Elevation with Steven Furtick - The Second Yes

Episode Date: November 18, 2019

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This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Holly and I wanted to say a special hello to our EFAM, our extended family around the world. We love you guys. Hey, before we get into the message, let me tell you about available. This is a special season for our church.

It's a tradition for the people of elevation. Every year we gather, we appreciate and anticipate. And we also give. This is our yearly time for everybody who receives from this ministry to give so that the ministry can go forth. And this year we've themed it around the word. Available.

That's all God has ever wanted is for us to say, here I am. Send me, use me. And you have the opportunity to do that. So if you've been blessed through the ministry, it's good to receive. It's even better to give. If you want to make a donation, a one-time gift or a recurring gift, just be a part of what God is doing here. We are so appreciated.

You can get all the details at elevationchurch.org. I'm going to said elevationworship.com. I guess you could go there too. But the giving is at Elevation Church. What did you just do? You have Elevation Worship on your sweatshirt. Hey! But Elevationchurch.org, and you can select available.

We use all of these resources to continue to preach the gospel, not only in physical locations like this one, but through the amazing opportunity God has given us to impact the world through technology. And we want to thank all of you who are a part. We couldn't do it without you. Thank you for being a part of our family. Thank you for being a part of this move of God. Go to Elevationchurch.org.com. If you're not already there and be a part, this is going to be an amazing, amazing season.

And Holly and I are believing that your best is ahead. Somebody asked me the other day about my calling to the ministry. The thing about it was when God called me to preach for him. I was 16. I guess that's pretty young. It's probably better that God calls you while you're dumb. Not that I'm much smarter now. Now, but just before your excuses start to pile up or, you know what I'm saying?

And I want to tell you something before I get into the Word. In just a moment, I'm going to go right into the Word of God. We are in week two of a series called Available. Just lift your hands and say, God, I'm available. Why don't you just wave real quick and say, God, if you're looking for somebody to bless, if you're looking for somebody to help, if you're looking for somebody to lift, if you're looking for somebody to drop a double dose of joy, I'm available. God, if you want to speak, I'm available. Amen. Come on, clap your hands if you know that's all God wants. But I want to

introduce my message in kind of a different way today. Normally I would just read the scripture, be seated and start teaching. But I want to tell you that when I close my eyes sometimes, when I come out here to minister to you, I picture that little church in Monk's Corner, Santae Circle Baptist Mission. It was called, when I first got there, they had not even chartered as a church yet. They were a mission of First Baptist Monks Corner. And it met in the Woodman of the World Building on the outskirts of Monk's Corner. Some of y'all don't even believe there are outskirts of Monk's Corner.

You thought Monk's Corner is the outskirts, but this was outside of town. And people would come out there. Not too many. It was only about 50 people when I got out there. But it was interesting because the way God called me into ministry in some parts was practical because Pastor Mickey White of, I guess Pastor Mickey, what is he, 73, 74? He called me to preach because he couldn't afford a real youth minister. And he saw this fired up 16-year-old for Jesus Christ.

And so he asked me, would I come and minister to his youth? And I said, yes. And I want to tell you something, as we talk about this series available and as we prepare for our big offering on December 7th and 8th. How many are excited to give in our year-end offering? Amen, for expansion and outreach, December 7th and 8th. Our eFAM around the world, let's welcome them. All of our campuses, our 19 locations. But I told Pastor Mickey that I said,

I would work with the youth and then he gave me, he said, well, since you're going to be here working with the youth, we also need a hymn leader, a song leader. I grew up in the Methodist church just down the street. Actually, the Baptist Church and the Methodist church were right across the street from each other. And so it was a contest to see who could get out first to go to the restaurant. That was kind of the goal to beat the Baptist to the Berkeley restaurant in Monk's Corner. But he said, will you lead the songs too?

And again, not that I'm a good singer. I was just available. You see a theme here? So since he already, he kind of is a little bit of bait and switch. Will you work with the youth? Will you lead the songs? Well, the thing was, the hymns that they had at the Baptist Church were a little different than the Methodist Church. In the Baptist Church, they would sing these choruses.

And I had to learn all of those choruses because I didn't know them. I knew all the Green Day and Nirvana and Hootie and the Blowfish choruses. And I was in a conversion process, from Methodist to Baptist, from flesh to spirit, and all at the same time. So anyway, it was intimidating because Pastor Mickey would always stand in the back of the room while I was leading the choruses before he would come preach. And if he didn't like the way I was leading them, he would walk in and stop me and take over. So I always felt like I was auditioning all the time. And one thing he really couldn't stand is if you were leading it too slow. So if he thought it was dragging, he would just come from the back of the room.

