Steven Furtick - Where You Meet With God
We thank you for your presence today, God. We do not take it for granted that we can call upon that name, that name that moves mountains, that name that saves souls, that name that forgives sin, that name that rolls away shame. That name, and that name alone, the name of Jesus, is our banner today. I’m thankful for thousands of people who are not ashamed to praise the name of Jesus today, who are not shy or quiet or too tired to praise the name of Jesus. I thank you for the chain-breaking power of your Son Jesus today. I thank you for the yoke-destroying anointing of your Son Jesus today. I thank you for the grave-robbing presence of the almighty God, the Great I Am, the person and the work of Jesus today. We expect miracles in that name, healing in that name, breakthrough in that name. But we didn’t come today just to see what we could get out of that name; we came to give that name the praise today, for your name is worthy. Jesus, your name is worthy, always has been, always will be. No matter what we go through, you’re worthy. No matter what we’re facing, you’re worthy. It never changes, never fails, your great love.
Grab the hand of the person on either side of you. We’re going to make a connection right now by faith. If you’re watching online and you’re not at one of our physical locations, that’s all right. Just squeeze the hand of the person next to you. Now say this out loud: «God is in this moment».
Father, we thank you and invite you into every single situation represented in this room, good, bad, in between, epic, or boring. You are the Lord of it all. I thank you for the wonderful time we’ve had today singing your praises, but worship is more than a song. So now, Lord, we bring you our lives, ourselves, every single part of us. I pray for the person on my right and the person on my left. I don’t just pray for myself today. Would you touch my brother, touch my sister? Touch them enough to let them know they can make it another week. Touch them enough to know it’s already worked out in heaven and it will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Touch them enough to know there is nothing that escapes your all-seeing eye and that the wings of El Shaddai, the Most High God, are hovering over your children today. I thank you, Lord, for your promise that he who dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High will abide under the shadow of the Almighty, and I thank you that no weapon formed against your children will prosper. We thank you that the church of Jesus Christ is being built and the gates of hell will not prevail, have not prevailed, cannot prevail. For we know a name that is greater than Satan, greater than darkness, greater than cancer, greater than depression, greater than diabetes, greater than sickness, greater than guilt, grace that is greater, the name of Jesus.
Give him praise, children! All right. That’s your polite praise. Give him your party praise. Give him your «made it» praise. Give him «some kind of way he’s going to do it» praise! Happy 2025, everybody. I thought I would give the year a catchy slogan. This is my first sermon of 2025, so I thought I’d give you a range of options. If you really aren’t that goal oriented, just survive in '25. If you have a little more faith than that, look at them and say, «Thrive in '25». If you have a little more faith than that, if you have faith like Lazarus, if you have faith like the women who went to the tomb with the spices when they said it was over, look at your neighbor and say, «Dead things come alive in '25».
Oh, I felt that when I said it. We’re not going to sing anymore, because I feel like preaching. It’s my first sermon of the year. We’re going to get that song out as soon as we can, «I Know a Name». We’re not going to hold it hostage for two years like we do sometimes. That song is going into your ears so it can go into people’s homes and into people’s hearts so you can call on the name of Jesus. Do we have a date, boys? February 14. That’s Valentine’s Day. Dead things coming alive on Valentine’s Day. Can I get an «Amen?» That’s great. You can be singing like, «I don’t have a date, but I know a name»! Give it up for the great Brandon Lake and the great Christopher Brown. Hey, we have new music coming your way Friday…Sons of Sunday: «God Did». Get it on Napster. It’s good to be back. I haven’t seen y’all in a few weeks. Praise the Lord, everybody!
I want to thank you for your amazing, remarkable, once-in-a-generation generosity for our church giving and our year-end offering. Over $10 million. At least praise him on a 10 for $10 million. That’s so many people we can help. That’s so many schools we can build. That’s so many people we can come to with water and food and clothes and with the gospel, building and blessing and touching the world and preaching Jesus. We’re going to build a campus in Greenville, South Carolina. We’re going to build a campus in Raleigh, North Carolina. We’re going to build a campus in Uptown Charlotte. We’re going to preach the gospel everywhere all around the world, and we’re doing it together. High-five your neighbor and say, «I’m alive in '25». And the church is alive. Praise the Lord. I’m feeling good. I’m feeling dangerous today. I’m feeling revival spirit today.
The Lord led me to a passage of Scripture that I thought was so strange I was nervous to preach it, but I find sometimes it’s in the simplest pictures he gives us that the greatest and most strategic breakthroughs occur. I want you to join me for a moment today in 2 Kings 6:1-7. I took a poll of 10 Christians, 10 people who went to Bible school. Of the 10, 9.7 said, «I’ve never heard that story preached before». That means, today, this will be the best sermon on 2 Kings 6:1-7 you’ve ever heard. I’m stacking the odds in my favor. You can’t say anything else. You’ll say, «Well, that’s the best sermon I’ve ever heard about that Scripture, because it’s the only one I’ve heard about that Scripture». I don’t want you to miss anything the Lord has for you, so lean in from the very beginning. I’ll read you just three verses, and then I’ll tell you this very peculiar story in the Scripture. You’ll wonder, like I wondered, why that Scripture. That’s what I wondered too, but then God showed me.
