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How To Prepare For A Most Fruitful And Successful New Year
by Ngozi Nwoke Do you desire a better new year? Every New Year comes with new things attached to it, both challenges and success. But if you desire to see more of success then you need to earnestly prepare for it. A wise man said, "Failing to prepare is preparing to fail". This article talks about an important aspect of preparing for a fruitful and successful New Year. 'Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.' - Jeremiah 33:3 (NKJV) Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him - 1 John 5:14-15 (NKJV) How you start this year will, to a great extent, determine how you will end it, and what you do with the first month of the year will determine what you will get by the end of the year. It's all about foundation. If the foundation is faulty what can the righteous do? - Psalm 11:3 Every product is best fixed by the manufacturer, so also a new year is best fixed by the creator. Therefore to have a most fruitful and successful year, you need to consult the Almighty God through prayer and fasting. Leaving the year to chance is an invitation to the enemy to do with you as he likes. God says you should commit your ways to Him, trust also in Him and He will bring it to pass - Psalm 37:5. It is great wisdom to commit the year into the hands of God in prayer so that He will bring it to pass. God, being the Alpha and the Omega, knows the end from the very beginning and so is in the best position to guide and direct you throughout the year, but not without your permission. It is through prayer that you give God the permission to guide and direct you. And because it is for the whole year, it is very important that you set out some time to seek God's face concerning the year. And it's best when you couple your prayers with fasting. Fasting certainly doesn't change God but it does prepare you to hear and receive more clearly and accurately all that God has for you. Allow the Holy Spirit to direct you on how long you should fast. When you prepare spiritually, you conquer physically. Taking charge of the year spiritually at the beginning gives you rest throughout the rest of the year. In prayer, you fortify yourself, family, business, career, finances, health, and relationships against any assaults of the devil. The scriptures didn't say the enemy won't gather against you but that all that gather against you shall fall for your sake (Isaiah 54:15), and this is fulfilled when you are well guarded spiritually. In prayer, you receive what to do to enjoy a fruitful and successful year, and also the steps to take in order to achieve it. God is a God of details and if you will wait on Him in prayer and fasting, He will deliver the nitty-gritty of the year to you. Don't be in hurry; wait to conquer the year on your knees. Call on God and He will show you great and mighty things you don't know about the year - Jeremiah 33:3. Furthermore, when you pray according to the will of God, He hears you and if you know he hears you, then whatever you ask you know that you have the petitions that you asked of Him - 1 John 5:14-15 When you are sure of what to expect for the year and you see the otherwise, you will not accept it. You would stand your ground and demand for what is yours as God had shown you. But if you are not sure you will accept it as your lot when it is only the devil trying to steal from you. Spiritual preparation is not something that you should overlook because the physical realm is totally controlled by the spiritual realm. When you win in the spiritual realm, you have won in the physical realm. Christ and the apostles all needed to pray and fast; waiting on God before fully commencing their assignments. They did great exploits, the kind of success that is still speaking till today. Christ fasted for forty days and forty nights before beginning His Galilean ministry. The devil tempted him from all angles: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life, but He defeated him in all areas (Matthew 4:1-11). Afterwards the bible recorded in Luke 4:14-15, that Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out throughout the entire region and He was glorified by all. Also, after Christ's ascension, the apostles and the other disciples all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication in the upper room (Acts 1:12-14) till the day of Pentecost. They were filled with the Holy Ghost and Peter who denied Christ before a little maid, preached to multitude and three thousand people gave their lives to Jesus. And afterwards the apostles did many more exploits for Christ - Acts 2:1-47. You need to be empowered by the Holy Spirit for you to experience a most fruitful and successful year. And prayer and fasting will secure it for you. What do you desire for this New Year? You can have it even beyond your expectation (Ephesians 3:20), if you are ready to pay the price of fasting and praying for some time. Your future this year is in your hands, choose well and you will celebrate this year. Ngozi Nwoke is a teacher, speaker, counselor and author of "Peace Money Can't Buy" and "The Man Jesus: What You Need to Know About Christ". She has a passion to teach people how to enjoy peace, God's love, and Christian living for a more fulfilling life. Want a more fulfilling life? Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |