Encouragement

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VALLEY OF BONES

"Welcome to your valley, Aaron." The sulfur tinted voice breathed down my neck.

Three weeks has passed since I entered this valley. Satan and the scorching sun have taken their toll upon my body and spirit.

All around were the skeletons of fallen warriors. The vultures circled patiently above, waiting for my last breath. Tripping over dry bones I fell face first in the dust. The kick to my side was so violent the force flipped me. No one but the vultures were present.

"I'll make you a deal," the voice said. " Go back the way you came and I'll let you live." Another kick was delivered to my bruised ribs to punctuate the sentence. I stared at the circling vultures while trying to regain my breath. "Even they know that you're good as dead." the voice continued.

I struggled to get up only to be struck across the chest by a forceful blow. "Just stay down, don't bother getting up." the voice told me.

"Satan, you may kill me but you can't have my soul. I will not go back."

A very real, yet invisible fist struck me. Before blacking out I heard him laugh and say "You won't make it Aaron."

"Wakey, wakey." Satan whispered in my ear as he twisted my arm behind my back.

Fed up with this constant abuse, I did something that surprised both of us. I fought back. "Get off me you foul, disgusting spirit. I rebuke you in the name of Jesus Christ."

He released his grip. As he walked away, he turned and waited. "Before you get up, look at those dog tags in front of you." he said.

The name, Brother Roberts, burned in my mind.

Before the spirit of fear gripped me I heard the sweet Holy Spirit whisper John 8:44. A boldness came upon me as I stood before him. "You're a liar." I said in a low, stern voice.

"Come now, Aaron. The evidence is right before you. Even you can't deny it! Poor Roberts." Satan said with a false sincerity. "He prayed hours on end. He even fasted three times a week. If he couldn't make it, what makes you think you can? You see, Aaron, he was a prayer warrior. You aren't even worthy to stand over his remains."

The boldness I felt was fleeing. Then a sweet, refreshing breeze swept over my spirit. "Greater is He that is in me then he that is in the world." my voice said before my mind thought about it.

"Good verse. Too bad you don't believe it." Satan said with a sickening smirk.

"Oh, but I do." I felt the boldness return "Oh, but I do!” I said again just in case he didn't hear me. "My God can not and will not forsake me."

"But " was all he got out before I told him to shut his filthy, lying mouth in Jesus' name.

You see, one of Satan's greatest tools is focusing all our attention and energy on the situation around us. All we see are the bills piling up, utilities being cut off, our family sick. etc. He has us so focused on the rain that we never see the rainbow between the cloud burst.

Next time you're faced with a valley of dry bones look at the situation with your spiritual eyes and not your physical eyes.

Our physical eyes see the dry, dead bones and Satan threatening us. When we open our spiritual eyes, there are no dry, dead bones. For encamped about us are the angels of the Lord. Then we notice that Satan is on a leash with limits set before him. Oh, he wants to pass those limits but it is impossible for him to cross the boundaries that God has set up, the hedge of protection God puts around us.

The mountain top has a beautiful view but it is after going through the valley that you really appreciate the mountain top.

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