Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all (Psalm 34:19). You have to let that scripture sink in and know that righteousness and affliction can go hand in hand. Also notice that it says the afflictions will be many.

Some people think that once they become a Christian, life is going to be without trials and tribulations; but that is not the case. When Jesus spoke the parable of the sower and the seed, He said, But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. (Matthew 13:20,21).

Children of God will suffer afflictions, but read Psalm 34:19 again and notice the second part says the Lord will deliver you out of not just some but all of them. Let that scripture take root in your heart and mind. You must be rooted and grounded in the Word; so when trials and tribulations come your way, you will have the hope and faith you need to get through every valley of affliction. When I was a salesperson years ago, we were taught to tell people the benefits of whatever we were trying to sell them and avoid telling them about anything that would discourage them from buying. God doesn’t hide the fact that there will be trials, tribulations and persecutions for those who are saved; but He does say in His Word that He will be with us. For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee (Hebrews 13:5). The Word also says, Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him (James 1:12). When you go through a valley of affliction, you will receive a crown of life if you endure to the end. My goal in this message is not to help you avoid the valleys of affliction but to help you look at them the right way, so you can learn to see and embrace the benefits of each one.

Sin Brought Valleys

To understand the valleys you will go through, you first must understand why there is suffering in this world. When God made man and woman, He never intended for them to suffer or be sick; it all came about because Adam and Eve sinned and failed God. Sin, sickness, pain, heartache, suffering of any kind and death all come from the devil.

The Garden of Eden was a paradise, and Adam and Eve lived there in perfection. They experienced nothing but love, joy and peace. They had no physical struggles, and they lived in perfect health; but when they sinned against God, He kicked them out of the Garden. They no longer lived in paradise, and they had to face many valleys of affliction. The valley of sin was never a valley God wanted Adam and Eve to be in; they chose to be in that valley.

Friend, if you are living a life of sin, you are in a deep valley of your own choosing; and the only way out is for you to go to Calvary. The devil will try to make you think there are many benefits in the valley of sin, and he will entice you with many worldly pleasures; but they all lead to hell.

God gets no pleasure out of seeing people suffer. That is why He has provided us with spiritual armor that will protect us from the devil when we are in the valley of affliction. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:11,12).

When you are in a valley, you must realize you are not wrestling with flesh and blood but with the devil and his demons. It may be human beings coming against you, but they are being driven to afflict you by the devil.

Job’s Dark Valley

Job worshiped the Lord with all of his heart; and the Lord had blessed him with 7000 sheep, 3000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen and 500 female donkeys. Then God allowed the devil to take away those things to prove that Job would remain faithful to God. The devil worked through the Sabeans and Chaldeans; and they took Job’s camels, oxen and donkeys. Fire fell from heaven and destroyed his sheep and all his servants except one. A great wind smote the house where Job’s children had gathered and killed them all. The devil thought if Job lost everything, he would turn his back on God.

Child of God, you may be going along just fine in life and suddenly find yourself in a valley of affliction like Job did. The first thing you need to realize is that there is always a divine purpose for you in your valleys just as there was in Job’s case. It didn’t give God pleasure to see Job lose everything and then suffer with boils all over his body, but it did give God pleasure to watch Job keep his integrity and devotion to the Lord through it all.

Job’s valley of affliction made him wish he had never been born; but he still trusted in God saying, Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him (Job 13:15,16). A hypocrite will never survive a valley of affliction the right way. Such people are spiritually weak, and they will not endure because they have more love for their flesh than they do for the Lord.

There are times when God may allow you to go into a valley of affliction you have no control over to bring about spiritual growth. Job had no control over his situation, yet he knew in his heart that he had not sinned against God; so he put everything into God’s hands. When you suddenly find yourself in a valley of affliction, don’t try to take control of the situation. Just put it into God’s hands trusting He will work it out for His good, and that requires total submission.

Jesus Willingly Faced His Valley

Jesus knew when His time had come to suffer and die. On the night of His arrest, He went into the Garden of Gethsemane with the disciples to pray; but the disciples fell asleep. Jesus was in great agony; and the Bible says, And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground (Luke 22:44).

