Elevation with Steven Furtick - This Is That Day

Episode Date: January 8, 2024

Don’t let the down days define you. In “This Is That Day,” Pastor Steven Furtick reminds us that God has given us what we need to win this day. If you’ve just made a decision for Christ, please respond HERE: http://ele.vc/tIepfr To support this ministry and help us continue to reach people all around the world click here: http://www.elevationchurch.org/giving/ Scripture References:Isaiah 27, verses 1-6Psalm 118, verse 24Proverbs 27, verse 1Lamentations 3, verse 23See 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. Happy New Year Elevation Church. You made a good decision to get in the house today. I'm telling you, I'm believing this year that God is going to open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing that we will not have room enough to receive. Of course, as we stand on the precipice of a new year, God, we thank you for what you've already brought us through.

It's amazing, mind-blowing. Absolutely incredible what you've done for us. That we stand before you a new creation in Jesus Christ. The old is gone, and the new has come. As I stand behind this pulpit today, God, I thank you for all of the messages that you're going to preach this year through this ministry. I thank you in advance that these your children will have enough bread for every battle they face. I thank you for new songs from this house this year that will minister to people and become anthems for every day of their life. I thank you for all of the people who will be saved through this ministry this year.

For all of the people who will be redeemed from their sin, I thank you for all of the addictions that will be broken this year because of your powerful word. I thank you for new opportunities for your people this year. New connections, fresh perspectives. I thank you for new relationships in their life this year. I thank you for the restoration of things that we're given up on. I declare it. I believe it.

I give you thanks in advance. You're a mighty God. Do whatever you want to do. We give this year to you. In Jesus' name. Amen. Somebody shout, it's head in my way. Put it in the comment.

Say it's headed my way. Put your name in the comment so God knows where to put your DoorDash delivery. Wouldn't it be cool if God was like DoorDash? If you could track him and see where it was. But somebody say, it's headed my way. Give me five on that. It's headed my way. High five more people say, you got a new thing coming this year.

It's going to be beautiful. It's going to be incredible. It's going to be powerful. New thing, new thing. New thing. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

Hallelujah. Glory to God. I got a new thing coming. Yes, Lord. We wrote that last year, but I saved it for New Year's. I thought you needed it. today. All right. We are upon the first sermon of 2024. You can't imagine the agony that goes into figuring out of all the different texts that the Lord would speak on this day. What would

it be? Because I know that your heart is in a receptive place today and that there is a fresh faith stirring. So I want to share with you from a prophetic scripture in Isaiah chapter 27. chapter 27 very meaningful to me and I hope you will feel the same way a word that the Lord gave to his people long ago but it speaks to us today somebody shout today today Isaiah 27 verses one through six by the way I want to say a huge thank you to our church who gave so generously in our year-end offering that you gave over eleven million dollars to share the gospel, to heal the sick, to clothe the poor. That's absolutely amazing.

I cry coming to church today, just thinking how thankful I am for you, how expecting I am for God to move in your life. And I want to start this year with the prophetic word that God gave me for you. Isaiah 27, verse 1, in that day, the Lord will punish with his sword, his fierce, great and powerful sword. Levithen, the gliding serpent, Leviathan, the coiling serpent. He will slay the monster of the sea. Anybody got some stuff you need God to kill this year in your life that's been dragging you down? That's what Leviathan was. Leviathan was a chaos monster, a mythological figure. And many believe it represented Babylon and

Assyria and Egypt, the enemies of Israel. But the truth is, we all live with our own Leviathan, don't we? And the Lord promises that in that day, that whatever has you wrapped up and whatever has you stuck down in yourself, he will punish with this sword, his fierce, great and powerful sword, Leviathan, the gliding serpent. Now look at verse two. In that day, sing about a fruitful vineyard. I, the Lord, watch over it. I water it continually. I guard it day and night so that no one may harm it. I am not angry. If only there were briars and thorns confronting me, I would march against them in battle. I would set them all on fire, or else let them come to me for refuge. Let them make peace with me. Yes, let them make peace with me.

Let me give you verse 6, and then I'll tell you our topic for today. In days to come, Jacob will take root. Israel will bud and blossom and fill all the world with fruit. In days to come, Jacob will take root. Israel will bud and blossom and fill all the world with fruit in days to come. I want to preach to you today a message, this is that day. This is. Somebody shout, this is.

