It's A No Go

Summary

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Elevation with Steven Furtick — “It's A No Go”

Date: May 1, 2026
Host: Pastor Steven Furtick, Elevation Church

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Pastor Steven Furtick explores the difficult but freeing experience of hearing “no” from God. Centering his message on Philippians 1 and Paul’s journey, Furtick addresses how God’s “no” can actually be a redirection toward something even greater—freeing us internally regardless of our external circumstances. Through personal anecdotes, biblical exposition, and candid reflection, Furtick encourages listeners to trust God’s sovereignty even when doors close, and to prioritize spiritual freedom over changing their situation.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Paul’s Perspective: Positioned, Not Stuck

• Scriptural Basis: Philippians 1:15–26
• Paul, writing from prison, reframes his captivity. He doesn’t see himself as “stuck,” but as “stationed” for God’s purpose (02:36).
  • “Regardless of how I got here. I was put here. That’s a way of seeing life that will set you free from the need to understand all of the events as they’re happening—just to decide in advance, wherever I end up, that must be where God has me.” (03:04)
• Key Insight: We often mistake God’s positioning of us as being stuck; our perspective needs changing, not necessarily our location.

2. What Does It Matter? (WDIM)

• Prioritizing What’s Important: Paul demonstrates how to filter out distractions and pettiness.
  • “When all this nonsense starts playing in my head, I just turn the dial. I try to find a different signal, the signal that lets me know I can’t think short term… I have to get my priorities straight now, according to God’s purpose for me.” (04:10)
• Memorable Moment: Furtick jokes about the “WDIM” (What Does It Matter) bracelets, underscoring the value of not sweating small stuff.

3. Internal vs External Freedom

• Freedom in Chains: Paul insists he’s “free,” not because his circumstances changed, but because his spirit is free.
  • “God is more interested about freeing you in your spirit than he is freeing you from your situation.” (11:38)
  • “I’m still right here in this cell physically, but spiritually, I’m free. Free from what? Free from pain? No, no. I’m hurting… Free from uncertainty? No. I don’t know what they’re going to do to me.” (12:00)
• Quote: “I stopped praying, ‘God, set me free from it,’ whatever it is… Sometimes that got better and I got worse.” (12:53)
• Key Insight: True deliverance is internal. We may move to new circumstances but drag old chains unless God changes us inside.

4. Freedom from Needing Validation

• Letting Go: Paul chooses to release resentment and the need for understanding “why.”
  • “I am so setting people free from my need for them to validate me.” (15:20)
• Spiritual Health: “Some of the least free people I ever met in my life had the most stuff.” (17:44)

5. How to Process Anxiety and the Unknown

• Remembering God’s Faithfulness: Paul encourages believers to remember the past rightly—to fuel faith, not paralyze themselves.
  • “There is a way of remembering the past that will paralyze the potential of today. But there is a way of remembering the past that can fuel your faith for tomorrow.” (19:45)
• Quote: “He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.” (20:23)

6. God’s ‘No’ as Divine Redirection

• Scriptural Narrative: Acts 16 and Paul’s attempted missionary journey into Asia and Bithynia.
  • “‘Having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province…’” (31:38)
  • Furtick highlights how Paul’s good intentions are met with God’s refusal—not by the devil, but by the Holy Spirit.
• Key Reflection: “Stop giving the devil credit for stuff I’m trying to do in your life. Particularly stop giving the devil credit for the moments where I hold you back.” (33:40)
• Memorable Illustration: Furtick likens God’s “no” to real parenting: “You really don’t know what kind of parent you are until you have to tell your kid no.” (34:41)
• Conditional Faith Challenge: “Is [God] still good when the answer is still no?” (36:24)

7. Spiritual Maturity: Persevering Past Closed Doors

• Paul does not give up after several closed doors; he continues on to Troas, showing resilience and trust.
  • “Most of us would have gone back home the moment we make progress, and then the progress stops.” (34:41)
• Quote: “Just because God says no doesn’t mean it’s over.” (38:00)