Let’s look together at 2 Kings 6:1-2, just those two verses for now. By the way, shout-out to our Charleston, South Carolina, Pop-Up today. Did you know we were meeting in Charleston today? Welcome. They’re still shouting. Ballantyne is not that excited. They don’t care. What does it matter to them? You came out in the cold. You know you get an extra dose of the Holy Ghost for coming out when it’s below 40 degrees in the South. Good things are going to happen. Your car is going to get extra gas mileage this week because you came in the cold…as long as it’s a Tesla.
Second Kings 6:1: «The company of the prophets said to Elisha, 'Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to meet.' And he said, 'Go.'» Let me read that one more time before I give you my subject for today. Second Kings 6:1-2: «The company of the prophets said to Elisha, 'Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us.'» Now, that’s a problem. «'Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to meet.' And he said, 'Go.'» Today, I want to talk to you for a few moments about Where You Meet With God and get you to think about that, because I believe it is the key to so many other things you’re worried about this year.
Father, we thank you that you’re already here. We don’t have to beg you to come or entice you. I pray that now you would make your presence so manifest that not a single one of us can excuse it or explain it away. When they leave, Lord, may they not say, «The music was good». May they not say, «They kept it cold in that auditorium». May they not say, «It was crowded. We’ve got to get out of here and get out of the parking lot». May they say, «Surely the presence of the Lord was in this place». In Jesus' name, amen.
It has never been easier to pretend we’re places that we’re not. I had a Zoom meeting with a professional whom I pay the other day. (I put that in because it’s important.) He has all kinds of trophies and awards. Every time we meet (because we meet regularly), I can always see all of his trophies and awards. Kind of like an ego wall so he can keep me convinced I need to pay him. I get it. I’m not judging it. The other day, I was meeting with him, and while I was looking, I was like, «Oh man. Maybe something is wrong with my eyes,» because some of the awards started disappearing. I was like, «That’s weird. I need to check my eyes». I’m 44 now, so I know stuff is going to start just quitting. I’m like, «Is it the Zoom connection? Is it just midlife? What’s happening right now?»
Then another award started moving, and then it started moving around. I was like, «Well, now, that’s not the connection». They were pixelating, and they were moving positions all over the wall. I called his name. I’m going to make up a name. I said, «Brother, why are the trophies moving around the wall?» I said, «Is that a Zoom background? Are those not real trophies I’ve been looking at the whole time?» He dropped his head. I knew that wasn’t true, because I know his credentials. He said, «I just didn’t want to distract you. I had a flood in the regular place we meet, and I didn’t want to cause a disruption, so I just recreated that background, and I’ve been putting it up. I promise you those are real».
Then, the next time we met, I made him pick up stuff and show it to me to prove he really did earn it. I came away with a valuable lesson. It has never been easier to pretend like you’re in a place and hope nobody stops to ask you, «Are you really here?» All this stuff you show online… It has never been easier to show it on a screen even when you know you don’t really have it in your life, to be going through a flood in one location but make it look like everything is fine in another. Again, I don’t say this as a judgment, but sometimes, when we come to little obscure texts in the Bible, maybe we say, «Why, of all of the passages…? Pastor Steven, I need a word for 2025. This is your first sermon of the year». Or maybe you’re watching this in 2038. Maybe I’m a hologram floating over you preaching this right now.
I don’t know what they’ll do in the future. But you’re like, «Why this? We have a whole Bible full of big miracles with big ol' Red Seas and towering Jericho walls and filthy graves and blind eyes being opened, and you would choose to preach about a text as simple as…» «The company of the prophets said to Elisha, 'Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to meet.' And he said, 'Go.'» So, why did the Holy Spirit select this Scripture for us on this pivotal week in our lives?
I have a reason that I think the Holy Spirit wants you to hear about this today. First of all, because most of the things you struggle with in your life have small beginnings. The better you get with identifying and recognizing your struggle in the small stage, the less effort you will have to spend when that thing is full-grown to sabotage you in the future. I love these men in this passage. Here’s the situation. They are students of a great prophet. Not a pretty good prophet, not a minor league prophet…a great prophet, the prophet of Israel who could call for God to intervene supernaturally, and he would; who could locate enemies supernaturally, and God’s people would get the victory.
A great prophet, Elisha. He has gathered unto himself a great company of students, and the students are kind of looking around for a little while as this movement starts to grow. Please be aware that if God really blesses your life, blessing creates just as many problems as struggle does. So, at some point, they begin to meet with one another, and they say, «This sucks, man. It’s crowded. This is ridiculous. This was fine when there were 50 of us». Who knows how many there were by that time. Elisha has fixed a complete water system in one city. He has fixed a drought for several kings and turned the tide of the war. He has supplied a food supply for a widow. He has given a barren woman a child, and then raised that child from the dead when the child died. All that has already happened. He healed a Syrian commander of leprosy by telling him to go dip in the Jordan River.
So, you have to imagine it was at least double what it had been to start with, because he had a double portion of his predecessor Elijah’s spirit on him, and he worked great miracles. So, they look at each other one day, like, «Man, somebody ought to do something about this. It’s crowded. You don’t shower. There’s no deodorant. (It hasn’t been invented.) We’ve got to do something about this». I want to focus in for just a moment on verse 1 to show you where the Holy Spirit convicted me about my life. He told me I live in verse 1 too often. Verse 1 is where they give the complaint. «Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us». That’s the whole verse 1. I wonder, did you live most of last year in verse 1 and never make it to verse 2? «What do you mean, 'make it to verse 2'?» In verse 2, they say, «'Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to meet.' And he said, 'Go.'»