Jesus knew what He was going to have to endure in His physical body, and He knew it would be a struggle. As a man, He didn’t want to go through all of that; but He bowed to His Father’s will saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done (Luke 22:42). Jesus didn’t want to be in that valley of affliction, but He was willing to endure for God’s will to be done.

Jesus didn’t try to take control of the situation. He willingly went with the soldiers when they came to arrest Him, and He allowed Himself to be falsely accused. Pilate knew Jesus was innocent, but Jesus wouldn’t defend Himself; so Pilate said to Him, Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above (John 19:10,11).

Jesus was under submission to the will of the Father, and you must have that same total submission in your valleys of affliction. You have to realize that neither man nor devil is in control—God is. One of the benefits of being in a valley of affliction where you submit yourself completely to the will of God is that you will grow spiritually.

Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh

Paul learned humility in his valleys of affliction. A messenger of Satan was sent to stir up strife wherever he went; it was his thorn in his flesh. Paul sought the Lord three times to have God get rid of that messenger, but it didn’t happen. Paul eventually realized that the thorn in his flesh was necessary to keep him from becoming lifted up by all the revelations God was giving him. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me (II Corinthians 12:7).

Paul knew the Lord could have easily removed that messenger from his life, but God gave him deeper understanding of why that thorn was important. And he [God] said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong (II Corinthians 12:9,10). Paul took pleasure in his valleys of affliction because he knew they would make him strong in the Lord.

Learn Patience and Receive Faith

A valley of affliction enables you to learn divine patience. But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint (Isaiah 40:31). A patient person is someone who is not hasty or impulsive and can calmly wait on God for an outcome or a result. When you are in a valley of affliction, it is important to calmly wait for the Lord to move for you. Paul knew that tribulation worketh patience (Romans 5:3), and you must let patience work in you to make you perfect and complete, wanting nothing.

When you are patient, you will be content. Paul said, But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content (I Timothy 6:6-8).

Paul learned to be content in whatever state he was in, and you must do the same. The Bible says, Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy (James 5:11). Our God is a merciful God, and He will not allow you to be tempted more than what you can handle.

Another benefit you can gain from a valley of affliction is greater faith. The Bible says, God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith (Romans 12:3). As you use that measure of faith, it will increase. When you come out of a valley in which God moves for you spiritually, physically or financially, your faith will be greater. Then the next time you go through a valley, you will be able to think about all the times God has already moved for you. They will help build your faith, so you can receive a miracle or whatever you need.

The devil will try to grind you down and give you many mind battles to make you lose sight of the benefits you can receive in a valley of affliction, but never listen to him. You must stay in the Word which says, Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path (Psalm 119:105). The Word of God will be a shining light when you are in a dark valley of affliction if you will allow it to be.

Valleys Can Win Souls

Winning souls is a benefit of a valley of affliction because you can affect souls in a great way when you go through a valley the right way. There are times when you won’t understand why you are going through a valley, especially if it’s a valley of sickness; but always remember God is with you in every valley if you are a child of God, and He has a divine purpose for your life. In the valley is where your faith is tested and tried; and through that experience, you may later be able to help someone who is going through the same valley.

A valley of affliction may seem like a very dark time in your life, but the divine light in you can shine so brightly in that valley that a sinner can’t help but see that light shining through you. Then you will be a blessing even though you are going through a valley.

Child of God, the Lord wants you to be an example who inspires others and shows them how to get through their valleys the right way. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever (Psalm 23:4-6).

The Devil Uses People to Hinder You

You must know that Satan will come at you from all sides when you are in a valley of affliction. He will give you mind battles or use people to give you mind battles and make you feel like God has forsaken you. It is important to know that when you are in a valley of affliction, people may be more of a hindrance than help.

Job’s mind battles came in the form of three so-called friends. When they heard what had happened to Job, they went to see him. When they first arrived, they rent their clothes and sat in silence for seven days. It was a nice gesture; and I am sure Job felt some comfort from them being there because apparently, everyone else, including his wife and his servants, had shunned him.

After seven days, Job’s friends started to speak to him; but they did not share words of love or encouragement. Instead, they accused him of being wicked, prideful and a hypocrite. They told him he was being punished by God for his sins, and he should repent.

A lot of times, people are like Job’s friends. They want to give you their opinions as to why you are in the state you’re in instead of just being there to show you love and encouragement. Why weren’t Job’s friends helping to take care of his wounds and relieve some of his suffering?

