Podcast Summary: More Ready Than You Recognize

Elevation with Steven Furtick
Release Date: February 1, 2026
Host: Pastor Steven Furtick (Elevation Church)

Overview

In this powerful, encouraging episode, Pastor Steven Furtick delivers a message titled “More Ready Than You Recognize,” centered around the theme of preparedness for life’s unexpected storms, faith in God’s provision, and the difference between facing “weather” and “warfare.” Drawing from Matthew 7:24-29, stories from his life and ministry, and iconic biblical moments, Steven encourages listeners with the truth that even when we feel unprepared, God has already equipped us for what’s coming. The sermon pivots on the idea that true readiness is about practical trust and action, building on the “rock” foundation of faith rather than the shifting sands of circumstances and emotions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening Prayer and Declaration of Faith

[02:14 – 04:59]

• The episode opens with a heartfelt prayer, inviting listeners to speak faith over their situations, recalling God’s miraculous power (“His blood is enough. Hallelujah. Thank you Jesus. Glory to God.” – Steven Furtick, 02:24).
• Emphasis is placed on God’s capacity to intervene in any circumstance, referencing the raising of Lazarus as an example of God calling the unprepared to new life.

2. Setting the Stage – Reflections on Ministry and Readiness

[05:29 – 10:08]

• Pastor Furtick discusses the unpredictability of life and ministry:
  • He humorously refers to snow disrupting church gatherings, likening it to the disruptions everyone faces.
• He celebrates 20 years of Elevation Church, reinforcing God’s faithfulness.

3. The Foundation: Matthew 7 and the Sermon on the Mount

[10:08 – 15:19]

• Main Text: Matthew 7:24-29 – The wise and foolish builders.
• Furtick shares his personal feeling of unpreparedness for a recent sermon—paralleling the feeling many have before life’s sudden storms (“I’m not ready to preach. You and I both know I had set aside the next few days to study...” – Steven Furtick, 09:15).
• He introduces the message’s core: “You are more ready than you recognize.”

4. The Principle: God’s Provision Over Our Preparation

[11:53 – 14:56]

• “Just because I wasn’t prepared doesn’t mean God hadn’t already provided. God can provide in a place where you don’t feel prepared.” (Steven Furtick, 12:49)
• Furtick draws parallels between ancient listeners to Jesus who faced sudden, flash-flooding storms and modern believers who encounter unexpected challenges.
• The challenge is to recognize God’s advance provision even in unanticipated trouble.

5. Storms Come to Everyone – Shifting the Narrative

[15:19 – 19:01]

• “Both had storms.” – Emphasizing that storms of life come to all, regardless of foundation.
• Christianity doesn’t guarantee exemption from hardship; it develops inner strength, perseverance, and a wider lens (“...it does not necessarily cause the rain to stop falling.” – Steven Furtick, 15:47).

6. From Teaching to Training: The Practice of Faith

[17:58 – 19:01]

• Distinction between learning about faith (teaching) and enduring actual challenges (training).
• Memorable differentiation:
  • “Teaching is we talk about the Greek word for patience. Training is your family is coming to town next week.” (Steven Furtick, 17:59)
  • “Jesus didn’t say power comes from quoting... Jesus said the power is in the practice.” (Steven Furtick, 19:01)
• Encourages “practicing praise” so that, in sudden storms, believers have spiritual muscle memory to recall God’s faithfulness.

7. Weather vs. Warfare: Not Every Struggle is Spiritual Attack

[21:10 – 26:20]

• “It’s not always warfare. Sometimes it’s just weather.” (Steven Furtick, 24:05)
• Urges listeners not to over-spiritualize every challenge (“The Devil didn’t give you a flat tire. You just drove through a construction site.” – Steven Furtick, 24:09).
• Sometimes practical solutions (like rest or a walk) rather than intense spiritual struggle are what’s needed.

8. When the Unexpected Happens – God’s Sovereignty Amid Surprises

[27:51 – 32:57]

• Drawing from Mark 8, Steven relates how the disciples worried about not having bread, forgetting Jesus’s previous miracles.
• Encouragement for people facing unanticipated pain, setbacks, confusion, or loss—God anticipated these moments and has already provided for them.
  • “Just because the storm was sudden to you, doesn’t mean God stopped being sovereign over the storm.” (Steven Furtick, 29:16)

9. Resource & Relationship: What You Have is Enough

[31:00 – 33:01]

• “If God gave me the challenge to meet, God will give me the resource to meet it. Somebody say, 'I’ve got resource.'” (Steven Furtick, 31:16)
• “Anytime you have relationship with someone who is the source, you don’t have to worry about the bread you forgot…” (Steven Furtick, 31:46)

10. Building with What You’ve Got: Lessons from David and Solomon

[33:01 – 41:43]

• Story of David providing resources for Solomon’s temple; the importance of building with what’s been given, even when feeling inexperienced.
• Key phrase: “Build with it. Stop saying, ‘I’m not ready.’ Stop saying, ‘I don’t have it,’ and build with it.” (Steven Furtick, 34:30)
• Connection to David’s earlier life: Practicing with rocks as a shepherd prepared him to face Goliath.