Verse 1 contains the problem. «It’s too crowded. This isn’t working anymore. We don’t fit here anymore. We don’t like this. Y’all need to build a parking deck at 'Elevution' Church. This is too much. Y’all go too long, and the services overlap, and it’s crazy. Y’all need to get us out of this high school auditorium and get us into a real building. You know, we’ve got problems around here». The only thing about the problem is that God caused it. I bet you they prayed for people to come and be a part of their team. Now they’re complaining about something they prayed for. Oh! You’d better wear your steel-toes this year. Don’t wear your Crocs to this church this year. I’m walking up and down those rows this year, looking for the person who’s like me. This is my default setting: to pray about something, possess what I prayed for, and complain about what I prayed for. But they didn’t do that. They said, «The place is too small. Let us go».
So, here’s a challenge for you. I hope you’ll accept it, but maybe you won’t, and that’s okay too. I can just give you the challenge; I can’t make you do it. Every time you are tempted to complain, it is an invitation to create instead. Every time you are tempted to complain, it should be a trigger or an invitation for you to create. I know the Bible says, «Do everything without complaining,» but sometimes the complaining stage is the stage you have to make it through to get to the change stage. They were not rebuked for complaining, but they were blessed for continuing. Again, they were not rebuked for complaining. «This place is too small». And the prophet said, «Be grateful for what you have». No. He was more than willing (that’s a word I want us to come back to a few times today) to give them permission.
Some of the things we’re praying about, complaining about, worrying about and calling it prayer, God has already given us permission to fix. Have you ever worried about something and said you prayed about it? Do you ever talk to everybody about it but the one who could do something for you? May this be the year you stop complaining to people who can’t change it anyway. The Bible says, «The company of the prophets said to Elisha…» Now, I have to show you how cool the Bible is. A prophet speaks for God. A prophet represents God. We don’t have prophets like this today because we all, as believers, have the Holy Spirit. Jesus is our Great High Priest. The Holy Spirit lives in you. You don’t need me to get a word from God.
If I’m off any day, God is still on. If I don’t give you the word you need, go back and read the Scripture I read, and God will preach it better than I did. If I fall down dead preaching this sermon today, somebody else will pick up the mic and preach it before I can get out of the door with the EMS, because God’s Word is eternal. It does not originate with men; it originates with God. Not only is it internal; it’s eternal. When we say, «The place where you meet with God,» I want you to understand that place is never meant to be a building. When I said, «I want to talk to you today about where you meet with God,» you were like, «Great. They’re starting a building campaign». No. We already did that. I told you. We already built the building. We’re here. And even if we didn’t have a building, we could put it on YouTube, so we don’t need all that. But maybe I am starting a building campaign today where you begin to build new patterns and recruit new people, if necessary, so that the presence of God permeates your life this year.
I want to talk to you about where you meet with God. Now, let me slow down. When we think about a prophet, we think about somebody who speaks for God, and prophets do that in the Bible. Prophets can prophesy doom and judgment. You see this a lot in the Bible. Prophets can also prophesy rain and blessing and life and increase. In this situation, didn’t you find it interesting that in verse 1 it says, «The company of the prophets said to Elisha,» not, «Elisha said to the company of the prophets?» Why is that significant? Because sometimes God commands you to do something clearly. There are some things God has commanded you to do clearly. These are not opinions, suggestions, or advice. These are not influencers giving you their tips and techniques. These are the truths of God’s Word. They are eternal.
God commands you clearly to flee sexual immorality. You don’t have to pray about the affair you’re on the edge of having. You have to run. Flee sexual immorality. That’s clear. I know another clear one people don’t like. «Forgive others just as God in Christ forgave you». That’s clear. «But, Lord, which city should I live in? Should I live in Charlotte or Atlanta or Roanoke or Raleigh?» The Lord is going to use you in the city that you obey the clear thing he showed you in, so if you don’t forgive in Charlotte, when you move to Atlanta, you’re going to have the same sewage you had in Charlotte when you get to Atlanta, because you didn’t do what was clear. Wherever you go, there you are.
So, a lot of the prayers we pray about moves we should make… When we can’t get ourselves to obey what God has clearly spoken, we create confusion so that we don’t take responsibility for our decisions. I’m not going to be like this the whole time. I will be hopeful in a moment, but I just want to spend more time this year in verse 2 where they said, «Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to meet». Honestly, if this is my prayer, I’m saying, «God, this place where we meet with you is too small. Make us a bigger one. God, these people you put around me are not talented enough. Give me more talented people. God, this situation you put me in is not important enough. It’s not exciting enough. God, move me to another place».
I want you to notice, in verse 2, they didn’t ask the prophet for anything except permission. «Let us go to the place by the Jordan,» the transitional body of water where the people of God crossed over into Jericho. «Let us go to the place where the vegetation is and the wood is and the tools are and the resources are, and let us build a place there for us to meet». Put verse 2 on the screen, and whoever is circling back there, circle the following words. «Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to meet». That’s their plan. «We’ve got a plan». «This is my year. I’ve got a plan. Thrive in '25. I’ve got a plan. I’m eating carnivore. I’m doing cardio. I’m drinking collagen».
