God Prompts (Mary’s Prayer)

Summary

---

Episode Summary: God Prompts (Mary’s Prayer)

Podcast: Elevation with Steven Furtick
Date: December 14, 2025
Host: Pastor Steven Furtick, Elevation Church
Guests: Graham Furtick (his son), Evan (Graham’s friend), Jonathan (church member)

---

Overview

This episode, titled God Prompts (Mary’s Prayer), centers on the power and posture of obedience to God's promptings, using the story of Mary at the wedding in Cana (John 2) as a guiding framework. Pastor Steven Furtick weaves biblical insights, personal stories, and church life moments to highlight two main truths: God provides for us, and God prompts us. The conversation challenges listeners to shift from treating God transactionally—like ChatGPT, simply making requests—to a posture of surrendered obedience, ready to act on God’s guidance.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening Moments: Posture of Gratitude & Trust

• Graham introduces the episode (02:23), expressing thanks for God’s faithfulness over the past year and a refusal to live in fear:

  “…The storm came but my house stood because it was built on the rock… I could complain but I won’t. Thank you Lord. I could be afraid. But I refuse. I have faith. I trust in God.” (02:33, Graham)

• Collective prayer for blessing (03:01), invoking scriptural names of God as Provider, Banner, and Peace.

2. Generosity Stories: Living God’s Prompts

• Provision for a church planter: Steven shares how God prompted him to give a very specific amount ($55,000) to a pastor starting a new church—which exactly matched a prophetic dream that pastor had months prior (06:15–09:00).

  “Sometimes God will prompt your heart in order to provide for somebody in a way you can’t predict.” (09:00, Steven)

• Personal story of "fatherly provision": On a date with his wife Holly, Steven feels compelled to check his son Graham’s location, unexpectedly sees him at a nearby restaurant, and after greeting Graham and his friends, pays for their meal. This acted as a real-time illustration of God’s timing and a father’s provision.

  “He puts the money on the table and he walked away… Were we just talking about a father providing for his children? …We just thought it was really cool that we got an in real life illustration…” (14:40, Evan)

3. Sermon Focus: God Provides, But Also Prompts

• Central Text: John 2:1–11, Mary at the wedding in Cana.

  • Mary notices a need (“They have no more wine”) and tells the servants: “Do whatever he tells you.” (11:15)
  • Steven re-frames this as "Mary’s Prayer": a model for us to follow God’s promptings, not just offer our own agendas.

• Contrast: Treating God as Father vs. ChatGPT
  Steven uses the analogy of ChatGPT to critique a “prompt-based” prayer life where we reduce God to a transaction machine:

  “Sometimes we treat God more like our phone than our father… We prompt God like we prompt ChatGPT.” (20:39–22:25, Steven) “Our prayer life is pretty much just us prompting God.” (22:27, Steven)

• Surrendering to God’s Prompt: The biblical examples (feeding the 5,000, Abraham’s calling, Moses and Pharaoh) all reinforce the idea:

  “God is the prompter. Not you, not me. We don’t get to tell Jesus who to send away… God is not your phone. He is your Father. You don’t give the commands. He does.” (25:14–25:37, Steven)

4. The Heart of Giving: Stewardship, Not Ownership

• Steven admits he’s never felt he’s “doing God a favor” by giving or serving—every act is a response to God’s gift and prompting (27:24–27:58):

  “If you never do anything else for me, just your salvation is enough. You provide for me and you prompt me. I don’t prompt you.” (27:56, Steven)

• Mary’s Model:
  Instead of telling God what to do (“May my word to you be fulfilled”), Mary models:

  “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.” (38:15–39:10, referencing Luke 1:37–38)

5. Obedience Leads to Unexpected Outcomes

• Graham’s Bible study story:
  Graham starts small, leading a Bible study in the playroom, which sometimes draws only a handful of youth but, through patience and obedience to God’s prompting, grows into larger gatherings, sparking a movement through the church’s youth ministry (31:30–36:14).

  “When God prompts you with something, He will give you a small prompt with a big purpose.” (33:00, Steven)

• Current Impact:
  What began as a small act of obedience ("a prompt") now sees hundreds of young people gathering weekly at Elevation, a testament to small, faithful steps birthing community transformation.

