First Things First | Ben Graves | Sermon Notes — Hello Pastor

Sermon Notes

First Things First

Elevation Church • Jul 12, 2026 • 43 min

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Take this message with you through a journey of Scripture, reflection, and prayer.

Summary

As believers, we are called to be Christ's ambassadors, actively representing His kingdom in every domain of life rather than retreating into hiding out of fear or insecurity. Looking at Gideon's story in Judges 6, God meets us in our weakness, speaks identity over our prophetic future, and assures us of His abiding presence. To fulfill our mission and impact the next generation, we must first tear down the false altars in our own backyards and trust God to rewrite our legacy through His grace.

Themes

Ambassadorship and Kingdom CallingIdentity vs. InsecurityOvercoming Fear and HidingGod's Abiding PresenceTearing Down Generational AltarsRaising and Leading the Next Generation

Key Points

1.
Believers are called to be Christ's ambassadors, representing the Kingdom of God right where they live, work, and raise their families.
2.
When overwhelmed by pressure or oppression, believers often default to hiding in metaphorical caves rather than stepping into their God-given leadership.
3.
God is not intimidated by our dark places or secret struggles; He specializes in showing up to caves to redeem and call His children out.
4.
Fear is simply imagining a future without God in it, which causes us to operate out of survival rather than faith.
5.
God addresses us according to our prophetic future—calling Gideon a 'mighty warrior' while he was hiding in a wine cave—long before we feel ready or capable.
6.
When we present God with our excuses, weaknesses, and limitations, His central reassurance remains unchanged: 'I will be with you.'
7.
Before we can fight public battles on the battlefield, God calls us to address and tear down the false altars and baggage in our own backyards.
8.
True behavioral change flow from identity: when God changes who you are, it transforms what you do and reshapes the legacy you leave behind.

Sermon Moments

“An ambassador is just someone who represents one kingdom inside of another. Paul doesn't say one day you will be... he just says you are.”

“What is fear? It's just imagining a future without God in it.”

“God is not afraid of caves. We serve a God who is in the business of showing up to caves, and redeeming, and calling out.”

“When God called you, He knew your mess, He knew your breakup, He knew everything that had ever happened to you, and still He calls you mighty warrior.”

“Before you go to the battlefield, go to your backyard. Catch this: the enemy wasn't the enemy; the enemy was in their backyard.”

“Every time I've come to God and been like, 'Oh, it's not me, I'm not the guy,' God doesn't fight with me... He says, 'I'll be with you.'”

“Identity drives what you do, and what you do drives what you get.”

“He'll break off things in your life to help you break off things in others.”

This Week

Identify the specific domains God has entrusted to you—such as your family, workplace, or community—and commit to actively leading rather than retreating in fear.

Take time this week to meditate on your true identity in Christ as an ambassador and child of God, replacing self-limiting thoughts with Scripture.

Examine your home and heart for any false altars or harmful patterns—such as secret addictions, pride, or worldly reliance—and ask God to help you tear them down.

Intentionally model prayer, faith, and engagement with Scripture for the children and young people in your sphere of influence.

When faced with anxiety about the future, stop focusing solely on your circumstances and look up to remember God's power and sovereignty over your life.

Be honest with God about your feelings of inadequacy, allowing His promise, 'I will be with you,' to give you courage to move forward.

Dedicate time to build a new altar of worship in your daily life, surrendering your past mistakes and weaknesses to be transformed by God's grace.

Remember This

God calls us out of hiding and into our identity as His ambassadors, promising His presence as we tear down false altars and lead the next generation.

A Challenge for You

God today, like Gideon, is saying, 'It's time to tear that thing down.' I know it's been living in your backyard. I know it's been in your heart. I know it's been in your mind, but enough is enough... build a new altar unto me because when you tear down the sin and the brokenness of your life and receive grace, and you make it worship unto God, what He will do is use you in ways you could never imagine.

These are personal sermon notes shared to help you remember the message — not a replacement for Scripture, your church, or your pastors.