Elevation with Steven Furtick - It's A No Go

Episode Date: July 30, 2018

When all you’ve heard is “no,” it’s still not over. To support this ministry and help us continue to reach people all around the world click here: http://ele.vc/TI55jRSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. I'm the pastor of Elevation Church, and this is our podcast. I wanted to thank you for joining us today. Hope this inspires you. Hope it builds your fate. Hope it gives you perspective to see God is moving in your life.

Enjoy the message. Philippians chapter 1, verse 15, Paul, speaking. It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. And the latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here. Remember, I'm where I'm supposed to be. Regardless of how I got here, I was put here. That's a way of seeing life that will set you free from the need to understand all of the events as they're happening.

Just to decide in advance wherever I end up, that must be where God has me. Now, this can get dangerous because you can end up blaming God's sovereignty for your lack of responsibility. I lost the job. I guess God wanted me to lose the job. I guess God wanted you to show up on time. And so let's don't get carried away, but when the situation is out of my control, it's not out of God's hands. Amen. Yeah, I feel the Spirit of God on that, because when he says I'm put here, that's one way of seeing it. He's positioned, and he sees himself as stationed rather than seeing himself as stuck. So the location doesn't change, but the lens he views his situation through is changing through the years. And since he's old now, he has this great perspective, and we get in on it through this letter that he wrote to the Philippian Church.

So some people like me and some don't, but he says, the former preached Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But, and this has been my mantra all week, what does it matter? I found a new radio station, W-D-I-M. What does it matter? And when all this nonsense starts playing in my head, I just turned the dial. And I try to find a different signal. The signal that lets me know I can't think short-term.

And I can't let little things, the little foxes spoil the vine. I can't let the flies get into ointment and mess up something. sweet. So I got to get my priorities straight now according to God's purpose for me. What does it matter? I don't know if you want it or not, but we made some bracelets that just say WD-I-M on them. I got mine. I said it as a joke and the team liked it so much. They made 25,000 of these bracelets. And it's really helpful. You might want to put it on your husband's wrist every once in a while. What does it matter? Just a little reminder to be yours today until we run out. And if we run out, what does it matter? You're not going

to be upset about that. What's it matter? It's not that I don't care about what people think. It's that it no longer controls me. So what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives are true, Christ is preached. And because of this, I rejoice. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. And I will continue to rejoice.

What are you going to do about it, devil? You hit me with your best shot, and I'm still in church. I will continue to rejoice. You couldn't knock the smile off my face if you tried. I'm still smiling. And my back hurts, but I'm still smiling with migraine headaches, but I'm still smiling. And my kids are out of control, but I'm still smiling. smiling while I yell through clenched teeth.

For I know that through your prayers and God's provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. And I eagerly expect in hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage. So, oh, I'm not asking God to reduce the conflict. I'm asking him to increase my courage for the conflict. so that now, as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live as Christ and to die is gain. I can't lose.

If I am to go on living in the body, well, this will mean fruitful labor for me. And the next line, I just laughed because he's talking like he's choosing a show on Netflix. What shall I choose? Hello? And he's talking about life and death. But he's come to the point in his life where he's like, well, either way, I'm cool. I don't even know. I'm torn, ah, between the two.

I kind of want to get out of here. This world is a crazy place, and I'd like to see Jesus. I got a reward waiting with my name on it. And I want to see the one who died for me and bled for me. And I want him to wipe every tear from my eye. and I want to be in his presence. I'd kind of like to depart. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far.

But it's more necessary for you that I remain in the body. So since you still need me, I probably can't leave. I'd like God to take me to heaven, but he's probably going to make me stay. I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you. for your progress and joy in the faith. So I asked God, can I go to heaven? And so look at your neighbor and give them my sermon title. It's a no-go.