6. Personal Application and Challenge:

• The episode ends by inviting listeners to:

  1. Ask God for a word for the coming year (e.g., “light”, “stirred”, “provider”)
  2. Pray Mary’s prayer: “Do whatever He tells you.”
  3. Be open to being prompted—whether in generosity, relationships, service, or deeper trust

  “How long have we been trying to get God to do what we want Him to do? But have we asked Him, God, out of all the gifts you’ve given me… what do you want me to do?” (37:33, Steven)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On God’s Provision:

  “God provides for me…in the strangest of places. If it takes Him bringing water from a rock in the wilderness, God provides for me. If it takes Him sending a shepherd with a stone to bring down a giant…God provides for me.” (17:54, Steven)

• On Treating God Like ChatGPT:

  “You don’t prompt God. God prompts me.” (23:16, Graham & Steven)

  “We don’t get to tell God what to do, even with our own lives. God is not your phone. He is your Father. You don’t give the commands. He does.” (25:28–25:37, Graham & Steven)

• On Small Beginnings & Promptings:

  “When God prompts you with something, He will give you a small prompt with a big purpose.” (33:00, Steven)

• On Surrender and Trust:

  “May your word, God, to me be fulfilled, not just whatever I think I want you to do, but what you want to do through my life.” (43:16, Steven)

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:23 — Graham’s opening thanksgiving and declaration of faith
• 03:01 — Communal prayer for blessing and provision
• 06:15–09:00 — Steven’s story of being prompted to give $55,000
• 09:58–14:50 — Story of Steven surprising Graham and his friends; Evan’s testimony of God’s fatherly timing
• 17:54 — Steven declares God’s ability to provide in unexpected ways
• 20:39–22:25 — Analogy: Prayer as prompting God vs. ChatGPT; surrendering control
• 23:16–26:25 — God prompts us, not the reverse; biblical examples (Jesus, Abraham, Moses)
• 27:24–27:58 — Humility in giving, teaching, serving
• 31:30–36:14 — Graham’s Bible study: obedience, small beginnings, and exponential blessing
• 38:15–39:10 — Mary’s prayer of surrender (Luke 1:37–38)
• 41:27–43:30 — Pick your word for the year, being "blessed to be a blessing," and personal/family testimony

---

Application for Listeners

• Move away from a transactional faith—God is not an “AI assistant” responding to our every prompt, but a loving Father guiding and providing as we surrender our plans.
• Trust that obedience to even the smallest nudge from God can have ripple effects far beyond what’s visible right now.
• In moments of need, or in considering generosity or service, pray not “God, do what I want,” but “Do whatever He tells you.”
• Prepare for God to surprise you with provision and purpose in unexpected ways and places.

---

Final Blessing:

“God is about to blow our mind. And it starts with the prompting… What is God prompting you to do?” (39:10, Steven)

---

[End of Content Summary]

Transcript

[Steven Furtick]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.

[IBM Advertiser]

So you're telling me that the AI that's meant to make everyone's job easier to manage just adds more to manage on top of the thousands of apps the IT department already manages? Funny how that works. Any business can add AI. IBM helps you scale and manage AI to change how you do business. Let's create smarter Business. IBM.

[Trashy Advertiser]

Cleaning out your home is everything. It clears your space, your mind, and it can give you holiday shopping power with Trashy. Just buy a trashy bag, fill it with anything you no longer need, then ship it free and earn trashy cash points instantly. Keep earning points when you shop exclusive trashy deals and redeem for shopping wherever you want or even donate them to charity. Turn a home clean out into shopping power that also does good@trashyio. That's TRX.

[Pets Best Insurance Advertiser]

The following ad is sponsored by Pet's Best Insurance Services. You knew right away he's perfect. The one for you. Those puppy dog eyes, that cute little button nose. You don't even mind the drool. When you find your perfect match in a dog or cat, the love is unconditional. Your budget, on the other hand, has realistic limits. Help protect your heart and your wallet with pet insurance from Pets Best. With plans starting from less than a dollar a day, you can get up to 90% cash back on eligible vet bills. Pets Best makes it easy to pick a plan that works for you and your bank account. Find the perfect match for your Perfect [e-mail] Pet insurance products offered and administered by Pets Best Insurance Services, LLC are underwritten by American Pet Insurance Company or Independence American Insurance Company for terms and conditions, visit www.petsbest.com. policy products are underwritten by American Pet Insurance Company, Independence American Insurance Company or Ms. Transverse Insurance Company and administered by Pets Best Insurance Services LLC. $1.00 a day premium 2024 average new policyholder data for accident and illness plans Pets Age 0 to 10.

[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. Enjoy the message.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

I'm standing on the promises of Christ, my King I'm standing on the promises of God.

[Steven Furtick]

How about, how about you?

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

The storm came but my house stood because it was built on the rock and I come to the end of this year saying thank you Lord. I could complain but I won't. Thank you Lord. I could Be afraid. But I refuse. I refuse the spirit of fear. I have faith. I trust in God.

[Steven Furtick]

Wow. Kind of caught me off guard right there. A little praise service. It is good and fitting for the upright to praise him. It is appropriate for you to praise him. It's appropriate for you to praise him. Grab a hand next to you. Would you. Repeat after me, Father? I pray for the person on my right and on my left. Bless them today. Bless them so good that it makes every curse irrelevant. In the name of Jesus. Bless them so good that they have faith and confidence for whatever they're facing. Jehovah Jireh. Meet their need. Jehovah Nisi. Fight their battle.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

Jehovah Shalom.

