Elevation with Steven Furtick - The Miracle In The Mismatch (Tim Timberlake)

Episode Date: September 6, 2021

Don’t stop short of your miracle. In “The Miracle In The Mismatch,” Pastor Tim Timberlake of Celebration Church reveals that the seeds of your miracle are often sown in the soil of adversity.See 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. Well, we're going to get to the message in just a moment, but I wanted to make sure you knew about Elevation Nights. It's going to be amazing. Eight cities. October 26th through November 4th. You got to go to elevation nights.com to see if we're coming to a city near you. It's going to be me, elevation worship, a few friends, and you.

I want to see you there. I want to see you and everybody that you know there. Go to elevationnights.com. I can't wait to see you soon. Here's the message. Hey, family. It's an honor and a privilege to be with you all today. and elevation is family.

And I have been family of this house for quite some time and love your pastors very dearly. Me and Jen hold Pastor Stephen and Pastor Holly to the highest regard and kind of the honor and a privilege to watch and have seen what God has done through their yes. and I was talking to Pastor Chunks in the back. And I've been family with elevation so long.

I can remember a series that Pastor started a long time ago called Dominate. And I'm from 143 miles north of Charlotte, a little city called Cretemore, North Carolina. And I would take off on Sundays from my church sometimes and sneak in the back door. elevation just to see what was going on. This is pretty early on. This is when elevation was in Providence. And I don't even think Pastor had Herodin. He just had a goatee.

And my sister, little sister, she was staying here in Charlotte going to UNC Charlotte. And she was in the middle of transitioning from one church to looking for another church. And I snuck in the back of elevation. and pastor was in this series, and he was encouraging people in the middle of this campaign and do whatever you've got to do to sew into what God is doing in the Elevation Church. And I never forget it. He said, I want, for those of you that are too young

and have money to give, sell your video game consoles, and bring that money to the house of God. And I left that service today. And I called my sister. I said, I found your church. I found your church. I said, any pastor that's bold enough to step out in faith, the way this pastor is bold enough to step out in faith. And you need to get planted in that church. And she's been here, she's been planted her and her husband. And anytime I have family or someone that is transitioning from either Crete Moore or Jacksonville, Florida to Charlotte, say, hey, you got to go to Elevation Church. That's family. They don't ask no question. They say,

okay, I'm going. And so I'm honored to be with family today. They tell me I can act like this is my house. And so I'm going to preach like I'm home. You all right? I only know one way to do it. And that's what everything I got. Amen. So I want to say, I want to say, you know, I'm going to say. I'm going to to go to Judges chapter 20, Judges chapter 20. We're going to look at verse 14. I'm going to read this passage of scripture. Then I'm going to pray, then we're going to unpack it. Is that all right? You get the Judges chapter 20 say, I'm there. You're not there. Say wait on me. Wait on me. I'll wait on you. I'll wait on you a little bit. I want to welcome everybody that's tuning in online. and for those that are at our other locations, we are grateful for you and grateful that you would

join us today. Judges chapter 20, beginning at verse 14, says, but the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Ghibia to go out to battle against the children of Israel. The children of Benjamin were numbered at the time out of the, cities, 206,000 men that drew sword. Beside the inhabitants of Ghibia, which were numbered 700 chosen men. And among all these people,

there were 700 chosen men left-handed. Everyone could sling stones at an hairbread and not miss. among all the people there were 700 chosen left-handed men. Every one of them could sling stones at a hairbreadth and not miss. Let's pray. Demily, Father, we thank you. You're so good to us, Lord. And God, we know that you are here in this moment with us.

And so we ask that you would do what only you can do, God. and that's to transform us, change us, rearrange whatever it is you want to do, God. We thank you, God, that from this moment we would leave differently than how we enter that. And so, God, before anything happens, we give you the praise. And God, we say whatever you want to do, have your way in us. In Jesus' name we pray. Come on, all you that agree give God a big amen and amen. You can take this seat.

I want to talk to you for a moment from the subject matter, the miracle in the mismatch. The miracle in the mismatch. I'm a big sports fan. Any sports fans listen to me right now? I particularly love basketball, and as I mentioned, I'm from a city that's 143 miles north Charlotte called Crete, more in North Carolina, and we're on the outskirts of the triangle.