Big guy to a six foot, let's make him real tall, six foot ten. You're never going to meet him. But he was a big guy, a real intimidating guy to me. And he had this shocking white hair. And so he would come up and he would start clapping at the tempo that he wanted the song if you weren't on it. I'm going to start trying that. Just walk up here and start clapping. Y'all probably take me to the mental institution if I did it.

But he would start clapping and it was a small church so it would just, dominate the whole room. And I was leading this hymn one time called Yes Lord Yes. Do any of you know this chorus? It's a chorus. It's not a hymn. And it says, Yes, Lord, yes. To your will, into your way. Yes, Lord, yes. You got a picture me. I'm like 16. I got this triple X L Tommy Hilfiger shirt tucked into my into my dockers. And I'm up there and I'm trying to lead the music and I'm just, waving my hand like this. I had no idea what I was waving two or four, but I had seen it done. I'm up there just leading the, and I'm going, yes, Lord, yes, to your will and to your way. Yes, Lord, yes, I will trust you and obey when your spirit speaks to me.

With my whole heart, I'll agree. And my answer will. be yes, Lord, yes. Back in the room, I start hearing. And he walks up and he goes, let's put some pep in our yes. And he started singing it so fast. It was like speaking in tongues. It turned the Baptist church into a Pentecost campground. He starts saying, yes, Lord, yes, do you're willing to, and everybody's clapping on the one

in the three like white people do. So here's what I want you to do. to the person next to you and tell them, tell them this. Ask them a question for me. Just say, does God have your yes? Does God have your yes? Holy Spirit, I pray that our time together would be absolutely meaningful and that we would never be the same.

In Jesus' name. You may be seated. God bless you. I'm full of anticipation about what God might speak in this time together. How about you? Come on, it's easier to cook for people who are hungry. How about you? Second Corinthians, Chapter 1 is our selection for today.

And Holly, I think I finally got it right. This is my third time preaching it, and I made a new outline each time. Where Paul is defending himself to the church that he started. Ain't that a thing. Having to argue with something you made. throw your kids across the room, but they reached a little disagreement. Now, he's coming to collect a special offering for the church at Judea. He doesn't really talk about that until chapters 8 and 9 of 2 Corinthians.

And I shared from that scripture last week. But this week, we've seen his introductory comments that Paul, who was called by God to be an apostle to the Gentiles, is being contested by some people within the church that he started. And he's explaining to them why he had to change his plans from what he intended to do to what God purposed. And the verses that I'm about to read are his defense of his changes, his contingency plan, you should say. Because he told them, I'm going to come spend 18 months with you. But then he didn't. The plan changed.

And some people, because the plan changed, were saying that Paul was the fickle apostle. They put a definite article on it. He's the fickle one. Now, this is not his first year of ministry or his apprenticeship. So he's writing back to them. And there's a little bit of sauce on his response. As you will see in verse 15, he says, because I was confident of this, basically. because I thought we had a relationship.

Basically because I thought you knew that I don't just move according to what I feel, but I operate according to God's purpose. Because I was confident of this, I planned or I wanted at first to visit you so that you might benefit twice. Hold that in your mind for a moment. He said, I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia and to come back to you from Macedonia and then to have you send me on my way to Judea. So here's the question. Was I fickle when I intended to do this?

Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that... Excuse me, my iPad is trying to give me a wallpaper option, and I don't want that. I just want the verse right now. Okay, U-Virgeon is doing too much at the moment. Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say both yes, yes, and no, no? But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not yes and no, for the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, meaning me and Silas and Timothy, all the heavy hitters passed through Corinth. It was an influential station for the gospel to go forth. And I believe that Elevation Church in this season in the earth is an influential meeting of people who are redeemed by the blood of Christ, who are willing to take the gospel beyond our little walls. and our little suburbs, and our little farms and hamlets and communities and apartments, and beyond our hearts, and to give what we have been freely given.

