Elevation with Steven Furtick – "You Already Know" (January 16, 2026)

Host: Steven Furtick
Podcast: Elevation with Steven Furtick (iHeartPodcasts)

Episode Overview

In this message, Pastor Steven Furtick explores the theme of "You Already Know," focusing on the biblical account of Jesus turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana (John 2:1-11). Furtick discusses the widespread "fear of running out" in different areas of life—time, creativity, energy, money, and more—and uses the miracle at Cana as a demonstration of how Jesus meets our needs, often in unexpected ways. Through practical stories, humor, and spiritual insights, Furtick encourages listeners to trust what they already know from God and to act in faith with what is "nearby, normal, and now."

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Fear of Running Out (FORO vs. FOMO)

• FOMO and the Fyre Festival:

  • Steven opens with an anecdote about watching the Fyre Festival documentary, highlighting the "fear of missing out" (FOMO) that drove people to a failed music festival ([04:09]).
  • “I'm not so much afraid of missing out. I'm afraid of running out.” ([05:32])

• Personal Reflections:

  • He relates the Fyre Festival fiasco to his own deeper fear: the fear of running out—of energy, creativity, parenting ability, time, or money.
  • Emphasizes that this “fear of running out” is relatable for many: "I'm scared of running out all the time. I'm constantly scared my creativity is going to run out, because I need creativity to do what I do." ([08:12])
  • Links these feelings to the pressures of leadership and parenthood, and how increasing resources can sometimes amplify, not alleviate, the fear ([10:43]).

2. Signs and Deeper Meanings in Scripture

• John’s Use of "Signs":

  • Discusses why John calls Jesus' miracles "signs,” and how each miracle points to deeper truths rather than just immediate needs ([13:43]).
  • “Everything God does for you is to point to who he wants to be to you.” ([15:13])

• Review of John's Seven Signs:

  • He summarizes several key miracles in John's gospel, emphasizing that each points beyond the event itself to God's nature and purposes ([18:06–20:53]):
    • Turning water into wine (John 2)
    • Healing the royal official's son
    • Healing the lame man at Bethesda
    • Feeding the 5,000
    • Walking on water
    • Healing the man born blind
    • Raising Lazarus from the dead
  • Notable quote: “If your attachment is to the resource, then you will always run out at some point. If your attachment is to the revelation, you will always know who he is.” ([15:40])

3. The Miracle at Cana: Water into Wine

• Context and Cultural Significance:

  • Reminds the audience that running out of wine at a wedding was a tremendous social embarrassment, similar to the disaster of Fyre Festival compared to its hype ([24:08]).
  • Uses wine as a metaphor for joy and fulfillment.

• The Point of Running Out:

  • “When the wine was gone, the miracle started.” ([24:39])
  • Furtick relates this to personal areas where we feel depleted, encouraging honesty about what we're running out of—be it ideas, peace, patience, or hope.
  • “Everybody in here is running out of something. Not wine. How about joy?” ([27:41])

• Jesus’ Approach:

  • Jesus doesn't shame the couple but takes away their shame—illustrating the gospel's grace ([29:24]).
  • God often lets our own provision run out so He can supply what only He can bring: “He let it run out. He let it happen like he often will do until….” ([30:13])

4. Mary’s Example: Going to Jesus

• Mary’s Faith:

  • Mary's response is not to panic, shame, or problem-solve, but to tell Jesus: "They have no more wine" ([34:44]), knowing He already knows and urging involvement, not information.
  • “She didn’t go to the wedding planner… She did something interesting. She didn't go to the couple. Jesus' mother, when the wine was gone, did you know? She didn't know what to do, but she knew who to go to.” ([35:05])

• Prayer and Involvement:

  • Furtick humorously describes prayer as not telling God information He doesn’t know, but involving Him in our needs:
    • “Lately I've been praying like this: You already know. I know you know, I know you know.” ([26:39])

5. Acting on What You Already Know

• Faith in Action:

  • Mary’s instruction to the servants: “Do whatever He tells you” ([40:28]) is a call to immediate obedience—a lesson for listeners to act on what God has already revealed rather than waiting for a new "sign" or more clarity.
  • “If you would do what you knew… What do you already know?” ([45:01])

• Practical Examples:

  • Highlights common scenarios—health, gratitude, spiritual disciplines—explaining that we often don't need more knowledge, but the courage to do what we already know is right ([46:52]).
  • “You know enough right now, I promise you.” ([48:00])

6. The Mechanics of the Miracle: Nearby, Normal, Now

• Provision is Nearby:

  • Jesus uses stone jars that were already present.
    • “Where is the help God has given you…? It's nearby.” ([51:00])
    • “The reason we don't see what's nearby is because when something is close, we see it as common.” ([52:07])

• God Works through the Normal:

  • The stone jars symbolize ordinary things God uses for extraordinary ends; the miracle often begins in routine, normal acts of obedience ([53:12]).
  • “It's going to feel natural and then it's going to be super. But you can't wait for something special. You have to embrace something normal.” ([53:45])

• Timing—Act Now:

  • The opportunity comes not by ruminating on the past or future, but by acting "now" ([54:31]).
  • “It's going to be nearby, and it's going to be normal, and it's now.” ([54:40])

7. Knowing What's Already in You

• From Knowledge to Confidence:

  • Ties the miracle at Cana and the calling of Nathanael together (John 1:45-51), showing that Jesus already knows who we are and what we're capable of ([57:12]).
  • “God already knows what's against you and he already knows what's in you.” ([58:21])

• Encouragement to the Listener:

  • You may worry about running out, but God knows your need, provides what you need, and uses what you have.
  • “If you have the One who can stir the water, you will never lack.” ([60:08])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On cultural pressures and the fear of running out:

  • “You think you'll get to an amount of money where you'll no longer be scared of running out. All money does is create more obligations.”
    — Steven Furtick ([10:43])

• On the point of miracles:

  • “If your attachment is to the resource, then you will always run out at some point. If your attachment is to the revelation, you will always know who he is.”
    — Steven Furtick ([15:40])

• On acting on existing knowledge:

  • “If you know what to do and you do what you know, you will know what to do.”
    — Steven Furtick ([46:58])

• On God's provision:

  • “It's not going to be in the places you expect. It's going to be nearby. It's going to be normal. It's going to be now.”
    — Steven Furtick ([54:40])

• On personal dignity and divine recognition:

  • “God already knows what's against you and he already knows what's in you.”
    — Steven Furtick ([58:21])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Fear of Running Out / Fyre Festival Analogy – [04:09] to [12:11]
• The Seven Signs in John’s Gospel – [13:43] to [20:53]
• Jesus Turns Water to Wine: Context and Meaning – [24:08] to [30:13]
• Mary's Faith and What to Do When You Run Out – [34:44] to [40:28]
• Acting on What You Already Know – [45:01] to [48:00]
• Nearby, Normal, Now: The Pattern of Provision – [51:00] to [54:40]
• Nathanael and God’s Knowledge of You – [57:12] to [60:08]

Conclusion

Steven Furtick’s "You Already Know" delivers a passionate, relatable, and scripturally grounded challenge to stop searching endlessly for new answers when God has already provided the truth and resources we need—often right where we are, in everyday circumstances, and within ourselves. Through the lens of Jesus’ miraculous sign at Cana, Furtick inspires listeners to move beyond waiting for extraordinary moments and instead act on the wisdom, faith, and opportunities already at hand. As he repeats throughout: “You already know.”

For more messages by Pastor Furtick: elevationchurch.org