THE VALLEY OF DECISION Kay Keith Peebles 2/1/2019 19.03
We make thousands of decisions every day, many of which we rarely notice. Conscious decisions regarding when to get up in the morning and go to bed at night are often planned beforehand. Some of our choices are rational common sense decisions based on factual information while others are irrational with no basis of factual foundation. Irrational choices are usually ones stimulated by our emotions and not by using a good, sound thought process. They are reactionary. Whether rational or irrational, our decisions will affect our future, some for the good and others for the bad.
The environment in which we live strongly influences our decision-making. What we hear, see and experience can mold our entire thinking process which will steer our future decisions. How we feel about ourselves, others and God is a process that begins in the womb and will form all our decisions throughout our entire life. In other words, we choose what we believe based on the information we have been given. Our beliefs then become prejudices, prejudices become judgments and judgments become strongholds whether good or bad. Once a stronghold is formed, many of our decisions become automatic. As a result, prejudices and judgments will translate into actions. The way we treat others will prove what’s in our heart. We can see that very clearly in our society today.
My husband and I ministered in the Juvenile Justice system for 17 years to youth ages 8 to 18. It was heart-breaking to see that choices could bring such destruction in one’s life. One young man asked for prayer to stop stealing. He told us he was taught to steal by his parents and didn’t know any other way to survive. One 10 year old girl we saw as a repeat offender told us she chose to get into trouble because she was safer in Juvenile Justice than at home. Another young man asked us to pray for a boy he had beaten with a baseball bat. The teen was in a coma and near death. If he died, the 18 year old would spend the rest of his life in prison because of one emotional decision he made.
It was our heart to bring the love of Jesus to those young men and women. We felt compelled to give them a tangible experience with God through the word and prayer by the laying on of hands. This would break into their strongholds and give them an eternal paradigm shift. We knew we could not change their lives but an encounter with God could. The Juvenile Justice center was at the end of a dead end street. If God had not intervened in their lives, many of them would be permanently stuck at a dead end.
The book of Joel mentions a dead end encounter with God. It is in the valley of decision. “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision (Judgment)! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision [when judgment is executed].” Joel 3:14. See also Zechariah 14:1-9.
The book of Genesis begins our introduction of God as our Creator and every book in the Bible is a thread proving He is the one true God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The four Gospels and entire New Testament present Jesus as our Savior who loves us, and offers us salvation through forgiveness of our sins and redemption through His blood sacrifice. Those who have had a genuine encounter with the Lord know He is the only way, the only truth and the only life. They believe He is the door from which we gain salvation, peace and eternal life. Believing in Jesus changes one’s entire perspective, ignites motivation to know Him and begins a life-long practice of learning His Word in order to be like Him.
His law is our barometer for all our moral and ethical principles, while His love and forgiveness heals our brokenness and restores our right thinking. When this happens, we will produce the fruit of righteousness instead of the fruit of sin and death.
“And this I pray, that your love may abound more and more [displaying itself in greater depth] in real knowledge and in practical insight, so that you may learn to recognize and treasure what is excellent [identifying the best, and distinguishing moral differences], and that you may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ [actually living lives that lead others away from sin]; filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God [so that His glory may be both revealed and recognized].” Philippians 1:9-11.
The world we live in today is in great turmoil. There is a clash between the two kingdoms: the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of God. The kingdom of darkness represents the kingdom of sin and death that leads to eternal judgment. The kingdom of God leads to righteousness and holiness which ends with eternal life in heaven. The two kingdoms will clash in a final battle which will take place on the Day of the Lord’s coming in the valley of decision. This is the day the prophet Joel mentions in the above reference. Those who have chosen to live in darkness will gather to do battle with the Lord. It is a day when the Lord will return with His saints to judge the kingdom of darkness and its rulers. See Revelation 19.
“O Lord, who may lodge in Your tent? Who may dwell [continually] on Your holy hill? He who walks with integrity and strength of character, and works righteousness, and speaks and holds truth in his heart.” Psalm 15:1-2. See the entire psalm.
“The wicked man earns deceptive wages, but he who sows righteousness and lives his life with integrity will have a true reward [that is both permanent and satisfying]. He who is steadfast in righteousness attains life, but he who pursues evil attains his own death.” Proverbs 11:18-19.
When the Lord spoke to me of the Valley of Decision, I knew He wanted me to write a word which would cause us to re-evaluate our life, our choices and our future according to His word. We know that we are saved by His grace through faith in Jesus and not by our works. It is also clear in His word that if we are born again the fruit of our lives will be the 9 fruit of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control. See Galatians 5:22-23.
Our society is crumbling in immorality to the degree that last week a group of leaders gathered to sign a law which enabled and highly celebrated the killing of full-term babies. The moral compass of our nation has been declining for decades and without the intervention of God, our nation will be judged in the Valley of Decision. It is also true that many in the church have compromised God’s word in order to accept society’s version of “morality” which largely contradicts the written Word of God. Without the Word of God as our compass to guide our beliefs and decisions, we will agree with the reasoning of men and women who make excuses for their immoral and unethical sin. The Word of God a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path, man’s opinion is not. See Psalm 119:105-112.
The Lord gave us His Holy Spirit who will lead us into all truth. See John 16:13. We cannot expect to discern the times or the doctrines of men and demons unless we know and believe in the Word of God. We cannot withstand the temptation to cower to others unless we completely believe the Word of God is all Truth. The Lord charged the Israelites to hide the Word of God in their hearts and minds. “Therefore you shall impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul, and tie them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as bands on your forehead. You shall teach them [diligently] to your children [impressing God’s precepts on their minds and penetrating their hearts with His truths], speaking them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up.” Deuteronomy 11:18-19.
The decisions we are making today are critical. A wrong thought that is not taken captive can become a belief which becomes a prejudice and can eventually become a stronghold in the mind. When we believe (cling to, trust in and rely upon) God, He becomes our Stronghold. It is time for us to re-evaluate our beliefs, choices and decisions according to the written Word of God. The church for which the Lord is returning is not a compromised, immoral and unethical church. His church is His bride who will be without spot or wrinkle. “…So that He might sanctify the church, having cleansed her by the washing of the water of the word [of God], so that He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy [set apart by God] and blameless.” Ephesians 5:26-27.
“So then, my dear ones, just as you have always obeyed [my instructions with enthusiasm], not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ], for it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12-13.
We are in the last few miles of our marathon. At the mile marker 22 all of our flesh screams under the pain and pressure that we cannot finish our race. There are those who will quit under that pressure and give up the prize. Our pain and pressure is the accusations of friends and family, leaders and others who say the Word of God doesn’t really mean what it says. They say it’s outdated and not current with our “progressive” society. They give us reasons why we are wrong in our beliefs and accuse of being hateful and evil. Jesus knew this day would come. He knew our faith would be challenged even by those closest to us. His words are powerful and encouraging. “And these things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. The God we serve abounds in His love for us. His Word is powerful, it is truth and it shows us the only way to the Father in heaven. Hold fast, press in and stay the course. Revival is coming but ours can begin today! With Him, we need not fear the Valley of Decision where God’s judgment is executed. Instead, we will come down with Him as He completes the fulfillment of His Word. See Revelation 19.
“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling or falling into sin, and to present you unblemished [blameless and faultless] in the presence of His glory with triumphant joy and unspeakable delight, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord be glory, majesty, dominion, and power, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” Jude 24-25.