Now, look at it from the perspective of the Philippian Church, who would have been excited to receive this letter with news about their beloved Apostle Paul? I can almost hear their feet stampeding through the streets. I can almost hear them knocking on the door of Lydia, who was the first convert when Paul passed through Philippi and she opened her heart and then her home. And that's how the whole church got started in Philippi in a sense. And so I can hear through the streets of Philippi, hey Lydia, we got a letter from Paul because they couldn't follow him on Instagram. And so they had been waiting for news of his release or his execution or the date of his release, but we need to know how Paul is done. doing and we really need him out of prison so he can help us accomplish the purpose of God.

Hey, we got a letter from Paul. Come on, Lydia. And maybe that Roman jailer was still around who locked Paul up. And then when Paul and Silas sang at midnight and refused to leave the prison until they led that man to the Lord, because they were more concerned about him being free than them being free, and maybe he comes around and maybe they all meet up at Lydia's house if she's still living. And we got a letter from Paul. And you know when you get an urgent email and you just skim past the polite stuff, Paul and Timothy servants, Jesus Christ, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. God's holy people Christ, Jesus, Philip. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Is he getting out? Paul, do we need to get the welcome home from prison committee together? Are you coming to

see us? What did Caesar say? Do you have a date set of you've been able to defend yourself? and they must have been surprised that Paul only gave a half a verse to his situation. And the rest of the entire letter, Paul teaches them a lesson, and it's this. And I want to do my best to teach it today. God help me teach this today. He teaches them how to be released in reverse, how you can still be in the same situation that you prayed to get out of, but even though you're still in that situation, you are free in your spirit. So we have to go quick. I don't have a lot of time to tell you this, but God is more interested

about freeing you in your spirit than he is freeing you from your situation. This is a core teaching and a core tenant, not only from this pulpit, but it is the essence of the gospel, is that God is more interested in delivering us on the inside, changing us on the inside, and rearranging our internal condition than he is about arranging our external affairs. This gospel is not popular to preach in an age that is so consumed with changing scenery. We are more concerned with the scenery than we are with our spirits. And Paul is teaching us a lesson. We'd be wise to listen to him. He says, I'm not out yet, but I'm free.

I'm still right here in this cell physically, but spiritually. I'm free. Free from what? Free from pain? No. No, I'm hurting. Free from uncertainty? No.

I don't know what they're going to do to me. Free from, have you ever asked God to set you free from certain people? And he keeps trying and you keep texting them back. So work with the Lord. That was a whole series right there. I'm free. Watch this. This is what I've been praying lately.

I stopped praying God set me free from it, whatever it is. This imagination that if that got better, I would be better. Sometimes that got better and I got worse. So I stopped praying God set me free from it because sometimes God set me free from the situation and I took myself into a new situation and I took my same change from the last situation, the last relationship into the new relationship.

So lately I've been praying and if you want to pray it with me, repeat after me. God set me free. From me. If you don't get that, you haven't lived long enough. Because you will get tired of yourself at some point. And you will get tired of making your own movies of which you are the star and everyone else is a prop.

And you will want something bigger in your life than how I feel in this moment. You want something bigger in your life than what I am earning. You will want something bigger in your life. then status. And so Paul said, I'm free, not the freedom that you can see, but I'm free from the invisible prison. So I'm free because I'm releasing some things. And Paul says, I'm releasing myself from the prison of resentment. I'm releasing myself from the need.

to know the reason why everything is the way it is. I'm releasing myself. And it's really beautiful because he could have waited around to be set free by somebody else. But he decided, I'm going to use the keys that God has given me. So I've got my own keys called faith and trust and praise and gratitude. And so I don't need you to free me. I am. I am a I am setting people free from my need for them to validate me. I found freedom when I realized that I have all of the resources I need through the spirit of God. And it is through the provision of his spirit. It's just an intro, but it's so good.

Because Paul's saying, I'm not out, but I'm free. Nothing has changed in my situation, but I don't need my situation to change. God has changed me and whom the sun sets free is free indeed. I'll stop screaming. When you get free, it makes you want to holler. When you get free, it makes you want to clap. When you get free, it makes you want to shout. It makes you want to throw off the chains.

Shout I'm free. Look at the person next to you and say free from what you think of me. I want people to think I'm one of those weird. Christians, I think it's kind of weird that somebody that didn't die for you would dictate the level of your faith and that you would ever be ashamed of the gospel when you claim to be free. If he set you free, we don't have long. Take 10 seconds and praise him like you're free. That's good.