And we know basketball. If you know anything about the triangle, you know there's a little rivalry that's been going on for some time between a big school called UNC and a little school called Duke. There may be some that are listening to me and say, I wonder who his team is. And I would say I'm on the Lord's side, you know, when he created the heavens and the earth. And he decided to paint the sky. Come on, you know where I'm going. He painted it Carolina Blue.

I don't know how you can call yourself a follower of Jesus and like the devil. I believe you lose a little anointing, if you're a Duke fan. I remember 2017 I was looking for Carolina game. The Carolina game finished. And then at the end of the Carolina game on the particular channel that I was watching, the commentators came on and they said, we're going to interrupt this game and take you to another basketball game between Arkansas and Minnesota.

I said, Arkansas, Minnesota. You're going to interrupt Carolina? For Arkansas and Minnesota. So they turn to their partner channel and they pick up in the third quarter. I'm sitting watching Arkansas, what? I mean, no disrespect. This is 2017, Arkansas.

This is the 2020 NCAA, tournament, Arkansas. This is 2017, Arkansas. Respectfully, there's no comparison to UNC. So I'm saying watching this game, why in the world have they interrupted the Lord's school and put Arkansas and Minnesota on? And the commentators begin to talk and they said, this is something that you have to see. Arkansas has lost six players, and now they only have seven players active that's able to play. This is at the end of the third quarter,

so I'm like, okay, here's why they are on my television. They only got seven players. This is going to get real interesting. Two minutes goes by. Two of the seven file out. They got five players. left. They continue to play for more minutes. A fight breaks out. They lose two more players. So they have three players left compared to Minnesota's 12. And the coach calls a timeout. And he gets

them in a huddle. And I would imagine if I'm this coach, I'm asking the team, hey, do y'all want to continue to play? The odds are not faring well against us. By the odds, by by all means this is a mismatch. And they came to the conclusion that we still want to play. I said, shucks, if they go play, I'm going to watch. The only reason I was watching was because it was a mismatch. You wouldn't watch no Arkansas, Minnesota game no other time. Television was because it was a mismatch.

ESPN not going to carry no Minnesota Arkansas game. game, the only reason they were being televised across the world was because there was a mismatch. And what we were seeing unfold and happened was a miracle in the middle of a mismatch. They continue to play. They continue to go on. And a couple of other guys getting in foul trouble. And they end up being with three players left. And two of the players got four fires.

And somehow, some way. Arkansas wins the game with three players. I don't know if you've seen any modern day miracles, but I encourage you to go back on YouTube and take a little stroll down memory lane of 2017 and watch this game between Arkansas and Minnesota. The only reason people still search it out is because there was a miracle that happened in the middle of a mismatch.

And I came to tell somebody today, I don't know what it may look like. I don't know what you may be up against. I don't know what the enemy baby is screaming at you, but I came to tell you today, no matter what it looks like, there's going to be a miracle in the middle of a mismatch. Is there anybody listening to me right now that believes from hell or hot water? I believe God is still good, and beside him, there is no one else. I need a miracle in the middle of a mismatch.

This is where we find ourselves in Judges, Chapter 20, verse 20. 16 when the Bible describes a group of 700 men who are left-handed. I love that the Bible is so intentional with its words because it describes how many men, and it also describes that they are left-handed. Now, when I was looking at this, I said, why does the Bible describe these men? It's just left-handed, and the Bible makes no mistakes, and so if there's something that you don't quite understand, you've got to do a little digging for. As I begin to dig through this, I begin to dig through this. I came across an article that was written by a theologian that said they were left-handed because they were no longer right-handed. They were left-handed because somewhere along the road of

battle and warfare, they lost a part of their right hand. And then I thought about it. Benjamin literally means son of my right hand. These men fighting in the tribe of Benjamin don't have a right hand no more. So what do you do when what you're known for you no longer have? You fight for who you're becoming.

What do you do when what you used to do you can no longer do? You have to fight for who you're becoming. What do you do when what people used to know you as? you no longer are. You have to fight for who you are becoming. And the Bible says that these 700 men are left-handed, because they're no longer right-hand. And I've come to understand and learn the seeds of your miracle are often sewn in the soil of adversity.

