All Those Times You Didn’t See

Summary

Podcast Summary: "All Those Times You Didn’t See" – Elevation with Steven Furtick

Podcast Information:

• Title: Elevation with Steven Furtick
• Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts
• Episode: All Those Times You Didn’t See
• Release Date: April 27, 2025

Overview: In the episode titled "All Those Times You Didn’t See," Pastor Steven Furtick delivers a profound sermon centered on faith, persistence, and the unseen work of God in our lives. Drawing inspiration from the biblical story of Samuel and his mother Hannah, Furtick emphasizes the importance of steadfast faith even when immediate results are not visible. Through relatable analogies and heartfelt encouragement, the sermon aims to uplift listeners, reminding them that God’s timing and plans often unfold beyond our perception.

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1. Introduction to the Sermon (01:31 - 02:22)

Steven Furtick begins by acknowledging the presence of numerous visitors and celebrating a significant milestone—over 600 baptisms across Elevation Church locations. He sets the stage for his sermon, highlighting that this special week marks the conclusion of his beloved "Called" series, which explored various biblical figures.

Notable Quote:

"If you believe that God is calling you to be baptized today, it would be an awesome step of faith for you to take. Go down in that water. Leave your shame, leave your sin. Leave it all behind."
— Steven Furtick [02:25]

2. The Story of Samuel (02:50 - 29:46)

a. Hannah's Faith and Persistence (36:24 - 40:50)

Furtick delves into the life of Hannah, Samuel’s mother, who endured years of barrenness while maintaining her devotion to God. Despite her rival Peninnah’s provocations, Hannah consistently returned to the temple to pray and worship, embodying unwavering faith.

Notable Quotes:

"Hannah wept, but she went up anyway. You can go up weeping, you can go up hurting, you can go up confused. You can go back."
— Steven Furtick [40:33]

"You will never outgive God. You will never outgive God."
— Steven Furtick [37:02]

b. Samuel’s Calling and God’s Persistence (24:01 - 29:46)

Furtick recounts how Samuel, initially unaware of God’s call, heard God multiple times in the night. Despite Eli’s initial dismissal, Samuel persisted until he recognized the divine voice. This section underscores the theme of persistence and the importance of being attentive to God's call, even amidst confusion or misdirection.

Notable Quotes:

"Samuel, Samuel. Samuel said, speak for your servant hears."
— Steven Furtick [06:06]

"Sometimes you make it too complicated. Sometimes all God wants to say to you is, let's try this again."
— Steven Furtick [49:15]

3. Lessons on Faith and Persistence (29:48 - 44:56)

a. The Grass-Cutting Analogy (08:39 - 11:28)

Furtick introduces an analogy comparing spiritual maintenance to cutting grass. Just as cutting grass provides an immediate, visible result, consistent spiritual practices yield unseen yet significant growth over time.

Notable Quotes:

"Cut the grass and it grows back higher and you go, God, why am I even bothering? But remember, there is a due season."
— Elevation Church Member [42:40]

"Most of the efforts you make in your life that will be the most valuable will be the least visible at first."
— Steven Furtick [11:44]

b. Overcoming Discouragement and Maintaining Trust (29:54 - 46:19)

Furtick addresses common struggles such as feeling unnoticed, battling internal doubts, and facing external provocations. He encourages listeners to continue their faith journey despite not seeing immediate outcomes, drawing strength from Hannah’s unwavering commitment.

Notable Quotes:

"What sometimes the greatest faith in your life is that you come back from temptation when God doesn't take the temptation away, but gives you the grace to stand up under it."
— Elevation Church Member [43:19]

"Go back and do it again. You go back and love them again you go back and serve again you go back and pray again you go back and thank him again."
— Steven Furtick [40:55]

4. Encouragement and Application (46:24 - 59:47)

a. Relating Biblical Lessons to Modern Life (36:24 - 46:19)

Furtick connects Hannah and Samuel’s story to contemporary experiences, urging listeners to recognize their own "due seasons" where God is working behind the scenes. He emphasizes that persistence in faith, even when unseen, is crucial for spiritual growth and eventual blessings.

Notable Quotes:

"Sometimes real faith is just as simple as go back. Let's try this again, you dummy. Let's try this again."
— Steven Furtick [50:19]

"Let us not grow weary of doing good. For in due season we shall reap, if we do not give up."
— Elevation Church Member [46:18]

b. Practical Steps for Sustained Faith (47:05 - 59:47)

Furtick outlines actionable steps for maintaining faith during challenging times:

• Continue Worship: Engage in continual worship and prayer, regardless of visible results.
• Persistent Actions: Keep performing good deeds and spiritual practices without seeking immediate recognition.
• Trust in God’s Timing: Recognize that God's plans unfold in their own time, and patience is key.

Notable Quotes:

"What God does is his business. What you do until he does is worship."
— Elevation Church Member [58:32]

"His way is better, so I will surrender."
— Elevation Church Member [56:12]

5. Conclusion and Worship (59:48 - 60:01)

Furtick wraps up the sermon by reinforcing the central message of faith and persistence. He transitions into a spontaneous worship led by Tiff, encouraging the congregation to lift their hands in praise and surrender to God’s plan.

Notable Quote:

"The word of the Lord will not fade. The grass fades, the flower fades. But the word of God will stand forever and ever."
— Elevation Church Member [48:56]

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Key Takeaways:

• Persistence in Faith: Like Hannah and Samuel, continue your spiritual practices even when you don't see immediate results.
• Trust in God's Timing: Recognize that God's plans are unfolding behind the scenes, and patience is essential.
• Visible vs. Invisible Growth: Understand that the most valuable efforts often yield unseen growth initially.
• Action Over Recognition: Focus on maintaining your faith through actions, not seeking external validation.

