I'm Glad It Happened

Summary

Elevation with Steven Furtick: "I'm Glad It Happened" – Detailed Summary

Release Date: December 27, 2024
Host: Steven Furtick
Podcast Platform: iHeartPodcasts

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Introduction to the Message

In the episode titled "I'm Glad It Happened," Pastor Steven Furtick delves into a profound reflection inspired by the Apostle Paul's experiences during his imprisonment in Rome, as documented in Philippians 1:12-20. This message serves as the culmination of a trilogy that began in 2014, focusing on holding onto God's promises through life's storms, making sense of setbacks, and finally, understanding why certain events transpire in one's life.

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Continuing the Trilogy: "It Will Happen" and "It Had to Happen"

Furtick begins by referencing the two prior messages:

• 2014 – "It Will Happen": Centers on maintaining faith during tumultuous times, inspired by Paul's survival of a shipwreck.
• Recent Message – "It Had to Happen": Explores the purpose behind surviving challenges, emphasizing that difficulties are designed to clarify God's purpose and prevent confusion about His glory.

Quote:
"Destiny never is. It's difficult by design. That way when God uses you, you won't get confused about who is doing the great things. You'll give him the glory."
— Steven Furtick [00:58]

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Paul's Imprisonment in Rome: Advancing the Gospel Through Restriction

Furtick transitions to Philippians 1:12-20, highlighting how Paul's imprisonment was not a setback but a strategic move that advanced the Gospel. Despite being under house arrest, Paul observes that his chains have served to:

• Reveal his dedication: Demonstrating to the palace guard and others that he is "in chains for Christ" ([00:58]).
• Strengthen the faith of others: Encouraging believers to proclaim the Gospel without fear, whether out of envy or genuine love ([03:40]).

Quote:
"What has happened to me has actually served to advance the Gospel."
— Paul, as read by Steven Furtick [01:20]

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Shifting Perspectives: From Resentment and Regret to Resolution

Furtick emphasizes the importance of reflecting correctly on one's past to avoid falling into resentment or regret:

• Resentment: Holding grudges against past events or people.
• Regret: Feeling personal sorrow over unmet expectations or lost opportunities.

Instead, he encourages listeners to adopt Paul's mindset—focusing on resolution rather than dwelling on negative emotions. This involves understanding that one's current situation is part of a larger divine plan, allowing for personal growth and the advancement of God's purposes.

Quote:
"There is a type of reflection that leads to resolution. The right kind of reflection, as demonstrated by the Apostle Paul, shows that your spirit does not have to be a reflection of your situation."
— Steven Furtick [11:30]

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Making the Resolution: "I Will Continue to Rejoice"

Drawing inspiration from Paul's declaration, Furtick urges listeners to make a singular New Year's resolution:

"I will continue to rejoice."
— Paul, as interpreted by Steven Furtick [21:18]

This resolution is about choosing joy and gratitude irrespective of circumstances, trusting that God's purposes are being fulfilled through every event, whether perceived as positive or negative.

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Practical Application: Facing Forward into the New Year

Furtick provides actionable steps for embracing this mindset:

1. Reflect and Expect: Take time to look back on the past year with a focus on growth and lessons learned, then anticipate what lies ahead with confidence in God's plan.
2. Declare Gladness: Verbally affirm gratitude for past challenges, recognizing how they have contributed to personal and spiritual development.
3. Turn Around: Physically symbolizing the shift from looking back to looking forward, fostering a renewed focus on future endeavors.

Interactive Segment:
Listeners are encouraged to high five a neighbor and declare, "I'm glad it happened," reinforcing the message of gratitude and forward-thinking.

Quote:
"You can't go into what's next with your head in your past. Acknowledge it, set it aside, and march forward with purpose."
— Steven Furtick [22:35]

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Embracing God's Purpose Through Trials

Furtick illustrates how trials refine believers, making them stronger and more effective instruments for God's work. Using the metaphor of a weapon, he explains that challenges sharpen one's faith and readiness to face future battles.

Quote:
"Somebody shout, I'm a weapon. Watch out, devil. Every time you cut on me, you make me sharper."
— Steven Furtick [21:20]

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Conclusion: Living Out the Resolution

As the episode draws to a close, Furtick reinforces the importance of:

• Maintaining focus on God's promises: Keeping one's eyes on the divine plan rather than being distracted by past hardships.
• Celebrating God's work: Recognizing and praising God for the growth and blessings that emerge from challenging times.