[Steven Furtick]

Be their peace.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

Thank you, Jesus. Amen. Amen. Amen again. Clap those hands in the house. It's offering weekend. I have a great giving sermon prepared for you today.

[Steven Furtick]

Today you're going to help me preach. In just a few moments, those who are here physically and those who are online are going to be bringing their offering. Whether you're doing that online or whether you're doing that in person. Yeah. The first fruits belong to the Lord. We are stewards, not owners of anything. I have my offering ready as I have prepared this offering for every 20 years. I never prepared the offering and God didn't tell me to bump the number up a little bit. I didn't tell Holly yet, but that happened again this morning. There are two checks in this envelope, babe.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

It.

[Steven Furtick]

I'll talk to you about it later. There was the one I planned and then the one God spoke. You know God will speak to you. I have never asked anyone in this church to give a specific amount of money. I just told you to ask God and do what he tells you. That's what I'd like to talk to you about for a few moments today. Remain standing and turn in your Bible to John chapter two. I need to be a little bit quicker today, so y' all listen fast. We're going to have bonus worship at the end. You picked a great day to come today. These people are going to help me preach God's word. What a privilege it is. In John chapter two, the Bible says on the third day, a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus mother was there. And Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus mother said to him, they have no more wine. Woman, why do you involve me? Jesus replied, great Mother's Day. First hall. You might want to preach that My hour has not yet come. And his mother Said to the servants, do whatever he tells you. Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial Washington, each holding from 20 to 30 gallons. Jesus said to the servants, fill the jars with water. So they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet. They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink. Look at this verse for the end of our year. But you have saved the best till now. What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory and his disciples believed in him. I read you 11 verses just for the sake of reading you one. Go back to verse 5 and I'll give you my message today. His mother said to the servants, do whatever he tells you. Do whatever he tells you. I want to use as a subject today for this sermon, Mary's prayer. Father, I ask now that you would answer this prayer. Speak to your people. Give them courage to obey in the name of Jesus. Amen. You may be seated. Now, that's not exactly a Christmas scripture I read you, but it features the main character of Christmas, so it counts. Mary. And Mary, the mother of Jesus, was in many ways, you could say, the initiator of the first miracle that he did. Let's give it up for Mary. Everybody clap those hands and thank God for Mary. Now, we don't pray to Mary. We pray to God the Father through Jesus. But Mary's prayer is what I want to talk to you about today. Not the Hail Mary or anything like that, but I want to talk to you about Mary's prayer today. In order to illustrate this, I want to tell you two unusual things that happened to me this week. I not only study the Scriptures, but I study my life. I think that sometimes God preaches through ordinary events. One thing that happened to me this week that was kind of unusual. The Lord prompted in my heart to give a specific amount of money to a church that is just getting started. A brand new church. I know what that feels like. I saw the budget for their launch of their church. I know the pastor pretty well. I knew how hard it was going to be to transport all of the families that are going to start and, and all of that. I said you know what? I want our church to help their church, because when you're starting out, every little bit matters. What we did, we sent 10% of their entire budget from our church to help them start their church this week. We do that all the time. Millions of dollars go out through this ministry. There are pastor after pastor after pastor who would stand on this stage and tell you thank you for your faithfulness and your generosity. But what made this one unus unusual was I got a text from the pastor after I told him the gift was on the way, because I wanted him to know he could count on us. I thought that might help him sleep better at night if he knew he was at least moving toward the goal. I sent him the number, and he texted back and said, this is insane. You are not going to believe this. He sent me a voice memo that he had sent me back in March. Now it's December. So back in March, he had sent me a voice memo. On the voice memo, I listened to it again, and I checked the date and the timestamp. This was before he knew he was starting a church. This was definitely before we decided to give him any money. He had left me a voice memo saying, I had the craziest dream. I dreamed that you gave me the exact amount of money we did give him, and I didn't remember the voice memo. Maybe he did a mind game on me and planted that. Maybe it was inception. Maybe he's just that smart. But even so, I thought it was crazy. It was the exact amount, and it wasn't a round number. You're like, it was probably, like, $20,000 or $50,000. No, it was $55,000. So why 55? Why did he dream 55 in March? Unless he's the biggest manipulator of all time. I think sometimes God will prompt your heart in order to provide for somebody in a way you can't predict. I'll give you the second story. The second story is not quite as dramatic, but it's still kind of cool. I was on a date night with Holly over at Lil Mama's the other week. We ordered the mozzarella, we ate the appetizer. The warm mozzarella is very, very worthwhile. For all of the calorie counters. You definitely should spend some. Now, between the appetizer and the main course, I got up just for a quick bathroom break. On my way back from the bathroom, I don't know what told me to do it, but something was like, check Graham's location. I knew where Abbey was. I knew where Elijah was, but it was like, check on Graham. Where's Graham at tonight? Not because I don't trust him. I was just curious. So I pulled up on my phone, checked his location. He was at a Mexican restaurant just right next door. So I told Holly, I'll be right back. I'm going to go see Graham real quick. I'm going to surprise him. It worked out so great. I saw through the window as I was walking by this neon yellow beanie he wears, So I knew it was him. So I sneak around. There's five guys sitting at the booth, and I just pop my head right over the booth, and I say, what's up? And his face looked like I had been off at war for a year, and he hadn't seen me. You know, he's like, what are you doing here? I'm like, I'm on a date with mom. Just ate the mozzarella. I wanted to come check on you. Saw you on the phone. How did you know I was here? I checked you on the phone. Don't you ever forget. I could find you anywhere. But then just something prompted me as I was leaving the restaurant, and it's a small thing. I'm not saying it's huge, but it was just like, hey, pay for their meal. I had some cash, so I said, have y' all paid yet? They had already eaten. I said, have y' all paid yet? After I dapped everybody up. Have y' all paid yet? No, sir. I just put the money down on the table, probably twice as much as they needed, and said, here you go. Love you. See, I'm going back to see mom. I walked out. I came back home later, and I'm going to let him tell you the rest of the story. Come on up here, son. Y' all give it up for Graham. Now, this is kind of crazy. This is kind of crazy. See what you think, Efam. But to me, this was kind of crazy. Grab that mic and tell them. When I got home, I said, what did you think when I popped up at the restaurant? He said, it was crazy. I said, you didn't expect me? Then you said, no, there's even more to it.

