Elevation with Steven Furtick - See It Differently (Larry Brey)

Episode Date: May 24, 2026

Sometimes the biggest thing keeping you stuck isn’t your situation — it’s the way you see it. The more consumed you become with your circumstances, the heavier life will feel. But real joy begins when you shift your focus, invite God into your struggles, and start living with a purpose beyond yourself.If you’ve just made a decision for Christ, please respond HERE: http://ele.vc/tIepfr Scriptures Referenced:Philippians 1, verses 3-5 - joy from a prison cell and the partnership of the gospelPhilippians 2, verses 1-28 - the mind of Christ, partnership with the Holy Spirit, and Epaphroditus nearly dying in servicePhilippians 3, verses 12-19 - forgetting what is behind, pressing toward what is ahead, and those who live as enemies of the crossPhilippians 4, verses 6-9 - do not be anxious about anything, and think on whatever is true and noble and lovelyPhilippians 4, verses 15-16 - the only church that partnered with Paul in givingRomans 12, verse 2 - be transformed by the renewing of your mindLuke 9, verse 23 - deny yourself, pick up your cross daily, and follow meSee 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 faith. Hope it gives you perspective to see God is moving in your life.

Enjoy the message. Come on, church. How about we put our hands together? How about we open our mouth? How about we release a flip phrase? How about we lift up the name above all names? that at the name of Jesus, every tongue would confess, every knee would bow, that He is Lord. He's Lord in my heart. He's Lord over your life. He's Lord in this place. Let's magnify.

Let's lift up. It is right that we would praise him in this place today. Oh my soul, what a beautiful time of worship. Worshiping the name of Jesus, the name of Jesus. And every single one of us will receive a reward. reward one day when we get to see him face to face and he speaks over you. Well done, good and faithful servant. That's the goal of our life to run after Jesus to just, and I'm seeing people in the faith running after him. I know you don't feel like you're moving fast. It's all about the direction. You're moving towards Jesus today. And as we move towards Christ, there's some voices from your past telling you, do you know what you did? They're trying to tie you to your past

like a chain, but your future is in front of you with Jesus. The Apostle Paul talks about that in Philippians. He calls that trash. Say trash. Those thoughts of your past, those things that you're shackled to. As you move into the future, you're tied back to it. What's your it? What's that thing that you feel like you left in the past,

but it's in the car with you this morning? What's that thing that's intimidating you making you feel like you've got to slow the pace because you're not worthy to run after Jesus? Jesus. The devil can't steal the direction, but he can get you to forfeit the speed. What's the it? Paul tells us to forget it. What's the it you need to forget today? An unnamed enemy will never be defeated. What's the it? What's the it? What's the it? Some of you, the it, you hope nobody sees. The it is the browser on your search history.

You hope you cleared. What is the it? And Paul says we need to forget it and run into the future towards Jesus. We need to forget what's behind, move into the future. But Paul just doesn't talk about the trash being the it. He needs to forget. He talks about the trophies. Because some of us feel like if I could just have it, then I would be good. Any other it than Jesus is not it. What's your it?

If I could just marry it, if I got a little more of it in my bank account, if I could just everybody would praise me for it. What's your it? Theologian said, Jesus plus nothing equals everything, but Jesus plus anything equals nothing. I wonder what your it is today. And I want to give you a verse before we sit down out of Philippians chapter 3 versus 12 through 14. This is what Paul has to say about it.

Say it. It just isn't the trash. It is also the trophies. Because Paul said, man, I've got a lot of things that I've been running after. The goal of my life was to be noticed, to be a person of fame. He lists his inheritance and his accomplishments, and that used to be it. And then he had such a profound encounter with Christ's it changed. I wonder how God wants to upgrade your it today.

I wonder the it of putting in your pocket is the thing you've been motivated by. I wonder if somebody else's praise who might not even be watching is the it you're working for. And Jesus is over here saying, I'm it. I'm all you need. I'm all you need. If you just run towards me. But you've got to forget it. Paul says this. He says, not that I've obtained all of this or have already arrived at my goals, but I press on to take hold for that which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do, forgetting what is behind and straining. toward what is it. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward

in Christ Jesus. What's the it you need to forget today? And here's the title that I want us to consider for the next few minutes. We're together. It is this say it out loud. Say see it differently. Now you didn't say it like you meant it. Say it like you had coming from your deep in your soul. Say see it differently. Ah, high five someone on your way to your seat. Thank you. Worship team. help me welcome all of our locations. We're honored to have you with us today. Normally you would see Pastor Stephen or Pastor Holly in the pulpit, but today you get me.