65, 4, 3, 2, 1. Philippians chapter 1. Paul said, I'm free. I don't know whether I'll get out of this prison, but whether or not I get out of this prison is not the hinge on which my faith swings. Because I made a decision to be free, free of bitterness, free of blame, real freedom, freedom that nobody can give you but Jesus, and freedom that nobody can tell you. Take away.

It's a different kind of freedom. It's not just the freedom to do whatever you want and say whatever you want, that pretend freedom. It's a real freedom. It's a deep freedom. It's a freedom that I hope to experience more and more in my life. And I pray the same for you because Paul said, I want you to be free. Isn't it funny that he's praying for them?

He's in prison and he's the freest one of them all. Some of the least free people I ever met in my life had the most stuff. And Paul is so free at this point. He's free from the need to know what happens next. He's free. Wouldn't it be good to be free like that? And he sets himself free instead of waiting for someone else too. And how he does it is kind of a cool, I guess it's a psychological and theological lesson all at once.

He does it by remembering. Because if he dwells too much on what he's going through right now, it will cause him to lose hope. If he dwells too much on what's going to happen next, it'll cause him to be unstable, and he can't control that anyway. So listen, Blakeney. He says, give me my camera. He says, I thank my God in every remembrance of you. This is Philippians chapter 1. In every prayer with joy, and I thank him for your partnership in the gospel. from the first day until now. So he revisits in his mind a time maybe 30 years earlier that he began this work with these friends in Philippi. And now he's writing them a letter about his current situation.

But the way that he deals with his anxiety, how many of you are dealing with anxiety in your life and you don't mind raising in your hands so I can preach right to you? He remembers. He remembers. And he concludes something when he revisits his memory of God's faithfulness. Because there is a way of remembering the past that will paralyze the potential of today. But there is a way of remembering the past that can fuel your faith for tomorrow. Paul does the latter. He says, I thank my God every time I remember you.

And I remember your partnership. I'm not in this by myself. from the very first day until now. And I am confident of this, that he who began a good work in you, who started it? That's what they used to say in middle school when there was a fight, and you get dragged in the principal's office. And so we used to have a say, and I didn't start it, but I finished it. And so God does both.

And when the devil starts picking on you, don't forget who started it. If God started a good work in you, guess what he's going to do? He's going to finish it. Now, you won't know all the details when it starts, but God is not like you, and so he knows the end from the beginning. God saw the last frame of the movie before he started casting or directing. So God reveals these things to us in reverse. It's like, Abraham, I'm going to bless the whole earth through you. Okay, can you tell me how? No

Go to the land I will show you and the details will unfold as your obedience does and So Paul says I remember how this started and I know who started it it was God Because I wasn't even trying to get to Philippi Actually when I think about how I came to you how we started It was almost an accidental miracle. I call it that, knowing that nothing is an accident to God, but one day I'm going to preach when I ever get the courage to do it, a whole sermon called miracles by mistake, just like what feels like the worst mistake of your life.

It was really God using human weakness to display divine strength. My young people know what's up. I love it. So Paul, he has like a faith flashback. David did the same thing. There's Goliath. He's big. Lion was big.

The bear was big. The bigger they come. So if the lion went and the bear went, Goliath is about to go. It's called a fake flashback. And Paul says, I remember, I'm released. in reverse. It's kind of weird. In order to go forward with faith, I got to remember how I went out preaching and I went to the Jews first. But as I was preaching to the Jews, the Gentiles wanted to hear it too. And the message was too big because God told Abraham, I'll bless all people through you.

And so God started using me to do what he said he would do. And he chose me. In fact, Acts 9, calls Paul, God's chosen vessel. We've been talking about choices. Always remember, you didn't choose God. He chose you. And if he started it, he's the author and finisher of your faith. So I started preaching, went on a little tour, started some churches, Galatia, went really all around I wanted to take the gospel further. And when I got home, the people who should have been celebrating were suspicious. Because sometimes we don't like when God doesn't meet our rules of who he's supposed to reach and who he's supposed to bless. You were what to church?