And he said, the reason that God sent all of these people was to demonstrate his faithfulness. And no matter how many promises God has made, verse 20, they are yes in Christ. And so through him, the amen is spoken by us to the glory of God. Would you mind if I went back for a second helping of verse 20? He said no matter how many promises God has made, if he said he would bless you, if he said he would heal you, if he said he would forgive you, if he said he would make a way for you, if he said he would carry you, if he said he would turn it around, if he said he would redeem you, if he said he would restore the years, if he said he would use you, it's still a yes. If God said yes is yes. And through us is the amen to the glory of God. So I want to speak to you. to you today for a few moments about the second yes. Yes, Lord, yes. The second yes. What a revelation it is. Is anyone in here engaged to be married? Your hand went up before I even asked the question. Somebody shouting over here, but I saw you first. Engage to be married. Yes. To him. No.

He's back there? He's serving. That's a good... When you find a man that serves God, I mean, I'm telling you, because what is sexy over time is steady. Matter of fact, did you notice how nobody clapped for you when you said you were engaged? Nobody clapped. I don't know if you noticed.

When you have your 10-year anniversary, we'll clap. But we're happy for you. What's your name? Jordan, you serve in E-Kids. How old are you? 27 years old. How old is he? 28.

This is a match made in heaven. So how did he propose? Just the short version. In the apartment? And he said, and you said, but today she said yes. I want to talk about the second yes. Did you ever see the show?

They had a show called Say Yes to the dress. This is say yes to the mess. How many know I'm right about this already? You don't even know what this scripture has to do with the illustration. But it's just a second yes. Because really, you don't even know what you said yes to yet. So, well, y'all are responding a little overly enthusiastically to that. I'm not sure who you're going home with, but you don't know.

When you say yes, you don't know all of the blessings. I promise you. Holly did not know that she was saying yes. There is a sense in which she didn't know she was saying yes to all of the, I guess you could say, the opportunities that God would open doors for us when she said, oh, sure, I'll be your wife and we'll serve God together. You know, you kind of say yes. And then God is, I don't want to say he's tricky, but he's just selective. in how much he shows you when you say yes when you say yes to a person some of you when you said yes to come to church here today you had no idea what you were getting into i can see you

i know your type you're looking for the exits at all time and it's it's like you don't you don't really know what you said yes to yet and so when i said Yes, I'll serve at Santys Circle Baptist Mission. I couldn't have known. You never can know what you're saying yes to yet. And when we say yes to Christ, when we say yes to salvation, yes, I want my sins forgiven. Yes, I want a relationship with God. Yes, I want to live by faith, not by sight.

Yes, I want reconciliation with my creator. Yes, I want to receive the Holy Spirit. When you say yes to God, there is a respect in which you don't really know what you're saying yes to until much later in the process. And every step that you take in following Christ, every step, every yes leads you to a greater understanding. And sometimes what that means is that you sign up for one thing. And then you have to experience another, and that requires surrender. Now, y'all, I'm not a guest preacher at this church. I'm the pastor.

And every once in a while, God will put a message on my heart that I believe is intended by the Holy Spirit to challenge you in an area where you have settled. The fact is, many of us have said the first yes to Jesus that we want to receive the blessing of his forgiveness. But when it comes to the second yes, which is the process of sanctification, by which he makes us more like Christ, many of us are stuck in the first yes. This is not a message about the first yes. Because remember, Paul was called by God to be an apostle. He was called by God in a very remarkable way when God knocked him off of his horse on the road to Damascus, where God, God interrupts him in the middle of his regularly scheduled programming to persecute Christians and says, I'm going to have you preach to the same people you were going to persecute.

If you ever want to make God laugh, tell him your plans. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, you hear God laughing at what you thought it was going to be. And so Paul is having to explain this principle. Write this down. God's yes is settled. God's yes is settled. So when God says yes, he doesn't say yes like you said yes when somebody asked you something and you just wanted them to shut up so you told them yes so they would leave you alone so you could

text them later. Paul said, God is not fickle like people. He's faithful. God is not a man that he should lie, nor the son of man that he should repent. God is faithful. And before you even make the mistake, he said yes to forgiving you. Before you even found yourself outside of his will, he said yes to bringing you back in. So there is nothing you can bring before God today.

I feel the Holy Spirit. There is nothing you can bring before God today in the name of Jesus in agreement with his will that he will not say yes to. For the scripture says that as many promises as God is made, the answer is already yes. Some of you are wondering in your heart, God, I made a mess. Can you clean it up? It's already yes. God already said yes to clean up your mess before you ever made it. And here's why. God is not like people. People are fickle. God is faithful. Have you ever had a fickle friend, a friend that made plans with you until a better plan came along? A friend who was hanging out with you until somebody who was cooler called?