I am LB. One of the pastors here at Elevation, my wife, Janet, and I have had the privilege of having a front row seat of one of the greatest moves of God on the planet for the last 20 years. And I look out and I'm like, holy cow, Lord, you did immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine. God, you are that good. You are that kind.

and I would be remiss if I didn't take a minute to celebrate our pastors, Pastor Stephen and Pastor Holly. Help me thank them. For 20 years, they've faithfully preached the Word of God. And they're incredible on the platform, but they're even greater off the platform. The way they love their family, the way they lead this church, the way they pray for you and intercede for us. You are led by some incredible pastors, Pastor Stephen, Pastor Holly.

We honor you. We love you. We thank you. Ah, such a joy to be with you. I get the privilege of opening up God's word with you. We're going to be in the book of Philippians. My hope is to pull on a thread to show you one theme that runs through this incredible book of Philippians.

But I didn't own a Bible until I was 27. And I remember getting my first Bible ripping a cellophane off of it and smelling. And I was like, it's my Bible. I was so proud of it. And I went to a Bible study the next day with some people that were theologians. They were doctors. And they're talking about prevenient grace and propitiation. and I'm, oh, but die, and I'm like, oh, my. And they're flipping to these books in the Bible.

And I was so excited about my Bible the night before, but sitting in that space, I didn't even open my Bible because I felt too dumb to engage with the Word of God. Whether you're a seasoned saint or you just tore the cellophane off, God has something for you from His Word today. Every other book you read, this is the only book that reads you. I might have some motivation to get you to the parking lot, but the Word of God, will sustain you. It will fill you. It will challenge you. It will encourage you. And I want to be in this book of Philippians. Because I think the thing I want to help you see today is to see it differently. Whatever your it is. Because a lot of times we'll see scripture and we conform it into our image rather than being conformed into its image. I'll pull a verse out of Philippians. And there's a lot of

verses that we will like shoehorn to make it fit our situation. Philippians chapter 413. It's this verse that everybody uses. I'm 5'7 on a good day. But I can use this verse. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me to say I'm going to play in the league one day. Oh yeah. And I will make the

verse see what I want to see from it. And I need someone to look at me and say, you're short and you cannot jump. You will never play in the NBA. You need to see it differently. Some of you have this career of wanting to sing and someone just needs to look at you and

let's see this differently. I wonder how God wants to upgrade your imagination today. I wonder what it is you need to see differently. I want to look at Philippians 4, 6 is where I want to begin this thread from the book of Philippians. It's this passage that if you've been around church, you've heard it preached, you've said it, you might have even had someone say it to you, Philippians 4, 6, it says, Do not be anxious about anything.

But in every situation with prayer and petition, with Thanksgiving, present your request to God. And yes, it says, do not be anxious, but maybe the author Paul sees it a little bit differently. Because I think sometimes in our context, we'll use it. And I remember the first time I heard this first, I walk up to a mentor. And I'm like, I'm kind of struggling with some anxiety. And he's like, the Bible says, don't be anxious. Well, thank you, Captain Obvious. That really helps me here.

I'm coming to you to help me learn how to know. not be anxious. Well, just don't be anxious. That's what I got for you. It's what the words. And I was like, is that all that Paul saw when he looked at that passage? I don't think so. I want to kind of tee off on that because I think sometimes we'll use that. And I was talking with one of our youth team the other day. And Rachel was sharing about one of the youth that's struggling with anxiety because it is a present reality. And sometimes when I don't see the verse accurately, I beat people over the head with it and make them feel like They're failing.

It's like looking at me and saying, if you had more faith, you'd just be taller, L.B. Well, thank you. It's like, it's like I got a broken arm and it's sticking out 90 degrees. And I go to doctor, like, yep, it's broken. I come for you to help me. Not just to tell me it's broken. Some of you were standing out in the rain and people look at you like, you're wet. How about you get an umbrella and help me?