Then, two weeks in, you got a cold, and where did that get you? «I’ve got a plan. We’re going to go down here and build a place. It’s going to be bigger. It’s going to be better. It’s going to be amazing. I’ve got my plan. Now, I had the plan last year, but this is different. I had it the year before that too, and the year before that, but that was COVID. That doesn’t count. I mean, this year is different. So we’re going». I give them credit for their initiative, because I think sometimes when we’re waiting for God to speak, he’s waiting for us to step. Sometimes, when we’re waiting for God to move, he’s waiting for us to multiply what we’ve already been given. So, I congratulate these men for their initiative. They didn’t just complain about the thing; they were willing to change the thing, to work toward the thing, to collaborate toward the thing.
Are you or are you waiting for something to happen externally when the Word of God is internal and eternal? Nothing can stop it, and it can’t be seen with human eyes. So, they get fired up. One of my friends who is an athlete tells me, «I don’t know if this is going to encourage you, but I come to church because it helps me feel like I can do anything for about three days». I said, «That’s pretty good…three days. That’s a pretty good shelf life. Three days. That’s pretty good. Flowers can die quicker than three days. That’s pretty good». He said, «Yeah, I feel like I can do anything for three days». I said, «But what happens on day four?» He said, «Well, that’s where it gets tricky». I said, «No, it doesn’t».
You can go back to God between Sundays. You can go back to God between hours. You can go back to God as much as you want in any situation you’re in. I think, as simple as that sounds, we don’t really practice that. I saw something here that was to be celebrated. «Let’s go! We’re going to build a bigger school, and Elisha the prophet is going to teach us. We’re going to build something amazing for you, God». Many of us have started this year with good motives. «I’m going to build something for my family. I’m going to build something so I can take care of my kids. I’m going to build something for God. I’m going to build something to make a difference. I’m going to work on my body. I’m going to work on my mind. I’m going to work on my future. I’m going to work on my career. I’m going to work on myself. I’m going to work on my temper. I’m going to work on my yoga».
I started doing yoga last year, just so I can keep it moving as much as I need to up here. I’m just increasing the arsenal this year. Do you know what the thing about it is? Holly is better at it than I am, and I can lift so many more pounds than she can. The instructor who’s working with us is always saying, «Beautiful, Holly». She comes over to me and says, «Uh, it gets better, Steven». Like, the only word she has for me is the word of false encouragement and delusional hope that I’ll one day be flexible. I found out something. When you’re doing something new, it helps to have somebody who can give you personal attention so you don’t get confused and quit. Maybe the reason you had a plan last year and it fell apart in three days, three weeks, three months… Maybe the reason your motivation sometimes only lasts three minutes… Maybe the reason it lasts too short sometimes is because you only get permission and a plan.
This is a year where your plan will not be enough, because the most important things that will happen in your life this year will not be in your plan. The greatest things God will bring into your life will not be on your vision board. They will not be manifested from the contours of your human mind or imagination. You will not see them coming, so you won’t have time to plan a parade. You will not see them coming, so you won’t have time to get in your stance. The most important things (and I’m going to show you in the text what I’m talking about) that will happen in your life this year will not be a part of your plan. How many can testify that there has already been an unplanned event that has superseded your planned year this year? And we’re just getting started. So they’re excited. «We’re going to go build a place. We’re going to get a pole. We’re going to build a place, and Elisha is going to teach us».
It’s not like they’re going to build a strip club. They’re not doing something terrible. They’re not even doing something neutral. They’re building something for God. «Okay. We’re going to build this for God, and God is going to bless us». I just need to stop right here and take a poll. How many have something you want to do for God this year in your life? Shout out what it is on three. One, two, three. All right, cool. God heard all that. I don’t need to. Some of what you said you’re going to do for God this year, God was like, «That’s right. Go do it». And some of it, God was like, «Why are you making a plan for a purpose I didn’t call you to just because you saw it in somebody else?»
Let me tell you something. I don’t want to build anything in my life, from this point on, that God gave somebody else the blueprint for, because I’ve spent too much time, too much energy, lost too much joy, and forfeited too much contentment and peace trying to build something that isn’t even in my blueprint. I need to tell you something about Elisha. Elisha is a little moody. «You can’t call a man of God moody». I sure can, because one time some boys called him «Baldy,» and he called she-bears out of the woods to devour them. That’s temperamental. That qualifies. So, I think it would have taken a lot of nerve to come up to the prophet and say, «Man, this place you got us meeting, respectfully… We need to do a relocation project».
Elisha says, «Go». They look at each other, like, «This is amazing. He said we could go. He’s letting us do it. He’s going to let us use the stuff. Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go». They’re fired up. «Let’s go. We’re going to build a house for God. House on three. House on me. One, two, three! House! Let’s go»! Watch this. I haven’t read you this part of the story yet, but it’s the best part of the story. All of a sudden, as they’re going to build something for God with good intentions, with the permission of the prophet… «He said we could do it». «God said I’m a conqueror. God said I can do it. God said this is my year. He breaks chains. This is the year dead things come alive. We’re going».