Encouragement for Listeners: Pastor Furtick encourages listeners to embrace their "due seasons," trusting that their persistent faith will lead to divine blessings, even if those blessings are not immediately visible. He emphasizes that every effort in faith, no matter how small or unnoticed, contributes to a larger, God-ordained purpose.

Notable Closing Quote:

"Somebody shout forever. For our light and momentary afflictions are producing in us a far exceeding weight of glory."
— Elevation Church Member [48:56]

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Final Thoughts: "All Those Times You Didn’t See" is a heartfelt reminder that faith often requires persistence beyond visible evidence. Through the story of Samuel and Hannah, Pastor Furtick illustrates that unwavering trust in God’s plan leads to profound spiritual growth and eventual blessings. This episode serves as an inspiring call to maintain faith, continue worship, and trust in the unseen work of God in our lives.

Transcript

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[Steven Furtick]

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[Elevation Church Member]

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[Steven Furtick]

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[Elevation Church Member]

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[Steven Furtick]

Hey, this is Steven Furtick. 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.

[Elevation Church Member]

Enjoy the message.

[Steven Furtick]

I have a sneaking suspicion that we have a lot of visitors today. How many of you traveled to visit with us today?

[Elevation Church Member]

God bless you.

Well, that's the whole church.

[Steven Furtick]

I could just preach what I preached last week because it's all visitors today. We've got about a hundred of our efam heart and soul from all over the world. Thank God for y'all. It's been mentioned, but I didn't get on it yet. They're baptizing today over 600 people at all of our locations.

[Elevation Church Member]

You said 500, but I heard six.

[Steven Furtick]

Might be so seven by the time God gets through. Yeah, look at that. That's going to be amazing. There's still time for you to sign up as well. If you believe that God is calling you to be baptized today, it would be an awesome step of faith for you to take. Go down in that water. Leave your shame, Leave your sin. Leave it all behind. The mercy of God is wide.

[Elevation Church Member]

And.

[Steven Furtick]

He can make you a new creation. Well, today, just like any other day, I'm going to open my Bible and share with you. But it is not just like any other day. This is a special week. This is the final week of one of my favorite series I ever preached before in my life. The series was called called. We're finishing it up today. We've talked about so many Bible characters, and y'all can bring it down a little bit. Thank you. We've talked about Abraham and Moses and Martha, Simon, Peter, and we talked about who else do you all remember? Jacob, Martha. Saul. The artist formerly known as Saul, who became Paul the great apostle. Today, we only have one person left to talk about. One thing I think is kind of cool about this series, you've kind of gotten an overview of a lot of the different Bible stories through that. I might put out a book called called One day just with these stories. It was based around everybody in scripture that God called their name, but he called it twice. So Martha, Martha. Moses, Moses, Abraham. Abraham. Today we're going to do the final Samuel. Samuel. My challenge is, I don't know how much of this story you already know. If you turn in your Bible to First Samuel, see, there's a whole book called Samuel. So I can't share everything, but there's actually a sequel to 2 Samuel. I asked one of our church members, how much do you know about Samuel? While I was trying to figure out how much background to fill in, she said, the only thing I know about Samuel is that he spent the night in the lion's den. Not Samuel. That's Daniel. So touch your neighbor and say, we have a lot of catching up to do.

[Elevation Church Member]

You're a little behind.

[Steven Furtick]

I love that man. I don't ever want you to feel intimidated coming to this church because you don't know all these Hebrew and Greek words. I don't know them either. And I paid to go to school to learn them. I have to look them up every week to preach them to you. The Christian life isn't about how much of the Bible stories you can quote or how spiritual you can look, but it's just about trusting God from this day forward in your life with all that you have. It doesn't matter to me if you know this story or not. I actually think if you don't know the story, you can hear it fresh sometimes, and it puts you in an advantage. Today I want to take us to one verse to start out, and it's 1 Samuel, chapter 3, verse 10 for the final sermon in my called series. I'm so glad you made it out for this today. The word of the Lord says, one Samuel, three, ten. And the Lord came and stood calling, as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. And Samuel said, speak for your servant hears. Isn't that a cool scripture?

[Elevation Church Member]

And The Lord came.

[Steven Furtick]

How many want the Lord to come today? How many want the Lord to come today into your home?

[Elevation Church Member]

How many want the Lord to come.

[Steven Furtick]

Today into your emotions? How many want the Lord to come?

[Elevation Church Member]

The Lord came and stood calling as.

[Steven Furtick]

At other times Samuel, Samuel and Samuel said, speak for your servant hears. Today I want to talk to you. Here's my subject about all those times you didn't see. All those times you didn't see. Father, open your word that we might behold your wonder and your glory and perhaps show us something today that would be so specific we would not miss your presence in this moment. We thank you for being God in every season of our life. And I thank you now for the right now word you are going to speak in Jesus name. Amen. You may be seated. Why don't y'all bring out my screen today so I can do a little teachy Preachy. Preachy teachy. Any country music fans in the house? I heard a country songwriter say something the other day that I thought was an appropriate opening for our sermon time together. He's a Grammy winning country songwriter. He's written many number one hits. He's about 57 years old. He's been at it a long time. He was in an interview and he started explaining to the younger songwriter who was interviewing him why he still cuts his own grass with a push lawn mower. He said, I still cut my own grass. I've won all these Grammys and Billboard Awards and CMA Awards, but I still cut my own grass with a push mower. I go out there and I sweat and I cut the grass. My neighbor said to me one day, why do you still cut your own grass? Surely you, you can afford somebody to do that for you and do something more valuable with your time, like write another hit song or win another Grammy. He said, no, I definitely could. But the reason I still cut my grass myself is because it is one of the only, if not the only, thing left in my life I can do and see an immediate return on With My Eyes. It's one of the only things left.

