A blessed New Year to you, dear reader! It's always good to start the year right, and I'd like to share with you the best way to do that – by praying.
Pray the New Year In
Prayer is the most inexpensive but most potent thing we can ever do if we want to usher in a great New Year for ourselves. No, there's no magic here. But there's a sincere longing to seek the heart of God almighty, who actually wants us to let Him be involved in our lives.
The man after God's own heart said in Psalm 145:17-18 that,
"The Lord is righteous in all His ways and loving in all His works. The Lord is near to all those who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth."
If we want to experience all the righteousness of God and His loving works, we should call upon Him in truth: We must pray.
Pray to Align Yourself With God
Prayer is not a monologue where we just throw up to heaven all of our petitions and then wait for His Answer to arrive. No, prayer is a two-way communication that allows us to listen to God more than we speak to Him. When we pray, we seek the heart of God.
You don't need a degree in theology, nor need a minister to lay his hands on you for God to hear your prayers. God knows the words that we want to say even before they reach our lips (see Psalm 139:4). He hears the slightest and faintest whispers we make (see Psalm 38:9). What matters is that we pray and seek Him with all that we have.
"Then you shall call upon Me, and you shall come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You shall seek Me and find Me, when you shall search for Me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:12-13)
After seeking God's heart, here are some more things we should pray for.
1. Pray for God's Will to Be Done to All the Earth Including You
The Lord Jesus Himself taught His disciples that when they pray, they should pray directly to the Father to ask Him to let His will be done.
"Therefore pray in this manner: Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come; Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:9-10)
When you pray, don't just ask God for your needs. First ask Him to let His will be done on earth and in your life.
2. Pray for Your Needs
Next, Jesus told His disciples to ask God,
"Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." (Matthew 6:11-12)
While we must always put God's desires and will before our needs, we must never forget that He is our provider and forgiver. He is the one who provides our needs, and forgives our sins, healing us. Let's not forget that.
3. Pray Declaring God's Sovereign Power Over Everything
After this, Jesus said we must ask God to "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil" because "Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." (Matthew 6:13)
We will surely face challenges this year, but we must never lose sight of the fact that God is the one who reigns Supreme over all. He is our Deliverer, our Fortress, our Shield, our Refuge, our Strong Tower, and the One who hides us under the shadow of His wings. Let's pray that He'd keep us from sinning.
4.Get Ready for the Move of God This Year
Dear reader, I encourage you to pray. Pray for yourself, your family, your friends, everybody including those who hurt you. Pray to seek God's heart. Pray to have the heart of God. Pray to see God's move this year. Pray in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18). Pray with your understanding (1 Corinthians 14:15). Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)!
