Synopsis of 8/6/23

Delivered Bishop Joseph W. Walker

Psalm 23:4 NKJV 
Yea, 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.

1. INTRODUCTION 
2. As a Believer, there is one thing we know is about isolation. During isolation is when the enemy likes to create integration. During integration, the enemy tries to make us think that we are going through our issues by ourselves and that God doesn’t care.
3. All of us know there are valleys and moments that we go through, where we wonder if God is there. You will learn that God was always there, but we had to go through what we went through for training purposes.
4. Many of us have experienced loss in attacks. God will remind you that he is there, but he will also show you a plan that shows you that you won’t be there much longer.
5. Valleys are spiritual and can be disorienting. As a testimony to this, David writes this Psalm during a Valley Experience.
   1. David’s family is far from perfect. His own son Asylum has plotted to kill him. It was around 1000BC when David discovers this. David pins this Psalm during this particular time.
   1. The first three words of this Psalm is the answer to every problem in life. They are, ” The Lord is…”
   1. In this text, David gives us things he learned while in the Valley. You have to get training while you are in the Valleys of Life.

1. THE PACE OF THE VALLEY 
2. Pace is about timing.  David is not running through the Valley. Instead, he is walking through this.
3. The Shepherd realizes the sheep has to obey him in order to survive.
4. God leads the Shepherd to know what pace the sheep keep, to get out of their situation.

1. We All Get a Turn 
2. Some of us are only one phone call away from having our own Valley Experience.
3. Types of Turns:
   1. Alternative Turns – This is when one person comes out, the next person goes through. This simply means that as soon as one comes out of the Valley, a friend goes right into a Valley Experience.
   1. Simultaneously turns – This is when many people are going through their Valley experience at the same time.
   1. Exclusive Turns – This is when no one is going through a Valley Experience, but you.

• Things to know about the Valley Experience:
• Expect The Valley – All successful people will tell you they didn’t get where they are without having a Valley Experience.
• Have Empathy for Those in The Valley – Because you know what the Valley Experience is like, you should have empathy for others that are going through it.
• Have Expectation in The Valley – We expect something to happen when we go through the Valley Experience.
• You Can’t Rush Through This 
• David says he walked through the Valley of the shadow of death… Sometimes God has to make you pause and deal with the issue at hand.
• Grieve – It’s ok to go through the stages of grief while you are in the Valley.
• Graze – Don’t grieve without grazing. The best water and the best grass is in the Valley. Just like the grass in the Valley, you don’t realize how good the word is, until you get in a Valley.
• Grow – This is how you grow. The sheep become fit enough to make the journey, because the best grass and the best water is in the Valley. Look at how strong your prayer life has gotten, as a result of your time in the Valley.
• THE PROCESS OF THE VALLEY 
• It’s Designed for Your Development – The Valley is designed for the sheep’s development. Like the sheep, this means that our Valley was designed for our development.
• Don’t Get Stuck in What God Wants You to Come Thru – The Valley isn’t designed to be a permanent place. The devil tries to trick you into thinking this is permanent.
  • Sooner or later, it is going to turn in your favor. In fact, don’t accept mail while you are in the Valley, because time the mail gets there, you will be gone.
  • Story: There was a guy that was talking to his Pastor about a bad report he got from his Doctor. Just as he said this, they Pastor yelled, “Hallelujah!”. Next he told his Pastor that things were not going good on his job and he was afraid that he might lose it. Right then, his Pastor said, “Glory”! Finally, he told his Pastor that things weren’t going good with his wife, and then his Pastor said, “Thank you Jesus”!
    • So now the guy was mad and he asked his Pastor why he would be celebrating and thanking God for all the bad things he told his Pastor that he was going through? His Pastor then asked, “You did say you are going through it, didn’t you?” In other words, he wasn’t going to be there always. Even though you are going through it, doesn’t mean you will get stuck there always.

1. THE PRESENCE OF THE VALLEY 
2. There is no shadow without light. You don’t get shadows in dark places. Shadows are a result of light.
3. Don’t Be Afraid of What the Enemy Shows You – The enemy will have you about to lose your mind.
4. Story: Remember, the Coyote and Road Runner on the Looney Tunes Cartoon? The Coyote would always set these elaborate traps built by the Acme Company. No matter how well the trap was set, the Road Runner would escape it. Whenever the Coyote would inspect the trap to see why it didn’t work, then he would fall victim to the very trap that he set for the Road Runner and then the Road Runner would come to him and say, “Beep Beep”.  When the enemy sets a trap for you, focus on the escape the Lord has for you!  
5. Presences in the Valley
   1. Wolves- Wolves know how to talk churchy. They know how to quote scripture and everything. They lure you into getting close enough for them to pounce on you.
   1. Wild dogs – Wild Dogs make sounds to confuse the sheep and cause them to scatter. Then when they are away from the heard, they are able to attack them.
6. Remember Your God Is with You – God is right there, no matter what you are going through.
7. The Hebrew word for Shepherd is also used for close friend. God is Shepherding you through our Valley.

• THE PROVISION IN THE VALLEY 
• It is about what God shows up with in the Valley. His Rod and His staff comforts us…
• I’m Thankful for His Correction – The Rod was needed for the Shepherd. The Rod was for correction. Sheep are often unruly. The Shepherd would use the Rod, to cause sheep to get back where they were supposed to be.
  • Every day, the Shepherd will count the sheep. Can God correct you and still count on you? Can he count you, count on you, and then make you accountable?
  • The Staff was the curved part of the Rod and Staff. We always want to see if the grass is greener on the other side. The Shepherd uses the curved part to pull you back where you are supposed to be.
• Thank God that in this Season, God kept us from ourselves. God kept us…
• When you go through the Valley, then you can say that God prepares a table for me in the presence of mine enemy.
• I’m Thankful for His Direction –
• 4 reasons to give God glory when we come out.
  • Anyhow Blessings – He blesses me regardless to what others think.
  • The Anointing That Blocks – Because of the sheepskin fur, flies were the most irritant to the sheep. It would cause sheep to lose pace and purpose. The Shepherd would put oil (representative of anointing) on their head as a deterrent for the flies.
  • Abundance Has Become Our New Baseline – There was a time, before the Valley where our cup was empty. Coming from what we have gone through, we show up full. This is now our New Baseline.
  • The Assurance He Has My Back- God was not only leading me from the front, He had my back too. Goodness and Mercy follows me all the days of my life!