Steven Furtick - When Plans Fall Apart
This is an excerpt from: Where You Meet With God
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.