[Elevation Church Member]

If not the only thing left in.

[Steven Furtick]

My life, that the grass can look bad one minute and better the next. Songwriting isn't like that. He said, I might write a song today and five years later somebody records it on their album. That's assuming it even gets recorded. Cutting the grass. I can cut a row right now and smell it and see it and bask in it. Every man who likes to cut your own grass say, I did that. That grass might grow Back in three days. But for the next three days, let the devil know and let those grass blades know you can't grow back yet because I just cut you down.

[Elevation Church Member]

I did that.

[Steven Furtick]

In songwriting. The most successful songwriters of all time who end up in the Songwriting hall of Fame don't get every song they wrote recorded. That means they'll go in and write a song the best they can, and it will never ever even see the light of day. In fact, keep this statistic in your mind the next time you hear a song on the radio. For the professional songwriter who writes a song every day, Monday through Friday, that's about 200 songs per year, which most of these professional writers will write 200 songs a year. Only one of those will end up being on the radio, if they're lucky. That is a successful statistic. Of course, many more write thousands and they're never heard. But for every one you hear on the radio, 199 were written, but they didn't get recorded. Not even did they not get released or on the radio. They didn't even get recorded. 199 times out of 200, that means 199 times that a songwriter shows up to work, they know they're going to fail that year, hoping for the one time that maybe something will happen that's special and we can see the result of it. He said, the way I deal with this failure rate is I cut my grass. I don't have to wait five years for the grass to go down. I cut it, I look at it. I cut another row, I look at it. It is one of the only things left in my life that has a visible and immediate return. So no matter how many Grammys I win, I'm always going to cut my own grass. Why are you talking about this, Pastor Steven? I wish serving God was like cutting grass. That's what I wish. I wish serving God, preaching sermons was like cutting grass. I wish I could watch sin go down lower while I was preaching to you today.

[Elevation Church Member]

Do you know how powerful that would.

[Steven Furtick]

Be if I could see your shame going down like grass, just cutting it down, Just mowing down all of the bad mindsets as you're cutting grass. Don't some of you wish that parenting and raising kids was more like cutting grass?

[Elevation Church Member]

Come on.

[Steven Furtick]

Where I could see that, that I took that bad attitude and I cut it down. It might grow back, but I can cut it again in a week and at least for three days you're not going to talk back to me. But kids aren't like that. So in the meantime, you have to buy a lawnmower and cut the grass. Because most of the efforts you make in your life that will be the most valuable will be the least visible at first. Most of the efforts you make in your life that are the most valuable will be the least visible at first. This is contradictory to every cultural impulse we have that encourages us to post every time we work out. If you post every time you work out as proof that you work out, I don't think you're working out right, because the proof that you work out should be you. When you don't work out. We will see it when you're not working out. But if you're only posting to show us that you worked out, I'm afraid you're distracted from the real benefit of the workout. That is a side rant in the text I read you from 1 Samuel, chapter 3, verse 10. It is one of those amazing moments in the life of a prophet named Samuel. Samuel, of course, would go on to be the prophet who would anoint the first king of Israel, whose name was Saul. He would also anoint the replacement for Saul, whose name was David. While Saul was the people's choice, David was God's choice. When Saul was anointed to be a king, he didn't even want to be a king. In fact, God didn't even want his people to have a king. He wanted to be their king. He was their king, but they wanted a king like the other nations. Samuel would go on to anoint not only David, but he would go on to administer justice all throughout the kingdom of Israel. In his reign, he would go from Dan to Beersheba yearly and seasonally in a circuit in order to administer justice. See, in the time before the kings, they had judges who were appointed by God seasonally. In other words, they were not necessarily going to be there for long, but they were given a job to do to bring the people back to God in the way they could as deliverers. Samuel was the last judge, and he anointed the first king. So we begin to see that his life is a very transitional moment in the nation. The Bible says in 1 Samuel 3:10 that one night as he was sleeping in the temple at his usual place, the Lord came and called to Samuel and he said his name Samuel. Samuel. Now reading this on the surface is a really good story about a man who hears God's voice and responds. On the surface of this story, we see Samuel as somebody who really gets it right the first time. You can't do much better than that. The Lord came and stood calling as at other times. Samuel, Samuel. Samuel said, speak for your servant hears. By the way, interesting side note, the name Samuel sounds like the Hebrew for heard by God. The reason he was named Samuel was because his mother had trouble getting pregnant. When she finally got her baby, she named him Samuel because she felt like God heard me finally. So she named him as an answer to her prayer. He becomes the answer to the entire nation's prayer. For somebody who can bring the presence of God back, the thing you're praying about is bigger than the prayer you're praying.

[Elevation Church Member]

She's praying on one level for a.

[Steven Furtick]

Baby and God is thinking on another level to raise up a prophet.

[Elevation Church Member]

She's praying that she might have a.

[Steven Furtick]

Son, but God is preparing to send someone to anoint a king. It all starts right here when the Lord came and stood calling as at other times. Samuel what got my attention about this was how it said the Lord was calling as at other times. I don't know if you noticed that, but when it says he called as.

[Elevation Church Member]

At other times, it made me want.

[Steven Furtick]

To back up and see what was happening in the rest of 1 Samuel chapter 3.

[Elevation Church Member]

If you go all the way back.

