Steven Furtick's Blog, page 45

What We Forget When We’re Waiting On God

Sometimes when we are in the middle of a difficult struggle, it can be hard for us to see God working in our lives. But when we feel sorry for ourselves, and sit around waiting for God to fix our problems, we often miss what He has already given us and what He plans to do in our lives during our hard seasons. In this clip from our sermon series Waiting Room, Pastor Steven explains that when we accept Christ and the Holy Spirit comes to live inside us, we have all we’ll ever need to overcome any obstacle in our lives.

Finding The Greater Purpose In Your Pain

Throughout the Bible there are stories of God’s people being imprisoned and persecuted for their beliefs. Yet, God shows us there is always a greater purpose behind their suffering. As Christians, when we put God’s purpose first in our lives, we can expect to face similar hardships. Because the Christian life was not designed to easy, it was designed to be effective and purposeful. In this clip from our series The Joy Genome, Pastor Steven explains how we can use the pain in our lives to make a lasting impact for the glory of God.

When You Can’t See God In Your Situation

Why does it sometimes feel like God is far away, just when we need to feel His presence the most? Would God really disappear in our greatest time of need? In this clip from our series IN•FIN•8, Pastor Steven shows us through the story of Moses and the Red Sea that God is always fighting for us, and He can use our difficult situations to draw us towards Him, stretching our faith and increasing His glory in the process.

Elevation Creative: An Interview With The Chatterbox

The Chatterbox. That voice of the enemy we all hear in our heads. He is a master at getting us to question who we are and what we’re made of, instead of focusing on who God says we are. In this video from our creative team, Pastor Steven interviews his old friend the Chatterbox, and shows us in a light-hearted way what happens when we challenge our enemy’s running commentary on our lives.

For information about Crash the Chatterbox resources including books, study guides, and video curriculum, click here.

Do You Make The Boat Better?

Everyday we face critical decisions about who we will be in our relationships, our jobs, our schools, and more. And these decisions don’t just affect us, but the lives of the people around us too. How do we influence the circles, tribes, and communities we are a part of? In this clip from the sermon “Sinkers and Savers“, Pastor Steven shows us two very different men in the Bible, explaining how we all face similar choices regarding which direction we go, and the effect those choices have on others.

The Only True Hope for Our Nation

Most of us think of the word “surrender” as being an admission of our defeat. And as Americans, we’d much rather celebrate the victories in our nation’s history rather than our defeats and missteps. But what do we do when it sometimes feels like our country is out of control or heading in a direction we fear? As Christians, we have only one choice – surrender. In this clip from our series, Banner Years, Pastor Steven teaches us that when we look at our lives, our church, and our country from the perspective of the cross, we discover the hope and victory found only in Jesus.

Elevation Creative: Funny Phobias

We are all afraid of something. But many times, our fears, while serious in our own eyes, can seem irrational to someone else who doesn’t share our same anxiety. In this short animated piece from the series Room 101: Facing Our Greatest Fears, our Creative team takes a light-hearted look at the funnier side of some unusual fears.

Where to Look When You’re Discouraged

Everyday, from the moment we wake up, our days are filled with the ups and downs of emotions. Some of these emotions are of our decisions, and others are the reactions to other’s actions. But as Christians, we have the ability to not let our emotions become our focus. We can train our hearts to remember God’s goodness in the middle of our negative circumstances., But it doesn’t just happen on its own. In this clip from our series 52 Days of Thanks and Praise, Pastor Steven teaches us how to look past our pain and discouragement, and focus instead on God’s presence in the center of it all.

How To Have Faith When You Can’t Figure It Out

Almost everyone knows a solid foundation is key to building a house that lasts. For Christians, the same can be said of our faith. But it’s not always easy to feel confident in our foundation of faith. Like when pain or struggles come into our lives, when relationships are on the brink, or when our future is uncertain. What do we believe in then? How do we faces these situations when we can’t figure out the answer? In this clip from the sermon series I Don’t Know What I Believe, Pastor Steven explains that when we establish a deep-rooted confidence in Christ, we don’t have to fear our past, our present, or even our uncertain future.

Elevation Creative: Your Story

At some point, we all suffer the pain of regret in our lives. And, looking back, most of us would jump at the chance to change certain decisions and actions to avoid that pain. Though we can’t erase our past, we know through Christ we don’t have to stay stuck there either. In this video from our Creative team, we’re reminded of the power God’s grace has to change the direction of anyone’s life, no matter where we’ve been or what we’ve done.