Elevation with Steven Furtick - You Must Be Important Part 2

Episode Date: March 8, 2024

The enemy only attacks what’s valuable. In “You Must Be Important,” Pastor Steven Furtick of Elevation Church reminds us that if we’re going through a storm, there’s something important on the other side. If you’ve just made a decision for Christ, please respond HERE: ele.vc/tIepfr To support this ministry and help us continue to reach people all around the world click here: www.elevationchurch.org/giving/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 faith. Hope it gives you perspective to see God is moving in your life.

Enjoy the message. How I know you're important. It takes boldness to call your sermon. You must be important. It takes boldness to call your sermon that, but I know it, not because of the car you drive. Not because of the house you live in. Not because I looked up how many Instagram followers you have.

I know you're important because of your storm. See, the size of your storm tells me something about your importance. The size of your storm lets me know the importance of your assignment. The devil doesn't start a storm for somebody who he's not threatened by. If you're going through a storm, there's something so big on the other side. And if you... High five, three people say you must be important. Because that big bad devil's been huffing and puffing, and he thought he would blow your house down.

But the trial deserved to prove your foundation. Come on, my house is on the rock. I can't... I was so confused for so long. I thought the storm... meant that God had left me, you know? But in this passage, the storm means he's on the way. Did you hear what I said?

If you're going through a storm right now, or if one happens to hit on Thursday morning, I want you to know that the storm is a sign that grace is on the way. The Bible says the storm came up suddenly. The moment Jesus started in the day. direction of the man, here came a storm, not because God wasn't with him, but precisely because he was headed in his direction. All right. So if that's true, if what I just said is true, that there is a storm that proves, nobody attacks

what isn't valuable. Promise you, if I went to play game seven today, LeBron wouldn't guard me. I promise you, they would let me run all around that court and do whatever I wanted to do. They would hand me the ball gladly. Why would you guard someone who wasn't in a position to score? I know you're important. Look here, Brooke, when I prepared this message, I was like, everybody won't get this message, because they'll do this thing.

When I get to this man called Legion and I say, he was living among the tombs and cutting himself with stones, they would disassociate themselves and say, well, I got some problems, but I'm not that. bad. And when he says, my name is Legion, they'll back up off of him. And they'll disassociate in the text. And they'll say, well, I'm like the disciples going through a storm, but I'm not the man called Legion. Really? Are you so sure? Because it said he lived among the tombs. So you don't go to dead places? Are you sure? Are you sure this isn't you? Somewhere in here, it may have a different demonstration, but it's the same dynamic. Because it said they would try to chain him out. And he would break the chains and they couldn't hold him anymore and he would hurt himself.

Are you telling me there's no area of your life where you're out of control? I started to study the text thinking I was like, Jesus, and who do I need to go help? The more I studied it, I thought maybe there's some legion in me. I don't mean demonic possession, but I do mean oppression. I've got my own chains. I'll tell you the greatest secret God ever showed me about you. Yes, you. He told me that all y'all are crazy.

True story. Man was crazy when he got on the boat. It didn't stop him from coming. That got me excited. I figure maybe he knows about my issues too. I am Legion, he said. Legion is 6,000 foot soldiers. That's a lot of demons.

Jesus said, what is your name? You know my name. Do you know yours? Do you know who you are? Or do you have so many different personas? You know, because we're all legion. We're all a little bit of legion. There are many me.

Somebody told me that Abby looks just like me. They said, she's your mini me. I was like, you don't know how true that is. There are many me's. There's online you. There's Sunday morning you. That's the only one I ever get to see. But then I found out there's a Friday night you.

Don't make me interview your spouse, please. I will pull them up here and give them the mic. There's a you only she knows, he knows? There's a you that only you know. There's a you that cries out day and night. You don't cut yourself with stones. I understand that. But sometimes you inflict pain on yourself and you can't stop it.

And you don't even know why you keep pushing people away. You've been living among the tombs. So long. Somebody's tomb is the mall. Somebody's tomb is pornography. Somebody's tomb is an addiction that if we named it in the room, you'd think, surely, that person wouldn't come to church. You'd be surprised how quick the demons run to Jesus. Those demons ran before Jesus and fell before him and said, don't make us leave. Got it like we wanted here. We got these people on lockdown. But they knew that this man was important to Jesus. And they knew, they knew that they were about to have to vacate the premises of this man's personality and his psychology. And they knew

that someone strong enough to subdue them had finally showed up in the region of the garrisons. Because you've tried everything else and you've run to everyone else. But But I declare today you are in the presence of a greater grace. And what works couldn't do and the law couldn't do and chains couldn't do and shackles couldn't do. God's about to do it in your life. Grace can do what change can't do. So now we get to the part about the pigs.