Shout like you're at a football game. This is that day. Tell your neighbor, this is that day. Other neighbor, this is that day. Say it again, put it in the chat. This is that day. I'm breaking out. I'm going forward.

I'm growing up. I'm moving into it. I'm walking tall because this is that day. In Jesus' name, you may be seated. This is that day. The perspective of Isaiah 27 is the perspective of an integrated faith, an integrated faith, not a fragmented faith. Fragmented faith is when you believe in God when things are good and doubt him when things

are down. This is an integrated faith. Everybody say integrated. It means that in the process of moving forward in what God has for you in the days to come, you will have to make the decision to remain hopeful. When I say remain hopeful, that also includes. leaving room for disappointment. So for grown-ups believing in God means remaining in hope while leaving room for disappointment. That goes to every area of

our life, hopeful that you might have a good week with your family or a good meal with your kids, but leaving some room. Everybody say leave room. That's what I tell the Taylor when he takes my pants in. I say leave some room. I say leave some room. In case Holly cooks really good over the holidays, just leave me a little growing room. I think that leaving room for disappointment, that's what I mean by integrated faith. It's really how our faith is sustained so that we see disappointments as doorways to greater faith, not dead ends. In case the first few years of your walk with God have been confusing to you, because at first

things seemed to go up when you walked with God and then things went down. And you thought that following God was always going to lead you up. God wants to give you an integrated faith. In case the first few days of your new year have sucked, and I thought about saying, have been spiritually challenging, but when it sucks, it sucks. You know, I just put it how you put it, this is like this is the same old, same old. What we want to talk about today is a little bit different because we understand that. It is our responsibility as Christian people to manage our expectation.

Meaning, I've got to make sure that I don't let my experiences in life regulate my expectations of God. Write this down. I will not. Or say it out loud, whatever you want to do to reinforce it. Auditory learner, okay. Let's just say that out loud. I will not allow my experience in life. to regulate my expectation of God.

That is a daily decision you've got to make. I think that a lot of the damaged relationships in our life are because of unmanaged expectations. That we really started depending on somebody to do things for us that only God could do for us. We really started expecting things to be like the perfect little movies we make up in our mind of how things are supposed to go when we show up. And so the integrated faith that Isaiah describes, really beautiful, because he says that there's two things happening. There is a fight.

Everybody say fight. That's verse 1 of Isaiah 27. In that day, the Lord will punish with his sword. Now you don't have a sword if you're just going through life, strolling through your day. So there's a fight happening. And then in verse 2, it says, in that day, sing about a fruitful vineyard. So let me point something out to you. a sword in verse one, and there's a song in verse two. But the sword and the song are happening

on the same day. Okay. This integrated faith will make me get up in the morning and never say again, it's going to be one of those days. Because it's always going to be one of those days. I almost got discouraged before I came out today, because my hair right there was flat and I couldn't get it up. And I was going, oh, God, how am I going to preach if my hair is flat right there? Are you serious? You have the Word of God and the Spirit of God, and you're going to have a bad hair day and get up in the puppet without confidence. And I think I fixed it, but I'm still not really sure, so I'm kind of insecure as I stand before you. It's amazing. It doesn't take much to remove us from a hopeful expectation.

My expectation is my responsibility. Nobody can ruin my day. I got a verse for that. Psalm 118, verse 24. It's the year 2024, right? This is a verse 24 for you. This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.

So if God made this day, nobody else gets to mess it up. I used to say to people when they send me a nice text, you made my day. I quit saying that. Because I figure if they can make my day by sending me a nice text, they can mess up my day if they send me another type of text. Now we want to get up every day this year and say, this is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.

So it's the challenge, watch this, to remain in hope while leaving room for disappointment. I think our expectations this time of year could use a little H-G-H Holy Ghost hormone to get us on an expecting path that God has given me a hope in the future in an expected end. No matter what they did or didn't do for you. No matter who left or who stayed or who called back or who blocked your number. I have an expected end. And yet as I walk through these days, I understand that my challenge is to remain. Do you want to take notes on my message today? My first word is remain, because I want to challenge you to remain in hope this year and

leave room for disappointment. And you're like, which one is it? I want you to do both. I want you to expect the blessing and accept the mess. In that day, there will be a sword because everybody in here is fighting something. Everybody in here has a Leviathan. I might preach about Leviathan next week, a whole sermon on Leviathan. I might do it next week.