The truth is that Job’s friends were adding to Job’s suffering so much that Job finally said, But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value. O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom (Job 13:4,5). Job let them know they were not helping him in any way, and it would be wise for them to be quiet.

Throughout Job’s valley, he was also being battled in his mind because he didn’t know why he was going through so much. There will be times when you will be in a valley of affliction, and you won’t understand why either; but you have to hold on to the fact that the Lord promised to deliver you.

A Valley of Losing a Loved One

Now, I want to bring before you the founding pastor of this Jesus ministry, Rev. Angley. God called him to be His prophet in this end-time hour, and he suffered many valleys of afflictions before God called him home in 2021. One of Rev. Angley’s deepest valleys was losing his wife, Angel. In his autobiography, Hurry Friday, he wrote about what he went through, how he struggled to pray and how he didn’t understand why God took Angel home. Rev. Angley tells of how he had always been full of life; but when he lost Angel, he suddenly lost his will to live. Rev. Angley shared that he questioned the Lord asking, “Why did you open the door into Glory for my beloved Angel and let her with all the victory of God’s eternal love and grace go triumphantly through the pearly white gates? Didn’t you know, Lord—you who must know all things—that I cannot live without her? What have I done? Where did I go wrong? Where did I miss your path?”

When you are suddenly thrown into a valley of affliction, you might ask some of those same questions; and when you do, the devil will be right there to battle you and make you question your walk with the Lord. He knows you are vulnerable when you are in a valley of sickness, tribulation or great sorrow; so he loves to attack you at that time.

Only God Can Lead You Out

When Angel died, Rev. Angley was suffering so much grief and agony that he didn’t know how he could go on living without her. He told of how pools of darkness engulfed him and how his heart felt like lead that was weighing him down. He wondered if he would ever have a tomorrow of real laughter and sunshine again; but through it all, Rev. Angley knew that like Job, his valley was one God allowed him to go through. He knew he had no control over losing his wife who was so dear to him, and he never blamed God.

In Hurry Friday, Rev. Angley said he didn’t even feel like talking to God or anyone else because he was under such a heavy load of grief; but later, he wrote a letter to Jesus and poured out his heart saying, “Now, I’ve been robbed of all, it seems. My life, my home, my laughter—all gone. Like Job of old, the Lord gave; and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. I bow only to your blessed will. Whatever you want, not my will but thine be done. Deal with thy servant as you see fit. I will still bless thy name, precious Lord, and declare you are good; and there is no bad in you. I know that my Redeemer liveth who somehow, dear Lord, will lead me out of this dark, dark night. Somehow, you will bring the dawn.”

When you are in a valley of affliction, it may seem that you are in an eternal night of darkness; and the light of dawn will never come. That is when you need to hold tight to God’s divine direction. Pray for His guidance even when you don’t understand why you are in that valley. Rev. Angley went on to say in his letter to the Lord, “Come to me, dear Lord, and show me the way. I have lost the path of my mission. I do not understand the puzzle. Won’t you please give me another piece of the puzzle to open up my understanding? I see no tomorrow for me. If you have one for me, reveal it to thy servant. I have nothing to cling to but the Rock of Ages.”

Rev. Angley thought he had lost sight of the Lord’s path for him; but later, the Lord let him know that losing Angel was part of that path. It had been God’s divine will to take Angel when He did because through her death, more souls would be brought into the Kingdom than if she had stayed with Rev. Angley. God wanted both of Rev. Angley’s hands to be in His so that he could spread the Gospel to the world in an even greater way. After that, the Lord was able to give Rev. Angley unbelievable peace that he didn’t think he could ever have. He wrote, “The Lord put a song of victory back into my heart and gave me the joy to sing it.” The Lord gave him the strength of many men to continue his mission of winning the lost at any cost because he held on to the Rock of Ages.

Hold On to Jesus

When you are in a valley of affliction, it might be so dark that you can’t see your way out; but if you hold on to Christ Jesus, the light will eventually shine brightly again. Of course, the devil will still come around to torment your mind. Even after the Lord had let Rev. Angley know it was His divine will to take Angel home, the devil continued to torment him. He would play this over and over again like a broken record in Rev. Angley’s mind: “Angel’s dead; Angel’s gone. Angel’s dead; Angel’s gone.”