8. New Opportunities Behind God’s “No”

• God’s “no” to Paul’s plans leads to the establishment of the church in Philippi—opening Christianity to Europe and the Western world.
  • “Philippi was the first place in Europe where Paul established a church. Those of us in the Western world are a part of a church that started because God told Paul no.” (43:30)
• Encouragement to Listeners: “If you receive God’s yes with praise, why not receive his no with trust?” (44:16)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Internal Freedom:

  • “If you don’t get that you haven’t lived long enough, you will get tired of yourself at some point.” (13:47)
  • “Free from what you think of me.” (16:35)

• On Divine Restraint:

  • “Please don’t look at me like there’s never been cuss words coming out of your mouth, something that was God on the inside of you yanked them back in. It was like swallowing down vomit to get it from coming out.” (31:38)

• On Parenting and God’s ‘No’:

  • “The one they would choose to live with is usually the parent who doesn’t know how to say no… You say, ‘God is a good, good father.’ But is he still good when he says what every good parent has to say every once in a while?” (36:24)

• On Purpose Through Obedience:

  • “Sometimes you have to pass by your plans to get to God’s purpose.” (40:04)

• Celebration of Both Yes and No:

  • “Give him praise for the yes. Give him praise for the no. Give him praise for the light. Give him praise for the shadow.” (45:09)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:36] — Furtick introduces Paul’s attitude in Philippians: “I was put here.”
• [04:10] — What Does It Matter (WDIM) and focusing on priorities over pettiness.
• [11:38] — “God is more interested about freeing you in your spirit...”
• [12:00-13:47] — Defining freedom: internal vs. external; “Set me free from me.”
• [16:35-17:44] — Freedom from validation and the expectations of others.
• [19:45-20:28] — Remembering God’s work in the past as faith fuel.
• [31:38-34:02] — God’s Spirit blocking Paul from good plans—divine “no’s.”
• [36:24] — Learning about God’s character through His “no.”
• [38:00-39:23] — Encouragement not to give up after a no.
• [40:04-44:16] — The church at Philippi as the fruit of God’s redirection; trusting God’s no.
• [45:09] — Closing praise: celebrating both God’s yes and no.

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Summary Statement

In “It’s A No Go,” Steven Furtick profoundly reframes the role of God’s “no” in the Christian journey: not as denial, but as divine preparation and redirection. Drawing from Paul’s example, Furtick urges listeners to embrace God’s sovereignty in closed doors, focusing on growing spiritually free rather than seeking circumstantial change. If God can turn a “no” into the birth of the Western church, there is always hope and purpose on the other side of disappointment—if we stay, trust, and praise Him in every answer.

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Transcript

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[Stephen Furtick]