Would you come back if I did? Would you make a hat about it if I did? Yeah, they know. But notice that while the sword is fighting Leviathan, because everybody has a Leviathan and everybody knows how to hide it. It's a coiling serpent. It's a gliding serpent. You hide your Leviathan behind a smile.

You hide your Leviathan behind new clothes to disguise the fact that I dragged old habits underneath new clothes. Some of us have new hair. about a bad hair day. Some of us actually have new hair on our head in a new year. Yet notice this in the text. Notice this in the text at the same time that God is dealing with the enemy. He commands you to sing about the fruit that is coming forth in your life. I love the Bible, because this gives me an integrated expectation of God, that there will always be a fight in my life. But there will always be fruit in my life.

As a matter of fact, I learn the bigger the fight, the bigger the fruit is going to be, and the size of the fight is a preview of the size of the fruit. High five, somebody say it's going to be big, baby. I'm a priest today. I don't know what y'all are going to do. Shall remain. He talks about Jacob. He talks about Jacob, he talks about Israel, being planted and bearing fruit, having root

and bearing fruit. And I wonder, are you rooted in the right thing as this year begins? And I came to ask one question of our global eFAM and our local campuses all around the world. What will you do with your 24? I think we're all a little humbler about our New Year's resolutions after the year formerly known as 2020. preacher I know was up preaching about vision, 2020 vision, and then just completely blindsided

by the fact that the Lord didn't give us a prophetic word that we would be looking at empty seats all year preaching in our empty buildings. So all the sermons are humbler in the new year. All the plans are a little bit moderated, mitigated, modulated. I found a verse for that too. Proverbs 27. I put this one in the King James. out, boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

So when I had you shout, this is that day? Shout it again. This is that day? Some of y'all said that in lowercase letters. No exclamation point. This is that day. You're very deep, so you're like, what do you mean by that day? I was just reading the Bible because Isaiah said, in that day, the Lord's going to fight your enemies.

And in that day, you will sing of a fruitful vineyard. That day. You know that day you dream of? There are many of you today who are dreaming of a day. Say, I'm dreaming of a day. If you don't talk back to me during the sermon, you get a flat tire when you leave to go in the parking lot. We've got some guests. I need to explain the rules.

Say, that day. That day. And so we have an expectation that God is going to free us from certain things this year, that God is going to deliver us from certain dilemmas this year, that God is going to provide for us. An expectation is great as long as it's integrated. Because I think the danger of having expectations about what God is going to do, you know, 2024. God's going to do more in 24. I'm leaving the shore in 24. I'm going to get a stronger

core in 24. You want another one? Something I've never seen before in 2024. My ceiling is going to be my floor in 2024. Not going to be poor. Why we say that and while it's good to envision that and I'll be honest with you, some of the things that I'm seeing today in my life are the result of a vision that God gave me at a time when I couldn't see anything like what I'm seeing today. I believe in that expectation. I think the danger we should talk about as you move into your new year and what God wants to do through you is that sometimes your expectation of the future can become your excuse right now. And I'll break it down to a phrase that I heard, and I'll use Elijah to give it to you. When he was very little, we were taking

Easter pictures as a family. And of course, our kids just love taking Easter pictures because they're the pastor's kids. They were fighting. They were angry. They were despondent. And Elijah finally, like after having to change outfits a few times, this is a legendary line that he said in our family. He said, I hate Easter. When I'm the pastor, so let's break this down. He said, one day when I'm the pastor, we're not even going to have Easter. I'm canceling Easter. He was like five, so don't judge him like that.

Oh my God, he was five. But check this out a five-year-old's perspective. One day when I'm the pastor. One day when. One day when. Have you ever been a victim of one day when syndrome? Yeah, I'm not doing too good right now, but one day, one day when I get these kids out the house. The problem I have with that plan, one day when I get the kids out the house, is that 20 years ago, you were saying,

one day when I have kids of my own, and now it's shifted to a future stage where you think you'll have more space and less stress. Let's do another one. I'm going to start a business one day when I have the right partner. I used to laugh when teams would come to see our church, and they were starting their own church, and the pastor would pull me aside and say, hey, I've got a gift, they got an an anointing, I call it start church, when I reach people far from God. But I don't have a team.

Where do you get your team? And I would always make something up. Oh, well, you know to build a bear store? Well, they got to build a ministry team store. And I went down there and I found the right amount of achiever and doer and the right amount of dreamer, and I put a team together. What do you think the team came from? The same place Jesus got his team.