[Evan (Graham's friend)]

Yeah. The reason why it was so crazy is because you guys probably won't even believe it, but when we were there at the restaurant, you can ask Evan. We were talking about generosity, and one of my friends was talking about how one of his favorite things that he's been preaching about telling people about is generosity, and it just sparked that conversation. We were talking about how if you don't, if you're not generous, if you don't trust God with your money, what you're really saying is that. And we said this exactly, we were saying is that you don't view God as a father because everyone knows that a father provides for his children. And so as we're saying that, we have that whole conversation and then we wait a little bit, and then a couple minutes later, we just see a head pop above the booth. And we were dapping him up. It was crazy. And then he puts the money on the table and he walked away. And we kind of paused for a second. We were like, were we just talking about a father providing for his children? And so we just thought it was really cool that we got an in real life illustration of how a father provides for his children.

[Steven Furtick]

I'm a good, good father.

[Evan (Graham's friend)]

It's who you are.

[Steven Furtick]

That's who I am. Who wore the jean jacket better? I thought that was crazy. Especially going into our giving weekend. In just a few moments, thousands of people all over this church are going to come forward and make a declaration. I have a father. He's faithful. He cares for me. He provides for me. I just want to remind you for two seconds or maybe like 25 minutes, two things about God. One is God provides for you. And the second is God prompts you. God provides for you and God prompts you. God provides for you and God prompts you. So you may be surprised where God provides for you and how God provides for you. He might pop up at a Mexican restaurant next time. He might do it at a Chinese buffet. He could do it anywhere. Tell somebody he could do it anywhere. Now look at your other neighbor. You've ignored every time I've said, touch your neighbor today and tell him he can do it through anyone. You don't believe me. God prompted Elijah in the Bible to go to the brook and prompted a bird to bring him bread. God can do it anywhere. He can do it through anyone. A bird isn't even a person. And God is my provider. I want to build your faith a little bit today. Just say it out. God is my provider. Say, God provides for me. He's a good father. He provides for me. He provides for me in the strangest of places. If it takes him bringing water from a rock in the wilderness, God provides for me. If it takes him sending a shepherd with a stone to bring down a giant because the whole army is too afraid, God provides for me. If it takes him using a stick over a red sea to Make a way for me to my freedom. God provides for me. Put it in the chat. God provides for me. God provides for me. If it starts with a little bit of oil and I borrow a few jars, the capacity will never be on God. The capacity will be on me because God provides for me. You're saying is this prosperity theology? No, this is just gospel belief. Faith in a God who gave his son for me. How should he who gave his son not also freely give us all things? God provides for me. He meets my needs. He opens doors for me. He closes doors for me. He brings people into my life. He shows people out of my life. He yanks stuff out. He plants stuff in. He waters stuff. He calls forth stuff. God provides for me. I don't know who it's for, but you have a lot of needs at the end of this year. But your needs are not greater than Jehovah, Nissi.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

God provides for me. God provides for me.

