Elevation with Steven Furtick — "Reputation Rehab"

Host: Steven Furtick
Date: August 29, 2025
Podcast: Elevation with Steven Furtick (iHeartPodcasts)
Episode Theme: Exploring how God transforms and redefines our reputation, drawing from the story of Rahab in Joshua 2 and the idea that God uses imperfect people for His purposes.

Overview

This episode, titled “Reputation Rehab,” centers on the biblical story of Rahab, the prostitute who aided the Israelite spies in Jericho (Joshua 2). Pastor Steven Furtick uses this story to challenge listeners’ assumptions about reputation, both in the eyes of others and in their relationship with God. The message powerfully reaffirms that it is God’s reputation and faithfulness, not our past, failures, or labels, that defines us and gives us value.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Story of Rahab and Reputation (03:18–09:55)

• Joshua 2 Context:
  Furtick begins by reading and reflecting on Joshua 2, noting the “secret mission” of the spies and the unexpected role Rahab, a prostitute, plays in their protection.
• God Uses What We’d Hide:
  “God is going to use everything, even the stuff you’re not proud of. If you offer it to him, he’ll use even the things you want to hide.” — Steven Furtick (07:31)
• Discretion as a Tool:
  Rahab’s past profession, often criticized, equipped her to help the spies—sometimes God uses our checkered pasts for His purposes.

Rumor vs. Reputation (09:56–17:45)

• The Weight of Reputation:
  Furtick confronts the modern obsession with image and reputation, especially online.
• Personal Anecdote:
  He shares advice he was given: “Protect your reputation, you only get one,” then questions it, noting, “You have as many reputations as you have relationships.” (12:08)
• True Reputation:
  “A true reputation is not built by what you occasionally do… your real reputation comes from relationship and repetition.” (14:52)
• God’s Reputation Over Ours:
  Our peace is rooted in God’s proven faithfulness, not the image we curate for others.

The Gap Between Reality and Reputation (17:46–24:50)

• Personal Example:
  Furtick describes his son Graham being quiet at home but talkative at school to illustrate how reputation changes depending on perspective.
• Virtual Reputations:
  Critiques the tendency to create impressive-sounding online personas (“life coach at 13”).
• Relational and Repetitive Faithfulness:
  “God has a reputation with me… I know Him as faithful.” (20:22)

The Dangers of Pleasing People (24:51–29:15)

• Too Many Opinions:
  “I only need two—goodness and mercy.” (26:55)
  Furtick explains the importance of limiting external voices to hear God’s guidance.
• Seeking Advice vs. Affirmation:
  Highlights how repeated consulting of others is often about affirmation.

God Uses Imperfect People (29:16–36:09)

• Rahab’s Role Revisited:
  “Isn’t it fascinating that a God who has a spotless reputation, when he gets ready to bring His people into the promise, uses a woman with a reputation?” (31:24)
• Enemies as Confirmation:
  Sometimes our enemies recognize our potential before we do.

The Book of Job and Reputation With Heaven (36:10–42:30)

• Job’s Testing:
  Emphasizes that adversity is not evidence of God’s absence; it’s often the stage for God’s presence.
• Job's Reputation:
  “Job had a reputation with heaven. Heaven knew about Job—he can be trusted with trouble.” (40:45)

Rahab in the Lineage of Jesus (42:31–46:10)

• New Testament Recognition:
  Rahab’s name appears in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1), as well as the Hebrews 11 “faith hall of fame,” and in James 2.
• Reputation Reimagined:
  “God didn’t change her before he used her... The love of God is not the reward for change. It is the resource by which I am changed.” (45:10)
• Labeling and Identity:
  Challenges listeners not to let old labels define them.

The “Rehab” in Rahab (46:11–48:35)

• Typographical Revelation:
  Furtick notes he kept spelling “Rahab” as “rehab,” feeling God highlighted that He is in the “rehabilitation” business—God rehabilitates our vision of ourselves.

Reputation With Yourself & Stepping Into God’s Identity (48:36–50:17)

• The True Battle:
  The most critical reputation we must change is the one we hold with ourselves.
• Numbers Incident and Self-Perception:
  The original Israelite spies failed due to their low self-identity—“We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes…”
  “You were supposed to be comparing your giants to your God, but you lost sight of that, didn’t you?” (49:10)
• God Calls You Righteous:
  Furtick prays for listeners to release reproach and accept God’s label: chosen, righteous, not forsaken.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On God Using Flawed People:

  “God uses who he wants to use… Not a reputation of perfection, but God uses someone with a reputation.”
  — Steven Furtick, 31:24

• On Repetition Over Reputation:

  “Your real reputation comes from relationship and repetition… Isn’t that how God built His reputation in your life? Because he helped you over and over and over and over again.”
  — Steven Furtick, 14:52–16:55

• On Identity in Christ:

  “Up here, we don’t call people what they were. Up here, she doesn’t go by that name. Up here, we call her Rahab the Righteous.”
  — Steven Furtick, 46:06

• On Being Defined by God:

  “I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Look at somebody and say, ‘Don’t call me that. You don’t know me like that. Don’t call me according to how you memorized me in my past; God is doing a new thing in my life.’”
  — Steven Furtick, 46:33

• On Internalizing God’s View:

  “Some of you have developed a reputation with yourself that does not reflect your reputation with heaven. God doesn’t see you like that.”
  — Steven Furtick, 48:12

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Content | |------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:18 | Introduction to Joshua 2 and Rahab’s story | | 07:31 | God uses even the things we want to hide | | 12:08 | “You have as many reputations as you have relationships” | | 14:52 | True reputation is based on relationship and repetition | | 20:22 | “God has a reputation with me… I know Him as faithful” | | 26:55 | “I only need two [goodness and mercy]” | | 31:24 | God uses Rahab; challenging expectations of “worthiness” | | 40:45 | Job’s reputation with heaven | | 45:10 | “The love of God is not the reward for change. It is the resource by which I am changed” | | 46:06 | “Up here, we call her Rahab the Righteous” | | 48:12 | The gap between self-perception and God’s reputation for us | | 49:10 | “You were supposed to be comparing your giants to your God…” |

Final Prayer & Takeaway (49:10–50:17)

• Prayer:
  Furtick leads listeners in a prayer to break free of reproach, embrace the new identity God offers, and be healed of old labels and misbeliefs.
• Encouragement:
  “Say it: I am who you say I am… Lift your hands to your Father and say, ‘I am who you say I am.’”

Episode Highlights

• Challenges cultural pursuits of reputation and encourages prioritizing integrity and relational faithfulness with God.
• Affirms that God intentionally chooses, uses, and redefines people with troubled pasts to accomplish His purposes.
• Exhorts listeners to trade their internalized shame, failures, and past labels for God’s declaration of “righteous” and “chosen.”
• Encourages practical faith: move past people-pleasing, limit external noise, remember God’s faithfulness over fear or opinion.

Summary Statement

Pastor Steven Furtick’s “Reputation Rehab” is a stirring reminder that God's view of us overrides our worst moments and labels. Rooted in Rahab’s story, the message dismantles societal obsession with image and inspires listeners to reclaim their true identity—one secured not by reputation, but by faith and God’s enduring record of grace, redemption, and faithfulness.