You find the people that God has placed in your life that are imperfect and you make it happen with who you've got. Now, if you are expecting a person, you're going to be. stage in your life when the perfect people will come into your life to help you figure out your imperfect life. If God sends perfect people in your life, you should send them away so they stay perfect. Because the moment they get tangled up with you and me, they won't be perfect anymore. Did you ever do the one day when thing? I'm going to get in shape one day when.

One day when what? I'm going to do the diet. One day when? One day, when what? I'll tell you what happened to me. It's so embarrassing. One day, I saw in the mirror, I don't know how you see 45 pounds that you've gained all at once, but it was like a flash of revelation.

It was like a road to Damascus to me. I walked by the mirror after being married to Holly for 18 months with my shirt off. And I said, why didn't you tell me this was happening to me? And why did you contribute to it with your cooking? I said, I'm going on Atkins. That's the diet I knew. And it involved bacon. And I like bacon.

So I got to lose this belly, but I got to use bacon to do it. Because I'm not going to be counting macros anytime soon. And Holly said, great. That's great. We could go on the diet next week. I said, no, I'm not eating another carb starting right now. And I didn't. We went to Wendy's that night.

I donated back the bun to the homeless ministry and just ate the patty. And I did that over and over and over, and over. And she thought that was so strange. She said, you could have gave me time. We could have shopped. We could have hired a nutritionist. But I knew too much to have to give a nutritionist money to start doing what I could do today. Now, I'm telling you, one day when I have more time, I'm going to write a book.

One day, when my wife starts acting right, I could really be a great businessman if my wife would believe in me. One day when she gets the vision, what if she doesn't need to get the vision? What if you need to show the discipline? Somebody say, one day, one day when? One day, I'm going to tell you, Pastor Stephen, I'm going to start giving to the church. One day when I manifest. All of the riches. I know that the day is coming. God has told me I will be a millionaire.

I will fund the kingdom. I will send apostles into the earth. And one day, when I get this business right, if you won't do it with $10, I promise you won't do it with millions. I promise. Because it's going to be more zeros. This is going to make you throw up even that much more when you give it. One day when. And I have found myself. Now, I know this New Year's message, is not the shoutiest New Year's message, but I think it could be a sustaining one for you. If you make a subtle shift, and if the first point of this sermon is remain in hope, but leave room for disappointment, because there will always be a fight and there will always be fruit, and sometimes you have to really allow the fight to take its course to see the fruit come forth, if the first word is remain. The second thing I want you to do this year is reduce.

reduce. And again, this is not a weight loss seminar. And I know that reduce is not a juicy New Year's word. And I know that we want God to add to our lives, and you should. I want you to have more influence. I want you to have more happy moments. I want you to have more laughter. I want you to have more peaceful sleep at night, more hours of sleep.

I want you to be able to see more places and create more opportunities for other. and yourself. But at the same time, I want you to experience more. I want to point out to you that in the text I read, God did not say anything to Israel about years. In Isaiah 27, verse 1, he says, in that day. Verse 2, in that day. Verse 6. in days to come. And I wonder are we stressed, discouraged, defeated, and lacking momentum and victory in our life? Because when I said, what are you going to do with your 24, you thought, years. The real answer to the question, what will you do with your 24, is not about a year called 24.

It's about this is the day the Lord has made. When I woke up this morning, I had 24 hours of opportunity deposited into my account. And I can sit here with you and dream about all of the amazing things I'm going to accomplish for God this year. I could sit here and advertise to you all of the amazing possibilities that could happen in your life this year. More in 24. Leave the shore in 24. Strengthen your core in 24. And all of that that I say about 24 is wonderful and abstract, but it falls into the category of one day when.

So round about June, I'm going to have my beach body. So round about December, I'm going to have some of these debts paid off. So round about three years from now, my family's going to be back together. Around about 10 years from now, my kids are going to college. I believe in long-term vision. I think it's all amazing, but I think this one-day win can be a trap to keep you focused so much on the years that you don't do with the days what you can do with the days. Isn't this what Jesus said?

Why do you worry about tomorrow? Tomorrow has enough trouble of its own. Let me ask you a question if you're anxious. Are you anxious about today or are you anxious about Wednesday? Or are you anxious about Wednesday three weeks from now? Or are you anxious about when you retire, when you're 75, you're 17. You've got time. There's days between here and there.

