Stop waiting for it; walk in it. | Pastor Steven Furtick

and I want to share a brief Christmas message with you today and don't don't get me wrong just because I said brief for me brief means something different than it then it may mean at other churches but don't wanna take too long understand the demands of this season and so let me just share with you from Luke chapter 1 verse 67 through 79 his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied praise be to the Lord the God of Israel because he has come to his people and redeemed them he has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David as he said through his holy prophets of long ago salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy Covenant the oath he swore to our father Abraham to rescue us from the hand of our enemies and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days and you my child would be called a prophet of the most high for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins because of the tender mercy of our God by which the Rising Sun will come to us from heaven somebody say here comes heaven tell your neighbor watch out here it comes 40% of you participated when I asked you to touch your neighbor you don't like him look at him and say here it comes the priest acharya is speaking of the prophet john the baptist and he's now talking about jesus whom john the baptist was pointing to he said that he will shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death in the shadow of death in that place of despair to guide our feet into the path of peace that's my title for today the path of peace and I won't make you talk to your neighbour one more time after this but look at him and say you look like you need some of that piece that he's preaching about we have a challenge today to try to calm our minds and receive the message my brother comes to church he's here right now and comes to church whenever he can - lives in New Jersey he's um he's like I bet you love preaching and Christmas everybody's in the spirit and I was like no it's not my favorite time to preach because people are so stressed out and you have to work three times as hard because it's stuffy sometimes people brought a relative and they don't want that relative to see how they normally act in church and so they they tense up and then they've got so much going on it's actually you would think it would be you know Jesus's birthday it would be an easy occasion to preach but I actually find it more challenging not less because it's just stress levels are higher happy birthday Jesus we created chaos and commercialism that drives us all to the brink of insanity in your name thank you for being born the spirit of season but I always wished as a preacher that I could have a metaphysical power to read your mind I would think that would be so helpful to do my job if I could see your stress level or even if you had a number like like the beds that have the Sleep Number what if I could see your stress number on today I could do it I could do it so much better cuz I could see like are you at a 7 or a 3 matter fact right now what would you give your stress level one to ten just in this moment so I'm here in a three who said three you're not old enough to have a three stress level you're supposed to be like 80 before you realize that all the crap you worry about isn't worth worrying about and then you can have a three stress level where you just don't care I can't wait to get old and just just not care that'd be great you're too young for that but somebody said ten did you say ten and I'm not gonna ask you why fact I don't even have to all right here's what we'll do we do another one real quick I know this is personal but at every location play long your eyes get the thing on your mind that is the greatest source of stress in your life at this very moment and you better not be picturing me all right get it on your mind what is the single greatest source of stress in your life well broaden it a little bit not in this very very moment but in this season of your life all right you got it now open your eyes you're gonna be shocked but I know what you were thinking I know it's yours and I know I know this much I know that the thing that you thought of fell into one of the following four categories okay it was either related to a place a pace a problem or a person or maybe people people's just in general all of them every last one of them just human beings Homo sapiens so it's either a place that you're going after this or even for some people church can be stressful it can be stressful too I'm sure it's stressful to come to elevation I'm sure you know if you've never been here especially because it's confusing because they got like violins and cellos on the stage but then they start shooting laser beams and it's this mixed messaging like what kind of church is this is this a white church black church it's a traditional Church untrue - yes yes - all of the above it's the kind of church where you can't figure out what kind of church it's a good news to all people kind of church but some of the stressful places that we will go this Christmas season it could be a place if you have to fly certainly understand your dread for that experience just walk through the airport telling yourself over and over again I'm not a human I have no rights and you'll be okay the pace of life I hear people mention