09 The Valley Of Unbelief Series

The Valley of Unbelief – 5th April 2009 am

Deuteronomy 1:22-32

We are all familiar with the event that took place at Kadesh Barnea. The children of Israel are at the point of entering the Promised Land, they are at the point of great blessing. They send out 12 spies to view the land and they come to a valley – the Valley of Eschol.

This event is recorded in three places of the Bible – Numbers 14 here and in Hebrews 3&4. God warns us against unbelief Heb 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

Why is the sin of unbelief so evil? Well first of all unbelief makes God a liar and questions the dependability of His Word. Our responsibility is not to question God but to believe Him and do what He commands us to do.

Unbelief wastes time – an 11 day journey turned into 40 years of wandering and death. God did care for His people during that time of wandering, but how much more He would have done had they listened to Him in the first place.

For 10 of the spies the Valley of Eschol was a valley of Unbelief – however, 2 of those spies were in the same valley but for them it was a Valley of Faith. How then do we turn our Valley of Unbelief into a Valley of Faith?

1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

I. Our Steps Need To Be Ordered Steps – Psalm 37:23

If we are going to turn this valley of unbelief into a valley of faith, then we have to be directed by the Lord. It’s His instructions we must follow, His voice we must listen to, His orders we must obey. Our steps need to be ordered by the Lord...

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord means that the steps of a good man are directed by the Lord. Proverbs 3:5-6.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord means that the steps of a good man are guided by the Lord. Psalm 48:14 For this God is our God forever and ever. He will be our guide even unto death.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord means that the steps of a good man are led by the Lord. Psalm 25:5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me; for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

But for the Lord to direct your steps, guide your steps, or to lead you in the way you should go, there are some things we must do: we must have faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Proverbs 3:5-6

If we want our steps to be ordered by the Lord, we must be in prayer daily. 1 Thess 5:17, we must believe, read, study, meditate and obey the Word of God. Psalm 119:133 Order my steps in thy word, and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. If we want the Lord to order our steps, we must be led and filled with the Holy Ghost. Ephesians 5:18 Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit.

Psalm 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he delighteth in his way. Ordered means “secured, established” even if we stumble along the way God will pick us up and get us going again. He can keep us from falling

You see, when you allow the Lord to order your steps, there will be peace, there will be joy, there will be power, there will be victory.

II. Our Steps Need To Be Protected Steps – Psalm 121:3

For the traveller en route to worship in Jerusalem, there were many dangers. One of those dangers was that of falling. When verse three says that “He will not allow your foot to be moved,” that verb often translates “fall”. A person could slip and sprain an ankle, or break a leg. When was the last time you tried to walk a hundred miles through mountainous territory on a broken ankle? Get the point?

God promised his fearful journeymen that He would not “let their foot be moved”. This doesn’t mean that God forbids us from sinning. It doesn’t mean we won’t have to face sometimes dreadful consequences for our actions. It does mean that God nourishes us, not only through the harm that others would bring upon us, but even the harm we might bring upon ourselves.

Ever been to a house were they have a toddler? As soon as you enter entered you will notice that everything about that house will be dedicated to protecting their baby. There are plastic plugs in the plug sockets to keep the baby from seeing what happens when he places his little fingers in them. There’s a “baby gate” at the top and bottom of the stairs. If you try and open the kitchen cabinets you’ll struggle against the plastic hooks that stop the doors opening. There’ll be a special car seat for the baby to travel in, and a child look on the car doors.