He calls listeners to enter the new year with a heart full of gratitude and a steadfast commitment to continue rejoicing, regardless of what lies ahead.

Final Quote:
"I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now, as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death."
— Paul, as read by Steven Furtick [04:00]

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Key Takeaways

1. Purpose in Adversity: Challenges are not merely obstacles but opportunities for growth and the advancement of God's Kingdom.
2. Positive Reflection: Reflecting on the past with the right perspective leads to personal resolution and readiness for future endeavors.
3. Joyful Resolution: Choosing to rejoice and express gratitude regardless of circumstances strengthens faith and aligns one's life with divine purpose.
4. Forward Focus: Letting go of past regrets and resentments enables believers to fully embrace and prepare for what God has planned next.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• "Destiny never is. It's difficult by design. That way when God uses you, you won't get confused about who is doing the great things. You'll give him the glory." — Steven Furtick [00:58]

• "What has happened to me has actually served to advance the Gospel." — Paul, as read by Steven Furtick [01:20]

• "There is a type of reflection that leads to resolution. The right kind of reflection, as demonstrated by the Apostle Paul, shows that your spirit does not have to be a reflection of your situation." — Steven Furtick [11:30]

• "I will continue to rejoice." — Paul, as interpreted by Steven Furtick [21:18]

• "Somebody shout, I'm a weapon. Watch out, devil. Every time you cut on me, you make me sharper." — Steven Furtick [21:20]

• "I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now, as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death." — Paul, as read by Steven Furtick [04:00]

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Final Thoughts

Steven Furtick's "I'm Glad It Happened" serves as a powerful reminder that every experience, whether joyous or challenging, plays a crucial role in shaping one's faith and purpose. By embracing a mindset of gratitude and forward focus, believers are encouraged to navigate life's uncertainties with unwavering confidence in God's overarching plan.

For more insights and to support the ministry, visit Elevation Church or download the Elevation App.

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End of Summary

Transcript

[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. I just want to share with you nine verses of scripture and finish something I started back in 2014. It seems like to me that New Year's Eve is a perfect time to finish your business. I started something in 2014. I preached a little message about holding on to the promise of God through the storms of life. I called the message from something the Apostle Paul said during a shipwreck that he survived. I called the message it will happen. That was the first message this year. God gave me a sequel to that message I preached a few months ago in our church. It was about making sense of setbacks. After you have survived the storm, you have to find out why you survived. It was for a reason. We followed Paul from the Adriatic Sea where he was adrift with no hope of being saved, all the way to a little strange island called Malta, where God used him to perform miracles and release, healing not without difficulty, but destiny never is. It's difficult by design. That way when God uses you, you won't get confused about who is doing the great things. You'll give him the glory. We preach that message this year and that message was called it had to Happen. I've heard a lot of good feedback about those messages, but tonight I want to complete the trilogy. I want to finish this series of Messages from Philippians 1:12 20. We're going to follow Paul all the way to Rome. He has crossed the Mediterranean. He's left Malta after three months of ministry. He's now, according to many scholars, under house arrest in Rome, where the book of Acts incidentally ends. But his ministry didn't end where the book did. I want to pick up on this letter he wrote from the prison in Rome and just read it to you. I'm going to take my time to read it because the the context of this message will determine whether or not you can receive it at a level that will make it effective in your life. Starting in verse 12, Paul says, Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the Gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, not in spite of my chains, but the power of God is being released through the thing you might pity me for because of my chains, because of my confinement, there is a great purpose unfolding where I am positioned. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. It's true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of love, knowing I am put here. When you understand that God is positioning you, you don't fear what people might do to you, because there is not a situation they can put you in that God will not show up in the midst. Don't make me preach because I'm just trying to read the Scripture. And I hadn't even really set it up appropriately yet, and I only got so long on this clock. But ask those Hebrew boys who went into a fiery furnace if a fourth man won't step in just when it.

[Unknown Co-host]

Gets cranked up seven times hotter than.

[Steven Furtick]

It'S supposed to be, the only thing that's going to fall off in the.

[Unknown Co-host]

Fire is the ropes that had you bound. God lets you be in the fire to set you free.

[Steven Furtick]

So he said the former 17 preach Christ out of selfish ambition. Not sincerely. Supposing they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. This is a cool part that only an old man can say. But what does it matter? I live long enough to let some of my concerns fall off of me. Now I have a sense of priority. I'm not concerned about what they say. I'm not concerned about their motives, because God's intention is always more powerful than human motive. The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Not because of a new car, but because of a calling. Because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice. For I know that through your prayers and God's provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now, as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. I read all that just to go Back to verse 12, where I started. I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the Gospel. It will happen. It had to happen. My message for you tonight, if you can say it with Paul, by faith, is it will happen. It had to happen. But tonight, look at your neighbor and say, I want you to know I'm glad it happened. This one is going to be kind of tough to get with this because there are really two reasons we put on this praise party. One year I turned to Hollywood. I said, we're getting too old to try to stay up on New Year's Eve without accountability. Let's have church on New Year's Eve. It really serves two purposes if you allow it to. It serves the purpose of allowing you to reflect and expect. Two questions I want to hang over your head. As you sit there tonight, on whatever campus or around whatever screen, however you're viewing this, I want to ask you two things. Are you where you want to be and are you ready for what's next? God brought you here tonight to give you the opportunity to reflect and to expect. So as I reflect, am I where I want to be? And as I expect, am I ready for what's next? As you reflect, you have to understand that reflection must be done correctly in order to be productive. There is a way of reflecting on your life, and I think this is why some of us avoid looking back. That can leave you paralyzed in a sense. There is a type of reflection that does not energize you. There is a type of reflection that can bring you into a state of. Of resentment. As you look back over what happened to you for you this year, there may be a temptation for you to reflect to the point of resentment. There may be some people this year who were supposed to support you. Maybe you expected them to be standing by you, but you find yourself a little more lonely at the end of this year. Even going through your photo stream on your phone, I found, can be dangerous. Some of the people I'm scrolling through, I felt one way about in January. I feel differently about them in December. You have to be careful. You have to be careful if you want to go back on the timeline. You may feel some things when you reflect. It's important that you avoid resentment on one level, but I think also you should be very careful when you reflect because not only can you begin to resent opportunities you didn't get or maybe ways you were not acknowledged, which can bring you into a state of resentment. But you also have to watch out for regret. This is like the devil's R and R. Regret and resentment. Now they're really the same. Regret is just resentment turned inward. It's when you take a look at where you said you would be on December 31, 2017. And the scale says something different than your list said 365 ago. Or it can be when you are thinking about all of the dance recitals you missed, or it could be that you think about how you promised to be more faithful in church this year, but you didn't quite make it happen. But you did get here tonight, high five your neighbor and say you're ahead for 2018. You already have a gold star on the Jesus Christ chart. Now, there is a type of reflection that leads to regret. There is a type of reflection that leads to resentment. But the right kind of reflection will lead to resolution. The right kind of reflection, as demonstrated by the Apostle Paul in Philippians chapter one, from, I believe, a Roman prison cell, which was really a rented home where he was allowed to see people. But remember now, he has been waiting for a trial for maybe as much as four years. Still, after four years of bouncing around from prelate to prelate, from governor to governor, there's still no resolution for his situation. Yet Paul exhibits the kind of attitude in Philippians one that I am striving to see manifest in my own life. As he reflects, he demonstrates that your spirit does not have to be a reflection of your situation. What I'm trying to say is you do not have to allow your outlook to be defined by the events that brought you to this point. Paul proves it clearly in Philippians chapter 1, verse, verse 1220. Really? I see him in Philippians chapter 1, verses 1220, correcting some of the rumors that have apparently begun to surface in Ephesus about his situation. I don't mean to say Ephesus. I mean to say Philippi, but really everybody, every church Paul started has started to talk a little bit. I can almost hear them whispering behind his back. Did you hear about Paul? He still hasn't had his trial yet. Looks like his ministry is over. It's horrible what happened to Paul. He was only trying to help, but, you know, he probably pushed it a little too far. He kept on preaching to the Gentiles. The Jews told him to stop it, but he wouldn't stop it. Then he told those Gentiles they didn't have to get circumcised. If he would have toned it down a little bit, if he wouldn't have appealed his case to Caesar, he might have got set free by Festus. Did you hear what happened to Paul? It's horrible what happened to Paul. Terrible thing, what happened to Paul. You can almost hear them whispering from the church at Philippi, which Paul founded a decade earlier, but now some things have happened. Not only has time passed, but it seems Paul's ministry has come to a grinding halt. There is to be no more movement during this period. I can almost hear the whispers from the church at Philippi when Paul speaks up in verse 12 and says, Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually, I know what you heard, but forget what you heard for a minute. Let me set the record straight. You know, I hear the spirit of the Lord saying tonight that before you leave 2017, you need to set the record straight about what really went down this year. You need to set the record straight.