[Steven Furtick]

We're used to sermons about God providing for us in the wilderness. That is, the drastic, dramatic situations in our life. But here we find the first demonstration of the provision of Jesus in the Gospels is not in the wilderness but at a wedding. He can do it anywhere. He can bless you just as good in the high times as the low times. The Bible says they were at a wedding and the wine ran out, but Jesus was on the scene. You'll notice that Mary prompts Jesus to do something about it. She doesn't exactly pray to him. She just makes him aware of the situation. Have you ever just made God aware of a situation? You see how they're treating me. I'm not saying you should smite them or anything like that, or give them a hernia. But God, you see how they're treating me, right? I'm not telling you to give them a flat tire, but you see how they just cut me off. You saw I didn't flip them off. God, I'm not trying to give you any ideas, but Mary says to Jesus.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

They have no more want. He says, woman, why do you involve me?

[Steven Furtick]

My hour has not yet, yet come.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

But the Bible says in verse five.

[Steven Furtick]

That his mother said to the servants, do whatever he tells you.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

Now she's talking to Jesus.

[Steven Furtick]

They have no more wine.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

Jesus talks to her. That has nothing to do with me. She turns away from Jesus to the.

[Steven Furtick]

Servants and says, do whatever he tells you. God provides. So if God provides, why didn't Jesus say yes when she asked him the first time? Here's what I think about it. I think a lot of times in my life recognizing that God is my provider and that he is my father. I mean, you heard Graham up here, I'm his father. When I showed up with my head over the booth, he didn't know what blessings I brought with me, but I was happy to do it. Yet isn't it true that sometimes you treat God more like your phone than your father? I hope y' all got all your shouting done before I got to this point because I realized that many of us treat God.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

Like chatgpt.

[Steven Furtick]

On our.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

Phone when we say I sought the.

[Steven Furtick]

Lord and he heard and he answered.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

What we mean is I told God what he needed to do for me and he did it.

[Steven Furtick]

So we end up how many of you use ChatGPT regularly and you're not ashamed to admit it, but you would never use it in a class. You would never use it illicitly.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

You would never use it to prepare a sermon. I would never do that.

[Steven Furtick]

But I might ask ChatGPT, hey, what's the weather going to be like in Charlotte tomorrow? Oh, it's going to be cold tomorrow. It's going to be really cold. How cold? Give it to me in degrees, not Celsius, Fahrenheit. I heard of one student, not a student who goes to this church, but I heard of one student who regularly uploads their Math worksheets to ChatGPT and tells ChatGPT, Answer these problems for me. Give them all in number form. Don't show your work. Don't try to teach me how to do it. Just give me answers. Not a student in this church. This is a revival generation in this church.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

But think about it.

[Steven Furtick]

When you talk to ChatGPT, you prompt ChatGPT according to your preference to meet your purpose. I would demonstrate it for you right now. But I don't trust ChatGPT enough to say the right things back. What I am telling you is that when we begin to think back, that we prompt God like we prompt ChatGPT.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

Because some of us do our entire.

[Steven Furtick]

Prayer life is pretty much like we're just prompting God. Hey God, I need you to provide for me. I have this meeting at 9 o'. Clock. I need you to help me through this meeting. In Jesus name, amen. God, I need you to give me a new job. I don't like my job and I need a new job. One that's not going to be really hard, but it's going to pay really well. I don't want to be gone for my family very much, Lord, but if you could give Me a job that will provide for me above the amount of time I'm willing to spend working in it. God, I would like to have a lot of authority, but I don't want to lead any people because I don't really like people. So I'd like to be able to be an introvert but still have a lot of authority within the organization. God, in Jesus name chat God. But God is not GPT.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

You don't prompt God. God prompts me. God prompts me. I mean, the disciples were always having to learn this. Check it out. They were in a remote place. Jesus was teaching people. The disciples go up to Jesus. They say, hey, Jesus, you've been teaching a long time. You need to shut this down. The people are hungry. They didn't care about the people. They were hungry. So what are they doing? They are prompting Jesus. It would be a good idea for you, Jesus, if you'd send the crowds away. They can go get something to eat. Send them away. Jesus said, they don't need to go away.

[Steven Furtick]

You give them something to eat.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

This is what's interesting about the disciples. They already knew Jesus could do the supernatural. They had seen demons come out of people as they went forth in the ministry. Great miracles happen.

[Steven Furtick]

But just because you've been discipled once doesn't mean you're fully developed. I was talking to my friend the other day about somebody they discipled back in college. When they discipled this person back in college, it's been like 30 years now. The person they discipled, I don't know if y' all have ever heard that term before, we use it to say mentored them spiritually. They discipled this person. This person is so far off the map now. This person is a mess. I looked at the person who was bragging that they discipled the other person. I said, you discipled them? They said, yeah, I discipled them. I said, I think you need to reciple them. Sometimes we need to be recycled. Sometimes we forget who our source is and where our help comes from. Sometimes we pray and God provides, but.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

We start prompting God for what we want.