Hey, this is Stephen 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. Philippians, chapter one, verse 15, Paul speaking. It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love. Knowing that I am put here. Remember, I'm where I'm supposed to be. Regardless of how I got here. I was put here. That's a way of seeing life that will set you free from the need to understand all of the events as they're happening, just to decide in advance, wherever I end up, that must be where God has me. This can get dangerous because you can end up blaming God's sovereignty for your lack of responsibility. I lost the job. I guess God wanted me to lose the job. I guess God wanted you to show up on time. Let's don't get carried away. But when the situation is out of my control, it's not out of God's hands. Amen. Yeah, I feel the spirit of God on that. Because when he says I'm put here, that's one way of seeing it. He's positioned and he sees himself as stationed rather than seeing himself as stuck. The location doesn't change, but the lens he views his situation through is changing through the years. Since he's old now. He has this great perspective. We get in on it through this letter he wrote to the Philippian Church. Some people like me and some don't. But he says the former preach Christ out of selfish ambition. Not sincerely. Supposing they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. This has been my mantra all week. What does it matter? I found a new radio station, wdim. What does it matter when all this nonsense starts playing in my head? I just turn the dial. I try to find a different signal, the signal that lets me know I can't think short term. I can't let little things, the little foxes, spoil the vine. I can't let the flies get in the ointment and mess up something sweet. So I have to get my priorities straight now, according to God's purpose for me, what does it matter? I don't know if you Want it or not, but we made some bracelets that just say WDIM on them. I have mine. I said it as a joke, and the team liked it so much they made 25,000 of these bracelets. It's really helpful. You might want to put it on your husband's wrist every once in a while. What does it matter? Just a little reminder. It will be yours today until we run out. If we run out, what does it matter? You're not going to be upset about that? What does it matter? It's not that I don't care about what people think. It's that it no longer controls me. So what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. Because of this, I rejoice. Yes. Yeah, yeah. I will continue to rejoice. What are you going to do about it, Devil? You hit me with your best shot and I'm still in church. I will continue to rejoice. You couldn't knock the smile off my face if you tried. I'm still smiling and my back hurts, but I'm still smiling. With migraine headaches, but I'm still smiling. And my kids are out of control, but I'm still smiling while I yell through clenched teeth. 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. Oh, I'm not asking God to reduce the conflict. I'm asking him to increase my courage for the conflict, so that now, as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live as Christ and to die is gain. I can't lose. If I am to go on living in the body, well, this will mean fruitful labor for me. The next line, I just laughed because he's talking like he's choosing a show on Netflix. What shall I choose? I don't know. He's talking about life and death. But he has come to the. The point in his life where he's like, either way, I'm cool. I don't even know. I'm torn between the two. I kind of want to get out of here. This world is a crazy place, and I'd like to see Jesus. I have a reward waiting with my name on it. I want to see the one who died for me and bled for me. I want him to wipe every tear from my eye and I want to be in his presence. I'd kind of like to depart. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far. But it's more necessary for you that I remain in the body. So since you still need me, I probably can't leave. I'd like God to take me to heaven, but he's probably going to make me stay. I know that I will remain and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith. I asked God, can I go to heaven? Look at your neighbor and give him my sermon title. It's a no go. Now look at it from the perspective of the Philippian Church, who would have been excited to receive this letter with news about their beloved apostle Paul. I can almost hear their feet stampeding through the streets. I can almost hear them knocking on the door of Lydia, who was the first convert when Paul passed through Philippi, and she opened her heart and then her home. That's how the whole church got started in Philippi, in a sense. I can hear through the streets of Philippi. Hey, Lydia, we have a letter from Paul. Because they couldn't follow him on Instagram, they had been waiting for news of his release or his execution or the date of his release. But we need to know how Paul is doing. We really need him out of prison so he can help us accomplish the purpose of God. Hey, we have a letter from Paul. Come on, Lydia. And maybe that Roman jailer was still around who locked Paul up. Then when Paul and Silas sang at midnight and refused to leave the prison until they led that man to the Lord because they were more concerned about him being free than them being free. Maybe he comes around and maybe they all meet up at Lydia's house if she's still living. We got a letter from Paul. When you get an urgent email and you just skim past the polite stuff. Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ. Yeah, yeah, yeah. God's holy people of Christ Jesus. Philip. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Is he getting out? Paul, do we need to get the welcome home from Prison Committee together? Are you coming to see us? What did Caesar say? Do you have a date set? Have you been able to defend yourself? They must have been surprised that Paul only gave a half a verse to his situation. And the rest of the entire letter, Paul teaches them a lesson, and it's this. I want to do my best to teach it today. God, help me teach this today. He teaches them how to be released in reverse, how you can still be in the same situation you prayed to get out of. But even though you're still in that situation, you are free in your spirit. We have to go quick. I don't have a lot of time to tell you this, but God is more interested about freeing you in your spirit than he is freeing you from your situation. This is a core teaching and a core tenet, not only from this pulpit, but it is the essence of the gospel. God is more interested in delivering us on the inside, changing us on the inside and rearranging our internal condition than he is about arranging our external affairs. This gospel is not popular to preach in an age that is so consumed with changing scenery. We are more concerned with the scenery than we are with our spirits. Paul is teaching us a lesson. We'd be wise to listen to him. He says, I'm not out yet, but I'm free.

[Stephen Furtick (Alternate Voice or Emphasis)]

I'm still right here in this cell

[Stephen Furtick]

physically, but spiritually, I'm free. Free from what? Free from pain? No, no. I'm hurting.

