In “Focus On Today,” Pastor Steven reminds us that every day we’re breathing is God giving us 24 new opportunities to prepare today for what He wants to bless us with in the future. This is an excerpt from “This Is That Day”. To watch the full message from @elevationchurch , click here: 
• Knocking Through The No | Pastor Stev… n #faith #hope #anxiety #stevenfurtick #elevationchurch Chapters: 0:00 – Why You’re Stressed & Discouraged 2:13 – God Didn’t Give You Grace For Tomorrow 4:30 – This Shift Will Change Your Year 7:46 – Celebrate The Small Win 10:04 – Have You Missed Some Shots? 12:08 – Break It Down Daily
I wonder. Are we stressed, discouraged, defeated,
and lacking momentum and victory in our lives
because when I asked, “What are you going to do
with your 24?” you thought years? The real
answer to the question, “What will you do
with your 24?” is not about a year called ’24.
It’s about “This is the day the Lord has made.”
When I woke up this morning, I had 24 hours
of opportunity deposited into my account. I
can sit here with you and dream about all of
the amazing things I’m going to accomplish for
God this year. I could sit here and advertise to
you all of the amazing possibilities that could
happen in your life this year. More in ’24. Leave
the shore in ’24. Strengthen your core in ’24.
All of that I say about ’24 is wonderful and
abstract, but it falls into the category of
“One day when…” “So, round about June I’m going
to have my beach body. So, round about December
I’m going to have some of these debts paid off.
So, round about three years from now my family
is going to be back together. Round about 10
years from now my kids are going to college.”
I believe in long-term vision. I think it’s
all amazing, but I think this “One day when”
can be a trap to keep you focused so much on
the years that you don’t do with the days what
you could do with the days. Isn’t this what
Jesus said? “Why do you worry about tomorrow?
Tomorrow has enough trouble of its own.”
Let me ask you a question if you’re anxious.
Are you anxious about today or are
you anxious about Wednesday or are
you anxious about Wednesday three weeks
from now or are you anxious about when
you retire when you’re 75? You’re 17.
You have time. There are days between
here and there. Do you know how much peace it’ll
bring you to recognize the revelation of a day?
Here’s the revelation of a day: the grace for
the day is in the day. The grace for tomorrow
is not in today. The only thing that is in today
for tomorrow for you is anxiety if you don’t put
it in God’s hands. Jesus said, “Sufficient is the
day…” “Give us this day our…” Fifteen-year bread.
He doesn’t even pray for 12 months of bread. I’m
saying have a plan. I’m saying have a strategy.
I’m saying have a financial adviser, but you have
to do that today. Do you remember when we thought
there was no need to set up online giving back in
2006 because nobody was giving online? But we had
to set it up that day for this day. Now 98 percent
of giving is online. From nothing to 98 percent.
There’s something in your life like that right
now. You go, “One day, when I get more money,
I’ll learn to manage it.” That is a syndrome that
affects people of faith even more than it affects
atheists, because we will blame God for that.
We’ll say, “I’m not doing it; God is going to
do it.” We’ll say, “I don’t need to take care of
it; God has got me in his hands.” And he does.
In that day the Lord will fight Leviathan,
but you and I have a responsibility too.
So, I want us to make a shift. Are you open to
a shift this year? If you’re open to a shift,
just nod your head at me a little bit.
Wiggle your pinkie. Wiggle your pinkie
toe. Just do something to get in agreement
with me. I want your year this year to be
full of fruit. I want your year this year to
be full of abundance. I want your year this
year to have heavy branches. I want rain to
fall on your relationships, your resources.
So we’re going to shift this. That’s what
we’re going to do. Touch somebody and say,
“I’m going to shift this.” “I’ve been stressed
out about the next week. I’m going to break
it down and reduce it, because really what I’m
worried about has nothing to do with where I am;
it has to do with where I think I’m going
to be. I don’t know what tomorrow holds,
so God has not given me a promise concerning
this year; he gave me a promise for this day.”