Put up verse 3, the best verse I’ve read this year so far. «Then one of them said…» Now, this is the kid in the class who raises his hand and says, «Uh, excuse me. Teacher? How about that homework assignment?» This is that kid. Not only that. I can’t prove it to you, but I think he was the smartest one in the whole group. I don’t know his name, but what he did was so important, but he didn’t know it was important. It seems incidental, but it’s not. They’re on their way. «Let’s go». Look at your neighbor and say, «Let’s go». Tell them, «This year, let’s go. Right now, let’s go. Get free. Let’s go! Rise up. Let’s go! Be more. Let’s go»! Verse 3: «One of them said…» «I’m going to ask him». «Wait, wait, wait. No, no, no. He said we can go». «Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know he said we can go. I know, but I’m going to ask him». «You can’t ask him that». «Yes, I can. You’d better let go of me right now. I’m asking him, because I don’t just want his permission».
I don’t just want his permission. I don’t just want his provision. I don’t just want my plan. One of them came back and said, «Elisha, I might be out of line. I don’t know if you want to. I know you’re busy. You’ve got to kill little kids with bears and save kings, but, um…» Verse 3: «Won’t you please come with your servants?» «You can’t ask him that. This is the prophet. This is the man of God. He doesn’t have time to swing an ax with you, chop down a tree with you, relocate to the messy Jordan banks with you. This is Elisha. Are you crazy? You ask him if you want. I’m not getting killed by a bear. I’m leaving well enough alone». «No, no, no. I’m asking him». «Hey, Elisha, I appreciate the fact that you gave me the opportunity. I appreciate the fact that you’re letting us go build. That’s really kind of you, because you could have just told us to shut up and be content with what we had, but I’m not content with what we have if we don’t have you».
Now, remember, the prophet represents the Word of God, the presence of God. What I’m trying to say to you today is I don’t want you to go for your goal without your God. I don’t want it to feel like you can do anything for three days, and then on the fourth day it falls apart and you start thinking faith didn’t work. It wasn’t that faith didn’t work. You put your faith in the faith rather than the God who gave the faith. This year, I have a plan, I have provision, I have permission, but this year, my plan is his presence. This year, my plan is that everywhere the sole of my foot shall tread, like Joshua, I believe God is giving me this place as holy ground.
This is the year where I move the church outside of a physical location to my car, to my home, to my unchangeable situation. I move it. They came to Elisha and said, «The place we meet with you is too small,» and they were right, but not how they thought they were right. It wasn’t only too small in the physical dimensions of it. It not only needed to be expanded physically, but the place where they thought they could meet with God was too small in their perception, because God doesn’t just want to come when you build it; he wants to be with you as you build. I don’t know if this makes sense. It does to me. It’s helping me get my confidence for this year, because I’ve been in this too long to think my plan is going to go down how I planned for it this year. So guess what? Presence is my plan this year.
Somebody say, «Presence is my plan». Ask them, «What’s your five-year plan?» Tell them, «Presence». Ask them for their 10-year plan. «What’s your 10-year plan?» «Presence». «What do you mean by that?» When I’m 10 years down the road or 10 minutes down the road, the God who is with me in this moment will not leave me nor forsake me until everything he spoke concerning his purpose for my life has been fulfilled. So, this year, I have a plan, and the plan is his presence. When I walk through the fire, I’m not alone. When I walk through the storm, I’m not alone. He’s with me on the boat. He’s with me in the bowels of the furnace. He’s with me in this. That’s the word of the Lord. Presence is the plan.
God says you need a «plan Be» this year. That means if I’m in the wilderness, he’ll be my water. If I’m in a hard place, he’ll be my pillow. If I’m in a sickbed, he’ll be my physician. I have a plan Be this year. The Great I Am is my plan Be this year. His presence, the Great I Am… This is a shift in mentality for all of us control freaks who think we are going to perfectly design our lives. «I’m going to chop down a tree, and I’m going to build a building». But the thing you never saw coming is going to require the God you keep forgetting to bring along. «Beautiful, Holly. Steven, would you like a few adjustments?» I’m like, «Yes, I would. I’m not trying to twist my lumbar like a pretzel in here. I’m not trying to walk out of here like I’m 91 years old. I’m already walking like I’m 89. I need some help in here. Come over here and help me». «Help me, God».
I’m using it as an analogy, you understand. I’m not getting into new age mysticism and telling you to do yoga. I’m just saying, just like the Holy Spirit, I need you to come along this year. «I need you to go with me this year, God. God, I can’t walk in this house without you. God, I can’t get on this Zoom without you. I’m tired of putting up plaques and trophies on a fake green screen back behind me, pretending like I’m doing better than I am». «Come with us, Elisha». «Come with me, Word of God. Come with me on the waters. Come with me in the wave. Come with me back to school. Come with me into this divorce. Come with me into this addiction. Come with me into this crippling state. Come with me into this kitchen. Come with me into this argument. Come with me into this text thread. Come with me into this feed. Come with me into this step. Come with me into this heartbreak».
Verse 3: «Will you come with us?» Won’t you come with us? We don’t want to go without you, God. I don’t want to preach without you. I don’t want to teach without you. I don’t want to «dad» without you. I don’t want to «husband» without you. I don’t want to «man» without you. I don’t want it without you. I don’t want a plan without the Great I Am. I want a plan Be, because I don’t even know what I need him to be until I get there. That’s why he said, «I Am That I Am». So, when you run up on a Red Sea, you have a plan Be. You don’t understand what I just said. You have a plan Be. You don’t even know you need him to be a parter of the waters until you’re looking at a sea.