[Steven Furtick]

I came to say today, God is the prompter. Not you, not me. We don't get to tell Jesus who to send away.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

We don't get to tell God what to do, even with our own lives. I will preach this whether you like it or not. God is not your phone.

[Steven Furtick]

He is your Father. You don't give the commands.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

He does. We don't draw the lines around our life. We don't get to Tell God what.

[Steven Furtick]

We will and won't do with our gift.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

He gave the gift. Gift.

[Steven Furtick]

It's his to use.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

We don't get to tell God when it should happen.

[Steven Furtick]

We have to trust him with the.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

Timing and the tithing little slip right there. Why would we say we trust in God when we won't even bring him what he gave to us to begin with? I feel anointed to break this spirit off of people today who are saying, I'm seeking the Lord, but all I'm really doing is telling the Lord what I think he needs to do when maybe he has a command that contradicts my own preferences that he is trying to bring forth in my life.

[Steven Furtick]

So all that to say, I trust in God more than I trust in myself. That's why Mary's prayer wasn't Jesus, do whatever I tell you. It was doctor. Whatever he tells you. Most of us do the exact opposite with God. God. Chatgod. Do whatever I tell you. I'll say it real nice and everything like that, but what I'm really saying is, God, send me a husband. Make him not too tall, not too short, not too busy, not too lazy. God, make him able to sing, but not arrogant about his singing ability. God, as we're good. Amen. In Jesus name, spin around three times. Yabba dabba do ya. Do it, Jesus. Chatgpt. But see, you're not holding God in your hands. He's holding you in his hands. We need to be recycled. Come on, help me preach.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

Rosalind, you are not holding him. He's holding you.

[Steven Furtick]

That's why I've never felt like I was doing God a favor when I gave. I never felt like I was doing God a favor when I praised. I never felt like I was doing God a favor when I preached.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

You mean you would let me open your word? As filthy as I am, as flawed as I am, as unfinished as I am, you would let me open your word and preach? You would let me lead a church that's reaching the world?

[Steven Furtick]

I'm honored to do it.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

I'm privileged to do it. You don't owe me anything. God, if you never do anything else for me, just your salvation is enough. You provide for me and you prompt me. I don't prompt you. You don't have to do what I want you to do. You know the plans you have for me. You know the hope you have for me. I trust in God. I trust in God like Abraham trusted in God. God prompted Abraham. He said, go to the land. I'll show you, you would say, God, show me and I'll go. God said, go and I'll show you. I'm not going to give you all the details. You don't prompt God. God prompts you.

[Steven Furtick]

Come on.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

Can I talk about Moses? God told Moses, go to Pharaoh and say, let my people go. Moses didn't tell God what to do to Pharaoh. God told Moses what to say. God prompts me. Say it. God prompts me. Trust me, I don't prompt God. I don't give God my 10 year plan. I don't even tell God what I'm supposed to preach about. I ask him, what do your people need? What is the fresh word from heaven that you want to deliver? What is that, brother, that sister dealing with this week? That if a word comes from heaven and you prompt their heart and they follow in obedience. If you will do whatever he told you, you will see him do exceedingly, abundantly. I'm preaching, Graham. Above all you ask or think or imagine. High five. Three people say, I've got a father. He'll stick his head over the booth and he will pay for for your meal.

[Steven Furtick]

He's my provider and he's my prompter. Come back, Grandma, I have to show you something. This boy, every Sunday night is living in the blessing of the faithfulness of the ministry of the people in this church. I want to tell you something. The next meal, I want you to.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

Buy.

[Steven Furtick]

For somebody you're sitting with. Because God is a provider, but he's also a prompter. So how can we always just want the provision if we don't want to be prompted? I'm not saying you're cheap and I know you're kind of broke and that's all right for another couple years because I got you for a minute, but not for that long. But every Sunday night, this boy is teaching a Bible study at this church.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

I'm proud of all of my kids.

[Steven Furtick]

