What is on top of your priority list for this New Year? How do you intend to start the year? The beginning of a thing has a tremendous influence on the ending of that thing. As such, how you start this year will determine how you will end the year. This article tells you what you would need to do in the beginning of this year to sail through successfully and end the year with great blessings.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it - John 1:1-5 (NKJV).

It is good to start the New Year on a good footing or foundation if you desire to experience the blessings of God all through this year. Psalm 11:3 says, "If the foundations be destroyed what can the righteous do?" If you don't lay a solid foundation now, the year may be challenging more than you can manage. A right beginning will release the wisdom, knowledge and understanding (Ephesians 1:17-18) that you need to go through all the days of the year victoriously.

The scriptures in John 1:1-5 give us the building blocks for a solid foundation for a New Year. These include:

The word of God should come first in your life

The world started with the word of God. All we see created by God came from the word of the Lord (Hebrews 11:3) and they are still standing and obeying the laws governing their creation (Jeremiah 33:20-21). Therefore studying the scriptures and laying them in your heart and practicing them will cause the word of the Almighty to be made manifest in your life throughout the year. Start everyday with feeding your spirit man with word of God and you will see the day starting and ending for your good (Romans 8:28).

Jesus must be given the first place all the time

Jesus is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). Therefore, following Christ and obeying all His instructions will give you access to the right way, the truth and the life you need for the year. In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus invites you to come and learn from Him and take rest in Him, for His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Therefore, consider what Jesus would do in a situation before you act. The word of God describes very well how Jesus would act in any situation.

All things were made by Jesus Christ.

Everything about this year has already being made by Christ. He knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10) and has ordained certain things for you this year (Jeremiah 29:11). However, it takes your going on His own way for you to arrive at the destination He has mapped out for you. Choose to follow the Lord's way and you will enjoy every blessing He has ordained for you throughout the year.

Life is only in Christ

Many people want to enjoy life this year; however any enjoyment without Christ is not life because life is only in Christ. Any other means of life is fake, very temporary and will have grave consequences afterwards. Jesus came to give us life and that in abundance (John 10:10). Therefore, if you want to enjoy life all through this year then you must embrace Jesus Christ all the way. And this life starts with you giving your life or re-dedicating it to Jesus, accepting Him as your personal Lord and Saviour if you have not done so (John 3:3, 6; Romans 10:9-10)

The life of Jesus gives rise to light

The earth is covered with darkness and deep darkness the people. But the Lord will arise on you and His light will come upon you (Isaiah 60:2). The life of Jesus lights you up and enables you to see in the midst of the darkness. It makes you the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). It enables you to see the way of the Lord for you to go on it. This light also connotes revelations in God's word. You gain access to the deep things of God and understanding of them.

Light gives dominion over darkness

When you walk in this light you gain mastery over darkness. The light of Christ in you will confound the enemy and they will not be able to perform their enterprise against you (Job 5:12).

Your footsteps are enlarged so that you don't fall into the traps of the enemy (Psalm 18:36). Also you receive the wisdom which your enemies cannot gainsay nor resist (Luke 21:15). The light you get from God's word enables you to exercise maximum dominion over the devices of the enemy.

In conclusion, God has great plans for you this year but it takes taking Jesus into the boat of your life (Matthew 14:32-33) all through this year for you to enjoy peace, rest, success, victory and all the blessings He had ordained for you. Arise and run with Christ and you will win the prize. Be blessed.

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?