[Unknown Co-host]

As a matter of fact, we came.

[Steven Furtick]

Tonight to give God praise for what he brought us through. We came tonight to make our commitment to him, that we will follow him.

[Unknown Co-host]

Throughout the course of this year, no matter how the road might wind or.

[Steven Furtick]

Where it might lead us. But we also came to set the record straight, to let the devil know that everything we went through this year.

[Unknown Co-host]

Was just proof of the promise and the power and the unlimited potential of the ever ruling, ever reigning, ever present God. Tell your neighbor I came to set the record straight. I don't know what you heard. You might have heard I was on the way down, but I came to set the record straight. There are some things I need you to know before January hits my watch.

[Steven Furtick]

One thing I'm trying to do before I make a New Year's resolution, I want to make a few revisions. Paul wants to make a few revisions. Let's talk for a moment about the revision. I've noticed a lot of times when we write a song or when I write a sermon, the magic happens not on the first draft or the second draft or the third draft, but it is in the revision that the potential of the song or the sermon is revealed. I love that, because when I think about it, I think maybe there are some things this year where I'm getting the story wrong and I need to see it differently. It's not looking good for Paul. It doesn't look like he's going to make it. It's embarrassing when your pastor is in jail, I would imagine. I hope you never have to find out firsthand what that's like. Not planning that. But remember now, he has been driven across the Adriatic Sea, three months in Malta. Now he finds himself in Rome. And he's still waiting, and the situation is still unresolved. But he's not. Resolution is. Is not an event. It is a decision. As Paul reflects from Rome and looks at what's happening. He understands that sometimes people will misjudge your situation because they do not know the backstory. So he is informing them. He's taking the opportunity to inform them about what is apparent and what is actual. I love it. Because sometimes what's happening on the surface is not the real story. Paul is focusing here not on what is happening to him, but what is happening through him.

[Unknown Co-host]

The story you tell is dependent on.

[Steven Furtick]

The point of view you have. While others are looking at Paul's life from the outside in, they are judging him a failure. While others are looking at Paul's life from the outside in, they're saying he's going down now. While others are looking at Paul's life from the outside in, Far away from Philippi, across the Mediterranean Sea. It doesn't look good from Paul. But Paul is not looking at his situation from the outside in, he's looking at his situation from the inside out. Now, the inside is where the spirit of God lives.

[Unknown Co-host]

If the spirit of God lives in.

[Steven Furtick]

You, greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.

[Unknown Co-host]

It means that no matter what resistance.

[Steven Furtick]

Is against me, I'm glad it happened.

[Unknown Co-host]

There are some things I went through.

[Steven Furtick]

This year that I didn't like.

[Unknown Co-host]

There are some things I went through this year that hurt. I'm not saying they didn't hurt. They hurt. I'm not saying they didn't hurt. They hurt like hell.

[Steven Furtick]

You should have left your kids home. It's New Year's Eve.

[Unknown Co-host]

I'm not saying I would have chosen them if I had had the opportun. But now that I've been through it, there is something I learned through what I went through that made me who I am. And I'm standing today. Y'all didn't come to give him praise. Somebody shout, I'm glad. They probably felt sorry for Paul. They were probably signing petitions to their senators to get Paul out of prison. Paul said, stop all your petitions. Don't feel sorry for me. I know I have these chains on me, but I'm freer than all y'all.

[Steven Furtick]

Now.

