Main Passage: Deuteronomy 6:4-5 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

Core Message: This message emphasizes the absolute sovereignty of the Lord, proclaiming that He is the One Supreme God of all things, whose power and authority are unlimited. This truth is powerfully illustrated in the Bible in 1 Kings 20 in the account of the defeat of the Arameans. They made the critical error of believing that God's power was limited by geography–assuming He only had power in the hills of Samaria but lacked authority on the flat, open plains in the valleys. The Arameans' defeat in the valley proves that God's authority extends over every circumstance, every place, and every area of life. He is the God of the hills and valleys!

He is the One True God

• God’s Total Authority: 1 Kings 20:22-30 depicts how the Arameans challenged God by fighting the Israelites on the plains because they believed God's power was limited to the hills. They said, “Their gods are gods of the hills. That is why they were too strong for us. But if we fight them on the plains, surely we will be stronger than they.” The battle lasted seven days, ending in a massive victory for Israel, with 100,000 Aramean soldiers killed. The final proof of God's supremacy came when the wall of the city of Aphek suddenly collapsed, killing an additional 27,000. This crushing defeat proves that the Lord is the God of the hills and valleys! His power is not limited by terrain, human strategy, or city walls.
• He is the Answer: No matter the situation or circumstance, the Lord is the ultimate answer in every area of our lives. He is: El Elyon (Most High God), Jehovah Jireh (Provider), and Jehovah Rapha (Healer). Ephesians 4:6 also tells us that He is “one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” The Christian crowns God as King over all: health, finances, and every other aspect of life; and as a result we see the Lord’s victory in all these areas.
• Single Devotion: True worship means being wholly devoted to God (Deuteronomy 6:4-5). It’s recognizing that everything we have belongs to Him, and this dedication guards us against mixing His ways with the ways of the world.

The Authority Over Death and Life

We have seen the effects of sin and death in this world. Death is a force that has eroded minds, desensitized hearts, and brought sin and destruction to generations. Jesus Christ demonstrates His ultimate, unmatched power; He claimed victory and authority over death on the cross and through His Resurrection. His victory over death is the foundational basis for the freedom and eternal life offered to believers.

• Freedom from Death's Power: The destructive power of death presents itself in our daily lives evidenced in anxious minds, hearts that lack compassion and love, and self-protective mechanisms like arrogance and addiction. Christ's victory provides freedom from these destructive ways! 
• Authority Over All: Jesus' resurrection establishes His complete authority over both spiritual and physical death, as He holds the keys to death and Hades (Revelation 1:18). 

The God of Eternal Life

Because Jesus defeated death, He alone has the power to offer true, eternal life, which no false god or earthly pursuit can provide.

• Beyond Temporary Fixes: Money, retirement, or physical health are temporary fixes or false ideas of security in our lives. Only the one who defeated death can grant life that lasts for eternity.

• Radical Transformation: Only the One who conquered death can give us true life. The God of the hills and valleys performs a radical transformation, taking a life ruined by sin, a life that is a "desolate land," and turning it into a beautiful "Garden of Eden" (Ezekiel 36:33-36). This visible, powerful change is the evidence God uses to show the world that He is the One True God.

Next Step

Ask yourself: Do I believe that the Lord is the God of the hills and the valleys? Have I submitted every area of my life, both challenges and victories, under the Lordship of Jesus Christ? May you receive the powerful victory of a transformed life this day!