Steven Furtick - Focus On Today
This is an excerpt from: This Is That Day
I wonder: are we stressed, discouraged, defeated, and lacking momentum and victory in our lives because when I asked, "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. 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.
All of 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 is going to be back together. Round 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 when" can be a trap to keep you focused so much on the years that you don't do with the days what you could 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 have time. There are days between here and there. Do you know how much peace it'll bring you to recognize the revelation of a day? Here's the revelation of a day: 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. Jesus said, "Sufficient is the day…" "Give us this day our…" Fifteen-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 adviser, but you have to do that today.
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 98 percent of giving is online. From nothing to 98 percent. There's something in your life like that right now. 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 is going to do it". We'll say, "I don't need to take care of it; God has got me in his hands". And he does. In that day the Lord will fight Leviathan, but you and I have a responsibility too.
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 pinkie. Wiggle your pinkie toe. Just do something to get in agreement with me. 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 and 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. I don't know what tomorrow holds, so God has not given me a promise concerning this year; he gave me a promise for this day".
The promise is not for tomorrow, because you don't know what tomorrow holds. I want you to go from "One day when…" How many have done that before, by the way? "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 you want to see set straight in your life. I want you to go from "One day when" to one-day win, because Isaiah didn't say anything about years. He said, "In that day…"
This is your year to win one day at a time. 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, one day we'll be telling our kids, "One day, when I made a decision to get a one-day win…" 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'll 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… I need to admit some of the things 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 streaming in. I got a one-day win".
Hey, everybody get ready to celebrate, because you came to church today. Guess what? I don't 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 step. You made it today. "I got that one-day win. I've been living in 'One day, when I get more resources, then I can do it.'" "When I have more clarity, then I can 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 win. Just don't cuss them out today. How many can do that? Make some noise if you can not cuss them out today.
"But we should dream big, Pastor Steven. 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 have 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. 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. 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 gut 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 sermon. The man shot the ball. There was, like, one second left on the shot clock. The guy who shot missed, but then it hit the backboard. Ten 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. It means you missed that one, but if you get that ball back in your hands…
I believe God brought somebody to church today so you could get this ball back in your hands. I know you missed some in '23, but this is '24. 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 2024… He woke you up this morning. He started you on your way. He clothed you in your right mind. He gave you the breath of life. You've got a new 24! Twenty-four! What's it for? I'm going to shoot this thing. "In days to come…" I have 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 got a new 24".