[Steven Furtick]

To the beginning of 1 Samuel chapter 3, you get a pretty great story I want to share with you today about what was happening at the moment.

[Elevation Church Member]

God called Samuel, I believe there are some people here God has brought and he is calling you and he has been calling you, but you do not.

[Steven Furtick]

Yet recognize that he's calling you. So you are calling it something else.

[Elevation Church Member]

God is calling you to a deeper level of faith.

[Steven Furtick]

You don't yet recognize that God is calling you to a deeper level of faith. So you just call it the devil is attacking me.

[Elevation Church Member]

God is calling some of us in this season to increase our service, but we don't recognize that God is calling us to increase our service. So we call it people are taking us for granted. When you don't know it's God calling you, you call it what it's not. When you can't see it immediately, you call it what it's not. So you do something and you think it was worthless. What if it was not worthless, what you did? What if it was just in the womb getting ready to come forth? I will show you this from 1 Samuel 3.

[Steven Furtick]

1.

[Elevation Church Member]

The Bible says now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. What does that mean? It means he was in a place where a man was in charge and the word of The Lord was rare in those days. There was no frequent vision, but he was doing what he was supposed to do, even though the place where he was was not reflective of the values he believed. The Bible says that Eli was a very bad priest who had two sons named Hophni and Phinehas, who were doing all kinds of things in the temple that they shouldn't have done. Not only were they taking the sacrifices.

[Steven Furtick]

The people brought for themselves, but they.

[Elevation Church Member]

Would sleep with some of the women who came to volunteer at the temple. Eli, their father, was more concerned about his sons being happy than he was about God being holy. He was more concerned about not ruffling them than he was about being right with God. All of this is happening in the temple, which is of course not the temple that would later be built. It was a tabernacle. It was a portable structure that was.

[Steven Furtick]

Set up until the temple would be built.

[Elevation Church Member]

But Samuel was there ministering to the Lord as a boy in the presence of Eli.

[Steven Furtick]

The word of the Lord was rare in those days. There was no frequent vision.

[Elevation Church Member]

Notice this, and you have to notice this, that before Samuel went on to do all of the great things we would see him do. He was doing stuff nobody saw in a situation he didn't want to be in. Because he was ministering to the Lord. In the presence of Eli, God was able to honor his service, even though the situation he was in was not the situation he would have chosen to serve in. I'm saying this just in case you hate your job. I'm saying this just in case you hate your apartment and your landlord. I'm saying this just in case you hate having to go to chemo right now, but you still have to go. I'm saying this just in case you are in a season you did not select. But to know that Samuel was able to minister to the Lord and the Lord was able to mature him. Because as he ministered to God, God matured him. Sometimes where you want to be and where you are don't match. But there is a ministry where I am. If I will do what I'm called to do. Where I am. I know what I'm talking about. This is not the first church I served in. I served in a church before this church that was falling apart. As the church was falling apart, a group of men came to me and said, you should be our pastor, because they wanted their pastor gone. When he said it to me, a part of me thought, that could be cool. They start saying all this nice stuff.

[Steven Furtick]

Like when you preach it Reminds us of Billy Graham.

[Elevation Church Member]

Wow. Talk about an exaggeration. Talk about a sales job. But it sounded kind of good. I listened to him for about 20 minutes, and I was driving home. When I got home, Holly was home from teaching school.

[Steven Furtick]

She was teaching seventh grade at the.

[Elevation Church Member]

Time, and she was waiting on the porch.

[Steven Furtick]

We were newlyweds, second year of marriage.

[Elevation Church Member]

Third year of marriage, something like that. Still working through all of this. As soon as I saw her on the porch, the Lord spoke to my heart and said, you go on that.

[Steven Furtick]

Porch and you make a vow with your wife right now that you will not do anything that will dishonor this pastor.

[Elevation Church Member]

You do not skip any of the.

[Steven Furtick]

Steps I want to use to develop you.

[Elevation Church Member]

You do not sow anything you do not want to later reap in your.

[Steven Furtick]

Life in this situation.

[Elevation Church Member]

I'm going to tell you this. I think the first important ceremony that I did with Holly was our wedding day.

[Steven Furtick]

I think the second most important ceremony I did with her was on our porch that day, where I decided that.

[Elevation Church Member]

As we are planted in this church.

[Steven Furtick]

We will make a decision that while.

[Elevation Church Member]

We were here, even if we hate it here in certain ways, even if there are people trying to get in our heads and get in our ears and tell us, if we just angle and position like this, I think that was our moment with God, where God.

[Steven Furtick]

Was seeing, could he trust us with you.

[Elevation Church Member]

I'm not saying I'm perfect, baby, but I got that one right. Can you imagine if I would have gotten stuck in scheming? Can you imagine if I had gotten stuck in trying to steal something that wasn't even mine? Can you imagine if I would have let that affect me? I'm not saying this because I don't think that you should lead this church. I'm saying this because I wouldn't have been able to start this church if I had listened to what they said. So when I look at the camera and say, welcome our efam all around the world, I am very well aware that the ministry we have today is largely connected to all those times you didn't see where we could have done something we shouldn't have done and didn't do all that from verse one. And Samuel isn't even in the lion's den yet. He's just ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli, the word of the Lord.

[Steven Furtick]

Watch.

[Elevation Church Member]

This was rare in those days.

[Steven Furtick]

You're like, not anymore. We have the Word of God. I have it on my phone. I got it in English. I got it in Spanish. I'm learning a little Spanish. Little. What's it called? Dua Lipa. I know. I'm just trying to make you cringe.

[Elevation Church Member]

I know.

