“I used to think that someone who struggled with the kinds of weaknesses I deal with daily was useless to God. I felt so often like I was drowning in internal dialogue I couldn’t control. It had been the soundtrack of my life for as long as I could remember.
Yet everything changed when I began to realize God has given us the ability to choose the dialogue we believe and respond to. And once we learn how, we can switch from lies to truth as deliberately as we can choose the Beatles over Miley Cyrus on satellite radio.
This is the key to pressing ahead and doing God’s will anyway, even as you are bombarded with thoughts, feelings, and even facts about why you can’t do it.
I’m now awakening to the reality that we can access the power of God’s promises to constantly crash the system of our broken beliefs. I’m learning how to overpower the shouts of the Enemy by bending my ear to the whisper of God’s supernatural truths about my identity in Him and His strength in me.”
-STEVEN FURTICK, from Crash the Chatterbox
Crashing the Chatterbox: Hearing God's Voice Above All Others
by Steven Furtick
My Review: This isn't my favorite of Furtick's books, but I do like it. I enjoy his style of writing because I find it easy to relate to many of the stories. He creates a visual that comes alive, and often triggers my own memories of similar situations. "Chatterbox" is a perfect description of that voice of negativity that seeks to block out all other voices...or amplifies the negative, both real and perceived, that you hear from others you encounter. A simple comment morphs into a criticism; at least that is what the 'chatterbox' wants you to believe. Pastor Steven says that the four key areas that can be so debilitation are Insecurity, Fear, Discouragement, and Condemnation. That voice has the power to make you lose the confidence to do what you were made to do, and more importantly, to prevent you from listening to the promises of God.
The book is divided into 4 sections: God Says I Am, God Says He Will, God Says He Has, and God Says I Can. In each, Furtick uses both personal anecdotes, passages from the Bible, and his insights. There is no simple solution to how to crash the chatterbox, but I would distrust him if he said there is. This is more of a reminder that we will struggle, sometimes the battle will be tougher than others, but that we can ignore the shouts of the deceiver and learn to listen to the quiet, soothing whispers of God. He promises to be with us in all things no matter how discouraged or afraid we may feel. God allows us to be part of His plan, but it is not as dependent upon us as we sometimes think. The book ends with a series of discussion questions that can be used for your personal study or as part of a small group.
Steven Furtick is the founder and lead pastor of Elevation Church, a multi-site church based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Pastor Steven has been privileged to minister to a global audience, speaking at conferences and churches around the world including Catalyst Conference, Hillsong Conference, and the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit. He is the author of the New York Times® Best Selling book, "Greater", "Sun Stand Still", and his most recent release, "Crash the Chatterbox".
Pastor Steven holds the Master of Divinity degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
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