So, the sea you didn’t plan for, you have a plan Be. God said, «I’ll be what you need me to be when you step your foot where you’re going with an awareness of my presence». The thing is he’s already in you. It’s an issue not of ability; it’s willingness. That really blessed me how the prophet said… I don’t even think I can do this like I want to. Not in this setting. I’d have to be talking to a small group of people who felt like they’ve been in situations where they felt unwanted. You notice the prophet said in verse 2, «Go,» but what touched me was he wanted to come. He was waiting to be asked. You keep assuming, «Well, if God wanted to do it, he’d do it». What if he’s waiting to be asked? What if he wants you to involve him? Elisha didn’t say to the school of the prophets, «Build a bigger place». They said to him, «Can we do it?» Elisha didn’t say, «Mind if I tag along?» They said, «Will you come?»
It took me back to something (this is why it touched me) from when Elijah was very little. My Elijah, not the prophet. I don’t know about when that prophet was little, but my Elijah… He’s so convincing and so persuasive, and he always has been. Then he started watching Ben Shapiro, and now he just wants to argue all the time. But even when he wants to be sweet… I remember he wanted me to see the Avengers movie. I don’t like superhero movies. I think they’re stupid. I’m like, «Man, we’re not going to the Avengers». I’m telling you, he wasn’t above 7 years old or something like that. He was way too young to be out that late, because it was showing at 10:00 at night. He’s like, «Can we go see the 10:00?» «Man, I’m not taking you to Avengers at 10:00. I don’t like superhero movies. I don’t like 10:00. I don’t like you after 10:00. We’re not doing this».
That boy didn’t say a word. He went away. I’m like, «Okay. Good. We got that done». He comes back. He doesn’t say a word and brings me my shoes and puts them down at my feet. He didn’t say anything until he was almost all the way out the door. He said, «I’ll be in the car if you change your mind». How do you not take that kid to Stonecrest and buy him popcorn and Coke and caffeinate him and sugar him up? He’s up until 7:00 a.m., but I got a sermon illustration out of it. Bring God his shoes! «God, I know you haven’t done it yet, and if you don’t want to, I trust you, but I’m going to be in the car if you change your mind. I’m going to be in my seat at Elevation if you change your mind. I’m going to be in therapy if you change your mind. I’m going to be working on this. Will you come?»
You’d be surprised what God would say «Yes» to if you’d get in the vehicle. You’d be surprised what God would say «Yes» to if you’d bring him his shoes. You’d be surprised where God would meet with you if you brought him along. Why wait until you’ve built the place to learn from the prophet? Why wait until you get the degree to celebrate the progress? Why wait until the chains are all the way broken to show somebody how to smash the first link like you did? Why wait for the presence of God when he is a very present help in the time of trouble? I’m trying to tell you he wants to come.
Stop trying to rebuke anxiety in the name of Jesus. You don’t get through anxiety by rebuking anxiety in the name of Jesus. You receive the grace of Jesus for your anxiety, and the grace of Jesus in your anxiety becomes the place where you meet with God. Put your feet on the ground and sit there and do your breathing exercises. Do a downward dog and a «Hallelujah». Make it the place where you meet with God, because you’re going to need him. «Let’s talk along the way. Elisha, you have so much to share». «God, would you show me along the way things that I think I’m going to learn when I get there?» I think that’s so important, because I’m a perfectionist, and I’m a complainer. I guess I’m supposed to be helping you, but this is helping me. I just saw not only do I get stuck in verse 1 where I say, «It’s too small. It’s not working. I don’t like this. It’s terrible. I’m confined,» and I complain.
Sometimes I get stuck in verse 2. «Let us go down, and let us do it. Let us try». «Here’s my plan,» and I never get to verse 3: his presence. Look at how Elisha responded. He didn’t call a bear to kill this boy. He didn’t tell him, «You’re ridiculous for wasting my time». You know how sometimes you think God is too small? You think what you’re dealing with is something God can’t handle. We all think that. We watch the news, and we see crazy things that are happening in the world. It’s not that we think God is too small, but it doesn’t seem like he’s doing anything about it. Sometimes I don’t think we realize how small God is willing to be to show how big he is.
That’s why I chose this passage for my first sermon of this year. I thought if we talked about Goliath going down, you would wait for a big giant to trust God. It’s not the giants all the time that cause you to lose your momentum. I know how it is. I can do anything for three days, but that fourth day… I really love Jesus until about 9:45 a.m., and then at 9:46, the Devil meets with me. I know that feeling. I believe that not every day presents a Red Sea, a Goliath, or a burning bush. I mean, all of these things are wonderful, and you know I love to preach about them, but I started my year with a sermon called… I don’t know what your Bible heading says there, but mine says, «An Ax-head Recovered». That’s all it said on the subject.
«Really, man? You have a whole Bible full of nine-foot giants and raging seas, and you want to preach about an ax-head?» Yeah, because I think the little moments with God that he wants you to have are the ones that are slipping away. I think that’s why the other stuff gets so big and takes you down. The prophet said, «I’ll go with you,» and verse 4 records what happened next. «He went with them». I wonder what they talked about. I wonder if they talked at all. I wonder if they were able to ask him more specifically, «How do you think we should build it?» Do you know you can ask God stuff more specific? «God, is there another way to say that?» Now, I have an advantage over you in this, because every week, I have to try to talk for God to you, and I’m dumb.