[Stephen Furtick (Alternate Voice or Emphasis)]

Free from uncertainty. No.

[Stephen Furtick]

I don't know what they're going to do to me. Have you ever asked God to set you free from certain people? He keeps trying and you keep texting them back. So work with the Lord. That was a whole series right there.

[Stephen Furtick (Alternate Voice or Emphasis)]

Paul says,

[Stephen Furtick]

oh, you're coming home.

[Stephen Furtick (Alternate Voice or Emphasis)]

No, but I'm free. I'm free.

[Stephen Furtick]

Watch this. This is what I've been praying lately. I stopped praying. God set me free from it, whatever it is, this imagination, that if that got better, I would be better. Because sometimes that got better and I got worse.

[Stephen Furtick (Alternate Voice or Emphasis)]

So I stopped praying.

[Stephen Furtick]

God set me free from it sometimes. God set me free from the situation. And I took myself into a new situation. And I took my same chains from the last situation, the last relationship, into the new relationship.

[Stephen Furtick (Alternate Voice or Emphasis)]

So lately I've been praying, and if you want to pray it with me, repeat after me. God set me free from me.

[Stephen Furtick]

If you don't get that you haven't lived long enough, you will get tired of yourself at some point. You will get tired of making your own movies of which you are the star and everyone else is a prophet. You will want something bigger in your life than how I feel in this moment. You will want something bigger in your life than what I am earning. You will want something bigger in your life than status. Paul said, I'm free, not the freedom that you can see, but I'm free from the invisible prison. So I'm free because I'm releasing some things. Paul says I'm releasing myself from the prison of resentment. I'm releasing myself from the need to know the reason why everything is the way it is. I'm releasing myself. And it's really beautiful because he could have waited around to be set free by somebody else. But he decided, I'm going to use the keys God has given me. I have my own keys called faith and trust and praise and Gratitude. So I don't need you to free me.

[Stephen Furtick (Alternate Voice or Emphasis)]

I am so setting people free from my need for them to validate me. I found freedom when I realized I have all of the resources I need through the spirit of God. And it is through the provision of his spirit. That's just an intro, but it's so good. Paul is saying, I'm not out, but I'm free. Nothing has changed in my situation, but I don't need my situation to change. God has changed me. And whom the Son sets free is free indeed. I'll stop screaming. When you get free, it makes you want to holler. When you get free, it makes you want to clap. When you get free, it makes you want to shout. It makes you want to throw off the chains, Shout, I'm free. Look at the person next to you and say, free from what you think of me. I lift my hands in worship.

[Stephen Furtick]

I don't want people to think I'm one of those weird Christians. I think it's kind of weird that somebody who didn't die for you would dictate the level of your faith and that you would ever be ashamed of the gospel. When you claim to be free.

[Stephen Furtick (Alternate Voice or Emphasis)]

If he set you free, we don't have long. Take 10 seconds and praise him like, you're free. That's good. Six, five, four, three, two, one.

[Stephen Furtick]

Philippians, chapter one. Paul said, I'm free. I don't know whether I'll get out of this prison. But whether or not I get out of this prison is not the hinge on which my faith swings because I

[Stephen Furtick (Alternate Voice or Emphasis)]

made a decision to be free. Free of bitterness, free of blame. Real freedom, freedom nobody can give you but Jesus, and freedom nobody can take away.

[Stephen Furtick]