I think there's something for us to see in this text that we often do not see in our perspective and Rachel's talking about this youth who's like I'm struggling with anxiety. And she says, I feel like God's mad at me because the Bible says, don't be anxious and I just don't know how to do that and I feel like I'm failing God. And some of you, maybe that's your it today. If I could just be free from it, then I would blank, blank, blank. And I think there's something from this book of Philippians that God wants us to see today. This is a letter that Paul, the apostle, he writes to the Philippian church. And it's unlike any of his other letters. Paul had planted about 20-ish churches up to some people saying, we have 20 churches

here at elevation. It's pretty amazing. Physical locations. And obviously, you know which one is my favorite. It's like my kids, whichever one is in front of me is my favorite. But I think the Philippian church was Paul's favorite church. And I'll prove it to you from the text. Because the Philippian church, they hear that Paul is in prison. So they gather an offer. and they send it to him in Rome. All 20 churches heard about it, but the Philippian church is the only one to do something about it. He says this of the Philippian church.

He says, they are my joy and my crown. This is not a letter of rebuke. It's not a letter of correction. It's not a letter of getting better theology. It is a thank you note. They initiated the gift, and the thank you note is the book of Philippians sent back in response. Some of you got married five years ago,

and you still have not written the thank you notes for those gifts you were given. Paul writes that kind of letter, and he wants to thank him. Thank him for your extravagant love. And I think the Philippian church is his favorite because Paul also says this, because the Philippian church, they see it differently. All other 19 churches heard that Paul was in prison, and they all felt bad about it. But none of them did anything about it.

Here's what it says of the Philippian Church, chapter 4 verse 15 and 16. It says, moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except only you. For even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need in order. Hey, Philippian Church, you're my favorite. Now I won't tell all the others, but he writes him this letter to thank them. It's absolutely beautiful because the Philippian church saw it differently. I wonder if we're that kind of church

that would see a need in the community differently. It's one thing to hear about it and feel bad. It's a whole other thing to get up and do something about it. That is the kind of church we are. We've always been that kind of church that gets up and does something about it. But he also wants to say, hey, I know you feel bad that I'm in prison

because maybe they're getting like a defense fund. We need to get Paul good lawyers to get him out of prison. Poor Paul, I feel so bad for you. He's like, no, no, no, you need to see it differently. Because Paul says this. He says, I want you to know brothers and sisters, what has happened to me really has served to advance the gospel. And it's become apparent throughout the whole palace guard that I am in chains for Christ. And all the brothers and sisters are encouraged to preach the gospel more boldly. You need to see it different than man is in prison. And he says, you don't feel bad for me. I need you to see it.

differently. I wonder what you're sitting in that you need to see differently. Because he pens this letter from prison. Paul would write about five letters, prison epistles. This and and Colossians and Ephesians and a few others. But in the beginning of this letter, he starts with this in chapter one versus three to five. And he writes this letter to the Philippian church, this extravagant group, 800 miles from him as he is in prison. And he says, I thank my God every time I remember you, In all my prayers for all of you, I pray with joy. Say joy. Because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, joy, that is a weird word to put in a prison letter. The man is looking at prison walls and he's got four guards on four hour shifts around the clock as he's waiting to go to trial. Here he is looking at his circumstances and he writes a letter and the first word that comes out of his mouth is joy. Say joy. Paul teaches us a lesson to see it differently. He's looking at his circumstances and realizing my joy does not come from my circumstances, but my joy determines my circumstances.

And he sits there and he thinks about this, because he will use the word joy or rejoice 16 times in this letter. The letter's only four chapters. It's 104 verses. It's not a long book. About every seven or eight verses, the word joy makes an appearance on the scene. I wonder if I were to pluck every seventh verse that comes out of your mouth. and paint a story with that, what would I show the world?

I wonder what is leaking out of you because you're letting what's around you determine how you see it. Paul is in a physical prison, but he is in the presence of Jesus. Some of you, the prison is not the walls around you. It's the perspective of your mind. That's the prison you're shackled to today. And he says, joy, say joy. Joy, because he sit and he thinks about this. This is not a willy-nilly kind of polyana faith of all, just God's going to work it all out.

No, it's a real faith that he keeps his eyes wide open. He says, I know the reality, but there's a greater truth. Because my Savior Jesus took on flesh. He is fully God. And he crawled upon the cross and he gave up his life and he defeated death. And because he defeated death, I do not have to fear death. So prison guards, what you got. He is one thought away from joy. I thought about this old song. And I think about this. It says, when I think about the Lord, how he picked me up and he turned me around, how he placed my feet on solid ground and makes me want to shout. Hallelujah. Thank you, Jesus. You know you've got joy when you're thanking him in the middle of the circumstances, not when he gets you out of it. Some of you are deferring joy because it determines your joy and it is not Jesus. Ah, I love how Paul is preaching right out the get-go on this thing. Joy, say joy. And then he goes on to say joy because of your partnership in the gospel. That's a beautiful word to write down in your notes if you're a note taker. He talks about partnership. Say partnership. What it means is it means fellowship. He means intimacy.

