The Spirit of God led us to teach and then pray from the story of Nehemiah, and how the Jews took on the daunting task of rebuilding and repairing the walls and gates that surrounded the great city of Jerusalem.
There were ten gates that were embedded in strategic points along the walls of Jerusalem and each gate had a very specific purpose. Each gate has a prophetic meaning for our families today. Therefore, we are taking the time to look at each gate, understand its purpose and then pray about the significance of each gate in our hearts and homes.
Last week we prayed about the repairs of the Valley Gate.
In the Bible, a valley symbolizes sorrow, trials, and humbling experiences. We must restore the Valley Gate, which is the understanding that we will have trouble and difficult seasons.
As a nation, we have been spending millions of dollars trying to avoid trouble, and countless hours and days trying to get away from the Valley Gate. In America, comfort, pleasure and ease are gods. Therefore we are willing to do almost anything to get out of an uncomfortable situation.
This gate remains un-restored in many hearts and homes because most of our valley experiences have come in the family and in our closest relationships. However, rebuilding and restoring the valley gate is going to give us intestinal fortitude, determination, and a never give up spirit.
"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
(Romans 5:3‐4 NIV)
A big reason our families have no hope is because we don't know anything about rejoicing in our sufferings. We do not want to build the valley gate, but it is a necessary part of our journey. There is a closeness and resolve regarding our relationship with God that is established only by the material of the valley gate.
The valley gate also produces humility. Pride reveals itself as haughty arrogance AND in low self-esteem or self-hatred. It is obvious, in the haughty person, that pride is present. They never want to do anything to risk embarrassment and they loathe making any mistakes in public. They do everything they can to hide their secret faults and flaws. Many are passionate perfectionists.
However, the person who wallows in self-hatred and tearing themselves down can be just as prideful. They make negative declarations about themselves that defy what God says about them. It is pride that causes them to lift any thought, even if it is self-defacing, against the knowledge of God.
However, the Bible says, "God resists the proud, but he gives grace to the humble."
(1 Peter 5:5)
The Valley Gate, and the embarrassing things that can be exposed about our lives, has a way of identifying pride.
Finally, look at what the Bible says about trials and tough times in 2 Corinthians 4: 7-10:
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
Look at what Paul said when he prayed about a particular trial in his life: Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 Corinthians 12: 8-9
Next time, we’ll continue our journey around the wall and begin making repairs to other gates that surround our families. Every gate that has been destroyed means that we are open to concepts and ideas that are against God and His ways. We have believed lies and followed philosophies that have led us to destruction. So let’s continue to repair these gates as we gather in prayer each week.
We close this email with this prayer for you and your family:
Father God,
We thank You for proving to be faithful to us through the Valley Gate.
We rebuild the Valley Gate. You have provided the material to build this gate and we know that you have never left us in our most trying seasons. We will not seek a trouble free, trial free life. We will seek You; knowing that even if we must walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we fear no evil, because you are with us.
In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen.
-Chris and Carol Green