[Steven Furtick]

It's Duolingo Abbey.

[Elevation Church Member]

The Bible says the word of the Lord was rare in those days.

[Steven Furtick]

Not because he wasn't willing to speak, but because he couldn't find people who were willing to listen. When God finds one person who will.

[Elevation Church Member]

Listen to him, really listen to him.

[Steven Furtick]

Watch what he can do. The boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days. There was no frequent vision in those times. They didn't have great Bible books like.

[Elevation Church Member]

Galatians or the Gospel of John.

[Steven Furtick]

Jesus had not yet come. It was like God stopped showing up. It was like God stopped showing up to meet with them. They were still doing sacrifices, but it was rare that they really heard from God. I think it's rare that we really do. Not because of the lack of access to God's Word, but because of the lack of attention we give to it. It's never been easier to have the Bible in your ear. Like right now, I could be listening to 1 Samuel 3 and you wouldn't even know it. But it's what's in your other ear. I had that on noise cancellation. That was a really weird experience just now. I couldn't hear anything. Isn't it like that? Got the word of God in one ear, the world in another, the word of God in one ear and a constant feeding frenzy on my phone in the other. This isn't a message about put down your phone, but I just want to point out some similarities. The word of the Lord was rare and there was no frequent vision. The Bible says at that time, Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out. Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called to Samuel. Wait a minute. Verse 10 says he called to Samuel, as at other times. Watch this for everybody who is frustrated because you feel like you didn't get it right the first time, watch what God is willing to do to call Samuel. The Lord called Samuel and he said, here I am, and ran to Eli, who was the priest, who was his.

[Elevation Church Member]

Authority, who was the only one he.

[Steven Furtick]

Knew to go to, and said, here.

[Elevation Church Member]

I am, for you called me.

[Steven Furtick]

But Eli said, I didn't call you. Lie down again.

[Elevation Church Member]

Go back to bed. You need some melatonin.

[Steven Furtick]

Boy, get some sleep. It says the lamp had not yet gone out. So this is in the middle of the night.

[Elevation Church Member]

So he went and lay down and the Lord called again, Samuel. Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, here I am, for you called me. But he said, I didn't call my son. Lie down again. Now. Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had.

[Steven Furtick]

Not yet been revealed to him.

[Elevation Church Member]

So what I see here in this.

[Steven Furtick]

Passage, if we could bring it together.

[Elevation Church Member]

For a moment, is a man who would go on to preach God's word to the entire nation. 1 Samuel 4:1 put it on the screen. Says, samuel's word in the fullness of time came to all Israel. In the fullness of time, Samuel's word came to all Israel. The entire nation heard his words. He spoke for God. He spoke of righteousness. He spoke of repentance. The entire nation heard his words. But before the nation could hear him, he had to learn to hear God. There are some things in your life right now that before God can do externally what you want to see him do externally. There are some things you have to learn internally so you can hear God, so they can hear you, so you can get it on the inside, so God can do it on the outside. There are some things we are waiting for God to manifest. And God is waiting for us to mature. The Bible says he was just a boy. He was a called dad boy, but just a boy. He was an anointed boy, but just a boy. He was a boy brought from a barren womb, but he was just a boy. But he was more than a boy. Because he was a boy God had appointed to be in a place God had assigned him to do a task God had appointed at a time God had designated. In the meantime, he does not yet know the Lord, but that does not mean that he will not know the Lord. I want to say this to everybody who's discouraged right now about your not yet situations in your life. I'm not really yet able to deal with this. I'm not really yet able to flow with this. I'm not really yet certain about this. It ought to encourage you to know that the one who spoke the word of God to the entire nation started out not yet knowing the Lord. Watch this. He didn't yet know the Lord even though he lived in the church. He did not yet know the Lord even though he served in the tabernacle. For the word of the Lord had.

[Steven Furtick]

Not yet been revealed to him.

[Elevation Church Member]

And the Lord called Samuel again. The Third time. How many times will God talk to.

[Steven Furtick]

Somebody he wants to call? As many times as it takes.

[Elevation Church Member]

Oh, I thought you'd be happy about that. I thought you'd celebrate that. Because sometimes I don't get it right the first time. Sometimes my first response is not my best version. Sometimes I don't show up like I wanted to. And now I find myself in regret. But it makes me feel good to know that even if I get on the wrong ship, God will put a fish outside the wrong ship. That's Jonah, not Daniel or Samuel.

[Steven Furtick]

But I'm going to preach about all.

[Elevation Church Member]

These people today because it really doesn't matter how fast you can run. It matters how much faster God is to get to you and bring you back.

I'm calling somebody back today.

Back to your right mind. Back to your first love. Back to your original intended design. Back to it. Because God said, I'll call you back. I was trying to get your attention, but you didn't listen. I'll call you back. I was trying to get your attention, but you ran to drugs to stuff the hole you should have filled with me. But I'll call you back because where you've been putting those drugs, I have a deposit I want to put. And after I deliver you from what you put in my place, I'm going.

To do something you would not believe.

If I told you. He called him again, and Eli finally got it. He said to Samuel, go lie down. If he calls you, I think this might be God. If he calls you, he should know this by the way, he's the priest. He should not be guessing that this is God's voice. But sometimes those who have walked with.

[Steven Furtick]

God the longest.

[Elevation Church Member]

Are the weakest in.

[Steven Furtick]

Their ability to perceive Him. He said, I think this might be God.

[Elevation Church Member]

So here's what you need to do.

Go lie down.