The promise is not for tomorrow, because you
don’t know what tomorrow holds. I want you to
go from “One day when…” How many have done that
before, by the way? “One day when.” This is the
most powerful thing I could teach you to help you
set up for this year for what God wants to speak,
for the disciplines you want to pass
on, for the things you want to see set
straight in your life. I want you to
go from “One day when” to one-day win,
because Isaiah didn’t say anything
about years. He said, “In that day…”
This is your year to win one day at a time. If we
get a one-day win on top of a one-day win on top
of a one-day win on top of a one-day win on top
of a one-day win on top of a one-day win, one day
we’ll be telling our kids, “One day, when I made a
decision to get a one-day win…” You don’t get it.
You’re going to be telling somebody the story one
day, and they’re going to say, “How did you get
out of the depression?” and you’ll say, “Well,
one day when I decided to call a counselor and
have a conversation and begin to open myself up
to the fact that the Holy Spirit can use people…
I need to admit some of the things I’m struggling
with, and I need to fight this Leviathan and get
some leverage on this addiction and start to
open this window so the light of God can come
streaming in. I got a one-day win.” Hey, everybody
get ready to celebrate, because you came to church
today. Guess what? I don’t know if you’ll be here
at Easter, but you’re here today. “I won this one,
Devil!” Let’s go ahead and celebrate the baby
step. You made it today. “I got that one-day
win. I’ve been living in ‘One day, when
I get more resources, then I can do it.'”
“When I have more clarity, then
I can do it. When I know enough,
then I’ll share the gospel with somebody.
When my kids start acting right again,
then we’ll be a peaceful family.” Not “One
day when.” Just get a one-day win. Just don’t
cuss them out today. How many can do that? Make
some noise if you can not cuss them out today.
“But we should dream big, Pastor Steven. My
kids will be missionaries.” Great. One day,
when you haven’t cussed them out enough days
or killed them, they might be a missionary,
but it’s going to take… Do you see the power of
a one-day win to get to a “One day when”? Glory
to God. I feel happy preaching my own notes. I
wrote this in my own notes and I’m receiving it.
I have that fresh bread for ’24, Elevation
Church. I’m going to feed you this word from
God until you’re strong enough to fight every
Leviathan in your life. God said, “When you
sing about a fruitful vineyard, I’ll slay every
wicked thing in your life.” How many know while
you were singing today you were winning? While
you were worshiping today, you were winning.
This is how I fight my battles. This is how
I get my mind right. This is how I set my
mind on things above. This is how I overcome my
darkness. This is how I gut my gliding serpent.
This is how I walk in favor. This is how I bear
much fruit. This is what I’m doing with my 24.
I was watching basketball one time 10 years ago,
and the commentator gave me a whole sermon.
The man shot the ball. There was, like,
one second left on the shot clock. The guy who
shot missed, but then it hit the backboard.
Ten years ago in the NBA, if you got the
offensive rebound after missing a shot,
the shot clock would reset to 24 seconds. You
don’t get it. It means you missed that one,
but if you get that ball back in your hands… I
believe God brought somebody to church today so
you could get this ball back in your hands. I
know you missed some in ’23, but this is ’24.
When he got the ball back, the announcer said,
“He gets a new 24.” I thought I would announce
to somebody who came to church on the first Sunday
of the new year, which happens to be 2024… He woke
you up this morning. He started you on your way.
He clothed you in your right mind. He gave you the
breath of life. You’ve got a new 24! Twenty-four!
What’s it for? I’m going to shoot this thing.
“In days to come…” I have to break this thing
down. “I’m not drinking today. I’m not looking
at it today. I’m not hooking up with them
today. I’m not complaining about it today,
because this is the day the Lord has made.” Maybe
you can’t even face the day with confidence,
so let’s break it down a little
more. Say, “I got a new 24.”
What if you open your mouth when you wake up
tomorrow and say, “Thank you, Lord, for a new
24”? You know what would really frustrate the
Devil? If you missed the last shot the last day,
if you really screwed it up the day before, and
you wake up and see that shot clock in your life.
“Ooh! God must not be done with me, because I got
a new 24. Yeah, I got a new 24, so I’m taking the
shot today. Everything I did that wasn’t like God
is covered by the blood of Jesus. I got a new 24.”