My son Graham asked me the other day. He said something interesting. He said, if you did, and he, I don't even remember what he said, but he said, if you said this from the pulpit, would you get canceled? And I don't remember even the example that he brought up, but I just thought the question was funny. And I thought for a minute, and I had this realization, God called me, because we live in a cancel culture. And so the moment that somebody does something that we find disagreeable, that they're not that they find disagreeable, that they're does not conform to our image of what we thought they should be, we have the nerve to talk about that we canceled that celebrity or we canceled that person. And so what I said back to Graham, I want to say to some of you, man can't cancel what

God called. I'm going to say it again on behalf of Paul. Man can't cancel what God has called. When God called you, he doesn't call. knew exactly what he was getting with the package. You don't know what you said yes to yet, but God knew what he said yes to when he accepted you. So here's the question. If he accepted you unconditionally, then what sin, what shame, what mistake, what misdirection shall be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus? I can't

with an announcement. They didn't create you. They can't cancel you. Man can't cancel what God called. If God called you, if God is for you, he's more than the world against you. Preach verdict. Preach it. Preach it for the people who feel like they went too far. If God for you, called you, raised you, and set his seal of ownership on you. I'm going to preach a follow-up, sermon. on that point. But for now, I just need you to know that when God says yes, he means yes. He meant it when he said it. He knew it when he said it. He was able to foresee it even when he spoke it. But people, though, people mean different things when they say yes. And so I feel like the crux of this message comes when the plan changes. And then you have to

to decide, am I committed to the plan or am I committed to the purpose? Paul said the plan has changed, but the purpose has not. And maybe we could talk about this for a minute because your yes will always be tested. I'm talking about the second yes. Not the first one, not the cute one, not the naive one, the second yes. It's when, you know, a lot of times we bring God this plan for our life, this blueprint, and then we want him to sign off on it and just bless it at the bottom. Like the Lord signed it a permission trip for a field trip.

Like we're trying to go ice skating with the fifth grade class. Can you sign here, Heavenly Guardian, Father? Y'all, I didn't sign up for a genie. I signed up for a God. Change the battery or something. Because sometimes God will cancel the plan to accomplish the purpose. So the first yes that we say to God is for how we expected our life to go. The second yes is not so simple.

The second yes, and some of you are having your yes tested as I speak, because there was a plan A that you had for your life, and now you are on plan LMNOP. No, we passed B a long time ago. I did C, D, E, F, G, H. I bought an I, I couldn't find an I. Come on, somebody. My first plan started with I, and it got canceled. And so Paul said the reason that the plan was canceled is that God had a better yes. God had, oh, this is the part right here.

This is where your yes is tested to find out what kind of yes was it to begin with. I found out everybody has a point at which their yes is tested. Because it's the second yes. Yes, Lord, yes. I wondered when I was leading that song, why does it say yes twice? He heard you the first time. Yes, Lord, yes. And I realized that the second yes, see, we love Jeremiah 29-11.

in church. If you're new to church, you better learn that one quick. Come on. Even the people who only come on Easter will quote Jeremiah 29-11 at you. For I know the plans I have for you. Wait a minute. I know the plans I have for you, sayeth the Lord. So if he's saying I know the plans I have for you, what does that imply? You don't? I'm sorry, y'all. This is the message God gave me, you're going to have to talk to the supervisor. He said to tell you to make sure, if you quote Jeremiah 29-11, at least do the courtesy of reading verses 12 and 13.

I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you. Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord. Yes, yes, Lord. Remember that one? That's a youth group anthem. But he said, and the kids. And then you will call on me and I will answer you, and you will seek me and you will find me when you seek me with all your heart.

And what's interesting about that is he said, seek me. But we don't like the verse that's about him. We like the verse that's about his plan, because I am addicted to my plans, because I am a control freak by nature. And the second, yes, says, do you trust the person? person, even when you don't like the plan. That's the second yes. It's easy for Holly to be my wife in certain moments. Certain moments.

Certain moments. I promise you she had no idea everything she was saying yes to. I am the son of Larry Ferdick. There are some genetic yeses that she did not know she was saying. Oh, I love a newly married person. Well, I'm marrying them, not their family. All these little cute things you say on the first yes. The first yes, you say to them.

The second yes, you say to Uncle Don. And Uncle Don is crazy. Uncle Don is a drunk. Uncle Don is absolutely demon-possessed. You have no idea what you're saying yes to. Now, here's the question. Do you trust the person even when you don't like the plan? Because I did not say yes to my understanding of God's plan.