You know how much peace it'll bring you? To recognize the revelation of a day. Here's the revelation of a day that the grace for the day is in the day. The grace for tomorrow is not in today. The only thing that is in today for tomorrow for you is anxiety if you don't put it in God's hands. And Jesus said, sufficient is the day. Give us this day our 15-year bread.

He doesn't even pray for 12 months of bread. I'm saying, have a plan. I'm saying have a strategy. I'm saying have a financial advisor. But you've got to do that today. And waiting on the time. Do you remember when we thought there was no need to set up online giving back in 2006 because nobody was giving online?

But we had to set it up that day for this day. Now I think 93% of giving is online. 98? 98%. From nothing to 98%. But there's something in your mind. life like that right now. And you go, one day when I get more money, I'll learn to manage it. That is a syndrome that affects people of faith even more than it affects atheists.

Because we will blame God for that. We'll say, I'm not doing it, God's going to do it. We'll say, I don't need to take care of it. God's got me in his hands. And he does. In that day, the Lord will fight Leviathan. But you and I have a response. So I want us to make a shift. Are you open to a shift this year? If you're open to a shift, just nod your head at me a little bit. Wiggle your pinky, wiggle your pinky toe. Just do something to get in agreement with me.

Somebody shout shift. Yes. Come on, pronounce it well with the F in it, say shift. Because I want your year this year to be full of fruit. I want your year this year to be full of abundance. I want your year this year to have heavy branches. I want rain to fall on your relationships, your resources. So we're going to shift this.

That's what we're going to do. Touch somebody say, I'm going to shift this. I've been stressed out about the next week. I'm going to break it down and reduce it because really what I'm worried about has nothing to do with where I am. It has to do with where I think I'm going to be, and I don't know what tomorrow holds. So God has not given me a promise concerning this year. gave me a promise for this day.

And the promise is not for tomorrow, because you don't know what tomorrow holds. So I want you to go from one day when, that thinking, how many have done that before, by the way, one day when? Put it in the chat. One day when? One day when? This is the most powerful thing I could teach you to help you set up for this year, for what God wants to speak, for the disciplines you want to pass on, for the things that you

want to see set straight in your life. I want you to go from one day when to one day when. From one day when, because Isaiah didn't say anything about years, he said, in that day, in that day. This is your year to win one day at a time. And if we get a one-day win, on top of a one-day win, on top of a one-day win, on top of a one-day win, on top of a one-day win, on top of a one-day win, on top of a one-day win. One day we'll be telling our kids, one day when I made a decision to get a one-day win. Now, see, you don't get it.

You're going to be telling somebody the story one day. And they're going to say, how did you get out of the depression? And you say, well, one day when I decided to call a counselor and have a conversation and begin to open myself up to the fact that the Holy Spirit can use people, and I need to admit some of the things that I'm struggling with, and I need to fight this Leviathan and get some leverage on this addiction and start to open this window so the light of God can come strutely. I got a one-day win. Hey, everybody get ready to celebrate because you came to church today. Guess what? I'll know if you'll be here at Easter, but you're here today.

I won this one, devil. Let's go ahead and celebrate the baby. I got that one day win. I got that one day win. I've been living in one day when I get more resources, then I can do it. Ah, when I have more clarity, then I can do it. Do it. When I know enough, then I'll share the gospel with somebody.

When my kids start acting right again, then we'll be a peaceful family. Not one day when. Just get a one day when. Just don't cuss them out today. How many can do that? Make some noise if you cannot. But we should dream big, Pastor Stephen. My kids will be missionaries.

Great. One day when you haven't cussed them out enough days. or killed them, they might be a missionary. But it's going to take... Do you see the power of a one-day win? To get to a one-day when? Glory to God. I feel happy preaching my own notes.

I wrote this in my own notes, and I'm receiving it. I got that fresh bread for 24 Elevation Church. I'm going to feed you this word from God. Until you're strong enough to fight every Leviathan in your life. And God said, when you sing about a fruitful vineyard, I'll slay every wicked thing in your life. How many know while you were singing today, you were winning? While you were worshiping today, you were winning. Because this is how I fight my battles.

This is how I get my mind right. This is how I set my mind on things above. This is how I overcome my darkness. This is how I cut my gliding serpent. This is how I walk in favor. This is how I bear much fruit. This is what I'm doing. With my 24, I was watching basketball one time 10 years ago.