You listen to what? Come on, man. You can't be a Christian. This is what they thought. you have to keep the Sabbath. You have to be circumcised. Now let me tell you what that did. That shut down the men's ministry.

And Paul was like, no, I don't think so. I think it's about the inside. I don't think it's about the outside. I think that's what Jesus came for. So we could stop fixing things up on the outside and smiling pretty like our life is Pinterest and get real and come into the presence of God imperfect. I don't think it's really important what you wear or if you can say the right words. I don't think that matters.

I don't think that's the priority. And so he just shared the gospel freely, freely with everybody, the grace of God. And we got home, had to have a little meeting to decide could the Gentiles come in to the church. It was a rowdy meeting. But ultimately they said, you know, we probably should just, we probably should just go We probably should just go with God. Imagine that.

If God's doing something, we should probably stay out of his way. So go ahead, Paul. Not that we really like you anymore, but we're not going to stop you. So go preach. Now Paul leaves to go preach again, but this time he has an idea. He's like, I need to go check on the churches that I started and see how they're doing. I need to go back to some of the places where we planted a church and see if the The seeds have become trees.

I need to go strengthen people in the faith that began, and I want to see if they're still moving. I want to see if their choices are becoming habits, are becoming automatic. Can you bring me that? Yeah. Yeah. So Paul, perfect. Paul's like, I want to make sure there's no missing pieces.

I want to make sure that what God starts. God started gets completed. Come here, Tyler. And so he goes on this preaching tour, hashtag strengthen the saints. Hashtag check checking on the church. Now he can't take Barnabas. Barnabas was the first Christian that liked Paul. Most of Christians didn't like Paul because Paul used to kill Christians. It's kind of hard to apply for a senior pastor job with that on your resume. Our guest speaker tonight. But Barnabas was like, nah, he's cool. And then Paul and Barnabas got in a fight about John Mark, because it doesn't matter how delivered you get.

You never fully get delivered from drama. I left that church. There was too much drama. What church are you going to join? Because the moment you joined, that one will have drama too. Anyway. So Paul goes preaching. Now, I want to illustrate this to you how the grace of God was unleashed.

And really that's what the whole book of Galatians is about one of the the places Paul went to check on, he went to Galatia. And this might be a little complicated for just like a normal sermon, but maybe you could study it on your own time. I try to put enough in these messages that you can take home some Tupperware and then go back and visit things that you want to look more into. But Paul had an idea to go check on the churches, and God didn't tell him to do it. In fact, Paul, in this particular scenario, he's not so much being led by God to do it as

he is being led by his burden to do it. And the only reason I point that out is because I think a lot of us think that God leading us looks like this. And that's almost how we follow Christ. Like, okay, God. Come on, Tyler, make the face. Okay, God. You're not making the face tie.

You look too happy. Okay. But actually, it was more like this. Paul set out, go ahead, and God went with him. So that's a simple principle. Divine empowerment often awaits human initiative. And so Paul went out and he went to check on the churches. And it was a very effective trip, a very effective preaching tour.

He couldn't take Barnabas, so he took Silas, which is good because Silas liked to sing. And they needed to sing at midnight when everyone's chains were so tight so that everyone's chains could come loose. Because God will put in your life who you need for the season that you're in. Just because Barnabas left doesn't mean God did. So pick up Silas and hit the road. And Paul said, let's go. Let's go. And Acts 16, 4 records what happened next.

They traveled from town to town, and they told all the churches, good news. We met with the council of Jerusalem. You don't have to be circumcised. And all the men said, so Paul's like, all right, put down your knives. We're not doing that anymore. Just here's what you do. Don't worship idols, don't eat food with the blood still in it, strangled animals. and you can come to the kingdom.