It's a different kind of freedom. It's not just the freedom to do whatever you want and say whatever you want. That pretend freedom, it's a real freedom. It's a deep freedom. It's a freedom I hope to experience more and more in my life. I pray the same for you because Paul said, I want you to be free. Isn't it funny that he's praying for them? He's in prison, and he's the freest one of them all. Some of the least free people I ever met in my life had the most stuff. Paul is so free at this point. He's free from the need to know what happens next. He's free. He's free. Wouldn't it be good to be free like that? He sets himself free instead of waiting for someone else to. How he does it is kind of a cool. I guess it's a psychological and theological lesson all at once. He does it by remembering, because if he dwells too much on what he's going through right now, it will cause him to lose hope. If he dwells too much on what's going to happen next, it'll cause him to be unstable, and he can't control that anyway. Listen, Blakeney. He says, give me my camera. He says, I thank my God in every remembrance of you. This is Philippians, chapter one, in every prayer, with joy. And I thank him for your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. So he revisits in his mind a time maybe 30 years earlier that he began this work with these friends in Philippi, and now he's writing them a letter about his current situation. But the way he deals with his anxiety. How many of you are dealing with anxiety in your life, and you don't mind raising your hand so I can preach right to you? He remembers. He remembers. He concludes something when he revisits his memory of God's faithfulness. There is a way of remembering the past that will paralyze the potential of today. But there is a way of remembering the past that can fuel your faith for tomorrow. Paul does the latter. He says, I thank my God every time I remember you, and I remember your partnership. I'm not in this by myself. From the very first day until now. I am confident of this, that he

[Stephen Furtick (Alternate Voice or Emphasis)]

who began a good work in you, who started it.

[Stephen Furtick]

That's what they used to say in middle school when there was a fight and you get dragged in the principal's office. We used to have a say, and I didn't start it, but I finished it. So God does both. When the devil starts picking on you,

[Stephen Furtick (Alternate Voice or Emphasis)]

don't forget who started it. If God started a good work in you, guess what he's going to do? He's going to finish it. Now, you won't know all the details when it starts, but God is not like you. And so he knows the end from the beginning. God saw the last frame of the movie before he started casting or directing.

[Stephen Furtick]

So God reveals these things to us in reverse.

[Stephen Furtick (Alternate Voice or Emphasis)]

It's like Abraham, I'm going to bless

[Stephen Furtick]

the Whole Earth through you.

[Stephen Furtick (Alternate Voice or Emphasis)]

Okay.

[Stephen Furtick]

Can you tell me how? No. Go to the land. I will show you. The details will unfold as your obedience does. Paul says, I remember how this started. I know who started it. It was God, because I wasn't even trying to get to Philippi. Actually, when I think about how I came to you, how we started, it was almost an accidental miracle. I call it that knowing that nothing is an accident to God. But one day I'm going to preach, when I ever get the courage to do it. A whole sermon called Miracles by Mistake. Just like what feels like the worst mistake of your life. It was really God using human weakness to display divine strength. My young people know what's up. So Paul has, like, a faith flashback. David did the same thing. There's Goliath. He's big. The lion was big, the bear was big. The bigger they come. So if the lion went and the bear went, Goliath is about to go. This is called a fake flashback. Paul says, I remember. I'm released in reverse. It's kind of weird. In order to go forward with faith, I have to remember how I went out preaching and I went to the Jews first. But as I was preaching to the Jews, the Gentiles wanted to hear it, too. The message was too big. God told Abraham, I'll bless all people through you. So God started using me to do what he said he would do, and he chose me. In fact, Acts 9 calls Paul God's chosen vessel. We've been talking about choices. Always remember, you didn't choose God. He chose you. And if he started it, he's the author and finisher of your faith. So I started preaching, went on a little tour, started some churches. Galatia went really all around. I wanted to take the gospel further. When I got home, the people who should have been celebrating, we're suspicious sometimes. We don't like when God doesn't meet our rules of who he's supposed to reach and who he's supposed to bless. You were what to church? Come on, man. You can't be a Christian. This is what they thought. You have to keep the Sabbath. You have to be circumcised. Now, let me tell you what that did. That shut down the men's ministry. Paul was like, no, I don't think so. I think it's about the inside. I don't think it's about the outside. I think that's what Jesus came for, so we can stop fixing things up on the outside and smiling pretty like our life is Pinterest.

[Stephen Furtick (Alternate Voice or Emphasis)]

And get real and come into the presence of God imperfect. I don't think it's really important what you wear or if you can say the right words.