But I just wanted to use him because he has the jean jacket on. Look, this boy is preaching a Bible study every Sunday night. And it started with God prompting him. Everybody say God prompts me. Pray it like a prayer. Say God, prompt me. Prompt me what to do about this issue with my parents. Prompt me what to do about this situation with my kids. Prompt me what to do about this situation with the company. Prompt me. God, prompt me. Not like chatgpt, like Lord, show me which city to move in and make sure it has a good climate. Make sure it also has good economic opportunities. And God, make sure there's also good friends There and a good church there. When I get to the church there, God make sure the services are long enough, really touch me deeply, but short enough to get me out in time for lunch and deep enough where I can be discipled, but wide enough and broad enough so I can invite my own church friends and they can understand. This is not GPT. This is God. God prompts me. And God prompted you to start a Bible study for your friends? We did it upstairs in the playroom. On Sunday nights. I would watch this boy, and sometimes it would be five people, sometimes it would be 10. Let me show you what a big group looked like. This was just this past summer. A big group. Look at that screen. A big group. Look at that screen. A big group was nine kids. God prompted him. He was passionate for his friends to know Jesus. I related to that because I remember when God prompted me to run the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at our school. I said athletes kind of slow because it stood for fca. Some of them weren't living right, so they used to make fun of it. They would call it FCA Fellowship of Christian Alcoholics. But I did not endorse that. That was not good. I was trying to get them saved. I would teach Bible studies. When I saw you doing that, I was like, that's good. Then one week, I don't know, but 20 people came. See, when God prompts you with something, he will give you a small prompt with a big purpose. The Lord is doing a work in this place today. The hearts are receptive. You can feel it. There's faith in the room. You can feel it. God's presence is here. You can sense it. It's the prompting of the Holy Spirit. It may not be in regards to an offering, or it may. It may be a Bible study. He was prompted to start a Bible study. He was patient as week after week, his friends wouldn't come. They would come. They wouldn't come. They would come. Maybe only Austin would show up. Maybe only Evan would show up. Maybe only Colton would show up. It would just be week after week. But God was prompting him, and he was faithful, and I watched him do it. One week when they had that big crowd, there was a kid there who was a part of our residence program for worship. Kind of like an apprenticeship, a discipleship program we have for worship leaders. They were finishing Bible study. Graham said, dad, do you have an acoustic guitar that Daniel can play? I have a few guitars, and some of them are really nice. So I got one of the other ones. You know, there's A bunch of boys up there. I don't really trust them like that. I handed Daniel the guitar, and within two weeks, look what was happening in the same playroom. From a prompt, I show them the video.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

To pray.

[Steven Furtick]

Remember that.

[IBM Advertiser]

Y'?

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

All. That's the room over the kitchen in our house.

[Steven Furtick]

The floor was shaking so hard in the kitchen, I thought they were about to come through the roof. Remember in the Bible when they tore off the roof to get the man to Jesus? I was like, y' all are not coming through my roof.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

This is not the Bible.

[Steven Furtick]

I do not have homeowners insurance for that.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

Can y' all see that in the news?

[Steven Furtick]

Wouldn't that be in the news for three weeks straight if Pastor Furtick killed the kids at the E Group at the Elevation Church? But the floor didn't give way because it was built on the rock.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

Come on. It was a solid foundation. We were standing on the promise. The floor was shaking. And I said, graham, this is good.

[Steven Furtick]

But y' all have to move. Y' all gotta go. I don't know where we're going to go. But see, there are some people in this church who were prompted years ago. And what you don't understand is every Sunday night now, hundreds of these kids get together. Show them my next video, please, at our Matthews location. And watch these kids and how they're praising.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

How I. And that praise.

[Steven Furtick]

Are y' all with me?

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

Church.

[Steven Furtick]

That praise started with a prompting. Graham, look out here. Everybody who ever gave to this ministry or served in this ministry, stand up. What y' all are doing is amazing, and I thank God for it. But yah's praise started with their prompting. And they said, yes, Yah's praise started with their prompting. I wonder what God is going to prompt today. I wonder who is going to be praising God. I read the strangest verse, y'.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

All.

[Steven Furtick]

I read a verse from Galatians 1:24 where Paul said something so unusual. He said, and they praised God because of me. What a thing to say. Every single one of you who gives today, somebody is going to be praising God. Some mom is going to be praising God because their kid came back to Christ. Somebody is going to be praising God because of you. Now, Graham, you can go sit down. And you can sit down for a moment, too. Get out your offering card and envelope, please. The Holy Spirit is in this place. The only instruction from the Holy Spirit is, do whatever he tells you to do. How long have we been trying to get God to do what we want him to do? But have we asked Him. God, out of all the gifts you've given me, out of all the resources you've given me, you are the source. You are G O D. You are my God. Mary's prayer. You remember what Mary said when the angel told her she was going to give birth to Jesus? In Luke, chapter one, verse 37, he said, no word from God will ever fail. Mary said, I don't see how it's going to happen. I don't really understand it, but I am the Lord's servant. May your word to me be fulfilled. That was Mary's prayer. You know, we do just the opposite sometimes. We say, God, may my word to you be fulfilled. Here's what I want you to do, Lord, but no God can do immeasurably more than you ask or imagine. I didn't want a hundred kids jumping upstairs in my house. That's a nightmare. But what I thought was a nightmare God turned into a revival. May your word to me be fulfilled. God is a provider. God is a prompter. He prompted Peter to go to a man named Cornelius House, and the gospel came to the gentile world. He prompted a man named Anais to lay his hands on Brother Saul. And Brother Saul became Paul, and the gospel went forward to the Roman Empire. What is God prompting you to do? What's the word you want to choose as one year ends and another begins. Oh, by the way, I'm not just speaking to people in the room. Those of you all over the world who are blessed by this ministry now, you have been blessed to be a blessing. Is God prompting you to make a difference? I believe the next 20 years of our ministry are going to make the first 20 years of the ministry look like a startup in a garage somewhere. I believe God is about to do something so amazing that we'll be talking about. Do you remember when we only had 20 campuses? Do you remember back in 20, 25, back in the old early days? God is about to blow our mind. And it starts with the prompting. Graham, you're at the Living Room tonight because Greg and Autumn said yes to a prompting. 18 years they've given to this offering.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

Chunks.

