The beginning of a new year is an opportunity for Christians to check and balance their relationship with the LORD. It is time to seek GOD’s face for a new improved design of another fruitful year.
Today’s message elaborates steps to take in the early part of a new year to gain fruitfulness.
12 Steps to Take as You Start a New Year
1. Give thanks to the LORD for last year and appreciate Him for the new one.
2. Highlight the achievement and shortfalls of last year for better planning.
3. List and present your wonderful wishes for the new year to the LORD.
Proverbs chapter 13 verse 16: “Every prudent man acts with knowledge, but a fool lays open his folly.”
4. Forgive yourself and everyone that offended you.
5. Do a spiritual audit of your life using the scriptures.
6. I recommend the first 7 days of the new year for intensive prayers to seek GOD’s face and to know HIS plan for your life.
First Chronicles chapter 16 verse 11 to 12: “Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face evermore! Remember His marvellous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth.
7. List every response from the LORD.
8. Don’t be afraid if you hear nothing after 7 days, the Holy Spirit would communicate as you obey the word of GOD.
9. Sustain your Bible reading plan for the year.
Hebrew chapter 4 verse 12: “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
10. Make a list of Bible verses that would improve your spiritual. life.
11. Itemize the things that negatively affect your financials the previous year and seek help to avoid its repetition.
12. Every action that hampered your performance last year must not be repeated in the new year.
7 Bible verses that Helps for a Good Start!
1. Choose to strictly follow GOD
“When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Mark 8:34)
2. Put Faith in the LORD and not in the Money
“So, Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20)
3. Be Hopeful for a better year
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
4. Look to the LORD and not to any person
“I will lift up my eyes to the hills-From whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1-2)
5. Don’t worry about the unknown in the new year
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
6. Don’t dwell in your last year shortfalls
“Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:18-19)
7. The determinant of a wonderful year is your choice
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:33-34)
A Guide on a New Year Plan
It goes beyond a thoughtful posture on your couch, so a pen and a paper (or iPad) is essential for a good planning. Many points to write are not limited to the following:
1. Important new decisions to make for the year.
2. Your financial goals and how to achieve them.
3. How to improve your spiritual relationship with the LORD.
4. Mistakes of last year and its corrections for this year.
5. The aspect of your life that needs to change and how to get it done.
6. How you want to be a source of blessings to the poor.
7. Things to do to make the new year better than last year.
8. Identifying the time-wasters of your life and how to curb them.
9. Additional steps to take to improve the bond of your family.
10. How to contribute to the great mission of evangelism.
When you list your points, then you would have the confidence and assurance that the new year would be a great one for you. Present your points to the LORD for guidance and approval. I tried this every year and it works well for me.
A fruitful new year starts with intensive personal planning, presenting the plans to the LORD who has the power of fulfilment and obedience to the guidance of the LORD as the events unfolds every day. I pray that the LORD would make you enjoy this year in a spectacular form in Jesus name.