[Steven Furtick]

And if he calls you, you shall say, speak, Lord, for your servant hears. Which is so cool, because now we know that Samuel means heard by God, since he was the answer to the prayer his mother prayed, since she was heard by God. Now the one who was the answer to her prayers is learning to hear the God who heard her. I just love that.

[Elevation Church Member]

Just let me sit in that for a minute.

[Steven Furtick]

That they heard his words. He heard God's words because he had a mom who prayed and God heard her words. Let me give you your Mother's Day sermon early. God heard you. He heard you.

[Elevation Church Member]

Can I show you this?

This is so crazy to me.

[Steven Furtick]

Hannah, who was the mom of Samuel, was also the wife of A man named Elkanah. Are y'all bored with all this background? I love this stuff. I live for this stuff. I want to show you this stuff. I live for this stuff. This woman had a very difficult decision.

[Elevation Church Member]

To make, and so do you. Here's the decision she had to make.

[Steven Furtick]

Am I going to keep going to the house of God? Even with a broken heart, Am I going to keep bringing this before God because she couldn't have a child? What made matters worse in 1 Samuel, chapter 1, is that the Bible tells us her husband loved her. Elkanah loved her. But he also had another wife, which was common in those days. Her name was Peninnah. So Elkanah would try to make up the difference when he would go to Shiloh to sacrifice. They would travel, like, 20 miles to go sacrifice every year, the Bible says verse five. But to Hannah, he gave a double portion because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. So he's trying to do what men do, fix situations that we can't fix. Verse 6 says that her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her because the Lord had closed her womb. So it went on year by year. It went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. This other woman, Peninnah, the other wife.

[Elevation Church Member]

Who was able to have children, would.

[Steven Furtick]

Provoke Hannah year after year and make fun of her and. And mock her and post all of her pictures of her beautiful mother's days with all of her kids. And she would provoke her year after year. As often as Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore, Hannah wept and would not eat. I'm giving you this situation for a reason, because I need you to understand something about Samuel and something about you. But in order to understand Samuel, you have to understand something about his mother, Hannah. And that is, year after year, she could not have a baby. They would go and sacrifice, and she would pray, God, give me a baby. Peninnah would have another baby, and she would have none. The next year rolls around, I'm going back again. She would go and she would pray, and she would ask God and she.

[Elevation Church Member]

Would sacrifice, God, please give me a baby.

[Steven Furtick]

Now, you might not be praying for a baby today. You may be praying for one of your children you already have. You may be praying for a certain thing you need God to do in your body. You may be praying about a mental illness.

[Elevation Church Member]

You may be praying about a way.

[Steven Furtick]

You want God to give you Clarity. It's been kind of foggy.

[Elevation Church Member]

So I need you to put yourself in the situation of Hannah today and not just think about if I have.

[Steven Furtick]

A kid or if I don't have a kid.

[Elevation Church Member]

This represents all of those things in our hearts that we carry with us where there is an empty space, but we keep going to the house of God anyway. What blessed me about Hannah is what blessed me about Samuel.

[Steven Furtick]

Let me explain.

[Elevation Church Member]

If you fast forward to the time.

[Steven Furtick]

We read about in 1 Samuel, chapter 3, verses 1 11. Samuel is a boy now, not a baby.

[Elevation Church Member]

So eventually, God gives Hannah what she asked for, a baby. But she had to take the baby.

[Steven Furtick]

Back to the temple and dedicate him to the Lord, because that's what she vowed she would do.

[Elevation Church Member]

If God gives me a boy, I'll you, Lord, I'll let him serve you.

[Steven Furtick]

So after she had weaned him, she.

[Elevation Church Member]

Took him and put him there in Eli's temple, which she knew was corrupt.

[Steven Furtick]

But she had no other choice.

[Elevation Church Member]

She had to trust God that God.

[Steven Furtick]

Is going to take care of this.

[Elevation Church Member]

Even though I can't. She had to trust God that I'm sending my kid to this crazy school, and I know what goes on there, but I know the God who goes before my kid I'm sending to this school. In giving her child to God, it meant she spent almost every day of her life away from this boy. Now God ended up giving her five other children. Because you will never outgive God. You will never outgive God. You will never outgive God. You're whining and crying about that little $20 that you loaned your friend this week. Week. You didn't loan it to them. You loaned it to the Lord. The Lord will pay back with interest those he can trust with his substance.

[Steven Furtick]

Every year she would go to see Samuel, her boy. She gave to God. She would bring with her a little ephod, which was what the priest would wear, a little linen ephod that she.

[Elevation Church Member]

Had made custom for him.

[Steven Furtick]

And she'd have to kind of guess how big it should be, because she.

[Elevation Church Member]

Hadn'T seen him for a year.

[Steven Furtick]

If you were to see Hannah go.

[Elevation Church Member]

Into the temple at this point in.

[Steven Furtick]

Her life, you would see a proud mother, mother of a future prophet.

[Elevation Church Member]

Her bumper sticker would have said. You would have seen her with her little ephod that she had made for him. Oh, he's growing up so much.

[Steven Furtick]

Here's the new ephod.

[Elevation Church Member]

You would have seen her going to.

[Steven Furtick]

The temple and sacrificing and being Blessed.

[Elevation Church Member]

And seeing her boy.

[Steven Furtick]

But what about all those times you.

[Elevation Church Member]

Didn'T see when Hannah went to the.

[Steven Furtick]

Temple year after year after year with her rival in one ear and God in the other, and her rival saying.

[Elevation Church Member]

Why do you keep serving a God who won't even bless you with a baby?

[Steven Furtick]

Look how blessed I am. I know people don't say that to us directly, but don't they make us feel that way sometimes?