[Steven Furtick]

And Amy, 20 years they have given to this offering. 20 years Eric and Nicole have given to this offering. Nine years. Jonathan Josephs and Anna Josephs have given to this offering. God has been faithful to us. When you don't give, you say, I don't trust that I have a father who can provide for me, but have you ever seen him pop his head up behind your booth and take care of Your needs now is an opportunity for you to tell him, thank you. What more could we do? He has done everything for us. Our word for this year is going to be the word light. Jesus said, my yoke is easy and my burden is light. A lot of times I realize I take on things like they're all on me and not on God, and that's a sin, y'.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

All.

[Steven Furtick]

So this year, I'm going to take Jesus at his word, and I'm going to hook up in the harness with him a little bit more. I'm going to ask him to make my burden light this year. How many of you will agree with me this year that the Lord will make my burden a little lighter? I'm doing good. Don't worry about me. It's not like I'm on the verge of burnout, but that's an example. Jonathan, you said your word was. Come up and say it with me stirred. I love that word. Say it in the microphone. Jonathan's word is stirred. What a great word to talk about. The water into wine, how they took the water, poured it into jars. Jesus told them to somewhere when they stirred, became what it could never be. What a great word. We didn't even plan this. Look how in tune with God you are. Mighty man of valor. In just a moment, all of our campus pastors are going to share with you. And I want you to take a moment and pick the word first of all. That's the first thing I want you to do. And then, campus pastors, you come right now. As everyone's seated, as everybody's preparing to worship, We've saved time. I am on my clock. Miracles do happen. But will you pray Mary's Prayer today? Do whatever he tells you. Then get ready. Because when you do what you can do, God will do what you cannot do. Somewhere they stirred that water and it became wine. Do you hear me, Abbey? When you do what you can do, God will do what you cannot do. Pick your word. Anybody got one hollering at me, do it, Lord. All that, put it in the chat right now, online. Give us the word you're believing God. For as a matter of fact, before I turn it around, let's read some of the ones that are coming through online right now. Jj, this is an amazing moment. Tell somebody the Lord is here.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

That.

[Steven Furtick]

You love this weekend. I can feel the faith and generosity of so many people. So faithful, fearless, helped faith vessel restore light. That's my word. Can't take my word. Billaboo23. You can't have my word. That's their username. Billaboo23 get off my word. Move Ablaze Yield provider is coming through so fast. What's your word? What's your word? May your word God to me be fulfilled, not just whatever I think I want you to do what you want to do through my life. What you want to do through this church. This is your church. We are your people. You are our Father God. I bring the needs of all of these people, people before you today from every nation that is watching right here in this local community. You have been good to us God. You are Jehovah Jireh in this place, this season, this moment of their life. Would you meet every need as we do what you tell us to do? In Jesus name, Amen. 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 media stories and tag us Levation Church. Thanks again for listening. God bless you.

[Pets Best Insurance Advertiser]

Then the space hamster flew his hot air balloon all the way to the bottom of the ocean.

[Trashy Advertiser]

Where did that story come from? Book Dream? Nope. It came from a conversation. Meet Miko Minnie plus, the AI companion that co creates personalized story adventures with your child in real time. What color was the hamster's cape and what did he pack for lunch? Unlock your child's imagination. Discover Miko Mini plus and the Magic of AI Exclusively at Costco. Decluttering is everything. It clears your space, your mind and it can give you shopping power with Trashy. Just buy a trashy bag, fill it with clothes and shoes you no longer need, then ship it free and earn points instantly. Build your points by shopping exclusive trashy offers and redeem for gift cards to brands you love or donate them to charity. It's time to make space for what's next. Start decluttering today at Trashy IO that's T R A S H I E I O 10 athletes will face the toughest job interview in fitness that will push past physical and mental breaking points. You are the fittest of the fit.

[Pets Best Insurance Advertiser]

Only one of you will leave here.

[Trashy Advertiser]

With an IFIT contract for $250,000.

[Steven Furtick]

This is where mindset comes in.

[Pets Best Insurance Advertiser]

Someone will be eliminated. Pressure is coming down.

[Trashy Advertiser]

This is Trainer Games.

[Graham (Steven Furtick's son)]

Watch it on prime video starting January 8th.

[Steven Furtick]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.