It means partnership. He will use that word to only describe the Philippian church. None of the other 19. Get that label. He didn't call any of them partners. There's something key for us to zoom in on this Philippian church. It is extravagant because they realize we're a partner, not in Paul's mission trips, in the gospel. I love it. Purpose is discovered through partnership. Some of you are playing a solo sport and you will never find purpose on your individual flight. Purpose is only discovered in partnership when we link arms to the person to our right and purpose to our left and we let the business be all about the gospel going forward. That's where we find purpose. And that's why I love the church. God's redemptive plan. So uses that word to talk about partnership.

He will use that word three times partnership once in chapter one, once in chapter two, once in chapter three. And all of these are key for someone to understand how do I see it differently. In chapter two, verse one, he talks about partnership with the Holy Spirit. He says, is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ, any comfort from his love, any fellowship together in the spirit? You mean, I'm just not called to be in fellowship, intimacy with people. I'm called to be an intimacy with the person of the Holy Spirit. Yes.

If you have placed your faith in Jesus, if you have received the gift of salvation, the person of the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in you as you are the new tabernacle. You are the new dwelling place of God. And he lives inside of you. He's not a power. He's a person.

And he's speaking to you. And he wants to have fellowship with you. And you find purpose when you listen to the person of the Holy Spirit. And some of you are listening to your person. and you wonder why you're getting into accidents. Because the person of the Holy Spirit is trying to drive, but you keep holding on the wheel. What does it mean for you to have purpose in life?

It's when you partner with the Holy Spirit. And when that person gets your order wrong at the coffee shop rather than you blowing up in your flesh, the Holy Spirit says, how about you extend some extravagant grace to the barista who's in a really dark place right now? And I sent you there an assignment, and I screwed your order up so that you would be a blessing.

But when you're led by the flesh, you'll blast them and you won't bless them. What does it mean to be in partnership with the Holy Spirit? The person of God. And then in chapter 3, he says this. It's not just in partnership with people, not just the person of the Holy Spirit, but in 3 verse 10. Paul says this.

He says, I want to know Christ, yes, to know the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. we're called to have partnership with people, the Holy Spirit, but the very person of Jesus, yes, Jesus wants to partner with you. Yes, he wants to commune with you and have intimacy. Yes, in that place of suffering.

And when I look around this room, I see people that I've known for all these years, and I see stories, and people who've gone through significant suffering. And I look around him like, sometimes there's a suffering that comes, that only the person of Jesus can minister to you. And I see my friend Manuel here. And he lost his daughter a couple years ago to cancer,

his 16-year-old daughter. And then just a few months ago, he loses his wife to cancer. And known this man for more than a decade. And when you sit with him and you see the suffering, he's walked through, he talks about getting to a place that Jesus sat with him

and Jesus wept with him. There is a suffering that you and I go through that only the person of Jesus can occupy that space. It says of Jesus, he was a man of suffering familiar with sorrow. And Paul would say in the book of Romans that there is a pain that happens on the earth that there are no human words for.

And the Holy Spirit will the inner see what just groans. And I'm so glad that my friend Manuel tells me about meeting with Jesus in that place. Ask him, how are you getting through it? It's because of Jesus, but purpose is discovered through partnership. And some of you have a suffering and you felt like God is punishing you. And rather than inviting the person of Jesus into it, you've closed the door on it. Without inviting the person of Jesus in, it will only be pain.

But when you invite Jesus in who wore our suffering by a stripes we are healed, it doesn't mean he answers all my questions, but I can find purpose. in it. And now I see people in this room become a part of a club you never wanted to join. And the relationship you get with Christ, you would never trade away, but you wouldn't have chosen that way to get there. But now as soon as somebody else goes through what you went through, you immediately identify and you step in and you partner with them in their pain. That is called the church. I wish suffering we're not a part of our condition, but God enters into it with us. He wants to partner with us. In this church of Philippi, has parted.

partnered with Christ, and it's just beautiful. And they're separated by 800 miles. Paul is in Rome. The Philippian Church is 800 miles away. And here's the thing, partnership, fellowship, it's not about being in the same building. It's about being in the same spirit. That is one of the reasons I love this ministry here at elevation because we are not limited by location. We got somebody watching in Cambodia, you are a part of this ministry just as much as somebody else sitting in the room. Because Paul is in a different room than the church in Philippi, and they're sharing in the partnership of the gospel. And I love this Philippian church. Let me kind of illustrate what this church would have looked at. It would have been one of Paul's

smallest churches. Because you read in the book of Acts, 3,000 were added to the church of Jerusalem. And one day, he would launch churches in Ephesus. That would be hundreds to thousands in Corinth, the same thing. But Philippi, this is probably his smallest church. It would have been dozens. It would have been this little section over here in about five rows back. One, two, three, three, four. That would have been about the size of this ministry. And here we are, two thousand years later, talking about a partnership with the smallest thing. Significance is never determined by size.