And the commentator gave me a whole. The old sermon. The man shot the ball. There was like one second left on the shot clock. And the guy who shot, he missed. Everybody say he missed. But then it hit the backboard. And 10 years ago in the NBA, if you got the offensive rebound after missing a shot, the

shot clock would reset to 24 seconds. You don't get it. So it means you missed that one. if you get that ball back in your hands, I believe God brought somebody to church today so you can get this ball back in your hands. I know you missed some in 23, but this is 24. Somebody shout, this is 24. Put it in my YouTube comments.

This is 24. Announced to your neighbor, this is 24, this is 24. And when he got the ball back, the announcer said, He gets a new 24. I thought I would announce to somebody who came to church on the first Sunday of the new year, which happens to be 20, 24. He woke you up this morning. He started you on your way.

He closed you in your right mind. He gave you the breadth of life. You got a new 24. You got a new 24. You got a new 24. 24. 24.

I'm going to shoot this thing. In days to come. You mean I got to break this thing down. I'm not drinking today. I'm not looking at it today. I'm not hooking up with them today. I'm not complaining about it today. Because this is the day.

The Lord has made. Maybe you can't even face the day with confidence. So let's break it down a little more. Say, I've got a new 24. What if you open your mouth on when you wake up tomorrow and say, thank you, Lord, for a new 24? And you know, it really frustrate the devil if you missed the last shot the last day, if you really screwed it up the day before and you wake up and you see it.

that shot clock in your life. Oh, God must not be done with me because I got a new 24. Yeah, I got a new 24. So I'm taking the shot today. Everything that I did that wasn't like God is covered by the blood of Jesus. I got a new 24. When he said, in that day, listen, when he said, in that day, in that day. And then in verse 6, he said, in days to come, I realized the way we're going to be, where we want to be at the end of 24, it's 24 at a time. I feel God on this message. I don't even want to do my second two points because I feel God right here. He left you here because there is fruit still to come forth from your life.

That's why you got a new 24. Once in a while this year, you're going to have one of those days. a bad hair day, but all hell breaks loose day and at 7.30 a.m. So if you can't just break it down to the day, break it down to the breath. Next breath. He said, Israel will bud and blossom and bring forth fruit. You know how you bring forth fruit and bud and blossom one breath at a time? You can take the next breath and the next. I googled before I came how many breaths does the average person take in one day? It said between 17,000 and 30,000. I figured somewhere in the average is 24,000. So look at me, children of Zion. If 24 hours is too much for

you to face, you got 24,000 breaths to reset. I was praying one time before I preached. I prayed that that moment would be a reset. For everybody who came in the room, that you know, that day, who all week long has just felt like, I can't, I can't breathe, I can't move. I can't do it. And the Lord says, in that day, it's amazing how we can be in a day that God gave us and not recognize it as a gift. You ever notice that? I guess that's my third R, recognize. You better recognize. If you don't recognize it, you'll regret it. You'll We went to Atlanta to watch Graham wrestle last weekend, and it was so crowded in that gym. As a matter of fact, it was so wonderful to watch him wrestle that I just looked at Holly, and

I said, one day we'll look at these crowded gyms with dirty, sweaty wrestling boys, filling the air with the fragrance of athleticism and knee pads and wrestling shoes. And looking all around, I said, we're going to look back and say, those were the days. So why not just shift it, Buck? And say it right when you're in it. These are the days. Somebody say, this is that day. God brought you here.

Don't you ever let the pain or the pressure make you forfeit the grace of the day. That's why I stand here sometimes. I'm not pausing right now because I don't know what to say next. I'm taking it in. This is the day. This is that day. You understand, I prayed that this church would happen. God built this church.

To see this many people gathered, to have this level of ministry influence, to be able to preach to your life is something that I saw from age 16. One day when? And then you're in it, and you don't recognize it. What I want you to understand about every day you will have this year, and just 24 at a time, I'm going deeper next week. I'm going deeper next week because the Lord is really using this to penetrate somebody's worry, somebody's just out of balance and God is bringing you back to it right now.

And by the way, this word will not last you till next January. You need daily time in the presence of God. Clap your hands about it. Yeah. So we recognize these moments when we're in them and we say, wait, this is that day. It's hard to know it when you're in it. So that's why the fourth thing I want to give you is to get you to reframe it. Look at verse 6.

