Why God Brought You Here | Steven Furtick

God’s Unexpected Deliverance

One of my closest friends once described his life in three simple phrases: left out, overlooked, and less than. Church, I need you to understand the historical context behind this. In ancient times, if you were left-handed in a predominantly right-handed society, you were often restricted in military service—if allowed at all. And even then, it was never in the best positions. Imagine how many times Ehud must have felt overlooked, left out, and less than.

The Israelites cried out to the Lord, and He raised up a deliverer from a place they never expected. God chose someone they had ignored. He chose someone who had been left out. He used what they considered less than to bring about victory. When we judge Christ by human standards, we miss His true glory because God always wraps His power in what seems ordinary.

Too often, we only look for God’s blessings from the right side—the side we associate with success. But in doing so, we miss what He is doing on the left. I’m telling you, God is trying to bless you, but you’re watching the wrong hand. You’re waiting for everything to go perfectly, but sometimes God chooses to bless you from an unexpected place.

Do you see why I had to preach this message today? For 18 years, the Israelites struggled. For 18 years, they suffered. And for 18 years, God sustained them. Then they cried out to Him, and He sent their deliverance from the left.

Now, imagine this scene: a man who had been called a loser, overlooked, and dismissed. But sometimes, the way others label us isn’t the real battle—it’s how we see ourselves. Ehud, the left-handed warrior, approached the enemy king with a tribute. But here’s the key:

“Ehud had made a double-edged sword about a cubit long, which he strapped to his right thigh under his clothing.” (Judges 3:16)

He concealed his weapon where no one thought to look. If a warrior came from a right-handed tribe, security would check his left thigh, assuming that’s where his weapon would be. But God had instructed Ehud to strap his sword to the right side—the unchecked side, the place no one suspected, the overlooked opportunity.

Some of you are searching in the wrong place. You’re focused on your circumstances when God has already positioned your breakthrough in the place you least expect. When God delivers His people, He often uses what the world dismisses.

So today, I ask you: Are you watching the wrong hand? Are you looking for God’s blessing in the obvious places while ignoring the unexpected? Because when the time came, Ehud reached for his sword—on the right side, where no one thought to look—and brought deliverance to his people.

God is moving. But are you ready to see Him work in ways you never expected?