It is always demonstrated by sacrifice. And this church, why would they respond in such an extravagant way, say, we've got to do something about Paul in prison. Could you have me that bag running in the teeth? So they sit together like, we've got to do something. We just can't talk about it, feel bad about it. We need to do something. We need to take up a love offering. Being around church any length of time, you've heard about love offerings.

Sometimes they'll guilt you into giving. They had the guilt nobody into giving to this thing here. But they said, our man is in prison. He's shackled. He's waiting trial. And we've got to do something about it. So what are we going to do? We're going to gather our answers. Underneath your seat there, could you reach and grab that? Yeah, I didn't make it easy. And somebody says, I got a new cloak. How about we send that to Paul? Because he's probably going to be cold because sometimes we think about giving, oh, I got the thing I don't use anymore. I said, no, no, no, no, we're going to send him extravagant love. We're going to give him the best. Becky, underneath your seat right there. Could you grab me that? And so he says, I know Paul's like a

writer. And I just got this new parchment. So how about we send that to him as well? And they put it in the bag because we need to send something to Paul. We just don't want him to feel bad. We want to do something about it. But I got some new parchment. But underneath your seat, you've got some pens and you got some ink. Would you put it in bag? I wonder what you're sitting on today. I wonder what you're sitting. God said, I need to release. And underneath your seat, he had some, because we need to send him money because he's in prison. They give him no food, no clothes, no, put it in the bag. Yeah. So, yeah. Why don't you put it in the bag because I want to keep it in my pocket? How did they see it different? This is either something I worship or something I use to worship. It changes. Once you encounter Christ, you serve with it.

And now, like, okay, we got 800 miles. We got the gift collected. We got some money. We got some stuff. And now we need to get it to Paul 800 miles away. We can't call UPS. There's no courier service. So at this point, in Christian circles, whenever you talk about we got an opportunity. This is where everybody starts looking at the ground. Because when I pick up, you. the Philippian church, I'm picturing people like, no, pick me, pick me, let me go, let me go. Because the only way you'll see it differently is when you don't see self in the picture. One person agreed in the back, thank you. No, no, you keep telling God, would you change it?

And he says, no, no, I need to change the way you see it. You need to see it differently. And so they picked a guy named Apaphroditis. Say Apaphroditis. Yeah, it's a tough word. We'll just go with E. If you're pregnant looking for a name, I can just submit to you, a pathrodite. So, Epaphroditis is going to be the guy to deliver the thing. He's got to go 350 miles of land,

100 miles of ocean, and 350 miles of more land just to get to Rome. It's going to take him six weeks with good weather, up to three months with bad weather. And someone's like, absolutely. And we got our own E right here. You don't know this guy, but this is Chris Everett. When I think about Epaphroditis, this is right here. Because what you don't know about this man is he reverendous. represents the generosity of our house, because that's what Epaphroditeus got to do. He got to be the one to show up at the prison and represent the people of Philippi with an extravagant love offering. Oh my soul, this is Chris. He's a part of our outreach team. He gets to take offerings collected by the House of God and show up in places and let us bless you

on behalf of Elevation Church. This is Apaphrodite. This is, thank you, Chris, for doing that. I like to think aspirationally I would sign up for that. But in reality, I kind of like take a back seat to that. Why? Because I'm all about me, Jesus. Wait, now the song is all about you, Jesus. But Epaphrodite is like, I will inconvenience myself. And if we think about Chris Everett E going, going, being gone,

because you're not just going to deliver it. You're going to stay with him. Because he has no capacity to go by groceries. So you're going to stay there, meet his needs, and you're going to come back whenever the prison sentence. you're going to hit pause on your life. I want to follow you, Jesus. But have we done by 4 o'clock?