We hadn't even got to the pigs yet. The pigs are the most important part. This is the part where I'm wondering why the demons, why the demons, what are the kids, wanted to get inside the pigs. And on the surface, I understand that the devil never wants to give up any ground. You understand once he has established a foothold, how many of you don't believe in the devil? I want to see who hadn't had kids yet. That's all I'm trying to do.

He doesn't want you to be the first one in your family, not to need drink to feel good about yourself. He doesn't want you to be the first one in your family, to be the first one in your family, to be the first able to stay stable in a relationship rather than running around. So what does he want? He wants to stand guard in the area, and this is a brilliant strategy. I've got to give it to these devils. The devils are smarter than a lot of church people. They know how to get information, they know how to accomplish a purpose, and they know how

to discern what is valuable. This is it. Stay with me. Are you with me? Are you with me? Lean into this word. The word you resist is the one that you need. Jesus is in this house.

The presence of God is in this place. The power of a mighty God is in this moment. Now, so Jesus says, you got to go. Let that man go. He's important to me. I went through the storm to get to him. I went through the thunder and the lightning to get to him. I went through bucketfuls of water bail out of Peter's boat to get to him.

I came two hours across the sea of Galilee and I've only got three years to change the world. This man is a VIP. I know everybody else has forgotten about him, but I want him. Now let me say something real quick. If he went through the storm for this man and he went to the cross for you, how valuable must you be? How much is your life for him? To God. And Jesus said, okay, you can go into the pigs and they went into the pigs Because the demons know two things. One, pigs can't swim. But we all know that.

The demons know that we don't know. I think the demons understood that the people in the region cared more about the pigs than they did about the man. This is 2,000 pigs. This represents a significant part of the portfolio of these pig owners. This is a region that is known for raising pigs. So what does the enemy attack? Whatever you value the most.

And yes, he knows what you value And yes, he knows how to hit you where it hurts the most And that's why he'll use people To get to your relationship with God What's really most valuable is your relationship with God, but he knows if he can get people to offend you You will do what the people did. You will send Jesus away because you were offended by people and He knows where to hit you.

He knows where your insecurity is. He knows your playlist. What you say to yourself about yourself? He knows your proclivities, your perversions. He knows what makes you feel ashamed. So he hits you there to make you lash out in anger. He knows how to keep you bound. And since he couldn't stay in the man, the devil went into the pigs.

If I kill the pigs, they'll send Jesus away. Let me hurt Job. This is when the devil had a meeting with God. He said, I've been going to and fro looking for somebody to devour. And God said, have you checked out my boy Job? Job's a bad dude. This is an updated translation. It's a little more modern.

Probably says it in your Bible. And the devil said, he's only serving you. serving you because his herd is still intact. Let me touch his body, let me touch his children. The enemy will use anything to get to your faith. What he's after is your relationship with God, but he will use the pigs to get you to push away the presence of God. He knows exactly where you're vulnerable. Guess where you're the most vulnerable, wherever you place the greatest value. These pigs were worth $2 million in modern money. He said, if I can get in the pigs and make the pigs drown in the water, the people will be so afraid because they lost their pigs that they will send Jesus away.

I wonder where the enemy attacked you. I bet it was in the place of your greatest value. But guess what? I got good news. He only attacks what's valuable. So if he has attacked you lately, get ready to shout. Guess what that means about you? You must be important. The devil knows more about your destiny than you do.

There must be something on your life. Can I preach this like God gave it to me? God said some of you are breaking generational curses and you don't even know it. And that's why it's been so hard and that's why it's been so strong and that's why it's been so dark Because you're so strong and you're so positioned and you're so important to his purpose You must be important The devil wouldn't tie you up if he wasn't afraid of what would happen if you got loose I can't buy an amen but I don't need one this is good in my soul

I said he wouldn't tie you up. It's the opposite. I thought the storm meant God had left me. I found out it meant that grace was on the way. I thought the shackles meant God couldn't use me. I found out that the shackles mean God is looking for someone who knows how to break chains. Now, I just wonder, are there any chain breakers in the house today? I mean, you see chainbreakers, Rock Hill chain breakers.