11. Illustration: David and Goliath – Practicing Before the Giant Arrives

[36:10 – 41:43]

• Youth speaker Graham is called up unexpectedly to recap 1 Samuel 16–17, showing that readiness is often revealed on the spot.
• “The calling proves my confidence. God would not call you to do it if He was not confident that you could.” (Steven Furtick, 42:12)

12. Reframing Storms: Foundations Revealed, Not Ruined

[44:00 – 47:36]

• “It wasn’t ruined. Its foundation was revealed.” (Steven Furtick, 45:40)
• Facing storms doesn’t prove we’re out of God’s will; it’s part of life on earth. The key is what our life is built upon.
• “Let’s not complain about what God gave us.” (Steven Furtick, 45:06)

13. Storms Reveal Trust – God Reveals Truth

[47:36 – 54:48]

• Storms offer opportunity to see the stability of our foundation in Christ.
• “The Lord reveals His truth, and the storm reveals my trust.” (Steven Furtick, 47:49)
• Not every negative feeling or season is a sign of failure; sometimes, it’s a chance to grow deeper roots.

14. The Solid Rock: Unshakeable Foundation in Christ

[54:48 – 55:08]

• Furtick closes with the hymn:

  “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”

• God uses moments when we feel at “rock bottom” as the best places to build faith.

15. Call to Salvation & Application

[55:08 – 58:45]

• An invitation to make Jesus the Lord and foundation of one’s life.
• Listeners are encouraged to stop building on unstable things and respond to God, who “wouldn’t have called you if He wasn’t confident you could, and if He wasn’t going to do it with you.” (Steven Furtick, 47:11)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Just because I wasn’t prepared doesn’t mean God hadn’t already provided. God can provide in a place where you don’t feel prepared.”
  – Steven Furtick [12:49]

• “Both had storms.”
  – Steven Furtick [15:19]

• “It’s not always warfare. Sometimes it’s just weather.”
  – Steven Furtick [24:05]

• “Jesus didn’t say power comes from posting. Jesus didn’t even say power comes from quoting. Jesus said the power is in the practice.”
  – Steven Furtick [19:01]

• “The calling proves my confidence. God would not call you to do it if He was not confident that you could.”
  – Steven Furtick [42:12]

• “It wasn’t ruined. Its foundation was revealed.”
  – Steven Furtick [45:40]

• “The Lord reveals His truth and the storm reveals my trust.”
  – Steven Furtick [47:49]

• “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”
  – Steven Furtick quoting hymn [54:48]

Timestamps of Key Segments

| Time | Segment | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------| | 02:14 | Opening prayer and declarations of God’s power | | 10:08 | Introduction of main scripture – Matthew 7:24-29 | | 12:49 | God’s provision despite our lack of preparation | | 15:19 | “Both had storms” – storms come to every house | | 17:58 | Teaching vs. training | | 19:01 | “The power is in the practice” | | 24:05 | Not all hardship is spiritual warfare | | 27:51 | Mark 8: Jesus’s provision for the disciples | | 31:00 | “I’ve got resource. I’ve got relationship.” | | 34:30 | “Build with it. Stop saying, ‘I’m not ready.’” | | 36:10 | David, Solomon, and the practice of faith | | 41:43 | “You have a rock. You’re more ready than you recognize.” | | 45:40 | “It wasn’t ruined. Its foundation was revealed.” | | 47:49 | “The Lord reveals His truth and the storm reveals my trust.” | | 54:48 | Hymn: “On Christ the solid rock I stand...” | | 55:08 | Call to faith and salvation | | 58:07 | “I got a rock” – closing praise |

Final Encouragement

• Life’s storms will come; being a Christian doesn’t make you storm-proof, but gives you a stronger foundation.
• You’re more ready than you think—God equips and walks with you.
• Don’t wait until you “feel ready.” Build, act, and trust God with what you have now.

For more messages and community, find resources at elevationchurch.org and join in practicing a rock-solid faith!