The seed for the miracle that you need and the miracle that you've been praying for and believing God for is often sown in the soil of adversity. You can't choose how you get wounded, but you can choose how you heal. Listen to me, these 700 men had to come to the conclusion that I am not what has happened to me. And I wonder, is there anybody listen to me right now that says my condition is not my conclusion? I know you've been wounded. I know you've been hurt. I know you've been left away and put to the side, but you still got some fight left in you. I know there's a lot of chaos going on around you.

And I know every time we turn on the news, there's something else going on, but you still got some fight left on the inside of you. I wonder, is there anybody listening to me that has that mind made up, no matter what's happening to me. I still got some fight left in me. If that's you, I need you to sell. Yeah! Y'all sit down, y'all make me nervous when you stand. There's 700 men are left-handed because they're no longer right-handed. They understand now we have to make a decision.

Which brings me to point number one. Everyone has a battle. I don't care what you look like. I don't care what your background is. I don't care what you got in your bank account. Everyone has a battle. I don't care how good you act like you've got your stuff together. I don't care where you sit in church.

I don't care what you drive. I don't care the house that you walk into every day. Everybody has a battle. And listen to me, if you are not careful, you will let how you got wounded determine where you're headed. You have to have your mind made up. That no matter what has happened to me, I still will fight for what I believe in. Can we be honest? Sometimes we get tired of fighting.

Oh, man, hasn't in the last two years been tiring? Your alarm clock goes off in the morning. You look at the time, and you're surprised. I'm still here. Year and a half have been so long that scientists and historians say compounded the last year and a half have been equivalent to the last 10 years. And all of us have something that they call pandemic brain, which means what we normally, what we're talking,

hearing one time for two weeks. We can't retain hearing one time for 45 minutes. They compare it to being in the middle of an emergency and first responders screaming at you the same instructions over and over again. Because first responders understand in the middle of a crisis, your mind can only process so much. So they repeat what they're saying over and over and over and over.

and over and over again until you follow the instructions that they're screaming. Historians and scientists believe that's where we are right now. And you think life is normal, but you feel tired. See, sometimes your body processes things before your mind does. And if we'd all be honest, we come to point some places in this battle where we get tired. I believe these 700 men had a decision to make. The Bible says that they were left-handed because they were no longer right-handed. They had been wounded in warfare.

All of us have been wounded somewhere, somehow, some way. And if we're not careful, we'll try to heal our own wounds instead of going back to the person that created us. in the first place. Let me help you with this truth. You can't fix yourself because you didn't make yourself. So if you can't fix yourself, you have to return to the person that made you because there's a warranty on your life that says if something is broken or missing, if you return to the manufacturer, he'll fix you. And I'm so glad I don't have to worry about fixing the broken pieces in my life. All I have to do is return to the maker. And when I return back to his feet, he says, after I get finished with you, I'll send you back out to keep on fighting.

Is anybody grateful that even in the middle of battle, even in the middle of warfare, even when you're tired, God puts a new battery in your back and says you can live the fight another day. I know you may be tired. I know you may be ready to quit, but there's still someone fight left in you. Everyone has a battle. Struggle, hear me, is the proof that you have not been overtaken by your enemy. You say, I'm still fighting, pastor. I'm struggling, man, and I would say, good.

You said, well, that don't make no sense. Yes, it does. Because struggle is the proof that the enemy has not overtaken you. The minute that there's no struggle in you, is the minute the enemy wins, but as long as you're still fighting for it, means that the enemy has not overtaking you by what you're struggling in. See, it's scars that are the proof that what tried to kill you did not overcome you. Hear me, I can't remember all the good moments in my life.

As a matter of fact, I was sharing with my wife not too long ago going down the line of our anniversaries. I can't remember what you got me. I can't remember where we went. I can't remember all those little details, but I can remember all of the good moments that we had that were significant on the other side of pain. Right? When you look at your body,

I guarantee you every single scar that you have, you can pinpoint the story that goes behind it because scars have stories. And every scar is proof that what tried to kill you didn't overcome you. Struggle is the proof that you have not been overtaken by your enemy. See, everyone wants to be victorious, but no one wants to fight the enemy. See, it's the enemy that reveals the champion on the inside of you.

