At the beginning of every year, we wish each other a good year ahead. We tend to feel that all bad things that happened to us last year will not and cannot happen to us in the new year. Even if I was to stand here and wish you a prosperous year and ask you to proclaim a good year upon yourself, it doesn’t necessarily mean that everything will be well for everyone. Just like not everything will be unwell for everybody.
SINCE WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO US IN THE YEAR AHEAD, we should commit our year, our journey, our days in the hands of God (Psalms 37:5).
Therefore before entering into anything new, a new job, school, home or anything, start with God before anything else, if you call God for what you are about to start, He surely will walk with you every step of the way. Even along the way, if you have dedicated the entire year to God, whatever will come to you, you will go to God and talk to him about it.
Here are 3 reasons why you should pray for the year ahead;
1. PROSPERITY AND SUCCESS
(you do not know how you would behave if success surprises you).
Gen 24:1-8, 12, 15, 23-27.
Generally, in the biblical language, in this story, Abraham Represents God, Isaac his son represents Christ, Rebecca his bride represents church while Eliezer represents the Holy Spirit who prepared the bride to present her to her groom.
However that is not the illustration I want to use today, I rather want us to study the journey of Eliezer and see key points of how we should consider our journey.
Know God personally
Verse 7; Abraham lays down the evidence of his God and where God had taken him from. This is very important as a Christian, you should know God on your own, you should have your personal evidence. In this journey, you should know your own God that has saved you from your sins. You should have evidence that you have Jesus in your life as your Lord and saviour. Not just the collective Lord that they always talk about in church. This God that has given you salvation, this God that has forgiven you, will accompany you in your journey/plans, call upon him when you start a job when you start a family. Tell him that you have no idea what will happen to you in 2022 and therefore you need him.
Under no circumstances should you go back
Verse 6 and 8; Maybe you will not get what you are looking for in this year, that you are not a reason/excuse to go back to your old wicked ways. If you get what you want or not, do not go back to your sins. If you become a success, kneel and thank God who has got you there.
SUCCESS
How would you behave if by chance you are blessed this year? How would you behave if what you are praying for you comes to life? Do you know yourself in times of success?
Pray for your success, because we do not only change when bad things come, blessings changes us too.
People get married and stop coming to church. People get pregnant and continue to work at offices but stop serving in the church. People give birth and stop fellowship. People get jobs and will say that they are now busy and have no time for God anymore. They do not have time to pray or read the Bible.
Pray that the blessings, the answers to your prayers will not destroy you. Be honest and tell God, I only know myself up to now but I have no idea how I would behave in success, so come help me.
Deuteronomy 6:12-14, 17-18
If you become successful do not turn away from God and boast. Eliezer’s journey was successful and knelt and praised God (Gen 24:26) Daniel praised God even after saving all the intelligent people of the nation. After the king had dreamt the dreams and forgotten them, he was almost killing all his servants, Daniel get the revelation but he didn’t stop praying. (Daniel 2)
Why should God bless you and lose you?
You know, you might never say with your mouth that you have turned your back from God, but your attitude and your behaviour will show it.
Sometimes the devil tempts you with pain and failure and some other time he tempts you with success.
Be careful. Don’t let success blind you. There are circumstances that money, people and fame cannot save you and only God will save you. If God answers your prayers, He still wants you close to him.
Do not deceive yourself that the success you have got is entirely deserved. Some husbands/wives who have failed in marriage are better than you by any measure. Some children who didn’t make it to school were better than you. Do not boast, you received some grace and chance.
Do not let the blessings God has given you become a reason to despise Him.
2. FAILURE AND TROUBLE
(You do not know how you would behave if trouble surprised you)
Deuteronomy 17:1-4.
When Israelites lacked water they misbehaved. How do you behave when you lack something you wanted? what if you lose your beloved one?
In our time of lack, we tend to create our shortcuts. Esau lacked food and sold his birthright. Joseph lost everything and continued to lean on God.
I wish your prayers get answered this year, but if you don’t get it or it delays, do not turn to wickedness to get what you want.
Ahab wanted the garden so much that he killed Naboth. So many people in prison today, are there because they wanted something and when they did not get it, they chose to steal or kill or do something to get it in the wrong way. Not everyone in Prison is guilty, but maybe someone lacked something and ended up creating a case for them and they went to prison just because someone somewhere wanted something.
During this covid time, so many people gave on going to churches. So many people make mistakes even fatal mistakes because they lack something. Just because you feel lonely and lack love, you shouldn’t throw yourself to anyone. Just because you didn’t get the promotion you wanted, you should not start talking ill of your colleagues and your boss.
Your lack should not be an excuse for your sins. Pray to God and tell him “Lord please hold me in my times of trouble that I may not turn away from you”
Let us not pump ourselves that everything is gonna be alright this year. Not everything was alright last year, not the previous year. Rather pray to God and say “On the days of my battles and trouble, teach my hands to fight, teach my heart to be strong” (Psalms 18:34) Be honest and pray, commit your journey to God and tell him, whether I get sick or healthy, whether in joy or sorrow, no matter what happens this year, please help to stay close to you, help me not to turn into my sins.
3. CHOICES
(the situations that will surprise you and you have to make choices)
Joshuah 7:19-21 & 25
Achan made a decision that affected all Israelites. There are decisions we make in our lives and they affect us and the people around us negatively. Husbands make decisions that affect their families so are the wives. Children make decisions that end up affecting their siblings and parents.
we should be careful how to make choices. Even on our good days, we can make bad choices. Pray to God that He will help you make good choices.
Situations will come to you and will demand that you make decisions, pray to God that you will make good decisions. Some things will come to you when you have a right to say No, be careful what you decide. Be watchful not to speak where you are supposed to be silent and vice versa.
Decisions belong to us, a disciple of Jesus is called to make decisions, right decisions that they will stand on no matter what, even when your pastor is not around to see.
Temptations to make wrong choices come to everyone, pray to God that He will help your make the right ones.
And if you make bad choices, come to God, confess to Him for He is faithful to forgive you and he will cleanse you. God’s grace is sufficient, his mercies are new every morning.
At your workplace, don’t be part of those who make decisions that bring trouble to everyone else. Work with your heart, work hard for your boss and his development, God in heaven sees your efforts and will reward you at the right time. If you go to school, do your best, do not be part of those who are always rebellious.
If you make good decisions, you will reap good fruits and yours will benefit.