And they went around delivering it, and watch what happened. Next verse. The churches were strengthened in the faith. Everywhere Paul went, God gave him the grace to go, and God gave him the evidence, and the church grew daily in numbers. And then verse 6 happens. Verse 6 says, Paul and his companions traveled, let's go, throughout the region of Phrygia and Galilee.

and Galatia, having been kept by the devil from preaching the word in the province. Rick Parker, you sound upset. What's wrong? Did I mispronounce Phrygia? Rick, you can't wear a pink Floyd t-shirt in church. What's wrong with you, man? Gentile. Did I say the verse wrong?

Having been kept by the... Oh, the Holy Spirit. Having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching? I understand the Holy Spirit keeps me from doing certain things. Please don't look at me like you've never had the Holy Spirit have to restrain you. Please don't look at me like there's never been cuss words coming out of your mouth and something that was God on the inside of you yanked them back in and it was like swallowing down vomit to get it from coming out.

It tasted bad. Graphic illustration. I understand the Holy Spirit kept me from going. off and understand the Holy Spirit kept me from certain parties. But I didn't know the Holy Spirit would keep you from preaching. Haven't been kept? Isn't that a weird verse? You've heard this sermon?

This is the third time you heard this sermon. Having been kept by the, I want to blame the devil here. Because everything that I want to happen in my life that doesn't happen, I give the devil credit for it. dream that I have that doesn't come true? It's the devil. The devil is more popular than God in most sermons. It's the devil. It's just a, it's nothing but the devil. And the Lord really spoke to me the last time I went down that line of logic. And the sense that I got is he was telling me, stop giving the devil credit for stuff I'm trying to do in your life.

and particularly stop giving the devil credit for the moments where I hold you back. Because Paul was the most brilliant preacher that ever lived. There was nobody better to preach in Asia than Paul. And watch what he says. He said, I wanted to do a good thing. My desire was right. It wasn't out of bad motives. I was trying to strengthen the church.

I was trying to build people up in their faith. I was trying to do what I thought God told me to do. And I went to Galatia and God let me. And I went to Frigio and God left me. But when I tried to go to the border of Mycia and Inter Bethenia, watch what says next. The Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. What's up with God holding Paul back from preaching? The gospel.

Why would God send his son and not spare his son? And then Paul goes to try to preach and God says no. So Jesus says, go into all the world and preach the gospel. Paul's like, okay, God says no, not there. I'm just trying to do what you told me to do. Try again. Maybe we can get in Mycilla. Go in Mycilla, got to the border, no.

And most of us right here, most of us would have gone back home. Because the moment that we make progress and then the progress stops, and I know your wrist is starting to hurt and there will be a reward, in heaven and a crown with some big jewels in it when you get done with this sermon and an ice pack. But see, here's the thing about being a good parent. You really don't know what kind of parent you are until you have to tell your kid, no. Yeah?

True. Because I play this game with the kids, and I know it's terrible, but sometimes I ask them who would they choose to live with? It's just a game. You look so disturbed, sweetheart. It's just a game. It's not real. Yeah, yeah, it's just a terrible evil game that I play with my kids.

And I used to feel like it was a compliment when they said me until I realized that the one they would choose to live with is usually the parent who doesn't know how to say, no. And you say God is a good, good father. It's who you are. I like the song, too. But is he still good when he says what every good parent has to say every once in a while? No. No, I'm not going to make it easier. No, I'm not going to bring them back into your life. No, I'm not going to take the thing away. See, Paul had experience with this, you understand? Because he had something that he called a thorn in his flesh, something that he wanted God to take away.

because he thought I could be so much more effective if it wasn't for this thing that's holding me back, and we all have that thing. And so Paul asked God, take it away, and God said no. And so Paul came back a second time, and he said, pretty pleased, and God said no. And he asked him a third time with a cherry on top, and God said no. The answer is still no. And this is my question. Is he still good when the answer is still no?

Or do you have a conditional faith that when God says no, you go home? That when it doesn't happen overnight and that when you don't see results right away, not only do you quit the gym, but you quit church and you quit praying. And so we tried here and we tried there and God said no. So I guess it must be God's will for us to go back home, but Paul didn't see it that way. Paul knew that just because God says no doesn't mean it's over. And I prophetically proclaimed that over someone's life today. I don't know what no you've been told by God, by life, by the doctor, by another person.