[Elevation Church Member]

Yet she went.

[Steven Furtick]

Notice what it says in verse seven. This is the real verse that I want to preach about. It says, hannah, you're like you said.

[Elevation Church Member]

You were preaching about Samuel.

[Steven Furtick]

I can't preach about Samuel without preaching about Hannah. I think what Samuel did was based on something Hannah did that he never even saw before he was even born. His mom would go to the temple year after year. And as often as she went up.

[Elevation Church Member]

As often as she went up to.

[Steven Furtick]

The house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Stop, and let's break this down back to the top of the verse.

[Elevation Church Member]

By year. As often as she went up to.

[Steven Furtick]

The house of the Lord, her rival used to provoke her.

[Elevation Church Member]

Therefore, Hannah wept.

[Steven Furtick]

Here's my whole message in a sentence. She wept, but she went up anyway. Listen to me.

[Elevation Church Member]

This might be the word to snatch.

[Steven Furtick]

You out of despondency.

[Elevation Church Member]

This might be the word to shake.

[Steven Furtick]

You out of lethargy. Hannah wept, but she went up.

[Elevation Church Member]

God did not silence her enemy, but.

[Steven Furtick]

She went up anyway.

[Elevation Church Member]

God did not give her her prayer.

[Steven Furtick]

Request, but she went up anyway.

[Elevation Church Member]

She went up weeping. She went up, and while she would.

[Steven Furtick]

Go up, she would weep.

[Elevation Church Member]

And when she would get there, she would weep. But it went on year after year, and she went up. I see a picture in this text of a woman who was willing to keep coming back. Even if I don't see the thing I asked God for. I'm going back not by sight, but by faith. I see a picture of every person who is in this church right now feeling unrecognized, feeling insignificant, feeling like life is not cutting grass and you are sowing seed and you are not seeing anything right now. I want to remind you that you can go up weeping, you can go up hurting, you can go up confused. You can go back. Because Samuel heard the voice of God and thought it was the voice of Eli. And he went to Eli. But God said, wrong guy. Go back. You can have all your fancy definitions of faith you want, but I think sometimes real faith is just as simple as go back. You go back and do it again. You go back and love them Again you go back and serve. Again, you go back and drop it. Again, you go back and pray. Again, you go back and thank him. Again, you go back and you go back and you go back and you go back.

[Steven Furtick]

Y'all getting the point?

[Elevation Church Member]

Samuel learned how to do this through something a woman did that he never even witnessed. Her persistence led to his purpose. The only reason he had it in him to go back to Eli, no matter how many times it took. I heard you called. I'm coming back. Go back and lie down. I'm coming again. Go back and lie down. Where did he get the persistence to keep coming back like that?

Because he had a mom.

Because he came back from a womb that was barren. Every time she tried to have a baby, she couldn't. Every time she tried to conceive, she couldn't. But she kept crying out to God and she cried until she conceived. She came back until she conceived. And she prayed until she conceived. I am preaching to somebody today who. Who has become convinced that God is not with you and the devil is a liar.

Because that same woman who left the temple all those years with an empty womb came back one day carrying a priest's robe. Because if you'll go back enough times, all those times you didn't see when she went back and prayed anyway, when she went back and sacrificed anyway, when you showed up at work and smiled at hateful people, anyway, go back smiling and you shall come home rejoicing.

Such seven people say, Go back many times as you have to do it. Go back. Pick up your Bible again. Go back. I know the Bible was dry the.

Last time you read it, but there shall be showers of blessing upon you in due season. Go back.

Isn't that amazing, Holly? She stayed there and she prayed. Give them verse 15. Verse 15 is so anointed, we have to go to verse 12 to get to 15. Give them verse 12. Verse 12 says that when Hannah was there praying, she continued praying before the Lord. She continued praying before the Lord. She continued praying before the Lord. Did God not hear her the first time? No. God heard her the first time. God just understands something called due time. Not D, O time. D, U, E, time. Due time. It means God knows when Samuel needs to show up. God knows when her womb needs to open. God knew how to give her an enemy to keep her praying.

God knows when it needs to happen. God knows when to start the wheel turning. God knows when to fill you back up again. God knows when.

When they need to say no.

When they need to say yes. Knows when to shut a door. Knows when to open a window, Knows when to tear off a ceiling. God knows. It's almost like Hannah read Galatians 6.

9.

Galatians 6:9 says, and let us not grow weary of doing good. For in due season. What season? Due season. What season? Due season. Now high five three people and say, I'm doing good.

I'm doing good.

Put it in the chat.

I'm doing good. I'm doing good. I'm doing good.

Yeah, but you don't have your baby yet.

I'm doing good. I'm doing good. Why? The Bible told me in Galatians 6:9.

Let us not grow weary of doing good.

So I'm not feeling good, but I'm doing good.

It doesn't look good, but I'm doing good. I can't see the grass going down right now. I can't see the money coming up right now. I can't see the season changing. But there is a due season. And I know what to do. I know what to do. I'm going to do good. I'm going to praise his name. I'm going to worship him right here. I'm going to pray like I believe. The answer is already in the temple. Laying on the bed. He heard me. He hears me shake. Your neighbor say, I'm doing good. I'm doing good. Till goose season. I'm a sow. Till I see some grass. I'm going to cut it down and let it grow back. The word of the Lord will not fade. The grass fades, the flower fades. But the word of God will stand forever and ever. Somebody shout forever. For our light and momentary afflictions are producing in us a far exceeding weight of glory.

That's amazing.

All those times you didn't see.

I see Hannah coming with her ephod.

Again for her baby.

It was all those times you didn't see her coming with no baby clothes.