this a lot how you doing busy one one-armed wallpaper hanger I said that to me the other day that's weird busier than a three-legged cat trying to cover up his poop on ice somebody said to me run around like a chicken with my head cut off so violent all I said is how are you doing you're like decapitating chickens so it's like the pace of life understand that if you've been running people everywhere you've been like an unpaid uber driver for a 13 year old I understand sometimes it comes down to a problem in your life that is persistent and sometimes it comes down to one thing you're just pushing through right now a lot of people listening to me preach right now having a hard time focusing with their minds because of the pain in their body or what can be even worse somebody that you love that you can't do anything to comfort them and that can be difficult and really the the fourth category that I mentioned people that's really the the whole thing which is why when I asked you to imagine in your mind the source of your stress the greatest source of your stress I was very clear I said imagine it because some of you would have started pointing if I were to let you which is a bad idea like some of you are are sitting next to what you perceived to be the source see you should you should look really confused right now is my advice I think is important before we begin a discussion on the path of peace to try to talk about the source of stress because whatever you identify as the source of your stress determines where you will seek your peace amen don't say that again whatever you say this is the source of my stress that regulates and determines where you seek your peace and so the Christmas story of course comes along and challenges us in all of those ways that we experience stress and pressure Christ is born to challenge us as it relates to our expectation of peace the Jewish people had a very particular expectation of the kind of peace that the Messiah would bring Zechariah states it very clearly and paints a picture of the kind of peace that the Jewish people were looking for God to bring through the prophesied Messiah it features such expectations as mentioned in verse 74 he says that this Messiah will rescue us from the hand of our enemies notice the word from the expectation of peace for the Jewish people is that God would deliver them from their circumstances from their oppression from their being marginalized from their poverty from their despair and from their darkness it was surprising then for me to see the shift that Zechariah made in verse 79 where he said that the Rising Sun will shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death and so it represents a shift in perspective that God does not always rescue me from sometimes he visits me in my trouble and for so many years I have thought that the thief of my peace was other people or certain places or the schedule of my life which is kind of funny because I'm the one who said yes to all that stuff that I'm stressed about and so now I'm asking God to take away the things that I committed to and I've tried so long you know to arrange my life in such a way that I would no longer experience those stressful events and stressful people and if God would just change them and if everybody would just act the way they should act for a little while this Christmas but the Lord has been speaking to me in these last few days about the path of peace and what I realized the more I reflected on this promise of peace that God gives us Isaiah 9:6 his name will be called wonderful counselor mighty God everlasting father and the Prince of Peace but notice the Prophet didn't call him the Prince of convenience or the Prince of ease or the Prince of comfort or the Prince of my preferences because a lot of times when God promises me peace what I hear in translation is that God is promising me convenience or God is promising me ease or God is promising me my preference being met but the Lord has been speaking to me and maybe you don't need to hear this but just in case you do it is impossible to experience peace when you are expecting perfection see my problem I'm coming to realize this it's not other people it's not the place it's not the pace and it's not the problem the problem is not the problem I can tell you the problem is not the problem because Jesus was born in a manger the angel appeared to shepherds so the shepherds were the people that you would least expect the herald to make the announcement of the birth of the Son of God and yet he showed up to the least likely people in an unlikely place so it's not the people it's not the place it's not the pace that the shepherds were always on the move from place to place to place the place it's not the it's not the place it's not the pace it's not the people it's not the problem here's my problem my problem is that I can't receive Pease because I'm expecting perfection and the angel said are y'all gonna help me preacher it's just me today I'll make it quick here's the whole message if you need to go if you got things to do I'll give it to you right now and you can go on and get the target and and hopefully everything will turn out alright the enemy of your peace is not other people it is not other places it is not how fast life is or the way the world is the enemy of your peace is your insistence on perfection and when heaven came down and