HAPPY New Year!
Before you, is a glorious new beginning! Have you consulted the Holy Spirit to find out what He wants you to know about the race set before you in the new year? If you make the decision now to yield to the Holy Spirit’s direction at every turn, He will take you where you never could have gone by yourself!
As we step into 2026, God is calling us to embrace a powerful truth: to move forward in faith, we must stop looking back. At the start of every new year, we naturally desire progress. Whether in our physical health, relationships, careers, or spiritual lives, there’s an innate longing to move forward. As believers, we especially hunger for more of God’s presence, power, and purpose in our lives. Scripture reminds us in Jeremiah 29:13, You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
This divine promise sets the foundation for our spiritual journey in 2026, encouraging us to pursue more of God’s presence and power.
Typically, we celebrate the beginning of a new year. We stay up late and count it down. Why do we do this? We are celebrating a new beginning. Life as we know it goes on, but personally, I cannot help but think of a new beginning. This is a time of reflection and resolve to make some needed changes, both physically and spiritually.
Throughout the Bible we find new beginnings. We also find God forgiving and starting over with a clean slate.
Exodus 12:2, “This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.” As Israel prepared to EXODUS Egypt, the LORD declared that it would be the beginning of a new year for them.
Apostle Paul gives us wise counsel about the importance of looking forward and forgetting the past. At times we waste a lot of time regretting about things or goals that we failed to fulfil:
“forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto the things which are before” (Philippians 3:13).
Rather than focus on things of the past that no longer have relevance in your life, it’s time for you to “reach forth” unto those things that are before you. The words “reach forth” are translated from the Greek word epikteinomai, and it pictures a runner in a race — running with every ounce of strength he can muster to get around that final bend in the stadium one last time and finish as the winner! His whole body and eyes are fastened on that goal as he leans forward and runs with all his might to break through that finish line.
The Holy Spirit wants to divinely energize you to run your race in the new year with your eyes and your whole being fixed on the goal. It may be challenging, but if you’ll surrender to the Holy Spirit’s control, He’ll take you where you never could have gone by yourself.
When you remain focused on your past mistakes, things that you didn’t do well or failed to accomplish, you will never progress. This behavior inevitably leads to getting trapped in the past; becoming paralyzed for the future; remaining stuck in neutral; limiting our imagination for God’s possibilities.
There was a powerful moment in Israel’s history during the time of Haggai when the returned exiles were rebuilding the temple. The first temple, built by King Solomon, had been a magnificent structure covered in gold and adorned with splendor. It symbolized God’s glory among His people.
However, when the people rebuilt the second temple after returning from exile, many who remembered Solomon’s temple wept. The new structure seemed small and unimpressive in comparison. They kept saying: “It’s not the same”; “It’s not as good”; “It’s not as glorious”. But God spoke through the prophet Haggai with a remarkable promise: The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house.
The message is clear: God’s best is ahead, not behind. God has called us to live for today, not to idolize the victories of yesterday. We are called to walk forward with faith, not sit around and reminisce about the past. Remember: You can learn from the past, but you can’t live there. God is doing a new thing, and His future glory will exceed anything you’ve seen before.
You and I were created to have dominion on this planet. As children of God we have to walk in dominion. Some of us fail to live in dominion. Solomon illustrates this point very well in the book of Ecclesiastes 10:7, “I have seen slaves on horseback while kings go on foot like slaves”.
“I have said you are gods, you are all sons of the Most High. But you will die like mere men” (Psalm 82:6). This is talking to ALL believers hence the expression” you are ALL sons.”
Remember the power that raised Jesus from the dead is the same power that resides within you (Romans 8:11) and that you also have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). You are well equipped to do and fulfill God’s plans and purposes for your life. The key issue is to ensure that Christ remains the center of all your plans. Those who build the house without the Lord, labor in vain. When you become conscious of your true identity in Christ, you begin to realize that you can go beyond the sky.
As we start the year, most of us have come up with “new year resolutions”, churches have already proclaimed themes for the year- This is the Year of Supernatural Abundance or The Year of Favor, or breakthroughs. Some have already declared a twenty or forty-day fast.
While there is nothing wrong with all these practices in general, we should realize that, that alone will not produce the results that one may be looking for in 2026. There is more to achieving results besides having themes and resolutions. This is why by the second month some will already have abandoned those resolutions.
I also know most people are currently fasting during this month of January so that God moves on their behalf. Firstly, you and I cannot move God. God is not stuck. It’s religion and tradition that make people believe that we can move God. God has already given us all things that pertain to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). However, this only applies according to the knowledge we have of Him. Faith is our move to appropriate what God has already given us.
Fasting is very good however, you have to be very clear about why you are fasting. Don’t just be religious. When we fast we are ensuring that our hearts are aligned with God’s plans and purposes for our lives. We also fast to draw closer to God, seek guidance, develop self-control, show repentance. Fasting helps to focus the mind, discipline the body, and strengthen the spirit, serving as both a personal discipline and a communal act of worship and sacrifice.
Unfortunately, some of us fast because we think this is the only way God can love us and have mercy on us. Nothing could be further from the truth. God loved you and I while we were still neck-deep in sin (Romans 5:8). There is nothing that you and I can do for God to love us more. God’s love for us is not determined by our behavior. He loves us because He is love. Jesus died for the whole world. However, sin has consequences. We should never abuse God’s love for us. We will bear the consequences of our sin. Sin opens the door for the enemy to terrorize you.
So beloved, when we fast let us be very clear about our objectives lest we end up having a “Hunger Strike” when we think we are fasting. Your fasting should not just be ritualistic driven by religion and tradition.
Finally, may 2026, be the best year you and I have ever known in our life thus far. I pray that the Holy Spirit will energize us and help us run our race better than we have ever run it before. I pray against any distractions or obstacles.