How to be astonishingly successful in Death Valley is how to survive safely, wisely and victoriously. It is the place that powerfully shapes character.

 Death Valley

Death Valley is a place that most people avoid. It is the lowest, hottest and driest portion of the North American continent, and holds the world’s hottest record.

Barren salt flats, towering, rainbow-colored mountains, mysterious sailing stones, shifting sand dunes, mountains, and deep canyons. An unforgiving but unique landscape with extreme climatic conditions.  Temperatures reach 134°F in the summer. You don’t conquer Death Valley, you cooperate with it.

The Lost ’49ers

At the height of the California Goldrush in 1849, a small group of pioneers went against the warning of their wagon master. They took a shortcut across the unknown deserts of the West. It was a fatal mis-judgement.

They chose to follow a hand-sketched map that promised to cut 500 miles from their arduous journey. Four gruelling months later a few weather-beaten stragglers managed to reach the safety of Ranch San Fransico. The shortcut had cost the lives of most of them.

There is a parallel in the spiritual realm to what happened in Death Valley, where water meant life or death. Spiritually we need to drink deep of the living spiritual water, Christ, John 4:15.

Spiritual Death Valley

Jesus calls us to take up our cross daily and follow Him, Luke 9:23. Like the Death Valley experience there are many fiery trials and tests, designed to strengthen the believer, not weaken them. God said of Israel, I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, they are my people,’ and they will say, The Lord is our God. Zechariah 13:9.

Death Valley experiences are a place where we learn to trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not to our own understanding, Proverbs 3:5. It takes courage to walk the narrow road and trust all to the great I Am That I Am, Exodus 3:14.

He has an eternal plan for your life and knows the end from the beginning, Isaiah 46:10. Plans that are beyond our understanding. Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard. And have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him, 1 Corinthians 2:9.

Proving Ground

Time is the only thing that divides us from eternity. Our walk on earth is but a blink in the eternal plan of God. A time of testing and proving our own lack and learning reliance on God.

All are born with a sin nature, Romans 3:23, but through the death and resurrection of Christ we can choose to be born again, John 3. In the natural we are a mess, but God works in the mess to bring about His good purpose.

The vast majority of humanity stumbles through life, desperately trying to be successful. God gave man a free will, so we can choose, or reject the ways of God. Those who have an ear to hear the call of God will be eternally successful.

Crucified Life

The disciples would have been totally devastated as their leader was crucified on a cruel wooden cross. What they saw was Satan’s handiwork. The demonic world would have wildly rejoiced to see God’s Messiah defeated at the hand of the created.

How short lived was their victory? On the third day the cold tomb was empty. The Son of God stood victorious in the garden. The cross totally defeated man’s arch enemy, Satan. God Himself, paid the price of the redemption of mankind, taking the penalty for all of man’s sin.

Through Christ man was reclaimed from the Kingdom of darkness. Mankind now had the opportunity to successfully live victorious both in time and for all eternity. The fatal sting of Death Valley was no more, 1 Corinthians 15:55-57.

Salvation

All who believe in the Son of God have eternal life and full salvation. Sadly, a vast majority of people who call themselves Christian, settle for just salvation. They miss out on the greatest riches heaven has to offer.

However, there is a cost to experiencing full victory. It requires the death of self, for natural man demands to be in control. We are all created beings, and our true destiny is to place our lives in the hands of a loving Heavenly Father.

The war is between self-seeking ego and yielding all to the Creator in a blood covenant relationship. Jesus paid the price, His life blood shed for the remission of our sins. The Christian walk is learning to yield everything to the guiding of the Holy Spirit.

Deeper Life

The amount a child of God is prepared to yield to God, will depend on how deep a relationship they have with God. Most are not prepared to empty themselves and be filled with all the fulness of Christ,Ephesians 1:23. God is willing, but we have to be willing also.

There is a whole new world waiting for us, but the journey is through Death Valley. There you learn each day to have victory over the enemy, just as Christ took the victory on Calvary. True followers of Christ are in the world, but not of it. Jesus said, If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, John 15:19.

Amazing success in Death Valley separates the believer from the deception of this world and Satan’s lies, John 8:48. You reach the end of you and become acquainted with the One who created you. Like Paul said, when I am weak, then I Am strong, 2 Corinthians 12:10.

Solitary

The Death Valley experience is solitary, for no one can do it for you. It is private and unique for each person. Yet you never walk the valley alone, for God will not leave us nor forsake us, Hebrews 13:5. It is the place to truly meet with God.

Just as the ‘49ers hungered for food, safety and above all cool water, so spiritually, Death Valley creates a deep hunger for the things of God and His living water, John 4:14. Once you taste the life-changing Death Valley experience, nothing but the presence of God will satisfy.

To be Astonishingly Successful in Death Valley

There is no short cut in learning how to be astonishingly successful in Death Valley and come out the other side as an overcomer. The few will enter the narrow gate, Matthew 7:13,14, and press onward to the prize of their high calling of God in Christ Jesus, Philippians 3:14. Everything that is a veil between them and God will be removed.

God gave man a free will and He honours that. We choose to leave behind the past and all its emotions, drink our unique cup and reach for a higher life. We can be 30-fold, or 60-fold Christiane. Or strive to be 100-fold and enter heaven richly. 

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Dr. Wendy Stenberg-Tendys is a servant of the Lord who enjoys researching Biblical topics and sharing words of encouragement from the Word of God. She asks the hard questions.

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