I said yes to God. And the second yes, the second yes is not just to the blessing. The second yes is to believing that God is working even when his presence is hard to discern. Who is this message for today? You're on the second yes. You're not on the first yes. the first yes. The first yes is immature. The first yes is, yes, except, or yes, unless, okay? You know, yes, God, I will do everything you want me to do. That turned the other cheek

crap? I'm not soft like that. I was erased like that. So yes, Lord, to the other part, Or, you know where you really see it? In the areas of greatest conviction and in the areas that go against the grain of what has been culturally embedded in us. The first yes is the stuff that we want God to change about us. The second yes. The first yes is, follow me and I will make you fishers of men. The second yes is I'm going to Jerusalem to die and this ends on a cross. The second yes. I don't know if you're ready for the second yes.

The second yes is not yes, except how someone will say, well, I'm coming to Christ. I'm going to go to church, but yes, this is yes unless. I'll do it unless. Some people watch my sermon online unless I start talking about something they don't want to hear about that day. Now we got click Christianity. It went from a cross to a click. I can't figure out what happened. Jesus didn't say take up your click and stream me if I'm saying something you want to hear.

He said, follow me. Follow me when it's hard. Follow me. Can I still get a yes when it's not what you expected and it's not what? Do you still love me? Will you still serve me? Will you still trust me? Will you still surrender to me?

Will you still follow me when while I speak to you leads you to a place that you didn't know to expect? This is the second yes. This is when Jesus knelt down in the Garden of Gassimony and he said, Father, I don't want to do it. I don't want to go to this cross. I don't want to experience separation. So if there's any other way, I don't want to say yes. But in that moment, in that crux, in that crucible of the second yes, Jesus said, nevertheless, see, a real yes will reach past your flesh, past your feelings, past your experience, past your logic,

past what's popular, past opinions, and say, God, this is not a yes from my flesh, this is a yes from my spirit. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done. So the answer is still. Yes, devil. Come against me, it's still a yes. Tell me I have no right. It's still a yes. And the more he persecutes me, the more I'm going to praise him because it's a yes. It was yes. It was settled when he called me, when he chose me, it's a yes. Yes and amen to the glory of God. Amen is not just something you say to help the preacher know he's doing a good job. Amen is a is a covenant word. Now look, the first yes is about convenience.

The second yes is about covenant. Any time you see something twice in Scripture, like when God called Moses and he said his name twice, it is symbolic of covenant. It means that God has already said yes to you even when you say no to him. Some of y'all don't like that because you are real Christian this week. But I promise you, if you will have a bad week, you will need a cover. with God. You will start quoting verses like, even if I am faithless, he is faithful, for he cannot deny himself. That's the second yes. It's when you've given God every excuse or reason to exclude you, and he brings you in and uses you. The second yes is a covenant yes. When I give to God in an offering,

the reason that I give to God is because I believe that everything is that I believe that everything that I have comes from him. I don't want to take a vote because we don't really do a lot of church votes here, but how many would say everything I have comes from God? I worked hard for what I have. Who made it so you weren't laying in a hospital bed this morning? Or who even made it so you were born into an opportunity where you could have the ability to work hard or see an example of hard work set so that you could follow in it?

I found out a long time ago that if he doesn't breathe out, I don't breathe in. So everything I have I received from the Lord. And you know how Malachi 3 is a scripture about giving back to God? And on our offering weekend, it would be a great chance for some of you to say the second yes to God. Yeah, the first yes is, yes, I enjoy this church. The second yes is I'm invested in it. Praise the Lord. The yes of investment.

And God says in that great scripture, he says, test me in this. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse. That's that first 10% I give to God. 10% that's a lot. No, 90 that he lets me keep is a lot. It all comes from him. Somebody said to me one time, why do you have such boldness when you preach about giving? I said, because I believe that our faith is the access point by which God blesses us.

So, like, a couple years ago, Abby was bringing me her cereal and her bowl. She was five years old. And she said, I got you. She said, look on the bright side. Here's my bowl and here's my cereal for you to make me cereal. But look on the dark side, Daddy. I can't reach the milk. Look on the dark side.

That was so adorable. I wrote it down in my phone so I wouldn't forget it. Look on the dark side. I can't reach the milk. Because she understood something. Sometimes you can see something, but you can't reach it. And it was available, but it wasn't accessible. Come on and help me preach if you know what I'm talking about.

