This week's prayer is offered by
Mrs. Nicole English
Member of the Governing Board of Director
FOCUSED Ministries, Inc.
I admit that I haven’t yet acquired the absolute fullness that I’m pursuing, but I run with passion into his abundance so that I may reach the purpose for which Christ Jesus laid hold of me to make me his own. I don’t depend on my own strength to accomplish this; however I do have one compelling focus: I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead. I run straight for the divine invitation of reaching the heavenly goal and gaining the victory-prize through the anointing of Jesus (Philippians 3:12-14 TPT).
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way (Psalms 37:23 NKJV).
The first scripture was written by the Apostle Paul, the second by David. Both men were mighty men of God, and yet, they experienced highs and lows, successes and failures in their lives. We have completed 2022 and, like Paul and David, some parts of the year were successful and others may not have been. Let’s shift our focus from last year. Let’s not focus on the things that didn’t go well or the mistakes that were made. Of course, the cliche “learn from your mistakes” seems logical, especially when trying to improve or break bad habits. But, instead of learning from mistakes, let’s try learning from God. Once we repent, God forgets about our sins (Hebrews 8:12), so if God forgets our mistakes, why should we try to “learn” from them. Also, paying too much attention to mistakes brings guilt and shame, both things that Jesus freed us from when He died on the cross.
Alternatively, don’t focus too much on the highs from 2022. It’s easy and tempting to focus on the successes, after all, we've accomplished something great! But God has plans for our future (Jeremiah 29:11) and He wants to keep moving us forward–He is ordering our steps like David says and He’s delighted to do so! God wants to do a new thing in our lives (Isaiah 43:19). Let’s expect Him to continually bless our lives and our families! So, be happy and thankful for God's blessings, but also focused on the future that God has for us.
Prayer for the New Year!
Father God, thank You for Your blessings and protection over our lives in 2022! We thank You for bringing us to the end of one year and to the start of another. We praise You for showing us mercy and giving us Your grace! Holy Spirit, bring repentance where it’s needed. Help us to forget past mistakes. Give us a renewed mind free from guilt and condemnation. Holy Spirit, help us to learn from the Word of God and increase our knowledge and wisdom of Jesus. Order our steps, God! And, Jesus, empower us and give us the strength to live according to Your will. Help us to become all that You have called us to be. Where there are questions about the future, we will seek You first for all answers, for there are no mistakes when we entrust our futures to You! Surround us with Your favor, as shield and keep Your hand of protection upon us. Rain down blessing upon us in every area of our lives, in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen!
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