If you're a chainbreaker and you know it, and you've been through some things and you have some issues, and you forgot who you were for a moment. But in the presence of God today, you're starting to remember, I am a child of God. Take a few moments and praise him. Watch on the other side. Children, out unto God with the voice of triumph. I don't care you belong to a country club. Shout to God with the voice of tribe. He threw you in the fire so he could show Nebuchadnezzar that He is God.

You must be important. He let you spend the night with the lions so he could shut the lion's mouth and demonstrate his strength. You must be important. He drowned all those horses in the Red Sea so that the nations would know that he is God. You must be important. High five everybody, little chap, say you must be important. How else do you explain the fact?

Everything that can be shaken will be shaken so that only that which cannot be shaken will remain. You know what it means if you're still here? You weren't shaken. The trial came, the foundation's quick, but the house stood firm because it wasn't on the sand. This man was so important that Jesus went through the storm to get to him. And you were so important that Jesus was so important that Jesus was so important that Jesus was so important. Jesus went through Gatsimony to get to you. And you were so important that he passed through the membrane of eternity into the construct

called time to come to you. Don't you ever let the devil tell you against somebody else needs to raise those kids. Don't you ever let the devil tell you against somebody else belongs in that spot. And the next storm that comes, I want you to wave it on by. Because there must be something so great on the other side. Listen, in my Bible it says something very strange. It says that when Jesus set the man free, the man went and got down in the boat. Because he was like, you are not leaving me here with these people.

Look at verse 18. I didn't read it to you. I was saving it. As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who was demon- possessed begged to go with him. That's like if you're in my car on the way home. That would be weird. Now we've got a contrast because the demons are like, don't make us leave. And the man is like, don't make me stay.

And it's sexy to want to step out into something new. And the brother is clothed in his right mind, and he's amazed, and he's grateful. And he wants to be on Jesus' team, so he's like, I'm going to come with you, all right? It's cool, I promise. No more of that cutting and chain-breaking stuff. Let me keep the books. I see that guy you got Judas. I don't think he's see.

A devil knows the devil, I'm telling you. Let me be your treasurer. But something happened so strange to me because I just read in Mark II where Jesus called the disciples and he said, come follow me, leave what you know and follow me. And I'm going to show you how to do something new for my glory. And they had the faith to go. And it takes a lot of faith to leave a situation you're familiar with. It takes faith to me.

It takes faith to go. But Jesus did something kind of strange. He looked back at the man and he said, you can't follow me. Jesus didn't let him leave, but said, I need you to go home to the same situation that I delivered you in. I'm not going to take you out of it. I took it out of you. I changed your condition. but I'm going to leave you in the circumstance because I want these people to know.

Watch this. Go home and tell them how much the Lord has done for you. Give me my verse. Please, thank you. And how he has had mercy on you. I want you to be a trophy. In fact, it's better than that. Look at verse 20. Touch somebody say, you must be so important.

I don't know why the ushers let me sit next to you. You must be so important. And he went away and began to tell him the Decapolis. That's 10 cities. the man became a missionary. You know what we could call this sermon? From maniac to missionary. I need somebody crazy enough

because when the people see how much you've changed, sometimes God gives you the faith to go. Other times he gives you the grace to stay. And I think that's amazing too. Because some of you are in a difficult place and all you want to do is escape, Jesus take me with you. Let me get a new start. And sometimes in those moments, and you know if you're in one,

where you just want to escape the situation or the pain of the trial, God says, I'm going to give you something better than the faith to go. I'm going to give you the grace to stay. See, you are so important to me. And the man who wasn't even living with the people became the first missionary to the Gentiles. He was the first one. Some of you are going to be the first. You are going to be the first to break a chain.

None of your friends have done it. None of your family did it. Nobody around you believes you can do it. And you didn't believe in yourself. But in this moment, the presence of the Lord is in this place. Because now I know who I am. I thought I was worthless. I believed that for years.

But now I know who I am. He came through all that for me. Now I know who I am because the enemy only attacks what's valuable. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.