And it is by grace that you are saved. That's God's yes to you. But it is through faith. Faith is what makes grace accessible. It is believing that God is with you. It is believing that God is for you. It is believing that God is enough because God's yes is settled. Your yes will be tested.

But I need you to understand this last point. Your yes is connected. Your yes is connected to God's yes. Not that we earn His love or our obedience curries his favor. God is not a man like that. But when you put yourself in a position where you say yes to God, you have no idea what is connected to your yes. And sometimes when you're really fighting to trust,

trust God. You're not even actually fighting for you. You're fighting for your children and your children's children. Hear the word of the Lord. Some of you are changing bloodlines by your faith. I'm going to say it for the 50 people who receive it. Some of you are not just fighting for what's right in front of you. See, your yes is connected. Your yes, your, when Joe, when Joe, Cody said yes to Jesus and came through Monk's Corner and led me to Christ sitting at the restaurant, his yes was connected to me preaching. Now that we started this ministry, I've seen thousands of people say yes to Jesus. Without his first yes, the second yes would not have been possible.

The devil is fighting you over your yes right now because he knows what is connected to your yes. If you throw your hands up right now, I promise you there is a breakthrough in your yes. There is deliverance in your yes. There is freedom in your yes. There is healing in your yes. Come on, there's salvation in your yes. Let me ask you a question.

Aren't you glad Jesus said yes to the cross? That's why you got saved. That's why you got healed. That's why you got redeemed. because he said yes yes say it yes say it with defiance yes i'm hurting but yes i'm confused but yes i don't know the way out but yes it doesn't make sense on paper but yes i'm still in the depression right now but yes i still believe in freedom even though i'm dealing with the addiction yes say yes till the devil has no choice, but to believe you. Convince yourself in your spirit. Press past your flesh and say

yes from your spirit. Yes. Your yes is connected to your purpose. And when you say yes to God, you have no idea what you're saying yes to. Oh, I'm done. Y'all can stay standing. I said what God gave me to say. Jump up on your feet. What is your response? This is the second yes. The first yes is that you came to hear the message. The second yes is what will you do with it? Paul said something so powerful. He said that the yes comes from God and the amen comes through us for his glory. The second yes is yours to say.

So I want us to take a moment and sing the old country Baptist Him. them together. And I want you to close your eyes and just think about the yes that God has put in front of you. Some of you is a heavy yes. For some it's a Gethsemini yes. For some it's a nevertheless yes. So when I'm on plan B and I have to accept something that God has allowed, will I still say yes? When it comes to a challenging point in my life, do I trust the plan or the person?

With your hands lifted to heaven if you love the Lord and are called according to his purpose. Just try to sing it if you can. Say yes, Lord, yes. To your will and to your way. Yes, Lord, yes. So trust you and obey. When your spirit, With my whole heart, I'll agree and my answer.

You know, I don't mean any disrespect to Pastor Mickey that we should put some pep in our yes, but I think sometimes we should put some depth in our yes. It's just so shallow to say yes to the blessings of God when it feels good, and then only to say no to the burdens in our life that he gives us to make us stronger. I just wonder, would you lift your hands one more time and say yes? Yes, Lord, yes, I will trust you and open When your spirit is my whole and my answer will be yes. That means the answer is yes before I even know the question To your will and to your way

Yes, Lord, yes I will trust you and open When your spirit speaks to me, with my whole heart I look, and my answer. Heads bowed, eyes close. What is your next yes? That doesn't always mean that you relocate cities, change jobs. Sometimes it could just be a simple place in your heart where something that you've been denying God access to in your life becomes open before him. knowing that He is Lord of all.

Father, I bring your people before you today in prayer. You know what they have need of before they ask of it. I hear you saying yes to meet every need in this place. I hear you saying yes to satisfy every desire with good things so that our youth is renewed like the Eagles. I hear you saying yes. I thank you for the yes of heaven, God. That when people say no, you say yes. that when situations and circumstances seem shut down and closed in, you say yes, and you make a way in the wilderness, and you bring forth water from a rock. I hear you saying yes today. I hear you saying yes to second chances, yes to new beginnings. I hear you saying yes today. And we respond with yes. We respond not just with a nod of our head, but with the posture of our hearts. Yes, Lord, yes.

To your will and to your way. Yes, Lord, yes, I will trust you when your spirit is my word amen in Hebrew is a word of agreement. It means so be it. Because I come into alignment with you, God. It means that my plan B is your plan A. And the answer is yes. 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 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.

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