October 17, 2025 • 7 mins
Discover the powerful message of “Don’t Fear the Shadows” inspired by Psalm 23:4 — “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” Learn why shadows cannot harm you and why you shouldn’t fear what does not exist. Find peace, faith, and courage in God’s presence, even in dark times.
Music Composed By: Mike Outland
Music Composed By: Mike Outland
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
In ps Twenty three, verse number four. We know the
twenty third Psalma just a wonderful psalma. A lot of
people know it by heart. That's David's proclamation on a
shepherd in What the Shepherd Does for the Sheep. But
in verse number four he says, YEA, though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, I will
(00:23):
fear no evil, for thou art with me. Thy rod
and thy staff they comfort me. Now we all know
that life has a way of leading us through valleys.
All of us have gone through them. We don't always
know how we end up there, but we don't always.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
See the path out either.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Sometimes the shadows in those valleys can seem overwhelming. They
they're dark, they're looming, They're full of unknowns and uncertainties.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
And that's one thing.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
That plagues people a lot of times, is the fear
of the unknown. But what David writes here in Psalm
twenty three is very beautiful because because he reminds us
of a very powerful truth. And that's even in the
darkest valleys, even in the presence of shadows, we are
never alone.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
We have our shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, with us.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
So let's break this down this morning and just take
a deep breath and just take a fresh look at
this particular verse in the twenty third Psalm. David didn't
say here, if you walk through the valley of the
shadow of death, or there's a chance or possibility that
you might walk through the valley of the shadow of death. No,
(01:34):
he says, though I walk. The word though tells us
something very important, because valleys are just a part of life.
Dark places, uncertain seasons, difficult paths. They happen to everyone,
even the kings and even the shepherds, and even to
you and I.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
But here's the heart of this verse.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Just because you're in a dark place doesn't mean your
own wrong path. Let that sink in this morning, because
I want to tell you that again, just because you
seem like you're in a dark place doesn't necessarily mean
you're on the wrong path, because the presence of shadows
doesn't mean the absence of God's guidance. Many of us
(02:20):
we think that if we're following God, life should be clear, peaceful,
full of light, full of certainty in our lives. But David,
a man after God's own heart, he knew something even
deeper than that. He knew that the right path isn't
always the easiest path, and sometimes God leads us through
(02:42):
the valleys, not around them, And sometimes it's in that
valley that we actually come to truly feel his presence
even more.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Here's the thing about shadows. They are not real.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
A shadow is an image, a dark outline cast by
something that is real. But the shadow itself it's not real.
That means it can't touch you, can't hurt you. It's
just a distortion of something else. And yet how often
do we fear the shadows.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
We fear what might happen.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
We fear the unknown, We fear failure, without ever even
starting to begin with. We feel rejection, we feel illness,
we feel lost. All the things that our minds can
imagine in the dark places, we begin to fear them,
even though they're not even real. But David teaches us
(03:41):
something powerful. Do not fear what does not exist. Let
me say that again, do not fear what does not
even exist. The valley of the Shadow of Death is
just that it's a shadow. It's not death, not evil.
It's a place where those things seen near. But David declares,
(04:05):
I will fear no evil. Why because thou art with
me in the valley. It's not the darkness we need
to focus on. It's God's presence. See his rod and
his staff. They symbolize the Shepherd's care, guidance, and protection
(04:26):
are always with us. They bring us comfort, not because
the path is easy, but because we are never abandoned
while we're on that path. Won't you think about this
for a minute. Shadows only exist because there's light. Without light,
there is no shadow. So when you see a shadow,
(04:47):
even a dark and fearful one, his proof that light
is still present even in the shadows. God's light still
shines even when we feel surrounded by darkness, and that
light is a promise that we are never alone. So
what do we do when we walk through our own
(05:08):
personal valleys when fear grips us and the shadows feel heavy.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
We trust the shepherd.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Why because he knows the way, He's walked every path
before us. He leads us not to leave us in
the valley, but to bring us through the valley.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Notice that David says, walk through the valley is.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Not your home. You were never born to live in
the valley. It's not your final destination. It's part of
your journey, not the end of your journey, part of
your journey. God doesn't intend for you to stay there forever.
He's walking you through to the other side. Let's talk
real for just a moment. Maybe you're facing a tough
(05:52):
season right now. Maybe the job you thought would bring
you so much joy and peace as that actually now
become a burden. Maybe your health is not the best
right now. Maybe some relationships in your life are strained,
or your future just seems clouded with shadows. It's easy
to wonder where is God in all this? But watch
(06:14):
Psalm twenty three four because it reminds you He's right
there with you, right in the middle of it, walking
with you step by step. See fear wants you to
forget that. I want you to listen to this very
closely this morning, because this is inspired by the Lord.
Fear magnifies the shadow and hides the shepherd. But faith
(06:36):
does the opposite of that. Faith magnifies the shepherd and
shrinks down the shadows. So let your faith rise today
to clare with David. I will fear no evil, not
because evil doesn't exist, but because God is bigger than
the shadows.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
His presence is stronger than any darkness, even in the valley.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Last thought this morning, before I leave and we end
this devotion, don't rush through the valleys. That may sound
strange to you, but sometimes it's in those valleys that
God does his deepest work. In the valley we learn
to trust, to listen, to lean on the shepherd. We
grow there, we are refined there, and when we emerge
(07:20):
on the other side, we know God is there and
we can trust Him in every step of the way.