[Unknown Co-host]

I didn't like it at the time. I didn't get it at the time. It didn't make sense while I was in it. But I've been here long enough to recognize. I've been through enough storms to know. I held onto the planks of the boat and made it across the sea and saw God's.

[Steven Furtick]

Provision at a level that now I can tell you that actually God is up to something. Paul says, I'm not a hostage. I want you to say that because this is a revision you need to make. Some of you have made yourself the victim of 2017. We need to make some revisions because you cannot leave 2017 like a victim and go into 2018 like a victor. You have to make a decision tonight. You have to revise some of the stuff in your story and take a cue from Paul. I was confused at first because he said, I want you to know, brothers and sisters, what has happened to me. But then he gives no detail about what actually happened to him. All he talks about is what God did through the events he could have been bitter about. I'm not a hostage. Don't feel sorry for me. In fact, Paul might say, I always wanted to go to Rome to preach the gospel. I didn't think I'd have to drag these shackles through the streets to do it. But it actually works out pretty good because all these guards have to listen to me preach. Anytime I open my mouth, I'm not a hostage. I'm not a hostage to your opinions. I'm not a hostage to what went wrong.

[Unknown Co-host]

I hear Paul saying all the way.

[Steven Furtick]

From Rome, shouting across the Mediterranean Sea, shouting all the way into 2017, just.

[Unknown Co-host]

Before midnight Eastern Standard Time.

[Steven Furtick]

Shouting to Elevation Blakeney, shouting to University.

[Unknown Co-host]

City, shouting to Lake Norman, shouting to the overflow in Ballantyne, shouting to the Efam watching online. I hear God shouting into your iPhone X. I hear this message. I hear Paul saying, I'm not a hostage. I'm a weapon. See, I made up my mind. Anywhere God puts me, there's a purpose for it. I'm not a hostage. You better shove your neighbor right now. Say, I'm not a hostage. I'm a weapon. Formed in the fire, held steady in the hand of God and aimed at the darkness. Somebody shout, I'm a weapon. Watch out, devil. Every time you cut on me, you make me sharper. I'm loaded. Now I'm focused. Now I'm aimed. Now I know what matters now.

[Steven Furtick]

It.

[Unknown Co-host]

Feels like the spirit of God is breaking out on this side of the church. Somebody thought you were trapped. It's not you that's trapped, it's the enemy. You have the devil on the run, don't you back down. You'll set the record straight. I came here in chains. But because I'm here, somebody is going to get set free. God put me here. Not Caesar, not Festus.

[Steven Furtick]

It wasn't the boat that brought me here. It was the purpose of God. I Found something out. I found out that I have like 26 minutes. I found out that progress is relative to priorities. I'll ask a question. It's kind of a stupid illustration, but it's late. What is that? Progress. Come on now. It depends on what destination I intended to arrive at. Just because I stepped toward you doesn't mean that's where I had in mind to go. So I might have been going the wrong way if I really needed to get over here. Because I was thinking all night how cool it would be to preach from up here. Just all the way up at the top. See, this might be progress. I can't tell yet because progress is relative to priorities. I didn't come tonight to do cardio. I already got my workout before we came. Write down the word. Did you write down revision? There are some parts of your story you need to rewrite before we go into a new year. Because if you carry the mentality that you are trapped in a situation or trapped in what they thought, or trapped in what they did, or trapped in the event. Somebody shout. I'm glad it happened. Here's why. Number two, because I'm focused on the results. I don't have to like the event to celebrate the result. I don't know if you saw it, but Paul said it clearly. He said, As a result, that's 13A if they want to reinforce it with screen support as a result. I was Talking to one CrossFit dude. We were talking about exercise a minute ago. One CrossFitter in the whole New Year's Eve praise party. He was meeting me at an event I was preaching at. He said he was coming. He was a little late. He wasn't too late, but he was apologizing because apparently he likes to be prompt. He said, so sorry. I had a great workout. To me, that's paradoxical in nature. Great workout. I never felt that way about a workout. I said it was a great workout. What made it great. He said, I threw up three times. Brain damage, twisted value system. But I get it. What he enjoyed wasn't how he felt during the routine of working out. You don't have to like what it felt like to appreciate the change it has created. A lot of us when we assess a year, we assess it by how much we enjoyed the different experiences in that year. I was reading an interesting book by the Heath brothers. They have written several books. They're more sociological in nature, but they're also good for business. His most recent book, the Power of Moments, is. It gave a snapshot of what psychologists call the peak end theory. Here's what they say. When we assess our experiences, we don't average our minute by minute sensations. Rather, we tend to remember flagship moments. That's the peaks, the pits and the transitions. They use the example of Disney World. They said if you were rating your experience at Disney World minute by minute on a scale of 1 to 10, your average rating would probably be 1.7 and no one would ever go. If you think of all the lines you stand in and all of the heat you endure, and it's a small world after all, what a blessing. You don't assess the experience by what did they say your minute by minute sensations. Rather, we tend to remember the peak and the end, or the peaks, the pits and the transition. When I say to you, how was this year for you? Don't be so quick to call it a bad year just because you went through some hard things. I'm trying to get you by faith to accept whatever God allowed. Not only that, but to now see how it actually can serve to advance the gospel. If that's not your priority, if God is not your focus, then you have no way of measuring your progress against a standard you have not set for your life. Paul isn't writing about how wonderful the food is. Paul is not writing about how strong the WI fi signal is in the Roman prison system. What he's talking about is the results. He's saying, I don't necessarily like what I'm going through, and I'm not saying it's fair. That's not the point. The point is that God is achieving a purpose through this. That is making it clearer and clearer. What he put me on the earth for. Touch somebody and say I'm making progress. As long as I know I'm making progress, I can endure anything. I'm glad it happened. I was reminiscing with a friend about something that happened earlier this year. What happened was so horrible. At the time, we didn't think we could make it through. But you know, when we were talking about it and looking back on it, we realized that some things are so much better. Now come on now, how many of you can relate? Somebody broke up with you and you thought you couldn't make it without them.