appeared to humanity it was not in the form of perfection in fact God did not come down looking like a deliverer he came down looking like a dependent he came down as a baby and so when the Prince of Peace came he didn't come dressed in power he came in pampers why because God wanted you to know that he's going to bring you peace but not like you expected him to bring it it's not gonna look like you pictured it it's not always gonna fit your preferences it's not always going to live up to your exact specifications of the performance of people so if I'm going to live at peace I've got to surrender my expectation of perfection I feel like I could leave every Christmas party is gonna be so much better that you attend because what I just told you every every every place you set your foot over the next three days is gonna be so much more peaceful because you just realized that peace isn't found in a place peace is not found in a in a set of circumstances that is problem-free it is not that he delivers me from it it's that he meets me can I show you something real quick he said that he will guide us with the light in the valley he didn't take us out of the valley yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil I'm at peace on the path why not because I'm not going through it but because I'm not going through it alone see there's somebody with me that is greater than what's against the PATA - peace it's a strange path that God would since his son as a child that God would burst the eternal cosmos and enter into creation in the form of the most imperfect being I know some of you disagree because I hear you saying things about babies that I just don't personally agree with and we can agree to disagree is Christmas we were just but oh he's so perfect mm-hmm if you say that you've never taken one home that's what I know [Applause] and so it's a strange path to peace you know if God wants to come and set things right as you come down as a warrior not as a weakling why not skip that stage Jesus should have come 24 years old full of testosterone and yet he comes tiny infant into a desperate place you know the story about Joseph waited till the last minute to Airbnb for the census ended up in a ended up in a cold place and presence of God was born there the path to peace is a strange one that the path to peace for Jesus would lead through Gethsemane where he would pray God if there's any other way than me going and experiencing their wrath from your hand for them let this cup pass for me the path to peace for us would lead Jesus through the Kidron Valley where he would ultimately as we come to understand more than Zechariah understood in Luke chapter one who was prophesying about his own son John the Baptist who would prepare the way for Jesus who would guide us in the path to peace but the path to peace with God for us led Jesus to a hill where he died at the hands of sinful men it's a strange path to peace we have to admit that he would come in weakness and die in weakness to become our strength so path to peace is a strange thing about peace because whatever you identify as the source of your stress determines what you consider the source of your peace and that's why I don't like to blame people for my stress because if people brought me the stress then I need people to change for me to have peace but I'm past the point in my life of wanting for people to have to act a certain way for me to have peace in my own heart and I love what the angel said Abbie was quoting that scripture and she was did it perfectly and I'd only want to do it myself because she did it so good and I don't want to do I don't wanna mess it up as she said and the angel said unto them fear not for behold I bring you good news of great joy because the first thing that the Shepherd's felt in the field when the announcement of Jesus Christ came forth from the angel was not faith it was fear see we think that the presence of God is always going to make us feel better and comfortable but the first thing the Shepherd's felt was fear see they they found peace but they found it through fear peace did not come to them directly it had to pass through their fear and they they found God in the place of their greatest fear in the in the fields where they were keeping the Sheep from from predators at night they were lowly people in a lonely place and here comes the angel says glory to God in the highest and on earth peace now notice this the peace is on earth but it's not from Earth the piece is on earth but it's not ever see I don't want this plastic piece that comes from people I've learned that if the peace comes from people people can take it away if it comes from situations situations can change and take it away so I don't want a peace that comes from a promotion at work I don't want a peace that comes from a convenience circumstance I don't even want to a peace that comes from a feeling I don't want a peace that comes from a situation I want a peace that the world didn't give and the world can't take it away come on give embrace if you've got an unshakable peace and unspeakable joy I read that scripture all week the path to peace the path to peace what what is it that I need to get out of the way in my life to experience peace so I'm not running around all the time just concentrating on all the missing pieces and now I'm missing peace because all I can see is the pieces I'm