If it's on Tuesdays after 9 a.m. but before 10 a.m. And it's got to be between 68 and 69 degrees. We have a conditional calling. If it meets the right conditions, then we'll sign up for it. The Philippian Church did not carry a conditional calling. And the reality is when God comes to you and the Holy Spirit is saying, I want to partner with you, you treat Jesus like a silent partner. In a business, a silent partner has no voice in the organization, but they get to enjoy all the benefits.

I wonder how many of you have turned down the dial of the Holy Spirit. You're not even listening to it. And the Holy Spirit is trying to tell you, give that up. Take it out from underneath your seat. Quit building your storehouses. How about you start serving somebody else rather than serving yourself? But I got the dial turned down and the Holy Spirit isn't even speaking. I guess he just doesn't speak to me. No, I've made him a silent partner. In Apaphroditis, it says this. So Apaphroditis delivers the offering, and here we come in chapter 2, verse 25 and 28. Paphroditis gets there.

Now, Paul writes in his letter because the offering shows up with Apaphroditis. He gets it, and then Paul writes this letter back, and Apaphroditis actually delivers the letter back. He says, but I think it necessary to send back to Apaphroditis, my brother, co-worker, fellow soldier, who is also your messenger whom you sent to take care of my needs. For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. Indeed he was ill and he almost died. I'm sorry, Eric Chris. But God had mercy on him, not only on him, but also on me to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.

The most interesting verse there. I thought Paul was the man of joy and here he's talking about sorrow. To be fully human doesn't mean you don't have suffering. to be fully human means both can exist in the same space. Merturing in our faith is to have joy and suffering and sorrow in the presence of both of each other, and neither one disqualify the other. And some of you don't feel like you have permission for joy because you have some sorrow. Here we have Paul illustrating, I've got sorrow, and here's the reality, this next verse will flip you out.

Some of you've read the Bible your whole life, and you've never seen this verse. He says, they're 28. Therefore, I'm all the more eager to send him to you. that when you see him again, I may have less anxiety. Now, does anybody see the apparent contradiction that Paul has posed to the people in Philippa? Chapter 4, verse 6 is do not be anxious about anything. And we only preach chapter 4, verse 6. Have any of you ever read chapter 2? 28? Have you even even know that verse was in the Bible? He says, I want to send this sick guy to you, so I will have less anxiety.

Here's what I want to have subtitled for this sermon. Upgrade your anxiety. Because we translate the same word in the English, but it's two different words in the original language. In chapter four, verse six, it is the concerns of self. He says, do not be anxious about yourself. Who can add a day to their life by worrying? In chapter two, it is the concerns of others.

be anxious that's the subtitle about the right thing there's an anxiety that somebody else has that you are called to carry but the reason i can't carry their anxiety is because i'm consumed with mine how do i see it differently so paul is speaking to the philippian church and he's giving them this lesson and how to see it differently and when i take a group photo of all of us And so I take a group photo and who do you look for first in the photo? We're all narcissistic. We all start with self. That's the problem is we stop there.

We only ever see ourselves in the scene. I'm going to sound like an old man for just a minute as one of the elders of this church. How do we handle anxiety? It all depends on which anxiety you're carrying. Is it yours or somebody else's? What does it mean to upgrade our anxiety? and consider somebody else's. We live in a world that worships self.

We're in a world in the mind of the flesh. And what we're going to contradict right now is very practically the mind of the flesh and the mind of the spirit. The mind of the flesh is what you're born into the world with. The mind of the flesh is telling you, trust yourself, look out for yourself, discover yourself, find yourself,

defend yourself, indulge yourself. And it's all about self-promotion, self-protection, self-fulfillment, self-gratification, and being true to yourself. And we live in a world that idolizes self-care. And I have searched the scriptures. I cannot find anything in the text

that talks about self-care. And what I do read in the text, that Jesus said, if anyone would come after me, he must pick up his cross daily. Deny himself and follow me. How do you see it differently? I like self-care. I mean, get your protein, get your workout.

But self-care without self-denial is self-indulgence. And it leads to self-worship. If you look hashtags for self-care, you'll see 101 million hashtags. Do a search for self-denial. About 12,000. Paul said, do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, and humility, consider others better than yourself. Denying the flesh doesn't mean you deny that anxiety exists.

It means that you don't let it dominate your thinking and drive your decisions. And what I want to contrast is the mind of the flesh and the mind of the spirit. When we are born into this world, we are hardwired with the mind of the flesh. the flesh is self-seeking, self-serving, and it is wicked. And we're living in a culture that's all about you be you. And the scriptures are all about, no, no, no, that's the problem. We need to deny that. What you see in the Philippian church is the Philippian church was concerned about Paul.