[Unknown Co-host]

Then you looked them up on Facebook.

[Steven Furtick]

And you fell on your knees and thanked God that they broke your heart.

[Unknown Co-host]

Oh, thank God they weren't interested in me. Look what could have been. Look what the Lord has done. I don't always understand the reason, but I praise God for the result. This takes faith. Can you praise God for the result of a situation that is not yet resolved?

[Steven Furtick]

Not to say 10 years later, I'm glad it happened.

[Unknown Co-host]

But while you are still sitting in a Roman prison cell, can you say, God, if you're going to get some glory out of this, I'm glad. Paul might have talked to Lazarus.

[Steven Furtick]

He might have. I don't know. When Lazarus died the second time. Now, the first time he died was weird because Jesus knew he was sick and he was about to go to him, but he delayed his trip to let him die. Weirdest thing in the world. For the Son of God, the savior of humankind, the compassionate Christ, the one who combs the hair of lambs on his lap as he sings lullabies to the lambs. You know, the Jesus you always hear about, he says something so shocking to his disciples when they came to him with the news that Lazarus, who he loved, had died. I want to put it on the screen because you won't believe it's in the Bible if I don't show it to you. He told his disciples plainly, lazarus is dead. Watch what comes next. Not weeping, not tears, but for your sake, I'm glad. I'm glad it happened. I'm glad I didn't get there in time to heal him. I'm glad because now I get to show you a level of my glory that you could not see. If I had shown up and done what you thought I should do. I'm glad it happened. I looked at my friend, I said, you know, I wouldn't choose what we went through, but I don't think I'd change it either. I don't think I would change it. See, I'm glad it happened, whatever it may be for you. I'm not talking about the promotion. Of course you're glad that happened. I'm not talking about the miracle breakthrough you got to check in the mail, the tax refund. Of course you're glad that happened. I'm talking about the thing other people feel sorry for you about. Having the faith to say, I'm glad for my weakness. It led me to deeper strength. Getting quiet at the praise party. I know how to preach you into a little bit of a frenzy. I could do that anytime. This is the deep work that requires mature faith to be able to look at something. When I grew up in the Methodist church, we used to have in the youth group, we had prayer requests and praise reports. This is old school. Why don't we bring that back in the church? That would be wonderful, Pastor Steven, no. People are too crazy, and I will not give them the mic. That's great. Paul would have messed up praise reports and prayer requests because the praise reports is where you put the good stuff and the prayer request is where you put the bad stuff. But Paul has reached the point in his life now where he said.