And we would have never known him that deeply if
we had missed the valley. Say, if you be strong,
and you be blessed, and you walk with the Lord today,
even in the valley, have a great day.
In ps Twenty three, verse number four. We know the
twenty third Psalma just a wonderful psalma. A lot of
people know it by heart. That's David's proclamation on a
shepherd in What the Shepherd Does for the Sheep. But
in verse number four he says, YEA, though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, I will
(00:23):
fear no evil, for thou art with me. Thy rod
and thy staff they comfort me. Now we all know
that life has a way of leading us through valleys.
All of us have gone through them. We don't always
know how we end up there, but we don't always.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
See the path out either.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Sometimes the shadows in those valleys can seem overwhelming. They
they're dark, they're looming, They're full of unknowns and uncertainties.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
And that's one thing.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
That plagues people a lot of times, is the fear
of the unknown. But what David writes here in Psalm
twenty three is very beautiful because because he reminds us
of a very powerful truth. And that's even in the
darkest valleys, even in the presence of shadows, we are
never alone.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
We have our shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, with us.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
So let's break this down this morning and just take
a deep breath and just take a fresh look at
this particular verse in the twenty third Psalm. David didn't
say here, if you walk through the valley of the
shadow of death, or there's a chance or possibility that
you might walk through the valley of the shadow of death. No,
(01:34):
he says, though I walk. The word though tells us
something very important, because valleys are just a part of life.
Dark places, uncertain seasons, difficult paths. They happen to everyone,
even the kings and even the shepherds, and even to
you and I.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
But here's the heart of this verse.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Just because you're in a dark place doesn't mean your
own wrong path. Let that sink in this morning, because
I want to tell you that again, just because you
seem like you're in a dark place doesn't necessarily mean
you're on the wrong path, because the presence of shadows
doesn't mean the absence of God's guidance. Many of us
(02:20):
we think that if we're following God, life should be clear, peaceful,
full of light, full of certainty in our lives. But David,
a man after God's own heart, he knew something even
deeper than that. He knew that the right path isn't
always the easiest path, and sometimes God leads us through
(02:42):
the valleys, not around them, And sometimes it's in that
valley that we actually come to truly feel his presence
even more.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Here's the thing about shadows. They are not real.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
A shadow is an image, a dark outline cast by
something that is real. But the shadow itself it's not real.
That means it can't touch you, can't hurt you. It's
just a distortion of something else. And yet how often
do we fear the shadows.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
We fear what might happen.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
We fear the unknown, We fear failure, without ever even
starting to begin with. We feel rejection, we feel illness,
we feel lost. All the things that our minds can
imagine in the dark places, we begin to fear them,
even though they're not even real. But David teaches us
(03:41):
something powerful. Do not fear what does not exist. Let
me say that again, do not fear what does not
even exist. The valley of the Shadow of Death is
just that it's a shadow. It's not death, not evil.
It's a place where those things seen near. But David declares,
(04:05):
I will fear no evil. Why because thou art with
me in the valley. It's not the darkness we need
to focus on. It's God's presence. See his rod and
his staff. They symbolize the Shepherd's care, guidance, and protection
(04:26):
are always with us. They bring us comfort, not because
the path is easy, but because we are never abandoned
while we're on that path. Won't you think about this
for a minute. Shadows only exist because there's light. Without light,
there is no shadow. So when you see a shadow,
(04:47):
even a dark and fearful one, his proof that light
is still present even in the shadows. God's light still
shines even when we feel surrounded by darkness, and that
light is a promise that we are never alone. So
what do we do when we walk through our own
(05:08):
personal valleys when fear grips us and the shadows feel heavy.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
We trust the shepherd.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Why because he knows the way, He's walked every path
before us. He leads us not to leave us in
the valley, but to bring us through the valley.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Notice that David says, walk through the valley is.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Not your home. You were never born to live in
the valley. It's not your final destination. It's part of
your journey, not the end of your journey, part of
your journey. God doesn't intend for you to stay there forever.
He's walking you through to the other side. Let's talk
real for just a moment. Maybe you're facing a tough
(05:52):
season right now. Maybe the job you thought would bring
you so much joy and peace as that actually now
become a burden. Maybe your health is not the best
right now. Maybe some relationships in your life are strained,
or your future just seems clouded with shadows. It's easy
to wonder where is God in all this? But watch
(06:14):
Psalm twenty three four because it reminds you He's right
there with you, right in the middle of it, walking
with you step by step. See fear wants you to
forget that. I want you to listen to this very
closely this morning, because this is inspired by the Lord.
Fear magnifies the shadow and hides the shepherd. But faith
(06:36):
does the opposite of that. Faith magnifies the shepherd and
shrinks down the shadows. So let your faith rise today
to clare with David. I will fear no evil, not
because evil doesn't exist, but because God is bigger than
the shadows.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
His presence is stronger than any darkness, even in the valley.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Last thought this morning, before I leave and we end
this devotion, don't rush through the valleys. That may sound
strange to you, but sometimes it's in those valleys that
God does his deepest work. In the valley we learn
to trust, to listen, to lean on the shepherd. We
grow there, we are refined there, and when we emerge
(07:20):
on the other side, we know God is there and
we can trust Him in every step of the way.
And we would have never known him that deeply if
we had missed the valley. Say, if you be strong,
and you be blessed, and you walk with the Lord today,
even in the valley, have a great day.
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