[Stephen Furtick]

I don't think that matters. I don't think that's the priority. So he just shared the gospel freely with everybody in the grace of God. When we got home, had to have a little meeting to decide could the Gentiles come into the church. It was a rowdy meeting, but ultimately they said we probably should just go with God. Imagine that if God is doing something, we should probably stay out of his way. So go ahead, Paul. Not that we really like you anymore, but we're not going to stop you. So go preach. Paul leaves to go preach again, but this time he has an idea. He's like, I need to go check on the churches I started and see how they're doing. I need to go back to some of the places where we planted a church and see if the seeds have become trees. I need to go strengthen people in the faith that began and I want to see if they're still moving. I want to see if their choices are becoming habits are becoming automatic. Can you bring me that? Yeah. So Paul, perfect. Paul is like, I'll make sure there's no missing pieces. I want to make sure what God started gets completed. Come here, Tyler. He goes on this preaching tour. Strengthen the saints. Checkin on the church now. You can't take Barnabas. Barnabas was the first Christian that liked Paul. Most of the Christians didn't like Paul because Paul used to kill Christians. It's kind of hard to apply for a senior pastor job with that on your resume. Our guest speaker tonight. But Barnabas was like, no, he's cool. Then Paul and Barnabas got in a fight about John Mark. It doesn't matter how delivered you get, you never fully get delivered from drama. I left that church. There was too much drama. What church are you going to join? Because the moment you join, that one will have drama. Drama too. Anyway, so Paul goes preaching. Now I want to illustrate this to you how the grace of God was unleashed. And really that's what the whole book of Galatians is about. One of the places Paul went to check on, he went to Galatia. This might be a little complicated for just like a normal sermon, but maybe you could study it on your own time. I try to put enough in these messages so you can take home some Tupperware and then go back and visit things you want to look more into. But Paul had an idea to go check on the churches. And God didn't tell him to do it. In fact, Paul, in this particular scenario, he's not so much being led by God to do it as he is being led by his burden to do it. The only reason I point that out is I think a lot of us think God leading us looks like this. That's almost how we follow Christ.

[Stephen Furtick (Alternate Voice or Emphasis)]

Okay, God.

[Stephen Furtick]

Come on, Tyler, make the face.

[Stephen Furtick (Alternate Voice or Emphasis)]

Okay, God.

[Stephen Furtick]

You're not making the face tight. You look too happy.

[Stephen Furtick (Alternate Voice or Emphasis)]

Okay.

[Stephen Furtick]

But actually, it was more like this. Paul set out. Go ahead. And God went with him. That's a simple principle. Divine empowerment often awaits human initiative. Paul went out and he went to check on the churches, and it was a very effective trip, a very effective preaching tour. He couldn't take Barnabas, so he took Silas, which is good because Silas liked to sing. They needed to sing at midnight when everyone's chains were so tight so everyone's chains could come loose. Because God will put in your life who you need for the season you're in. Just because Barnabas left doesn't mean God did.

[Stephen Furtick (Alternate Voice or Emphasis)]

So pick up Silas and hit the road.

[Stephen Furtick]

And Paul said, let's go. Acts 16, four records. What happened next? They traveled from town to town. They told all the churches good news. We met with the council at Jerusalem. You don't have to be circumcised. All the men said. So. Paul is like, all right, put down your knives. We're not doing that anymore. Here's what you do. Don't worship idols. Don't eat food with the blood still in it. Strangled animals. And you can come to the kingdom. They went around delivering it. And watch what happened next verse. The churches were strengthened in the faith. Everywhere Paul went, God gave him the grace to go. And God gave him the evidence. And the church grew daily in numbers. Then verse 6 happens. Verse 6 says, Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the devil from preaching the word in the province. Rick Parker, you sound upset. What's wrong? Did I mispronounce Phrygia? Rick, you can't wear a Pink Floyd T shirt in church. What's wrong with you, man? Gentile.

[Stephen Furtick (Alternate Voice or Emphasis)]

Did I say the verse wrong?