[Unknown Co-host]

I.

[Steven Furtick]

Don'T know the difference anymore. My prayer requests have become my praise reports. I know y'all are praying for me to get out of prison, but I have to be honest with you, I'm.

[Unknown Co-host]

Running a revival, and I'm not sure.

[Steven Furtick]

I'm ready to leave yet.

[Unknown Co-host]

So could y'all bring the prayers down a little bit? Because I think there's something God still wants to do while I'm in this prison. Are y'all clapping to be polite, or do you really believe that some of the things you would have prayed away are the instruments of change? See, Paul has no problem rejoicing because he knows the result. He knows the result. When I showed Graham Rocky 4, I wasn't nervous when Drago won the first three rounds. Why? I know how this ends. Some of y'all need to look at 2018 before it even gets started and declare in the face of the devil. I'm not nervous. I'm not worried. I'm not anxious. I'm not freaked out, stressed out, maxed out. I know how this is. Take 18 seconds right here and praise him for how it is before it even. The devil hates this. He hates when you get glad about what your eyes have not seen and your ears have not heard. God is going to get some glory. Out of everything I've gone through, the more I've gone through, the greater the glory. Shout about that.

[Steven Furtick]

This is a resurrection moment. I'm glad about it.

[Unknown Co-host]

I'm glad about it. I'm not glad about the pain. I'm glad that in the pain is a purpose. I'm glad about it. I'm glad about it. I cried enough about it. I spent enough time wishing it would go away. But now I'm standing here with my praise intact in my right mind. I'm glad about it.

[Steven Furtick]

I'm glad. I'm glad. They rejected me, showed me that God was enough and I don't need them. Where did y'all go on that one? Where did you go? I didn't hear anything on that one. So Paul makes a resolution now. He made the revision. He set the record straight. He said, I want you to know what's really happening here because y'all are feeling sorry for me. But don't feel sorry for me. I'm getting results. God is getting some glory through my life. Don't feel sorry for me. Some of y'all need to call some people and say, I don't need you to apologize. Then if you want to mess with their whole mental state, send them a gift card, whoever hurt you. No, I'm serious about it. When I first preached, it will happen. I told you about that message. Did I tell you about it? I can't remember. It was a real tough message to preach because I preached it under attack, for our church was under attack about something that was very important to us, which was our baptisms. There was a fictitious story run by a very unethical, unscrupulous journalist who insinuated that we fake baptisms in our church. I have to be careful right now because this is on tape and everything like that, and it's in the archives forever. I don't want to say anything right here that could hurt me at a future point. Can I tell you I'm actually glad he did what he did because when he ran that story at the time, he ran the story and said, we faked our baptisms. We did baptisms only once a year and occasionally throughout. But when he ran the story, I got the idea that maybe the area they're attacking us is the area where we should advance. Now, we do baptisms every week. Now, please, I am not asking for another story, but I can say about that one, I'm glad it happened. I am.

[Unknown Co-host]

I'm sorry. I know it sounds kind of sadistic.

[Steven Furtick]

I know it sounds kind of weird to be glad that somebody came against me, but I'm glad it happened. Aren't you glad the storm stripped away everything you really didn't need so you could know what was core to the assignment? Essential nature of who Christ made you to be. Aren't you glad you're not going into the next year carrying dead weight of worthless relationships? Aren't you glad God closed some doors so you wouldn't spend years of your life in the wrong room? I'm glad it happened. I am glad it happened. I might not be able to smile when I say it, but I'm getting there. I'm glad it happened. He said, I made a resolution. How about this? Just one New Year's resolution. This is the only one you really need. I mean, do everything else you want to do, too. Save the money, put the kids a college fund, go to the moon with Elon Musk. I don't care what you do. Do this too. This is 18B. Yes. And I will continue to rejoice. That's the resolution. I worry about that word, rejoice, because I think you might think it only means this or this. No, he's making a decision or a resolution. Because remember, resolution is a decision, not an event. I'm not waiting to see how this turns out before I make my decision about my faith. I reflect and I expect. Paul says, I don't know how this is going to turn out yet. They might kill me. I don't know what you're going through right now, but it isn't this bad. That's why I brought Paul to the praise party. If I say this crap, you might just think I had never been through anything. But you haven't had your life on the line for the gospel. Not yet. Paul says, I want you to know I've made my resolution and I will continue to rejoice. Oh, Paul. Did you get good news? Are they about to release? You don't know. Resolution is not an event. It's a decision. Now watch the decision. It's verse 20. He says we have to get 19 as well. It's just too good. I can't do this to 19. I can't leave 19 sitting right there just looking all pretty for. I know that through your prayers and God's provision of the spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened, I'm glad it happened. I want that ringing in your spirit so you go out really confessing it and really declaring it and really living in that state of rejoicing that is not dependent on the outcome of your situation. I know that what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. Here's the word I eagerly expect. How many? Remember I preached a whole sermon on the Greek word Paul made up because he couldn't find a word in the lexicon that described how he felt about the situation. He couldn't say, I have a good feeling about this. I don't know. I'm enthusiastic. It wasn't one of those things.

