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5 min readTroubled Mind And An Open Door
Paul had an open door. The Lord had positioned him in Troas, a strategic port city where he could preach the gospel. Yet he walked away from it. "I still had no peace of mind," Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 2, "because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia."
The apostle who saw God open the Red Sea, who started at least 14 churches, who wrote roughly a third of the New Testament—this same Paul left an open door because his mind was troubled. He was waiting for news from Corinth, waiting to hear whether the church he had founded and loved had accepted his correction, waiting for Titus to return with word that the relationship was restored. And while he waited, his mind filled with scenarios. He couldn't focus on the opportunity right in front of him.
The Strategy, Not the Strength
Steven Furtick draws attention to verse 11, where Paul says he forgave the Corinthians "in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes." The word Paul chooses matters. He does not say "overpower." He says "outwit." The battle is not about strength—it is about strategy.
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What you'll learn
- 1 (02:22) **Scripture & Setup: 2 Corinthians 2, Paul's Troubled Mind** - Furtick introduces the passage about Paul having an open door in Troas but no peace of mind because he couldn't find Titus.
- 2 (05:30) **The Context: Corinth's Importance & Paul's Investment** - Explains why the church at Corinth matters so much to Paul, setting up the stakes of the conflict.
- 3 (15:36) **The Sermon Thesis: Opportunity vs. Peace of Mind** - Paul had a God-given open door, but his troubled mind (over a missing person, Titus) made him leave the opportunity.
- 4 (26:15) **The Map: The Distance Between Body and Mind** - Uses a map of the Mediterranean to show the physical distance between Troas (opportunity) and Corinth (the source of Paul's worry).
- 5 (31:27) **The Authority of the Door: Revelation 3:7-8** - God opens doors that no one can shut; the battle is not about strength but about strategy.
- 6 (36:04) **The Four D.O.O.R. Distractions** - Furtick spells out the four things that keep your mind troubled and block you from walking through an open door.
- 7 (42:58) **The Test: Has This Been You?** - A series of diagnostic questions to see if a troubled mind is causing you to miss your open door.
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Guests on this episode
Show Notes
When God opens a door, nobody can shut it. In "A Troubled Mind And An Open Door," Pastor Steven Furtick of Elevation Church teaches us that, while the enemy may not be able to close doors, he can try to keep us from walking through them.
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