Can you imagine a basketball game if there's only offense? Ten people out there just shooting the ball. Can you imagine a football game and there's no defense? everybody just tossing to each other. Everybody just running around, just looking like chickens with their head cut off. Can you imagine a sporting event if there's no adversary? See, it's the enemy that reveals the champion on the inside of you. The only way you can get the victory that you deserve and that belongs to you is go through what it is that you may be going through. And I know it gets tough and I know it gets difficult, but I'm telling you struggle is the proof that you have not been overtaken by your enemy. Which brings me to point number two. You got choices. These 700 men had choices. They had to choose to stay in the fight.

See, in military now, you get wounded to this level. You don't have a choice. You get discharged. When these 700 men were fighting, they had choices. One of the things that I've learned is we're born looking like our parents. But we die looking like our choices. 700 men had a choice to make, whether I'm going to go back home with my wounds or whether I'm going to wrap up this wound and continue to fight for what it is I'm believing in.

You got choices. See, you make choices, but then choices make you. These 700 men were handpicked. because they could not pick their hand. These 700 men were chosen because they had a choice. And it says that they could hit a horse's hair with the sling and a rock, which tells me not only did they decide to stay in the fight,

but they decided to use what they had left, to be better at what it was that they were believing for than who it was that they were known for. They had a choice whether they wanted to return home or get good at what they had left. How many times did it take them throwing a rock with a sling to hit a horse's hair 30 to 40 yards away? How many misses did it take for them to be known as those that were good at slinging a slingshot with a rock to hit a hair on the string of a tree with a rock tied to the bottom of it from 30 to 40 yards away? Did you know how far 40 yards is? Their quarterbacks that can't throw 40 yards. And you telling me, these 700 men perfected their craft with what they had left.

good enough to take a rock in a sling and hit a horsehair 30 to 40 yards away. Some of y'all can't see the hair on your hand right now. And these men had the ability to hit a horsehair, 30 to 40 yards away. How many times did they have to swing the sling to determine if they were good or not? I can imagine that they had choices. I can imagine that things got tough. I can imagine the wounds that they were dealing with were severe enough for them to have a good excuse to stay home,

but they didn't stop fighting. And I came to tell somebody right now, if you can fight for it, you'll fight to keep it. They had their mind made up that what has happened to me, my condition will not be my conclusion. And they didn't stop fighting. I can remember watching some highlights, my father's favorite athlete, Muhammad Ali. And he would go out and he would do all these press runs and he'd be talking trash.

One particular press run was for the rumble in the jungle. When they were doing this, I was watching it. My dad had his chest poked out. Son, watch this. And Muhammad Ali's talking trash. and they get to the fight and the fight is going on and the fight goes longer than expected

and at the end of the fight after the fight was over you can see Muhammad Ali kind of tearing up and crying I remember asking my dad why why is he crying and he said well son he had just been through some stuff he had been through some pain he'd been through some obstacles he had been through some trials and he knows it's a privilege to fight.

And I came to tell somebody today, it's a privilege to fight. I don't know what you're believing God for, but if you can fight for it, you'll fight to keep it. I can imagine these 700 men had to make a choice whether I'm going to stay in the fight or whether I'm going to utilize my wound as an excuse to go back to where I came from. But it says that these 700 men made up in their mind, I'm not going back from where I came from. I'm going to persevere and go forward because I believe that there's more on the other side. I know you may be through some stuff, but you've got the mentality I'm still going to fight. I know you've had to overcome some obstacles, but I believe you're in this moment in time right now because you had your mind made up.

I'm going to stay in the fight. Come on, look at somebody and tell them you've got choices. See, you run from something, you'll find yourself running from everything. If you can run from something, you'll find yourself running from everything. They didn't quit. It got tough, but they didn't quit. It got hard, but they didn't quit. It got severe, but they didn't quit.