The devil will do the same thing to you when you are in a deep valley of affliction. He will turn your problem over and over in your mind until that’s all you can think about, but you can’t allow that. You can conquer those mind battles with the Word of God; and the Word says, As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God (Psalm 18:30,31)?

The Lord’s ways are perfect. He is the Rock of Ages you must hold onto in every situation you face. You may not understand why you are in a valley of affliction, but you must have confidence in God and know He can deliver you. Rev. Angley eventually came out of his deepest valley a stronger person spiritually, and he gained many benefits from that valley because he held on to God. You must come out of your valleys the same way.

Both Paul and Rev. Angley knew the importance of their valleys of affliction in furthering the Gospel, and they didn’t regret them. They never lost sight of their mission, and you can’t lose sight of yours. God’s children are being tried in more ways than you realize. This world is becoming a darker and darker place; so you must always remember all the Lord’s benefits, even when you are in a valley of affliction.

The Psalmist said, Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's (Psalm 103:2-5). The enemy always wants you to focus on your circumstances, but you must know you are crowned with lovingkindness and mercy from the Lord no matter what the devil or people do to you or say about you.

Focus on What God Can Do

When Moses and the Israelites were up against the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s army was coming after them, the Israelites thought they had no way out. They were focused on the enemy and their circumstances and not on God and His delivering power. God doesn’t want you to focus on your circumstances or on what the enemy is trying to do to you because He is the God of the Universe, and nothing is too hard for Him. Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me (Jeremiah 32:27)?

You can’t let fear take you over and make you doubt that the Lord is with you or that He will deliver you from your valley of affliction. You must never doubt. When fear took over the Israelites at the Red Sea, Moses told them, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD (Exodus 14:13). When they did that, the miracle took place; and they were delivered.

You must always focus on what God can do and not on what the enemy is doing. Don’t become discouraged when you are in a valley of affliction. Instead, focus on the benefits you will gain as you go through that valley and trust that when you come out, you will be stronger than ever before.

Always keep in mind that the valley you are going through right now may be for lost souls. God even put His own son through the deepest valley of affliction ever for your soul and mine. Jesus was willing to suffer and die so we can have eternal life.

The Bible says, For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it (Mark 8:35). Jesus lost His life for the sake of the Gospel; are you willing to do the same? When you are willing to lose your life for Christ’s sake, you will come out of your valleys victoriously just as Jesus did; and we are all able to reap the benefits of His victory yet today

Give Your Heart to Jesus

Read Psalm 23:6 again. If you are a child of God, do you believe the Lord is with you in your valleys of affliction? Do you believe He is preparing a table for you in the presence of your enemies and that goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of your life?

Jesus came to Earth to destroy the works of the devil. His death and resurrection brought forth a two-fold atonement—healing for the soul and deliverance for the mind and body. The Bible says, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). That means the same Jesus who performed miracles 2000 years ago is still performing them today.

Friend, the greatest miracle of all is the miracle of salvation. I would like to give you this opportunity to receive Jesus Christ into your heart right now. Pray with me and say, Oh, God, save my soul. I am sorry that I sinned against you. Forgive me of my sins. I have come home to serve you the rest of my life, and I believe that the blood of Jesus washes away all of my sins. Come into my heart, Jesus. Come on in, Jesus. Amen. Friend, if you meant that prayer, you have Jesus Christ in your heart. Now, you must go on to receive the baptism in the Holy Ghost so you can have victory every day.

Let God Deliver You

Friend, if you are in a valley of affliction right now, just trust the Lord and let Him move for you. God made you; He can heal you. Let’s pull down Heaven together for deliverance from whatever valley you may be going through/

Lord, Heavenly Father, curse every affliction and every disease in the bodies of these people today. Heal them, in the holy blood name of Jesus Christ, I pray, and let everything come to normal. Break their bondages and set them free. Take away all their afflictions and heal them spiritually, physically and financially. In the blood name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen. Now, look for every sign of improvement and give God all the praise, the honor and the glory for your miracle.

Friend, let the Lord bless you today many times over as you walk in His footsteps, and then be a blessing to others. Tell others about Jesus, and that is what the Lord wants us to do.