I think this one was the one that spoke to me the most of all of them. Because it sounds like God is talking about two different people and two different processes. Thank you, Jesus. It sounds like he's talking about two different people and two different processes. He says, in days to come, now we've gone from one day. to multiple days, from the present circumstance to the future promise. In days to come, Jacob will take root. Israel will bud and blossom and fill all the world with fruit. Now, he's talking about the nation of Israel, from whom the Messiah came, that blessed the whole world

and took the gospel even to the Gentiles. That's what he's talking about. He's talking about Jesus. But watch the application. He says, Jacob will take root. Israel will bud and blossom. And you know what I'm learning more and more about these years and seasons and paths that God gives us? Is that you're going to have both of those kinds of days, and you are going to feel like both of those people. See, Jacob and Israel are not two different people. In the Bible, a man named Jacob became the father of the tribes that would be the nation of Israel.

And when God changed Jacob, he changed his name. He said, you used to be called Jacob, but now your name is Israel. Jacob means deceiver. That's who Jacob was. Israel means prince with God, because he struggled with God and with men and overcame. Is that not a picture of what it feels like to be you? in any one given day. Doesn't it depend what somebody thinks of you on what day they meet you on? How many of you have Jacob days that still happen in your life?

Is there one honest person in the whole trip? I need to zip up my jacket. I feel exposed with all of you fake people. Have you ever had an Israel calling but a Jacob day? Where it just feels like a total flashback, a total relapse, a new name and a new nature, do not automatically give way to new habits. I want you to notice that he says, Jacob will take root. Verse 6, Israel will bud and blossom and fill the world with fruit. One of them is going down. One of them is going up. I will have some down days this year.

I expect that, just like I expect to be blessed. I will have some days where I can barely get out of the bed. In fact, some of us might have already had one, and we're just getting this wonderful year started. I will have some down days where I can't find one thing to feel good about. But I will not allow the down days to define me any more past this point. Let it be written, let it be done forever and ever. Amen.

Just because I have a Jacob day doesn't mean I don't have an Israel purpose. What are you trying to say, Ferdic? Don't let the down days fool you. The down days are the days where God is getting you grounded so that when he brings you up, y'all aren't here to give him glory. The down days exist. So you appreciate the great days. So do not let the devil tell you for one minute.

Oh, it's just going to be one of those years. Oh, it's just going to be one of those days. I want you to reclaim your day and let the enemy know that even the down days. Somebody shout, even the down days are working my root system so that I will be ready for the fruit God wants me to bear. Do you believe that? You've got to reframe it where you say, oh, it's one of those days. It's always one of those days.

It's a growing day and it's a gross day. The roots are in the soil, in the dirt. That's the gross day. And then the fruit is coming forth and it's growing. Which one will you focus on this day? I promise you that this is that day. Don't be surprised when the biggest fights come at the moments of the greatest fruit. They come in the same day.

You are in a great day. Somebody shout, I'm in a great day. And in days to come, my roots are going to grow deeper. My fruit is going to stretch, Father. I believe that whatever you're going through right now that you would not choose God will use in your life to produce fruit that you cannot even imagine with your mind in accordance with Ephesians 320. I believe that on the days where you choose to believe, oh, this is a root day.

This is not a fruit day. I can't feel God today, but he's with me today. This is the great integration of your life. Quit saying it was a good day, a bad day, a good week, a bad week, a good year, a bad year. for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Choose ye this day, whom you will serve. You got a new 24, baby. And y'all are clapping like y'all are in a golf course, and I'm talking about a basketball

analogy. You got a new 24. You got 24,000 breaths today. Doesn't God deserve at least a few of them to praise them with? You had to open your mouth all year to praise God. And I'm going to get this one day win. You won today. You won.

Even if you kick the cat when you get home, you won. You came to church today. I mean, don't do it, but if you did. You got this word today. Every time you hear the word of God, it's like seed being sewn into your heart. Are you good ground? God gave you a new 24. God gave you another year to glorify him.

Are you good ground? And while we're waiting for one day when, God's saying, no, just win one day. One breath. We can all do that. I didn't tell you to run a marathon this year. I said, one day win. Walk around the block tonight. One day win.

Read one chapter of scripture the day before you go to bed. Isaiah 27. I already did it. I'm ahead of you preacher. I read it to you. You read it by yourself. This is your year. You know how preachers say.