[Stephen Furtick]

Having been kept by the. Oh, the Holy Spirit. Having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching. I understand The Holy Spirit keeps me from doing certain things. Please don't look at me like you've never had the Holy Spirit have to restrain you. Please don't look at me like there's never been cuss Words coming out of your mouth, something that was God on the inside of you yanked them back in. And it was like swallowing down vomit to get it from coming out. It tasted bad. Graphic illustration. I understand the Holy Spirit kept me from going off. And I understand the Holy Spirit kept me from certain parties. But I didn't know the Holy Spirit would keep you from preaching having been kept. Isn't that a weird verse? You've heard this sermon? This is the third time you've heard this sermon. I want to blame the devil here. Because everything I want to happen in my life that doesn't happen, I give the devil credit for it. Every dream I have that doesn't come true, it's the devil. The devil is more popular than God. In most sermons, it's the devil. But the Devil. The Lord really spoke to me. The last time I went down that line of logic, the sense I got is he was telling me, stop giving the devil credit for stuff I'm trying to do in your life. Particularly stop giving the devil credit for the moments where I hold you back. Paul was the most brilliant preacher who ever lived. There was nobody better to preach in Asia than Paul.

[Stephen Furtick (Alternate Voice or Emphasis)]

Watch what he says. He said, I wanted to do a good thing. My desire was right. It wasn't out of bad motives. I was trying to strengthen the church. I was trying to build people up in their faith. I was trying to do what I thought God told me to do. I went to Galatia and God let me. And I went to Phrygia, and God left me. But when I tried to go to

[Stephen Furtick]

the border of Mysia and enter Bithynia, Watch what it says next.

[Stephen Furtick (Alternate Voice or Emphasis)]

The spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. What's up with God holding Paul back from preaching the gospel? Why would God send his son and not spare his son? Then Paul goes to try to preach, and God says, no.

[Stephen Furtick]

So Jesus says, go into all the world and preach the gospel. Paul is like, okay. God says, no, not there.

[Stephen Furtick (Alternate Voice or Emphasis)]

I'm just trying to do what you told me to do.

[Stephen Furtick]

Try again. Maybe we can get in mysia. Go in mysia. Got to the border. No. Most of us right here. Most of us would have gone back home the moment we make progress. And then the progress stops. I know your wrist is starting to hurt. And there will be a reward in heaven and a crown with some big jewels in it when you get done with this sermon. And an ice pack. See, here's the thing about being a good parent. You really don't know what kind of parent you are until you have to tell your kid no. Yeah, true. I play this game with the kids, and I know it's terrible, but sometimes I ask them who would they choose to live with. It's just a game. You look so disturbed, sweetheart. It's just a game. It's just a terrible, evil game I play with my kids. I used to feel like it was a compliment when they said me until I realized that the one they would choose to live with is usually the parent who doesn't know how to say no. You say, God is a good, good father. I like the song, too. But is he still good when he says what every good parent has to say every once in a while?

[Stephen Furtick (Alternate Voice or Emphasis)]

No.

[Stephen Furtick]

No, I'm not going to make it easier. No, I'm not going to bring them back into your life. No, I'm not going to take the thing away. See, Paul had experience with this, you understand. He had something he called a thorn in his flesh. Something he wanted God to take away because he thought I could be so much more effective if it wasn't for this thing that's holding me back. We all have that thing. Paul asked God, take it away. And God said no. So Paul came back a second time and he said, pretty please. God said no. He asked him a third time with a cherry on top, and God said no. The answer is still no. This is my Is he still good when the answer is still no?

[Public Announcer]

Or

[Stephen Furtick]

do you have a conditional faith that when God says no, you go home? That when it doesn't happen overnight, and that when you don't see results right away, not only do you quit the gym, but you quit church and you quit praying. So we tried here and we tried there, and God said no. So I guess it must be God's will for us to go back home. But Paul didn't see it that way. Paul knew that just because God says no doesn't mean it's over.

[Stephen Furtick (Alternate Voice or Emphasis)]

I prophetically proclaim that over someone's life today. I don't know what no.

[Stephen Furtick]

You've been told by God, by life, by the doctor, by another person. I don't know what the no is, but I don't have to know what the no is.