[Unknown Co-host]

It was a. From the gut.

[Steven Furtick]

Gladness that only comes when your sole.

[Unknown Co-host]

Priority is the glory of God and nothing else holds weight in the cord of your reasoning.

[Steven Furtick]

So he made up a word from three different words. Remember?

[Unknown Co-host]

Apo kara dokia.

[Steven Furtick]

Three words. Apo, to look away, cara head, dokia, stretch. Paul said, I'm chained to the floor, but these chains make a good sermon prop because my feet are bound but.

[Unknown Co-host]

My mind is free.

[Steven Furtick]

I can't change my situation right now.

[Unknown Co-host]

But I can make up my mind. Here's what I've decided. I need about 130 people who will make this decision I eagerly expect. In other words, I stretch my head toward my future.

[Steven Furtick]

I can see we need some exercise. Stand up. I'm going to help you with your New Year's resolution. You wanted to exercise more. We're going to do it before you hit the parking lot tonight. High five your neighbor. Say, I'm glad it happened. I'm glad it happened. Now I want you to do me a favor. Everybody, every campus, even the cool people who are too cool to high five your neighbor. Every time I tell you to high five your neighbor, I want you to turn around 180 degrees. If you are geometrically challenged, you should be facing the opposite direction a moment ago. All right. The word of God on this pulpit represents the promises God has made to you in the future that he has in store. We came tonight to reflect, but also to expect. You can't go into what's next that has your name on it. Your next assignment, your next breakthrough, your next level of influence, your next season of real joy. You can't go into it facing this way. What happened, happened. It happened. Whether you wanted it to or not, Whether it was your fault or not, it happened. Acknowledge it. There were some disappointments this year, some stuff that broke your heart, but you cannot experience the purpose of God in 2018 with your head in your past. I hear the spirit of God saying, tonight, it's turnaround time. It's turnaround time. Don't turn around yet. I'm messing up my illustration. Paul said, I eagerly expect that what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I want you to turn 90 degrees. 90 degrees. Just 90. Just 90. Just 90 degrees. I don't care which. 90. Just 90, preferably. So you're facing someone else. Could you face somebody now? Shut up. Don't strike up a conversation, but listen to me. You can't go into this next year facing your past, and you can't go into this next year facing other people. You cannot look to them and compare yourself to them and compare your situation to theirs. Not in going to the future. God has for you. Paul said, I want you to know that what has happened to me, what God has for me is for me. Sometimes we are so busy comparing our situation to the situation of others, we are locked in cycles of resentment and regret. But it's turnaround time. Somebody shout, it's turnaround time. Now I want you to turn another 90 degrees and we all all should be facing forward. This is where I'm facing.

[Unknown Co-host]

I have my eyes Put the camera on the pulpit. I have my eyes on the word God spoke to me. My eyes are on the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. I got my head out my past I got my feet in my lane. I have my eyes on the prize for which God called me heavenward in Christ. I'm glad it happened. I'm glad for the dangers, the toils, the snares. I'm glad for the battles. I'm glad for the blessings I came tonight to give you. Praise for all of it, God, all things work together for the good. Come on. We only have a few minutes to get ready for what's next. We only have a few minutes to get ready. Somebody shout, I'm ready now. I make peace with what's behind me. My eyes are on the joy set before me and there is a God who reigns above me.

[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 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. God Bless.