him in times of war.

Let the Season Complete What It Needs To!

In ancient days, battle victories were celebrated through wine and food. There would be great feasting and rejoicing from battles won. The table set in the presence of the enemies is also a representation of celebration and victory. It is a celebration in the midst of the enemy that the Lord is our victor and our reward.

1 Peter 1:6-7 AMP version says, "[You should] be exceedingly glad on this account, though now for a little while you may be distressed by trials and suffer temptations, So that [the genuineness] of your faith may be tested, which is infinitely more precious than the perishable gold which is tested and purified by fire..."

Rejoice in your trials and tribulations? Are you kidding me? Here is another one:

"Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be people perfectly and full developed with no defects, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4)

In other words: Let the season complete what it needs to in you!

What is it in this season that the Lord wants to perfect or complete in you? When you abort the season or the process, you abort the fruit of the valley. You never see that beautiful lily blooming forth in purity and fragrance, in humility, bearing much fruit.

If we try to give birth prematurely or force the next season by our own strength, there will be defects and it will be lacking. It may be lacking in the capacity needed for the next season or level God wants to take you to.
Sometimes our valley seasons are where the Lord is actually expanding our capacity. He is causing us to grow, mature and be able to handle the increase He is about to cause us to steward for His glory and purposes.

Growth is Found in the Resistance

In this season of the valley and the table, we become strong. We are being conditioned for greatness. In order for our physical bodies to become strong and fit, they need to be trained and conditioned through resistance and endurance. For strength to increase so must the resistance. (Photo via Pixabay)

In times of resistance, we grow stronger as we push back and don't retreat. After doing all, stand. Sometimes all the strength we have is to stand and not run away, not quit, not throw the towel in – just stand. In these times we sometimes fall in a heap and cry, just like we would if we had some commando personal fitness trainer who pushed us beyond our limits in a physical workout. But growth is found in the resistance. Limits are pushed and mental barriers are broadened. Tent pegs are expanded and curtains are stretched out (Isaiah 54:2).

All of us are different. You might look around and say, "Oh, God is harder on me than on others. What they went through is nothing compared to me." Well you aren't there in their closet with God almost sweating blood in the wrestlings of the soul. Just because they don't go around winging and broadcasting it everywhere doesn't mean the Lord hasn't been surely refining them in the fire. The Lord will take you to your limit. He will stretch you beyond it. Just like a personal trainer would do in a training session.

The Valley is Not Forever

Those unfavorable places are conditioning us, like David. He met opposition that conditioned him for his purpose. He met first the lion and the bear. Then he faced Goliath. Goliath was a piece of cake for him. He wasn't even scared.

If David had been afraid, victory would never have been achieved that day. Why wasn't David afraid? David as a shepherd lived in the valley. Why do you think he could write Psalm 23 like that? Because he lived it! He knew what he was talking about!

David didn't stay in the valley. As he wrote in Psalm 23 though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. We walk through it, we don't camp there like we do beside the still waters. The valley is not our home but a place where we have an opportunity that no other time presents to overcome through wining and dining with the Lord.

Trees of Righteousness, Not Potted Plant Christians

I love what 1 Peter 5:10 in the AMP version says, "And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace [who imparts blessing and favor], who has called you to His [own] eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthen, and settle you."

So the trials are only a little while, and the outcome for those who don't abort the process are brought forth like a beautiful butterfly in all they "ought to be": strengthened, established and secure. Ones that are "planted" by the waters. Not as potted plants ready to get up at any time.

The Lord is looking for trees of righteousness, not potted plant Christians that have shallow soil and the moment hardship or trials come they pull the pin (Luke 8). Mature sons are forged in the fire and know that when they are in the midst of the enemy they have a table to feast at in His presence. The enemy is not invited into the presence. He cannot access that place.

Fortified in the Fullness of Joy

For fullness of joy is found in His presence and that joy is a fortified place of protection. It is your strength.
I've had seasons where I have stood aloof from the invitation to sit at the table and have resisted the process, trying desperately to change the circumstances in my own strength, or just simply whining about them! But that was because of lack of understanding of the process.

Then, I have had other seasons where I have completely accepted His invitation to dine and yielded to the process and found joy in an unfavorable place. Let me tell you, peace is never found in standing aloof. And the circumstances don't change anyway. I now know I would rather have peace and joy amidst my enemies rather than fear, strife and turmoil.

Accept His invitation to sit at the table and eat what He has on the menu for you in this season and bloom in unfavorable places. God is working for your good and causing you to be what you ought to be! (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)

Anita Alexander
Revival Flame Ministries
Email: anita@revival-flame.org
Website: www.revival-flame.org

Anita Alexander is a prophetic revivalist who has a heart for revival, healing and transformation. Motivated by an intense love for the Body of Christ, Anita's passion and compassion is to see the Church forsake religion and tradition, awaken to the Father's love and arise and walk in the overcoming identity as sons and daughters of the Kingdom. Anita and her husband Dr. Sasha Alexander travel nationally and internationally ministering in revival fire that brings resurrection life, healing and awakening to the Body of Christ. Together their passion is to impart, raise up and release a generation of sons and daughters who manifest the glorious victory of the finished work of the Cross and demonstrate their true overcoming identity. They are co-founders and senior ministers of Revival Flame Ministries, Golden City Church, and University of the Spirit Ministry Training School and reside in Gold Coast, Australia.

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