So I get a lot of practice with asking, «God, is there another way to say that? I don’t know if I already said that before. Are they going to hear it? Are they going to get it? Does that make any sense?» That’s a skill you need for your life, too, not just to preach. That’s a skill you need for your life. The skill you need is the presence of God, just right there in the middle of your Zoom meeting with your fake trophies and your shorts or your underwear going on under the desk and your tie up top. You don’t have to say it out loud. You don’t have to go off the screen. Just right there. «God, I need you before I speak». Just those little moments. I really believe that.
Why did God include this boring story in the Bible? Do you think Elisha didn’t do more fantastic miracles? He did. But the Lord wanted us to have seven verses to know what happens to us sometimes. This is what I see for so many of the people I pastor who I meet. When I meet you… You meet with God in your own time, but when I meet you, sometimes I hear about the things the Enemy is tormenting you with. It goes something like this.
Verse 4: «And he went with them. They went to the Jordan and began to cut down trees». «It’s going well. I’m making progress. I apologized. I said I’m sorry. I actually sent the text. I actually looked up the help. I actually joined the gym. Now, I’m not going to go until about January 21 when it clears out. That’s just strategic. But I’m making my steps. I’m clearing out that room. I’m going to do it this time. Now, I have some food in the pantry I have to clear out. I can’t waste it. I mean, I’m going to eat the peanut butter, but after that jar is gone, it’s no more peanut butter. I’m going to eat kale the rest of the year. Kale, collagen, cardio, carnivore…I’m going to do it all this year. I’m going to be a vegan carnivore this year». «I’m going to cut down this tree».
And they began to cut down the tree. Now watch this. «As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water». All of a sudden, we go from «Let’s go» to «Oh no». Have you ever…? Be honest or I’ll prophesy. Have you ever been doing pretty good…? «Let’s go. I’ve got this». And in the middle of doing what you believe God gave you permission to do… «Oh no! Oh no»! You’re like, «It’s not a big deal; it’s an ax-head». When it’s a big deal to you, it’s a big deal. Stop telling people God doesn’t care about this and God doesn’t care about that. He numbers every hair on your head. He cares about everything that pertains to his child. Even Elisha, the rough and rugged prophet who had no time for any nonsense, as this young man… It says one of them…
You know what I wonder? Somebody look this up for me on ChatGPT later and send me a text about it. I wonder, was it the same one who asked him to come or was it a different one altogether? The one who’s cutting down the tree… They don’t have many tools, you understand. This is not a very sophisticated operation. As he’s cutting down the tree…Boom! The head goes off the stick, and it flies into the Jordan. Iron isn’t supposed to be in water; iron is supposed to be on wood. When iron meets wood, it makes progress, but when iron meets water, you need presence. The first thing he did when the ax-head flew was he said, «Oh no, my lord»! Who’s he talking to? Elisha. Who do you talk to when it falls off? Who do you talk to when you fall? Who do you talk to when your momentum slips? This is so important. «'Oh no, my lord! ' he cried out. 'It was borrowed! '» «Oh, this is bad. I can’t pay this back».
Some of us are in situations this year that we can’t afford to waste another day. We can’t afford to waste another year. We can’t afford to just get through a month just barely hanging on. He said, «I need help». And thank God help was there. Remember, if one of them hadn’t gone back and asked him to come, there would have been no one to help when their plan stopped working. This is what I’m saying about where you meet with God. The prophet, the great prophet Elisha, who had the power to turn the tides of wars, had the time to help a boy get it back. God said he wants to help you get it back this year. If it’s joy, he wants to help you get it back this year. If it’s integrity, he wants to help you get it back this year. If it’s the character to keep your commitments, he wants to help you get it back this year. If it’s a vision for your family, he wants to help you get it back this year. If it’s a perspective on what really matters, he wants to help you get it back this year.
I want you to notice very carefully what the prophet did in verse 6. This is what I see the Lord doing for us. The man of God asked the boy, «Where did it fall?» Isn’t that amazing? He could have said anything. The boy says, «Oh no! It was borrowed». «Well, that was stupid. Why did you borrow it? You shouldn’t be borrowing stuff anyway. Haven’t you heard Dave Ramsey on the radio? You’re not supposed to be in debt anyway. You need to go drive for Uber Eats and get it paid for». The man of God said, «Where did it fall?» Now, this is the message. I was tricking you. I told you the other part was the message. This is the message. «When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it there, and made the iron float».
The Bible says… I don’t care about what your fear says. I don’t care about what the generation before you said. I don’t care about what a political party says. I don’t care about what your wired mind says. The Bible says he didn’t condemn him; he just guided him to the place and helped to surface what he needed. He took a stick, threw it there, and made the iron float. Aren’t you grateful for the stuff God is bringing to the surface this year in your life? When he showed him the place where it fell, that is where the miracle happened. So, I want you to see what happened. He was building, and it broke. That is some of us in the room. While we were building what we felt like we were supposed to build, it broke. Our focus broke. Our momentum broke. Our streak broke. Our days of sobriety broke. It broke. The relationship broke. The heart broke. The passion broke. It broke because he was building.
Now, when it broke, it flew into the water. It had been a functional ax-head, and now it has fallen into the water. It does not belong in the water. Thank God for verse 3 where he says, «Come with us,» because that means God is with me not only when it’s functional but when it’s falling. Now I understand the key of this message. The key of this year and the key to restoration in your life is that God does not only want to be with you when you build it; he wants to be with you when it breaks. I want you to invite God into the places where it breaks this year. I want you not to pretend like you have the trophies, pretend like there hasn’t been a flood, pretend like you’re in a great place. I want you to make the place that you struggle the most the place where you meet with God. And what is that place?