I don't know what the no is, but I don't have to know what the no is. Here's what I know because he who began a good work in you will be faithful. to complete it. It's not over. It's not over. Show them on the screen. It's not over. In fact, here's what I learned about God. Sometimes when he says no, it's because there's a greater opportunity

that I don't know about yet, and God is so good. Help me preach now. I'm closing the message. But this is for somebody who's been told no, and the pain hasn't gone away. And the memory hasn't gone away, and it hasn't gotten easier, and the seas haven't gotten smoother, and it doesn't seem to be changing in your situation. But God came to give you strength in your spirit.

It's not over. Just because God said no, doesn't mean he's left you alone. He is with you in the no, like he was with you in the yes. He's a good father. He knows. What's on the other side? of no. So don't go home. Don't go home just because God said, no. Oh, but I'm trying so hard. And I asked God, I thought my E-group leader, I guess it wasn't meant to be. I guess it wasn't meant for me.

Paul said, no. Let's go to Troas. Is that verse 8? And when they went to Trois, they passed by my Sia. That's where Paul wanted to go. Go ahead. And God wouldn't let him. So they had to pass by. Sometimes you have to pass by your plans to get to God's purpose. Give me with spiritual ears. He passed by what he planned to get to what God purposed. So he passes by my Sia. See ya. And goes to Troas, where he waits in confusion. But he's chained to grace. And he waits because he knows that if God says no, I won't remove it, the obstacle, the thorn, I will give you a grace that is greater so that you can overcome it.

It's a no-go. It's not over. It's a greater opportunity. Because while Paul was at Troas, not the place he planned, the place God purposed, he saw a vision in the night. And this vision, it wasn't a vision of God, it was a vision of a man from Macedonia. And he was standing there begging, Paul, come over to Macedonia and help us. And God didn't show up looking like an angel. God showed up looking like a need.

And God might be speaking to you about your next season in the context of the need that's standing right in front of you. It feels that's so deep for somebody, man, because they're just about to go home. Just go home. It's over. That's what the enemy has been telling you. Just quit trying to be free. Just quit trying. Just give it. This is who you are.

No, I'm loved by God. That's who I am. And he's a good father. And if he says no, there's something that he knows that I don't know. And that's what makes him God. And that's why I worship him. And I serve him. He doesn't serve me.

So verse 10, after Paul had seen the vision, we got ready, Luke says, at once. And we left from Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them, 11. And from Troas, the place where we were uncertain, we put out the sea and sailed straight for some otris. And the next day we went to Neopolis, and from there we traveled to Philippi. I thank my God in every remembrance of you, in every prayer with joy, for your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And we got to Philippi, the place we didn't plan for, but the place God wanted us to be.

be all along. See, because Philippi was a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And Philippi was the first place in Europe where Paul established a church. In fact, it was the first place in the Western world that Paul established a church. those of us in the Western world, we are a part of a church that started because God told Paul no. I just wonder today what's on the other side of your no, that you will miss if you go home because you're disappointed. If you receive God's yes with praise, why not receive his no with trust? I just want to minister, man. I know we're out of time, but people are frustrated.

frustrated and hurting and disappointed and been struggling with stuff for generations and generations and You keep thinking that because it didn't turn out the way that you planned That you must be outside of God's will You're where you're supposed to be you're who you're supposed to be and it was him all along It was him in the yeses it was him in the nose It was him on the mountaintop when you had it When you were succeeding, when you felt it, and it's him in the valleys. He's the same God yesterday, today, and forever.

And would you praise him right now for his purpose, that he who began a good work in you will be thankful to complete it. Come on, give him praise for the yes. Well, I hope you enjoyed the podcast today. If you did, there are just a couple things I'd love for you to do. Number one, subscribe to our show. That way, the most recent episode will always be in your feed waiting for you ready when you are. And secondly, if this ministry has impacted you and you'd like to help us continue to reach others, you can click the link in the description and you can give now.

And I'll see you next time on the Elevation Podcast. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.