That made her produce a sign whose words would come to Israel. They heard his words because he heard God's words. Because God heard her words. You're telling me your life doesn't matter? You're telling me you're thinking about killing yourself? You're telling me you almost thought about not coming to church today? The Lord can speak to you and you can say, speak, Lord, your servant hears. You can't hear if you're not here. That's why I keep coming. I don't know if I showed you, but his mom did something before he was born that was instilled in him, even though she wasn't the one raising him. He came back to Eli. What did you say? It wasn't me. Okay, I guess I'll try that again. I think sometimes we make it too complicated. Sometimes all God wants to say to you is, let's try this again. Let's try this again, you dummy. Let's try this again.

[Steven Furtick]

That's the Lord's nickname for me.

[Elevation Church Member]

It's all those times you didn't see. I think it's amazing that Hannah was able to leave her son with the Lord, don't you? A little boarding school action never hurt a kid. But I think what's even more amazing than the fact that she vowed and gave him to the Lord when God gave her a baby. I think what's even more amazing than what she did when God gave her a baby is what she did when God didn't. I think sometimes the greatest faith in your life is that you come back from temptation when God doesn't take the temptation away, but gives you the grace to stand up under it. I think it's when you pray for God to send you the relationship and he doesn't, and you press into him that much deeper. I think it's when God asks you to change the other person's behavior and he doesn't, so you change your approach. I think it's when you ask God to take the strain off of you and he doesn't, so he puts the strength in you. I think what Hannah did was amazing that she gave her baby to the Lord when he was born. I think it's even more amazing that she kept going while waiting on God. I'm done preaching. You can stand to your feet. Because the Lord had a word for somebody today.

Thank you, Lord.

How many of you have had times in your life where you've seen God do something amazing for you? You praised him for those times, and you should. But I also want you to learn how to praise him for all the times you didn't see that he was doing.

[Steven Furtick]

I can't get off of it.

[Elevation Church Member]

Doing something for a due season. The important thing would be, look. When God finally spoke to Samuel in 1 Samuel 3:10, he said, Speak, I hear you, God. Verse 11 says, the Lord said to Samuel, behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone in Israel will tingle. It would be a devastating thing.

Eli and his two sons would both.

Die in the heat of battle, so God could raise up another. Because God's transitions are not always pretty. But in the process of verse 11, he says, Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel that will make everybody's spine tingle. Ears tingle, two ears tingle. This is going to be so big. God is going to do something. But if Samuel had been born at.

Any other time, he could not have.

Been the one God used to bring the change about. Every year Hannah went to worship, she thought God was ignoring her. God was not ignoring her. God was positioning her to bring forth from her womb what the nation needed. Sometimes it's not about what we want, it's about due time. What God does is his business. What I do until he does is worship. Tiff, come please. Tiff. I just saw this while I was preparing. Today, right now, in this moment, she can lead you in worship spontaneously, without any lyrics on the screen, without any planning. I did not tell her I would call her. I did not prepare her I would call her. I didn't do any of that, but I just called her Tiff. Tiff.

[Steven Furtick]

I didn't even have to call her twice.

[Elevation Church Member]

She just came. Right now, with your hands lifted in worship, lead them for one minute, just one minute in worship. Whatever flows from your heart, just do it right now.

We trust you, Jesus. I can trust you De. Cause you know best. You know best, Jesus. I know I can trust you, Jesus. Cuz your way is better so I will surrender.

I will surrender.

Your way is better, so I will surrender. Yes, Lord, I can trust you Jesus. Say that way on the Lord shall renew. Renew their strength. They shall mount up on waves like an eagle and soar. They shall walk and not get weary. They shall run and not faint. That's what happens when you.

So come on, clap your hands and thank God. Let me tell you. Why can she do that? Because she did that. She did that since she was a little girl. Her dad is a pastor, an amazing man. I met him when I met her mom and dad.

[Steven Furtick]

I was like, I get it.

[Elevation Church Member]

I get why you're awesome. But then they told me stories how she used to be in the church alone, hours and hours and hours, pounding four chords on a piano, just singing until God came. Somebody said to me the other day, they said, when Tiff sings, God comes. I knew what they meant. That sounds bad if you just take it out of context, because God is always here. But I knew what they meant, what.

[Steven Furtick]

I loved about it and why I.

[Elevation Church Member]

Called you out here is I want all of them to get a picture of their life to realize that it is what you did until this season that made you able to do what I just called you. To do in this moment.

It's wonderful. It's wonderful.

It's a great picture because you're doing.

Things right now that seem insignificant. You feel all alone right now. You feel like it doesn't matter right now.

And you cut the grass and it grows back higher and you go, God, why am I even bothering? But remember, there is a due season. What God does is his business. And what you do until he does is worship. So when God calls you. When God called Samuel, he was ready because he had ministered to the Lord. Maybe God has you in a season of your life where you're ministering to to Him.

It's not about people appreciating you.

It's not about people acknowledging you.

It's not about comparing yourself to other people. It's not about your rival in your ear telling you how you should be further along. It's not about your insecurity.

It is about what you are doing. Until due season they shall walk and not get weary. They shall walk and not faint. That's what happens when you wait on the Lord. It's because she did it in a.

Church alone that she can do it in this room. Today. I'm trying to say God is preparing you. God is preparing you.

Would you hug three people and tell.

Them, wait on the Lord. Wait on the Lord.

Wait on the Lord. Do not grow weary. In well doing, you shall receive in due season.

[Steven Furtick]

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.orgpodcast 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 LevationChurch. Thanks again for listening.

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[Elevation Church Member]

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