missing because when you're a perfectionist like I am Enneagram type-1 the thing that God will give you as a prescription for your perfectionism is children and I am on a dosage of three children three children per day guarantees that there will never be a moment in your house that is completely peaceful I'm telling you right now I can count on zero toes how many times in the last seven years I've had three peaceful children all at the same time in one house so you know what I'm having to learn to do I'm having to learn to take my peace in pieces because if I wait until everything is peaceful if I wait until every child is happy if I wait until everyone is getting along if I'm waiting for peace if I'm waiting for every child to bow their head and say the blessing and clear their dishes and thank their mom I've learned to celebrate God if just one kid puts the bowl in the sink forget about the dishwasher that's a red sea Old Testament miracle just in the sink even in the sink is a blessing I'll celebrate one bowl in the sink see this Christmas you can't wait for everybody to get along if there's even a piece of piece you got a thank God for it and snatch it and take it and celebrate it because watch this Zechariah didn't say he'll show us the path to peace give me my scripture this is the best Christmas scripture I ever saw in my life 79 he will guide our feet in the path it's not the path to peace cuz that means that peace is out there somewhere but it's not the path to peace that's how I've been living my life God forgive me when I get through this season oh I get through 2018 what calendar isn't gonna fix any chaos in your life the same dude you let steal your piece all last year is gonna be standing right there into your window with a crowbar in 2019 so I'm gonna have peace you know my kids get older they won't need so much uh-huh uh-huh now they're gonna be driving you're gonna have a lot of peace there when they're out on the road on your insurance that's why I can't project my peace out here or I can't protect my peace on people or I can't project my peace on a certain place it's not the path to peace that's not the message of Christmas when God came down to be born of a virgin and was wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger he didn't promise a path to peace as in a future event that will happen when it's not a win-win peace it's not a one-day peace it's not a someday fairy tale Beauty and the Beast peace it's not a when I get married peace it's not a win I send the kid soft peace it's not when I pay my student loans off peace it's not a win I get through Christmas peace it's not a win my in-laws leave peace it's not the path to peace it's the path of peace what does that mean every step I take he's with me every move I make he's with me every season of my life he's present so watch this I'm not waiting for it I'm walking in it somebody say walk in it walk in it walk in it that's the that's the Christmas sermon change my title I told you it was called the path of peace but I want you to tell him when when when they ask you your your church the the evolution that you are went to on the Christmas tell him he told me to walk in it stop waiting for it stop waiting for it and start walking in it you hear me Nairobi walk in it you hear me tomorrow no walk in it you hear me Roanoke walk in it you hear me Matthews walk in it you hear me winston-salem walk in it you hear me Riverwalk walk in it you hear me Blakeney walk in it you hear me Ballantine walk in it you might have to walk through them Valley but you don't have to lie down in time you don't have to curl up in a fetal position and wait for this season to be over I don't have time to trim I'm preaching about Jesus it's a matter what the devil puts in my path glad almost stripped I didn't plant it but I'm gonna use it just some of y'all got some people waiting for you when you leave church and if you're not careful you're gonna trip but get your balance back and fix your eyes on Jesus the author and finisher of your faith walk in it I'll have time to trim [Applause] see we've been looking for peace in all the wrong places the peace of God is never found in human strength or in our perfection the way that God brings peace into our lives is the same way that Jesus was born in the world in weakness that's where you find peace weakness I don't like it that way Jesus don't go to the cross it'll make you look weak but that's the only way that I can bring peace he didn't bring peace like they wanted him to bring peace that's why they all walked away when he died they wanted the Prince of Peace to come in power but instead he came in weakness well I prayed for you before you got here I pray for you I prayed that God would give you his peace but I prayed that you would stop looking for it if y'all could stop talking right now while I finish this sermon thank you I prayed that he would bring it to you not in the places that you would normally expect it prayed that he would bring it to you in that place in your life where you feel the weakest not in the place where you're so busy trying to show everybody how strong you are you're never gonna get peace trying to appear perfect you can't experience peace when you're expecting perfection who told you that you had to be perfect before you could experience peace with God God's not waiting for you to be perfect he's already done