This is your year. I want to say, this is that day. Now, what year you're going to be in? I'm going to do it. I'm going to go on my YouTube this week and finish this message for you from the basin. I got more I want to say. I can't get it out right now. But more than that, can we build some consistency in our lives and in our patterns this year?

So that we don't put God's house like a if everything else gets done. I'll show up to church type item on our list. Trees don't fill the world with fruit that way and you won't be filled with peace that way and you won't be able to make your mark that way either. The Bible says that God will guard you day and night and he will. water you consistently so that you bud and blossom. But you've got to be planted in the right place. To all of you who are planted in this ministry, I stand in agreement with you this year that this is that day.

I don't know what job you're going to be working at the end of the year. I don't know who isn't going to be on your favorites list in your phone. I don't know what will or won't be hurting in your body this year. But one thing we know, we got a new 24. And Jeremiah 321 says, this I recall to my mind. Therefore I have hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed. Give me verse 23.

Because, limitations three, because lamentations three, because I promise this in the Bible, that compassion fail not, they are new every morning. Put your hands like this to God so he could give you the ball. Stand up on your feet. Get ready to take this shot. You got a new 24. This is a bounce back moment for you. This is a rebound Sunday for you.

We don't need a New Year's resolution until we get a rebound to realize he gave us this day. Thank you for this 24, God. Thank you for this fruit that will come forth. Thank you for these roots that have grown down deep. Thank you that our roots have weathered the storm. Our relationship with you is still intact. Our hope is still built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness.

Say I got a new 24. And I offer you this day, Lord, this is the day you have made. With your heads bowed and your eyes closed, the Lord is saying that for somebody, this is the day of your salvation. This is that day for you to place your faith in Jesus. This is that day for you to make a commitment to be a follower of Christ and receive His grace in your life. Right now, I want to lead you in a prayer. And wherever you're watching from, if you're in a building or you're watching online, it doesn't matter.

The Bible says that a man named Zacchaeus heard that Jesus was passing his way. And he climbed up in a tree to see Jesus. And Jesus said to Zacchaeus, who was a tax collector and a short man who was at a disadvantage and in ill repute, Zacchaeus, come down out of that tree. Today, I'm coming to your house. house. I believe Jesus is passing your way right now. This is that day. He wants to come into your house, your heart, your habits, your life, and give you a new hope and a future and forgiveness of your sin. Right now we're going to pray a prayer out loud as a church family for the benefit of those who

are coming to God or coming back to God as a rededication. And if you pray this by faith, the Bible says that by grace we are saved through faith. God will hear you and he will save you this day. Today is the day. Repeat after me. Heavenly Father, today is my day of salvation. Today I give you my heart. I believe you sent your son, Jesus Christ, to die for my sin. I believe he rose again. to give me life. I receive this new life. This is my new beginning. On the count of three, shoot your hand up if you prayed that. One, two, three, online. Let us know right now, I'm receiving Jesus. I'm receiving Jesus. This is my day. This is my moment. This is my Turn around. This is my moment. This is my day. This is my turnaround. Let's give God great praise in the house.

This is that day. And look back on that day and say, that was the day. I decided. Make some noise if you're glad you came to church today. This is that day. I will put part two on my YouTube for you this week. I will plan God willing in the creek don't rise. to be back here next Sunday with part three. It's going to be an amazing year. And all you've got to do is win one day. Thank you, Jesus. Y'all let me know in the comments what you're going to win one day. Not one day when. What you're going to win one day? I want to hear about it. We want to pray for you. Believe with you. Grab hands with the person next to you. That way no way. Nobody can leave during my closing prayer. Red Rover, Red Rover. Send 2024 right over. One day.

Well, Father, I thank you. I bless you because you flowed to us today in power and in strength. You nourished us today. You gave us something on Sunday that we can do on Monday. We don't have to leave our faith in this place. We're taking it with us. Into the battles against Leviathan, we're taking our faith. We're taking your word.

We're taking a sword. Into our tomorrow, we're taking a song. We're singing about a fruitful vineyard. We're taking root, and we are bearing much fruit. In Jesus' name, I pray. And now unto Him who is able to do immeasurably more than you ask or imagine. To Him be glory through Christ Jesus in the church, now and And forever more, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Clap those hands like your plan for the day God made. I'll see you next time. 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. God bless you. This is an IHeart podcast, guaranteed human.