Messages For A New Year: 8.Seven New Year Prayers - Zac Poonen
Summary
The speaker encourages listeners to replace New Year's resolutions with New Year's prayers, focusing on developing the habit of keeping the Lord always before them. Drawing from Psalm 16, he emphasizes that this practice, like learning to swim, requires consistent effort to become second nature. Developing this habit allows one to navigate temptation and decision-making by constantly keeping God's presence in mind.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
From New Year resolutions to New Year prayersInstead of making human resolutions that quickly fail, believers should make New Year prayers, asking the Lord for help to practice biblical commands that apply at all times.
1. Always set the Lord before your faceJust as Jesus set the Father always in his presence so he would not be shaken, believers should develop the habit of recognizing God's presence in every situation and temptation.
2. Always maintain a blameless conscienceFollowing the example of Paul, who did his best to always maintain a clear conscience before God and men, believers must promptly confess faults and make restitution where they have wronged others.
3. Pray always and depend on God completelyPraying always means living in constant dependence on God and cutting off all self-confidence in the flesh, much like breathing effortlessly or practicing spiritual circumcision.Luke 18:1
4. Rejoice in the Lord alwaysBelievers can spontaneously rejoice in every circumstance because God causes all things to work together for good for those who love Him and seek to be conformed to Christ.Philippians 4:4
5. Always bear about the dying of JesusWalking in the daily cross means consistently dying to our own will whenever it crosses God's will, refusing to feel sorry for ourselves or seek sympathy for our trials.2 Corinthians 4:10
6. Let your speech always be with graceJust as food instantly reveals whether it has salt, a believer's speech should continually demonstrate the grace of God in everyday interactions with family and others.Colossians 4:6
7. Always abound in the work of the LordBelievers should drop excuses, remember Christ's sacrifice, and eagerly dedicate their time, energy, and resources to serving Him wholeheartedly.1 Corinthians 15:58
Summary of the Seven New Year PrayersThe speaker reviews all seven practical prayers on screen and closes with a prayer asking God for grace to make real progress in these areas over the coming year.
