Have you ever found yourself in a “dry valley”? A place where conditions are parched, barren, and strength feels long gone? We have all experienced seasons where what we see with our eyes does not match the promises God has placed in our hearts.
In those moments, God gives us a counter-intuitive command: Prepare for what you cannot yet see.
The Command in the Barren Place
The foundation of this message is found in 2 Kings 3:16-17. Three kings—Israel, Judah, and Edom—found themselves in a wilderness without water for their soldiers or their animals. In their desperation, they sought a word from the Lord through the prophet Elisha.
The Word of the Lord was specific:
“Make this valley full of ditches… You shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water.”
Point 1: Dig in Faith Before You See It
Faith is not just a feeling; it is an action. God commanded them to dig while the sun was still hot and the sky was still clear. True faith digs before the rain falls. It obeys when it makes no sense and prepares when there is no visible evidence.
As it says in Hebrews 11:1, faith is the substance and the evidence of things hoped for. Your ditch is your visible proof that you trust God to fulfill His promise.
Point 2: Obedience Opens the Flow
Miracles are often tied to our response to God’s instructions. Just as Mary told the servants at the wedding in Cana, “Whatever He says to you, do it,” our breakthrough depends on our willingness to be obedient.
Obedience is the gateway to abundance. When you dig your ditch in a dry season, you are creating the capacity to receive the blessing God is already sending.
Point 3: Preparation as Proof of Expectation
God calls the impossible a “simple matter”. What overwhelms us is light work for an Almighty God. When you prepare for the rain by digging, you are demonstrating your expectation.
Don’t wait for the clouds to turn grey before you start preparing. Dig in prayer, dig in service, and dig in worship while you are still in the valley.
Point 4: Wait Expectantly for the Filling
Waiting is not wasted time; it is a time of renewal. Isaiah 40:31 reminds us that those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength.
In the morning, after the kings had been obedient and offered their sacrifices, the water arrived “suddenly”. God’s timing is perfect, and He is never late. If you keep your ditch ready, the rain will arrive.
Pick up your shovel of faith and start digging, and do not quit because the sky is still clear. The rain is on the way.
Galatians 6:9: “Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”
Amen.
