IT’S A NEW YEAR: NOW WHAT?

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

1 Peter 4:10-12 (ESV)

There is something refreshing and hopeful when we cross over to a New Year. Most of us make plans to change something that we know could use improvement. We try to get our loose ends tied up and then we set goals. If we are free people, we get to dream, and the new year brings new hope. As the year moves on, sometimes we lose sight of our goals as we get bogged down with our daily lives. Some of us may begin to face spiritual warfare on many different fronts which makes us feel like giving up on our new goals, our hopes, and our dreams.

Most of us think of setting goals as something positive and we are grateful for a fresh start. That is how we were created and guided by God to see the beginning of a new year (Rosh Hashana). Throughout Scripture, our Creator is veering his people to new beginnings. This is a fresh start to serve and please the LORD with the opportunity to change what is wrong with our lives.

In the Old Testament, God instituted the beginning of a new year for the freed Hebrew slaves, and it would begin on the first day of the first month which would commence on the Passover signified by the new moon (Exod. 12). God, however, already knew the challenges that the people would face and the harsh reality of evil forces against them. It is perhaps why he instituted a monthly renewing of goals and a time for refreshment which was also based on the new moon cycle.

God knew the warfare that we would be up against in our daily lives as human beings (Gen. 4:6-8; John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11; 1 Pet. 5:8) and for this reason after the exodus from Egypt, he outlined that he wanted his people to see the first of every month as a new start (Num. 10:10). This gave the people of Israel 12 fresh starts a year. God called on his people to celebrate each month as a new beginning by blowing the shofar in celebration with the intent of focusing on him as they came to make sacrifices and offerings to YHWH (Num. 28:11-15).

Over time, the monthly recognition of new beginnings and focusing on the God of the universe went by the wayside. We know, however, from the Old Testament that the people of Israel continued to participate in the new moon festivals and bring sacrifices, but these acts of worship became tainted as the rituals of the pagan nations surrounding them began to sneak in and the focus was no longer on the God of Israel (Is 1:13-15). Their worship had become ritualistic, and syncretism became the norm. When we just go through the motions of skimming through the Bible looking for phrases to suit our own agenda, intermingling New Age thought with our beliefs about God, or going to church on Sunday just to check off a box, we too fall into a pattern that does not glorify the kingdom of God. God wants our spirit to connect with him and him alone, not with the spirit of this age.

The power of the enemy is very real and even those of us who are aware of his tactics will, at times, fall into his many traps (complacency, disillusionment, self-pity, jealousy, falling back into unhealthy patterns, …etc.). Some professing Christians end up giving in to demonic attack and become victims of demonic oppression, which leads to anxiety, depression, and eventual destruction (Gen. 4:6-8).

God did not, however, leave us helpless. He gave us tools to overcome Satan’s destructive voice and suggestions (James 1:14-16). In this we can be victorious, when we take every thought captive to Christ (2 Cor. 10:4-6). God wants us to succeed. He wants to bless us with our health and any good and worthy pursuit that His Spirit puts on our heart and mind. It is through these pursuits, that we can glorify our God in everything that we say and do as we work toward our goals.

Most Christians do not celebrate the Jewish new year (we could begin to), but we do celebrate a new beginning with the world around us. As Christians, we have been given a gift that the ancient people of God did not have. Because of Jesus, those of us who do love the LORD, have been gifted the power of the living God residing inside of us as the Holy Spirit (John 14:12-21).

Every day is a new beginning! Each day that we wake up, we have the opportunity to thank the LORD for a fresh start and new opportunities to serve him. While those who do not know God, have other ideas of setting goals, those who love and honor the LORD with their lives can overcome the trials of this world as we take every thought captive to Christ (2 Cor. 10:4-6) and focus on bringing glory and honor to the LORD with everything that we do.

If we begin our new year with a focus on serving the way that God calls us to serve, we will thrive and produce kingdom fruit setting the tone for others around us.

To God Be The Glory, Forever!