They lost a limb, but they didn't quit. And I wonder, is there anybody listening to me? right now that your mentality is no matter how hard it gets, I'm not going to quit. No matter what the enemy or the adversary may be screaming at me, I'm not going to quit. I've been through a lot and I've been through over and I've been under the thing, but I'm not going to quit in what I may be going through. There's some things that you got to fight for to understand the importance of. See, there's some battles that God fights for you, but then there's some battles God fights through you. And I'm telling you, if you can fight for it, you'll fight to keep it. Don't quit. God has not

bought you this far to bring you this far. He desires for you to keep going to see what it is he has in store for you. And if you give up now, you'll fail short of receiving the miracle that you need. He understands it seems like it's a mismatch, but you have something that other people aren't expecting. And that's him. Oh, you got a wow. that nobody else can see. And that's him. You've got an ace in the back pocket that no one else is counting on. And that's him. I'm telling you, you've come too far to quit now. I know you may be bleeding. I know you may be missing what it is that you've lost. I know the season that you're coming out of was severe and painful, but you can't quit right now. Because if you quit right now,

you're a missed a miracle he has for you in your neck. There's a miracle in... A mismatch. Guess what? There would be no miracle if it wasn't a mismatch. We all want progress. But one of the things that we have to understand is progress ain't pretty. We all want to advance. But we don't want to put in the work it takes to advance.

Everybody shouts and screams for a miracle. But we failed to understand in order to receive the miracle. We got to go through adversity. What is it that God is rooting you on to keep fighting in so you can receive the miracle he has in store for you? Some of you are right there and you're about to quit. And this crazy man came to tell you, you can't quit now. You've come too far to stop here.

God has brought you too far for you to abandon all that he's done. It's time for you to lean in and press forward to see what's on the other side of this struggle. If you quit now, imagine the face of your enemy. See, I'm too stubborn to quit. I don't want to give the enemy the gratitude to see what I look like, stopping premature of what God has called me to walk into. See, understand. this, any season you stop or walk into prematurely is a season that will always arrive too small.

If you can stay the course, God has something in store for you greater than what you're going through. And let me paint this picture for you. The thought of victory is far sweeter than the memory of struggle. These 700 men had to get beyond living in yesterday and focus on what they had right here, right now. And one of the things that I'm finding that we're missing is that we often hear how to steward our time, we often hear how to steward our finances, we often hear how to steward our relationships, but very few times do we hear how to steward pain. And so when pain enters into our life, we think that God has abandoned and forsaken us, when in fact God can utilize the pain to propel us into the season of life he desires for us to be in.

And quite possibly, some of us are in this season of tension and pain because God desires to use it to get some glory out of it. And I refuse to go through any pain without that pain prospering me. Is there anybody listening to me right now that says I ain't come this far? I ain't been through what I've been through. I'm not going through the pain I'm going through for it to leave me the same. This pain is going to prosper me. I feel like preaching right now. Is there anybody that got their mind made up that this pain is going to prosper me?

This pain is going to propel me. This pain is going to push me and I'm not going to be the same on the other side of pain. You got choices to make. I know you're tired. I know you feel like throwing in the tower. I know you think it's over, but I came to tell you, it's not over until you quit. And it's not over until you throw in the tower. And God says, I'm not finished, so you're not finished.

I'm not done, so you're not done. I still got victory for you if you can receive it. As are anybody willing to reach out and grab what it is that God has for you. hear me when I tell you this oftentimes God will put the victory within your reach but he won't put it in your hand you got to reach for what it is that God has for you and if you can must up the strip

to reach out for what it is he has for you God said it's yours and I wonder that anybody listen to me that believe victory is mine come on y'all take a seat I got a few more minutes to work you got a few more minutes you got choices

You've got to have your mind made up. I choose to fight. I love the scripture that says, this is the day that the Lord has made. I choose to rejoice being made glad in it. I know things may be going on in your life, but you got a choice. I know there may be hell and chaos going on around you,

but you got a choice. I know your kids may be acting crazy, but you got a choice. I know your spouse, act like they didn't lost their mind, but you got a choice to wake up in the morning and say, this is the day that the Lord has made. I choose to rejoice and be made glad in it. Somebody said, I choose.

I know you've been through a lot, but you still believe. I know the enemy through his best shot, but you still believe. I know it seems like there's so much going on around you, but you still believe. And as long as you can hold on to what you believe, you can grab a whole of the victory that God has for you. Is there anybody in here that says, I still believe? But believe.

Listen to me, the past is in your head, but the victory is in your hand. What happened to you is in your head, but what God desires for you to walk in is in your hand. These men were hand-picked because they couldn't pick their hand. but they played with the hand they were dealt. You may not be able to choose your hand, but you have to have your mind made up.

