Podcast Summary: Elevation with Steven Furtick
Episode: Blessed Because You Believe (Holly Furtick)
Date: December 21, 2025
Speaker: Holly Furtick
Host: Elevation Church/iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

This week’s message, delivered by Holly Furtick, is entitled “Blessed Because You Believe”. Focused on the Christmas narrative, Holly unpacks the power and simplicity of belief—exploring how blessings are tied to our faith in God’s promises, even when outcomes remain unseen. Drawing from Luke 1, she parallels Mary’s trust in God with the challenges we all face in uncertain or unexpected seasons. Holly’s tone is warm, genuine, and relatable—mixing personal anecdotes, scriptural insight, and encouragement for those navigating tough circumstances.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Belief in God: Beyond Black and White

• Holly begins by sharing her own tendency to be gullible—how she believes stories easily, both online and offline (04:40–08:00).
• She draws a parallel between how hard it is to discern what’s real in today’s world and how belief in God evolves over time, “When I was in my twenties, I thought that belief was black and white… As I've gotten older, I've learned to let go… Believing God is so much more about who he is than about what I think he should do.” (08:21)

2. Mary’s Story—Believing Without Seeing the Whole Plan

• Holly reads from Luke 1:34–45, revisiting the moment Mary is told by the angel she will conceive Jesus, and Elizabeth’s affirmation: “You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.” (03:00–05:00)
• “For me, the blessings in my life are directly tied to my beliefs.” (09:20)
• She stresses that God isn’t “Santa”—we grow into faith, not out of it. The real blessing is in believing through the “middle parts” of our journey, not just the beginning (salvation) or the end (Heaven). (10:00–12:00)

3. Three Simple Truths to Believe About God

Holly promises her message is simple and practical rather than “catchy, rhyming, or even alliterative”—she focuses on three core beliefs evidenced in Mary’s story.

A. God Believes in Me (16:00–24:00)

• Holly revisits Mary being chosen: there’s no earthly reason given—Mary is simply favored.
• “God picked Mary… [she] was a virgin who was blessed because she believed… That’s all God requires of you as well.”
• Holly encourages listeners not to disqualify themselves: “The only thing that disqualifies you from being used by God is believing the lie He can't use you. That's it.” (22:40)
• She shares a personal reflection: waking up each day declaring, “God picked me for this day… for this child… for this job.” (19:00–21:00)

B. God Leads Me (24:00–37:00)

• God may not give us the full picture, but He shows us next steps and sends the right people at the right time.
• “Sometimes what's next is what you already know...God’s not gonna reveal more to you until you do that.”
• Holly elaborates on how Mary was led—to Elizabeth, then to Bethlehem, and into the temple, each time receiving confirmation from faithful people (Elizabeth, Simeon, Anna).
• She references Steven Furtick’s earlier sermon: “Faith is more like this—[closing eyes and reaching out in the dark]—trusting God with each tiny step you take. You hold tight to the promise, but loosely to the plan.” (32:20)
• Memorable advice: “The promise is not a map… The promise is that you’re taking a journey with the ultimate guide.” (35:00)

C. God Hears Me (37:00–49:00)

• Holly recounts the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth’s prayers finally being answered in unexpected timing.
• Notable quote: “God often does the biggest work in the most ordinary parts of my life.” (42:10)
• She discusses the importance of persistence in prayer but emphasizes that faith also means trusting God heard you the first time and working in your situation, even if the answer seems delayed.
• Holly shares a vulnerable moment: “I said to God, ‘I can’t talk to you about this anymore… nothing happens’… and I felt like He whispered, ‘Good. I can work with that. Just come into my presence, Holly… I heard you the first time.’” (44:25)

4. Trusting God When the Plan Breaks Down

• Holly addresses those whose situations didn't go as planned—divorce, illness, job loss during holidays—and reminds them that God’s promise is to be with us, not to explain everything in advance. (31:00–35:00)

5. Testimony of Faith: Real-life Example

• Holly closes with a powerful letter from an Elevation Church member who struggled with her daughter's addiction and incarceration, only to discover (literally and figuratively) that “God was 20 miles ahead” in their story—showing up in ways only understood in hindsight (46:00–48:50).
• The story ends in restoration and renewed faith, summing up the power of persistent belief and praise.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Holly Furtick (10:51):
  “God is not Santa. We don’t grow out of believing in him. We grow into our belief as we walk with Him.”

• Holly Furtick (22:40):
  “The only thing that disqualifies you from being used by God is believing the lie that He can’t use you. That’s it.”

• Holly Furtick quoting Steven Furtick (32:20):
  “Faith is more like this…” (closes eyes and reaches out) “…grappling in the dark; trusting God with each tiny step.”

• Holly Furtick (35:10):
  “Belief is not knowing how God will do it. Belief is trusting the One who will.”

• Faith and Plan (36:30): "I can't control the plan. But you know what I can control? Me. My attitude. My responses. Who I go to when I feel disappointed."

• God Hears Us (44:25):
  “Just come into my presence, Holly… I heard you the first time.”

• Testimony (47:50):
  “God was 20 miles ahead.” (Listener letter, discovering that her daughter’s jail was literally 20 miles away, resonating with the sermon line “God is 20 miles ahead of your situation.”)

• Praise as Reset (49:00):
  “Praise is a reset. It enables you to take your eyes off of your situation and place them on your Savior.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Scripture Reading & Introduction: 02:30–05:00
• Belief: Gullibility to Faith: 06:00–10:00
• God Believes In You: 16:00–24:00
• God Leads & Next Steps: 24:00–37:00
• Holding to the Promise, Not the Plan: 32:20–35:10
• God Hears Us in the Ordinary: 37:00–44:00
• Testimony: God’s Faithfulness “20 Miles Ahead”: 46:00–48:50
• Concluding Praise: 49:00

Final Thoughts

Blessed Because You Believe highlights the countercultural truth that blessing is often about faith in the unseen and trust in God’s character, not circumstances. Holly encourages everyone, especially during the Christmas season, to remember:

• God chose you, even when you don't feel prepared.
• He guides your steps, often one at a time.
• He hears every prayer—even the ones we’ve stopped repeating.
• Gratitude and praise are powerful ways to reset and restore faith.

For listeners in tough or uncertain situations, Holly’s message is a tender, faith-filled reminder: Whether you feel blessed or broken, it is your ongoing belief—more than the outcome itself—that unlocks God’s favor and presence in your life.