Notice there is a part that God does, and there is a part that God does not do. The word of the Lord brought the iron to the surface, but it did not bring it to the shore. Verse 7: «'Lift it out, ' he said». «I’m showing it to you. I’m revealing it to you». There are things the Spirit of God will supernaturally reveal to you, but they must be practically recovered. «Lift it out». You can’t make iron float; God can. Sometimes something is floating, but it’s not fixed yet. This is where you meet God. Grace is where God meets you; faith is where you meet God. «Lift it out». «Then the man reached out his hand and took it». It’s broken, but it’s back. My life is not exactly what I want it to be at this age and stage. It’s broken, but it’s back. I’m not on the right path I set out to be on. It’s broken, but it’s back.
I hear a calling from the Holy Spirit this year to somebody’s life who thinks you can only meet with God when you are in a perfectly manicured environment full of meditative promises and meticulously kept character. No, no, no. The place you meet with God is in the place you need him the most. If the ax-head had not fallen off, there would have been no miracle. So, I am telling you to stop waiting for a future place to meet God and experience his presence and take him to the place where the blade flung off your stick and watch him bring something up.
Now, here’s the thing I learned: you have to reach for it. The ax-head did not swim to the boy; he reached for it. I believe God has given you something today to show you something that he’s calling you to reach for. He’s not going to make you dive down to the bottom and find it. You can’t do that. That’s what grace does. But what does faith do? Reach out and lift it up. Grace reveals what faith retrieves. May this be a year of recovery for you. May this be a year of clarity for you, for God to bring things up out of the muddy Jordan River. May this be a year that you don’t stand swinging your stick, knowing this isn’t working anymore. May this be a year that you don’t just keep pretending like everything is fine when you know your effectiveness is at the bottom of the water. May this be the year that you meet with God in weird places. May this be the year that you sneak into the bathroom, and instead of pills you take a prayer. May this be the year where you meet with God. I had a friend tell me one time… I said, «I’m having my quiet time in the car these days, my devotion time with God».
(We Christians call it quiet time. It’s a little Christianese for you. I’m going to do a whole series one year called «Do You Speak Christianese?» I’m going to take every little thing we say that we don’t even stop to define for people and say, «This is what that kind of means».) I told him I was meeting with God in my car a lot lately, and God was coming in my car. I was playing all of my worship CDs…John P. Kee «Strength,» Hezekiah Walker, and the Love Fellowship Tabernacle. I said, «I have the best times with God in my car». Paul Baloche and Tommy Walker and all the Integrity boys too. I said, «I have the greatest meetings with God in my car». He said, «Those don’t count». I said, «It doesn’t count?» He said, «No. It’s not set-aside time for God. You have to set aside time for God. God wants to know you’re serious. You have to set aside time for God».
I believe the place you meet with God is too small if you believe that. Put up verse 1 again. «The place where we meet with you is too small». If you want to meet with God in your breakfast nook, by all means play a Brandon Lake CD and do it, if you can find a CD player. But when you leave that place, you’d better meet with God in the next place too, because the place you meet with God is too small. If the only place you meet with God is when you get a Holy Ghost goose bump, the place you meet with God is too small. Everybody, stand up on your feet. I want you, by faith, to stretch your hands up like you’re reaching for something that was lost, that the Enemy tried to steal. Just say this out loud. «God, will you come with me?»
Now wait. Don’t say anything. The answer is «Yes». He already promised his presence. It lives inside of you. May this be the year where the place where you meet with God becomes the mountaintop of your victory and the valley of your midnight. The place you meet with God has been too small. If church is the only place you meet with God, the place you meet with God is too small. Expand your expectation of God’s presence. I declare over your life a year of expansion. Not just that you would get more stuff but that you would get more him. If you get more him, you have everything. If you have not him, you have nothing. May this be the year of his presence in your life.
«God, come with me to work this year. God, come with me as I struggle to sleep at night. God, come with me into the challenge this year. God, come with me into the uncertainty. Will you come?» He says, «Yes,» and he says, «When it falls, I’ll show you where to reach to get it back». Right now, there is somebody, and this is your moment to meet Jesus and be saved. Listen to me. God is not waiting for you to come to him; he came to you. That is the message of the gospel. So, anytime you spend thinking, «I’m going to work my way to God,» that’s not how this works. That’s religion. That is not the gospel. The gospel is this: God made him who knew no sin to become sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God.
What am I trying to say to you? I’m saying God has already done it. Right now, if this is your moment… You say, «I don’t want to go into this year doing it by myself. I don’t want to go into this year pretending like I have it together. I want the grace of God. I want to receive Jesus». I’m going to pray a prayer. If you repeat this prayer after me and mean it in your heart, the Bible says God will hear you from heaven, and if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Everybody who’s coming back to God today… Your life is broken, but you can have it back. In Jesus' name, repeat after me.
Heavenly Father, today is my day of salvation. I am a sinner in need of a Savior, and I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of the world. Today, I make Jesus the Lord of my life. I believe he died that I would be forgiven and 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! All over the room on every location. Yeah, reach out and take it. It’s the gift of God. Let’s celebrate them, church.