Paul was concerned about the Philippian church. And then apaphroditis was concerned about Paul. And then Paul became concerned about apaphroditis. And then the Philippian church learned that he was sick and they became concerned about epipharous. And you see everybody else, the reason they saw it differently is they weren't seeing self. What does it mean for us to deny ourselves in Philippians? Because the question here is not what do you see, but it's how do you see? A little bit of trivia about me. I've had cornea transplants on both of my eyes. So I have donor tissue in both of my eyes in my early 20s since I was

legally blind in both eyes. And I had a genetic condition that deformed my cornucing. And I had a genetic condition that deformed to my corneous. And we couldn't fix it with contacts. We couldn't fix it with LASIC. We couldn't fix it with all the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put it back together again. And no matter what I tried in my humid effort, I would always have a distorted picture. That is the mind of the flesh. And it is so prevalent and so pervasive that we had to cut it out and give me a whole new surface to see things through. and the mind of the flesh is your hardwiring. Paul says this in chapter 3, verses 18 and 19.

He says, for I've often told you before and now tell you again, even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. And what he's talking about is people who've relegated the Holy Spirit to a silent partnership. He's not talking about people trying to destroy Christianity.

He's talking about people claiming Christianity, yet living in a very different way. I will come on Sunday, I will wear the bling, but I will do my own chink, kaching, kiching. I was really bad, but I liked it. It was good. Because here's what he says. In verse 17, he says, again, this is the mind of the flesh. Their destiny is destruction. Their God is their stomach.

They're being driven by flesh, by the carnal nature, trying to satisfy yourself. And he says, and it becomes, and their glory is in. is in their shame. And eventually that gluttony becomes their glory. And now they start posting it for everybody to see the depravity. And he says, their mind is set on earthly things. The mind of the flesh is caught up in earthly things. The it is if I could have it.

How do you see it differently? I've got to have a different mind. what you think in your mind is what you see with your eyes. Paul contrasts that with the mind of the spirit in Philippians chapter four. Right after he talks about, do not be anxious in anything, but in everything with prayer and petition, present your request to God. And the peace of God will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

He goes right into this. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy. think about such things. That's the mind of the spirit. And it's amazing how Paul is saying the anxiety in yourself, to deny that means I'm not going to let that dominate my thinking.

But the way I deny myself is by serving somebody else. This is the upside down part of the kingdom, because the world tells you to get ahead, you've got to store it up. To get ahead, you've got to be concerned about yourself. But the mind of the spirit, the kingdom, the greatest will be the least. And the least will be the first shall be the and the last will be the first. Those who refresh others will they themselves be. Some of you have an anxiety that you're trying to satisfy through self-care.

That will never be filled. It will leave you empty drinking salt water and you wonder why you're parched. But the currency of the kingdom is very different. You see, the currency of the world is it's all about self. And we borrow that currency from the world, and we wonder why we're spiritually bankrupt. Because that will not work over here. In the kingdom, the way you get filled up is by being poured out. That's the kingdom.

That's the kingdom. So you want to see it differently? How about the very thing you want, you go find someone to serve? Some of you feel like you're not noticed. How about you notice somebody today? Some of you have a whole day of self-care with getting all the nails done. Praise God, get your nails done. But I wonder if there's a 14-year-old drowning and anxiety in the space.

What would it look like for you to invite them along? And just pour into somebody else what you want poured into you. Some of you men, your partnership with Jesus is a private entity. It's all about you building and accumulating trophies. And it's not a public corporation meant to bless everyone. And my sanctuary is the golf course. I wonder if there's a 12-year-old little boy who doesn't have a father that would love for you to just,

how about you come out golfing with me? And the very thing you want, you give away. And from that, God brings it back to you. And then chapter 4, verse 9, he says, think about lovely things. It's a thinking thing. How as you think in your mind is what you see with your eye. You will only see it differently

you when you have a different mind. An old mind will not have new thoughts. You cannot upgrade an outdated operating system. That is defunct. It will not work. You will not see it differently. And he says this in verse 9. He says,

whatever you've learned to receive from me and seen in me, put it into practice. Say practice. It sounds like Alan Iverson. We're talking about practice, man? Practice means repetition. Because Paul would also pen, do not conform any long.

to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your... You've got such ingrained patterns about self. Unless you're intentional, you'll just fall into the patterns. And the difference between a road in a rut is one gives you direction, the other one you can't get out of. And he says, it's in the mind. It's in the space, but you need to put it into practice. All of you are going back to it. And you're looking at God, if you do it...