I'm going to play with the hand I've been dealt. My hand may not look as good as a person sitting beside me. I may not have the same car as a person sitting in front of me has. I may not have the same abilities that the person sitting on the other side of me have, but I'm going to play with the hand I've been dealt. I did not get hand picked because I could pick my hand. I was handpicked because I couldn't choose. And I'm telling you there's certain battles you can't choose, but God has chosen for you.

And the thing of it is, is if he bought you to the battle, he'll bring you through the battle. Somebody's out there's a miracle in the mismatch. Most people don't make it until the season that they're supposed to because they quit wide at the point of receiving what it is that God has in store for them. I just want to tell you, you've come too far. to stop here. You got to pick up what you have left and keep pushing forward.

Point number three is this, and then I'm going to get out your way. You have to be determined to be better with what you got left rather than with what you lost. See, if you live from a memory more than you do your dreams, you will fail.

If you live more from what was than what is and what will be, you will fail. You have to be better with what you have left than what you lost. I can remember wanting to be good at basketball in my dad taking me outside to the goal, and he would tie my right hand behind my back. I say, what are you doing this for? He said, because I want to strengthen the areas at your weekend. So if I see you touch the ball with your right hand, I'm going to pop it.

I said, you're going to pop it. I'm going to pop it. Because I don't want you touching the ball with what you're already good at. I said, well, what am I going to do? He said, you're going to dribble with your left hand. And this is what I want you to do. I want you to dribble the ball

and don't stop until I tell you to stop dribbling. I said, but I can't dribble with my left hand. He said, I know that's why I'm telling you to dribble with it. The only way you're going to get good at doing something you are not good at is by doing it. I said, okay. He says, so put your right hand behind your back. All right. Tile or a rope around my mind.

I'm like, what kind of countryhood teaching is this? I didn't say that to him. I thought it, though. My dad was 6'4, about 265. Country strong. He played no games. I couldn't say much, but I thought it. He said, now dribble.

Dribbling, dribbling, dribbling, dribbling, dribbling, dribbling, dribbling, dribbling, dribble. Pick it up. Dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, drip, dribble, dribble, dribble, he said, now what I want you to do, I want you to shoot the ball. I take it, fumble it around, I shoot it, and he block it. Like, wait. My man, I'm like four feet, you got my right hand tied behind my back. I'm dribbling with a hand I ain't ever used.

And he said something to me that stuck with me. He said, do you think your opponent is going to care about your weakness? You have to be better with what you have left than what you lost. And I know you've lost a lot. But you have to have your mind made up that with what I have left, I will be better with than what I have lost. And your mentality has to be with the weapon that I have now. If I can win with this, God will give me the weapon I need for next. I know you have been through some things. I know you have been over some things. I know it seems like life has put you under

some things. But if you can win with the weapon you have now, God will give you the weapon you need for your next. You have to be better with what you have left than what it is that you've lost. They've lost a lot. They've endured a lot. They've encountered a lot. But their mentality is, I will be better with what I have left more than what I have lost. See, God is the only person that can turn your pain into your power.

Is it possible that we would have never read about these 700 men if they kept both arms? Is it possible that we would never have made mention of these 700 chosen left-handed men if they had never been through warfare and battle and overcome some things? Is it possible that the only reason they are mentioned in the Bible is because God had in mind to take their pain and turn it into their power? And there's some of you asking God, why am I going through what I'm going? Bring me out of it, God. remove it from my life, God. I don't want to deal with it no more, God. And God is saying, I'm going to get glory out of this.

The only way people will know that I am God in your life is when they see the miracle that happened because of the mismatch. See, if you still have the ability to use both of your arms, that's not a mismatch. But he says, I'm going to do something in your life. what people understand and know if it had not been for God, you would have been trapped and caught in the thing that was trying to overcome you. If it had not been for God, you would have been stuck and dead in the water. If it had not been for God, you would have remained the same.

But because of God, there was actually a miracle that happened in the mismatch. It's a miracle in the mismatch. And I know it's not pretty. And I know getting wounded is not popular. And I know that you go through some things and no one knows what you go to, but I'm telling you, if it had not been for the mismatch, there would be no miracle. If it had not been for the pain, there would be no promotion. If it had not been for me being poured back into pain, there would be no propelling for. I may not have liked the pain in the moment. But in hindsight, I'm thankful for the pain.

that I've endured and overcome. Because the pain held a promise. And in the promise, God said, I'll never leave you, nor will I forsake you. I'll be with you until the very end of all time. And I wonder, is there anybody grateful that God didn't leave you in the pain, but he puts you out and he says there's a promise waiting on you. That's a miracle and a mismatch and keep fighting. God says, I got victory waiting for you.

If you can keep pushing, God says I got victory waiting. But if you can keep going, God says, I got something so great in store for you, the half has not been told. And I'm so grateful that we serve a God that is able to keep us from falling. And so as much as you may not like it right now. But pain is an indicator. that you're still alive. Oh, you didn't quit when things got tough.

You didn't give up when things got hard. You didn't throw in the towel and it seemed like there was no way you was going to win. But you endured the pain. And God said because you endured, I got something in store for you. And I know you don't feel like it. But if you can see victory, God said it's yours. I was looking at the Olympics and I was listening to one of the runners and the runner said I was running and I got tired, but I could see the finish line. And because I could see victory, it gave me the strength I needed to keep on running a little bit farther.

And I know you may be in pain right now, but if you can see victory, he said, oh, give you the strength to run on a little farther. Is there anybody right now, if you've got some mind made up, I can see. victory. Come on, lift those hands and open up your mouth and come on, tell God, I see it. Come on, tear God, I see it. Come on, tell God, I see it. Come on, tell God, I see it. Now, for a moment, I want to talk to those who are wounded and you are in need of a miracle. If that's true, I just want you to stretch those hands up. If you're watching online, I just want you to put that in the chat, I need a miracle. You've been chosen for the battle that you are fighting because God can trust you with trouble. Did you hear what I said? I said because God can trust you

with trouble. I know some of you are in a troubling situation. God is saying they won't turn their back on me. I can trust them with trouble. And for those of you that are listening to me and watching online, my question is in the middle of this troubling situation, can God trust you? Can he trust you to return back to him with the issues, with the broken pieces, with the wounds, with the things that you have that are open right now for him to heal? Come on, if you need a miracle, just stretch those hands. For those of you're watching online and you're not driving, I just want you to lift your hands right now. I love this song because it says you take what the enemy meant for evil and you turn it. So the enemy thought that he won.

He threw his best shot. He thought that he was going to take your mind. He thought that he was going to steal your family He thought that by you losing your job you was going to give up He thought surely if that doesn't happen I'll cause this thing to wipe them out But I'm telling you what he couldn't touch Was your ability to believe

And although this Situation and season is troubling God trust you And I'm believing right now that he's going to provide the miracle you need In the middle of a mismatch And so Lord Jesus, we thank you, that you can do what only you can do. And so, God, we ask that you would provide the miracle that we need and the timing that you want us to receive it. And so, God, we receive

what it is that you are releasing to us, the healing that we need, the victory that we need, the breakthrough that we need, the miracle that we need. God, we thank you that you can heal these wounds because you are a healer. God, there's no one that has ever touched this earth that has not been wounded. Even your son, Isaiah chapter 53, verse 5, it says you were wounded for our transgressions. And you were bruised for our iniquities. And God, you understanding that you would get wounded,

you understanding that you would get bruised, you understanding that you would get pierced, you understanding that you would get whipped and nailed to a cross, still had in your mind to stay on the front line and fight the battle that you had to fight, And you, God, showing us what it means to not quit. You got showing what it means to not give up. You got showing what it means not to throw in the towel.

And so, God, we rest in what it is that you have done for us. And, God, we acknowledge today that we are weak. And your word says that when we are weak, that's when you are strong. And so, God, we rest in the shrift that you have for us. And God, we say victory is mine because we can see it in the name of Jesus. And we declare that as long as we can see it, we can receive it. And so, God, we say we're going to see the victory. We say we're going to receive the victory.

We say victory is mine in the name of Jesus. Come on give God a shout of praise. Thank you for joining us. Special thanks to those of you who give generously to this ministry is because of you that this ministry is possible. You can click the link in the description to give now or 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.