Same Devils, New Levels-Pastor Steven Furtick-Elevation Church

by | Feb 8, 2021 | Elevation Church Notes, Pastor Steven Furtick | 0 comments

Today’s Word: 2 Samuel 21:15-17

15 Once again there was a battle between the Philistines and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted. 16 And Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha, whose bronze spearhead weighed three hundred shekels[a] and who was armed with a new sword, said he would kill David. 17 But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue; he struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, saying, “Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished.”

Once Again…Never Again

There are things in your life that have changed and other things where you tell yourself “Still. This. Really?” Today we are going to go from “Once Again in verse 15, to Never Again in verse 17”. 

In this reading, David is fighting the same devil: The Philistines. A descendant of Rapha. Although David has changed, some parts of him are still the same. He’s now a king, but he is trying to fight in the same way he did when he was young. 

Same Devil. Dressed Differently. 

The devil brings a different flavor to the same temptation. Devil dresses up in different disguises. Ex: When you were younger, you rebelled in class to seek attention but instead you got detention. Years later, that same want for attention doesn’t lead to detention it leads in divorce…. the stakes are higher! 

David: Weak or Weary?

David wasn’t weak, he was weary. 

You aren’t weak. How can Christ live in you and you be weak? That’s not possible!How can the GREAT I AM that brings the spirit that lives inside of you be weak? That’s not possible!

I get weak when I fight the same battle over and over again. You are a person and you get tired.

⁃ Don’t get tired over battles that you don’t even have to fight. Like imaginary battles that you fight inside and suddenly you are mad at someone who presents in front of you for no reason. 

David is doing what he has always done but this time it almost got him killed. The thing that got him crowned almost got him killed.

New Season. New Strategy. 

You need a new strategy for the new season. 

Ex: living your marriage like your did when you were single. Can’t do that. It will kill your marriage. You need a new strategy.

Ex: Pastor Furtick trying to do the same thing he did 15 years ago that started the church, to address the church when covid started. That wasn’t working for him. 

I’m killing my creativity that God needs me to use for my calling.

– Stop trying to use old tragedy in a new season. 

⁃ Stop trying to use the same strategy you used at 15, at age 40.

⁃ Figure out what to do in this weary place.

⁃ Where in your life are you using a old strategy for a new season?

Are you fighting with an inferior weapon only because it reminds you of Goliath ?

David didn’t know how to be a king, he didn’t have a good example. David has a heart for it, but never saw how. Fighting 40 year old giants with 15 year old habits? You need to grow into this season!

New Ish, Same God. Your Abishai. 

⁃ Shift the strategy to match the season. Find your Abishai. 

  • Abishai means “father of a gift”. Verse 16. 

⁃ I’m tired I’m out of ideas and weary. I want God to send me an Angel. God didn’t send an Angel he sent Abishai. He sent a person to David. Are you pushing your Abishai? But you keep reverting back to when you had no help.

⁃ God make me aware of the Abishai that you have sent in my life.

⁃ Are you protective of your light? God has something between you and your enemy; JESUS! He stands between you in the darkness. “I’m waiting for God”. No God has sent humans to help you and if you don’t pay attention you will die.

⁃ V 16: Ishbi-Benob said he has a new sword to kill King David.

  • Not only did the enemy have a new weapon, so did David.

⁃ Keep your enemies out there—at a distance—and your Abishai near….not the other way around. 

⁃ Don’t remove your Abishai by listening to the voice of Ishbi.

Same Devil. New Level. 

⁃ God is saying it’s the same devil but I want you to fight it at a new level. Start your day different and end it different. Put down the sword and put on the armor! When David tried to fight Goliath he tried on the armor, but it didn’t fit. But it fits now, as King! For you, it fits now! So step into the season for the anointing of this assignment! 

I got tired but I’m strong!!!! I got an Abishai and I got an anointing!. I have the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith. 

Same David, new sword. Same you, new altitude. New focus. Same problem, new passion.

Protect your light. Take Abishai’s advice. Don’t push your Abishai away. 

Revelations 2:5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

  • Don’t lose your first love. Don’t get caught and cornered in the battlefield and you feel weary.

The light represents: perspective, passion and purpose!

Stop fighting these battles the same way.

There wasn’t anything wrong with David, he just wanted to fight the same way, and the light would go out(exhausted).

Repent! Consider you brought your enemy too close and God will bring your light back. God will show you the things that He wants to do for you.

Go between once again to never again. Make the decision. Are you going back down to these battles or coming back up where the light is?

Let Abashai come to you.

You have the holy spirit.

You have a fresh anointing.

Are you weak? Naw. You are just weary. God has given us new weapons.

Ending Prayer

Lord, You sent deliverance, instruction, grace, and mercy. You raised up a standard and David didn’t die. We will live in the name of the Lord! Same devil, new weapons, new strength, new word, fresh oil, new joy, new songs. New straights, new seasons!

God show me my Abishai Lord. For I am not alone, I am not weary. I am confused. But God, show me my Abishai. God show me my Abishai!

Give us the humility to receive your help. Give us your boldness to receive that you got it. That we stand on the promise of your word. The Holy Ghost is coming upon you like never before!

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See what God can do through you. This is the vision of Elevation Church, led by Pastor Steven Furtick and based in Charlotte, NC with multiple locations throughout the US and Canada.

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