[Stephen Furtick (Alternate Voice or Emphasis)]

Here's what I know. Because he who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it. It's not over. Show them on the screen. It's not over. In fact, here's what I learned about God. Sometimes when he says no, it's because there's a greater opportunity that I don't know about yet. God is so good. Help me preach now. I'm closing the message. But this is for somebody who has been told no. And the pain hasn't gone away and the memory hasn't gone away. It hasn't gotten easier and the seeds haven't gotten smoother. And it doesn't seem to be changing in your situation. But God came to give you strength in your spirit. It's not over. Just because God said no doesn't mean he has left you alone. He is with you in the no like he was with you in the yes. He's a good father.

[Stephen Furtick]

He knows what's on the other side of no. So don't go home. Don't go home just because God said no. Oh, but I'm trying so hard. I asked God, don't. My egroup leader. I guess it wasn't meant for me. Paul said no. Let's go to Troas. Is that verse 8? When they went to Troas, they passed by Mysia. That's where Paul wanted to. God wouldn't let him. So they had to pass by. Sometimes you have to pass by your plans to get to God's purpose. Hear me with spiritual ears. He passed by what he planned to get to what God purposed. So he passes by Mysia. And goes to Troas where he waits in confusion. But he's chained to grace. He waits because he knows that if God says no, I won't remove it. The obstacle, the thorn. I will give you a grace that is greater so you can overcome it. It's a no go. It's not over. It's a greater opportunity. Because while Paul was at Troas, not the place he planned, the place God purposed, he saw a vision in the night. This vision, it wasn't a vision of God. It was a vision of a man from Macedonia. He was standing there begging, paul, come over to Macedonia and help us. God didn't show up looking like an angel. God showed up looking like a need. God might be speaking to you about your next season in the context of the need that's standing right in front of you. I feel so deep for somebody because they're just about to go home. Just go home. It's over. That's what the enemy has been telling you. Just quit trying to be free. This is who you are. I'm loved by God. That's who I am. And he's a good father. If he says no, there's something he knows, I don't know. That's what makes him God. And that's why I worship him and I serve him. He doesn't serve me. So. Verse 10. After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready. Luke says at once, and we left for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. 11. From Troas, the place where we were uncertain, we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothras. And the next day we went to Neapolis. From there we traveled to Philippi. I thank my God in every remembrance of you, in every prayer, with joy for your partnership in the Gospel. From the first day until now, we got to Philippi, the place we didn't plan for, but the place God wanted us to be all along. See, because Philippi was a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia, Philippi was the first place in Europe where Paul established a church. In fact, it was the first place in the Western world that Paul established a church. Those of us in the Western world are a part of a church that started because God told Paul no. I just wonder today what's on the other side of your no that you will miss if you go home because you're disappointed. If you. If you receive God's yes with praise, why not receive his no with trust? I just want to minister. I know we're out of time, but people are frustrated and hurting and disappointed and been struggling with stuff for generations and generations. And you keep thinking that because it didn't turn out the way you planned, you must be outside of God's will. You're where you're supposed to be. You're who you're supposed to be. It was him all along. It was him in the yeses. It was him in the nos.

[Stephen Furtick (Alternate Voice or Emphasis)]

It was him on the mountaintop, when

[Stephen Furtick]

you had it, when you were succeeding, when you felt it.

[Stephen Furtick (Alternate Voice or Emphasis)]

It's him in the valley. He's the same God yesterday, today, and forever. Would you praise him right now for his purpose? That he who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it. Come on. Give him praise for the yes. Give him praise for the no. Give him praise for the light. Give him praise for the shadow. Shadow. Give it praise, sir,

[Stephen Furtick]

thank you for joining us. Special thanks to those of you who give generously to this ministry. It's because of you that this ministry is possible. You can click the link in the description to Give now or visit elevationchurch.orgpodcast for more information. And if you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe, you can share it with your friends. You can click the Share button, take a screenshot and Share it on your social stories and tag us LevationChurch. Thanks again for listening. God bless you.

[Jacob Goldstein]

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