When God Gives You A Thought
Pastor Steven Furtick
Sermon Highlights
God’s thoughts are valuable, and they are vast.
You don’t have to wait for the Word of the Lord to come to you; you can come to the Word of the Lord.
3 ways that God speaks: impressions, instructions, and interruptions.
God will never give you an impression that violates His clear instruction.
You can’t fix chaos by losing cargo.
Some things you can pray before you get in the belly.
You can call on God in your distress, or you can bring Him into the decisions. God will hear you cry from the depths, but you do not have to go to the depths for Him to hear you.
You can skip the fish. Pray, “God, give a thought to me.”
When God gives a thought to you, expect the enemy to give an opposite thought.
It’s not about the storm you’re going through; it’s the thoughts you're having about the storm.
Scriptures
Psalms 139:7-17 ESV - God’s thoughts are valuable and vast
Jonah 1:1-6 ESV - The Word of the Lord came to Jonah
Jonah 1:12-17 ESV - Jonah had a thought
Jonah 2:1-2 ESV - Then Jonah prayed to God
Mark 4:35-39 ESV - Jesus calms the storm
Sermon Discussion
Conversation Starter
Pastor Steven started his message this week talking about bands and sayings that younger people didn’t know. What’s a catchphrase you’ve heard that you don't quite understand, or an artist you like that others might not know of?
Discussion Questions
“You can call on God in your distress, or you can bring Him into the decisions. Pray, ‘God, give a thought to me.’” Share a time God responded while you were in distress. How did that moment teach you about bringing God in earlier?
“You don’t have to wait for the Word of the Lord to come to you; you can come to the Word of the Lord.” Share with your group different ways you can actively pursue the Word of God.
Additional Questions
“God will never give you an impression that violates His clear instruction.” What’s something you already know God has told you to do, but you’ve been waiting to feel ready? What’s been holding you back from starting?
“When God gives a thought to you, expect the enemy to give an opposite thought.” Share some of your wrong thoughts. What God-thoughts are they trying to keep you from believing?
Prayer Prompt
Ask this question to your eGroup and include it as part of your closing prayer:
Pastor Steven reminded us this week: “It’s not about the storm you’re going through; it’s the thoughts you're having about the storm.”
Ask your eGroup: What’s coming up this week that may feel like a storm, and what wrong thoughts need to be traded in advance for a God thought?
Thank God for the message this week and the reminder that our thoughts about life are not the same ones that God has about our lives. Pray that as your eGroup members pursue God-thoughts this week, the Lord will meet them in their pursuit. Ask that as you leave today, whatever challenges you may face this week, God will give you fresh thoughts that will bring about new perspectives on how to work through them.