everything that needs to be done for you to have peace and the peace of God is not the absence of problems the peace of God is not getting people to act right or say that they're sorry the peace of God is not a certain place I'll tell you man I've been on in some beautiful places with no peace I've been on some beautiful vacations and beautiful resorts no peace in my heart and yet I've sat by while my dad died and experienced unspeakable peace as he took his dying breath because the only thing required for you to receive the peace of God is to lose your pride and accept it in the place of your weakness I know we want God to come like Zechariah wanted him to come and deliver us from the difficult places and relief deliver us from and rescue us from the hectic schedule and deliver us from and rescue us from all of the the problems in the obstacles that are in front of us in this season but the peace of God is not the absence of problems it is the presence of Christ to enable you to walk in it this is Christmas and I began this sermon by asking you a question what's the source of your stress and now I want to ask a different one what is the place of your weakness because that's the place where God is gonna show you the greatest grace hear me today I'm not a prophet or the son of a prophet but on the authority of God's Word I declare to you this day is born to you in the place of your greatest weakness a savior who is Christ the Lord ask that you stand reverently to your feet with no one moving I want to pray for that place in your life where there is a weakness that place in your life where there is a a missing piece that place he said that a light will dawn in the shadow of the valley in that place is the path of peace not to peace stop believing that you'll get it one day when God told me to tell you he wants to give you peace in the process in the process of who you're becoming with every step in arrival peace in the process that's what incarnation means that's why this weird Christmas story suddenly makes sense because peace came in the form of weakness just to admit that you need him is the first step so right now in the holiness of this moment on this sacred occasion called Christmas if there's a place of weakness in your life where you would like to invite the holy spirit this season to come and bring his deep peace that transcends all understanding I want to ask you at every location and all over the world watching online to lift both of your hands in the air to God as a sign of your surrender and Trust the father for every hand stretched before you today I decree your peace for that situation I cannot read their mind and I cannot know their struggle but not only do you know the need you are the one who longs to meet it thank you father for this moment for when we are weak then we are strong we thank you for Emanuel mighty God everlasting father the Prince of Peace with your head still bound and your eyes still closed you can put your hands down there's someone here who is far away from God and the message of Christmas is that you don't have to stay that way right now I'd like to invite you to receive the gift of salvation the Bible says that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved and on this Christmas I would love to lead you in this prayer that just acknowledges your need for Jesus so we'll pray now out loud as a church family and all of our locations for the benefit of those who are coming to God or maybe coming back to God right now in this moment the presence of God is here real and available and so we pray this prayer together for all of those who are in need of salvation today and want this to be your new beginning pray with me Heavenly Father I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and the savior of the world and today I make Jesus the Lord of my life I believe he died that I could be forgiven and rose again to give me life I receive this new life this is my new beginning in Jesus name if you just prayed that on the count of three shoot your hand up high I want to celebrate you on every location one two three hands up hands up hands up god bless you god bless you come on rejoice about it come on people of God rejoice about it it's the greatest gift it's the reason for the season come on let's rejoice in the South Asian of our God let's rejoice in the peace of our God hey thanks for watching the Elevation Church YouTube channel if you enjoyed this message take a minute click the subscribe button on your screen that way you won't miss a single video and if this ministry has impacted you and you'd like to partner with us to continue to reach others you can click the link in the description below to give now thanks again for watching and don't forget to subscribe

Channel: Elevation Church

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Keywords: Elevation Church, Christmas Sermon, Pastor Steven Furtick, 2018 sermon, Steven Furtick 2018, sermons 2018, The Path Of Peace, Steven Furtick Sermons, elevation church sermons, elevation church steven furtick, furtick steven, stephen furtick, steven furtick the path of peace, steven furtick christmas sermon, elevation church the path of peace, elevation church christmas sermon, elevation church 2018 sermons, stop waiting for it, walk in it, steven furtick stop waiting for it

Id: DgymjfJY9v4

Length: 36min 40sec (2200 seconds)

Published: Mon Dec 24 2018