just change it, then I would be happy. I said, no, no, no, I need you having a new mind looking at it. If my husband would just get his it together and says, no, if you would get it in your mind, you would see potential where you've only seen problems. How on earth can I be in a prison and have purpose? It's because I reasoned in my mind. Jesus defeated death. I don't have to fear death.

not what you got prison guards. And where Paul closes this whole thing, his central treatise right in the middle of this amazing book is in Philippians chapter 2, verses 5 through 11. And he says this. He says, in your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. You see the battle in the mind, the mind of the flesh,

the mind of the spirit? And he says to you, if you want to see it differently, have a different mind, have the mind of Jesus. Because when you have the mind of Jesus, you will see it differently. And he says this is of our Savior. Who being in very nature, God did not consider equality with God something to be used for his own advantage. You see, he's throwing shade on the first Adam. Adam thought he would be like God. And he trusted his own wisdom.

And he looked at something. He said, oh, it's pleasing. And he ate it. see that it would kill him. Some of you are eating your own wisdom and you wonder why you're dying. It's the mind of the flesh. It's what I think is right. It's what I'm justified in doing. It's what I think I deserve. And it says of Jesus, he deserved all of that. Yet he didn't use it for his own advantage. In the garden, he said, do you not know my father would release 12 legions of angels? 72,000 angels could come. He says, no, I'm not going to take advantage of what is mine. He was fully God and he's fully human.

but he's not just fully human. He shows you the true human that you and I were made to be. Self-care will never conform you into the image of Christ. Self-denial will. It says, rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant. You mean he's seated in glory and he takes on the form of a slave? Yes, he humbled himself. And being found in the appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death.

death wasn't giving the orders he was telling death what to do he was being obedient to father that led him to death and some of you will not listen to the Holy Spirit because you don't like the destination and what I want to tell you when you look at it through the mind of Jesus he will give you the grace

to take another step and another step I don't want to do it deny it but I'm going to follow the Holy Spirit as he leads me became obedient to death even death on a cross you see the world saw the cross and as an instrument of torture and death and justice.

And Jesus looked at that same cross and he saw deliverance. He saw healing. He saw wholeness. He saw it differently. What prison are you in? The mind of the flesh will not see anything different. But the mind of the spirit can bring me joy in the middle of a prison cell. Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place.

And he gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth. And every tongue acknowledged that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God, the Father. That is our Savior. That is our king. That is our Redeemer. That is our Emmanuel. God with us.

He came to walk on this earth for you, for me to forgive you of our sins. He came to make you hold. Everyone's standing in all of our locations. Because when you're born in this world, you're born dead in your sin. And it's so pervasive that Jesus needed to die so that you could be forgiven. And for some of you, God is knocking on the door of your heart right now. And he's saying, would you let me in? Would you choose to receive the gift of salvation by confessing your sinner in need of a Savior?

some of you, you have tried to do everything in your human strength, in your human power, and it will not satisfy what could only be satisfied through Jesus. And when you receive the gift of salvation, you also receive the person of the Holy Spirit who comes inside even when he dwells within you. Would you buy your heads? Would you close your eyes? Would you open your heart to consider have you trusted in Jesus? And at the name of Jesus, every knee would bow and every tongue would confess.

And this is the moment for someone to bow their knee and to confess with their mouth that they're a sinner. And you need a savior. Church family, we're going to say a prayer together out loud for the benefit of somebody who's recognizing, I need to be rescued from my sin. Pray this with me, church family. I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God. who died on the cross and rose from the grave to forgive me of my sin. I give you my life.

I give you my sin. I give you my shame. Forgive me and I'll spend my life following you with your heads to bowing and your eyes to close. If you just placed your faith in Jesus, I am going to count a three. And when I get there without hesitation, you are going to boldly shoot your hand into the air. On the count of three, one, two, three. Shoot that hand up. Come on, all across the auditorium, all across all of our locations. Come on, if you're online, let us know you just made that decision.

The greatest decision you will ever make, a decision no man can take from you. Come on, us worship the name of Jesus. Thank you for joining us. Special thanks to those of you who give generously to this ministry. It's because of you that this ministry is possible. You can click the link in the description to give now or visit you. Visit Elevationchurch.org slash podcast for more information. And if you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe, you can share it with your friends.

You can click the share button, take a screenshot, and share it on your social stories, and tag us at Elevation Church. Thanks again for listening. God bless you. This is an IHeart podcast, guaranteed human.