Prayer & Verses for the New Year
By: Debbie McDaniel
The New Year can bring a mixed bag of
emotions and memories for many of us. Some may have just experienced the best
year ever and look forward to an even greater one looming ahead. Others may
have just trudged through one deep struggle after another. The fresh calendar
year brings desperate hope for things to be better, with an overriding desire
for the still-fresh wounds to slowly begin their process of healing over time.
Whether you’ve just walked through
the greatest year of your life, or you’re incredibly glad to see this one
finally over, this truth still rings clear amidst it all. You are not alone. Ever. Our God is a “with us" God. On the heels of the
celebration of the birth of our King, that reminder carries us right into a
fresh, new start. He is Immanuel, God with us. And though things and people
around us shift and change, our God never changes.
A prayer for the New Year ahead:
Dear God,
Thank you that you make all things
new. Thank you for all that you have allowed into our lives this past year, the
good along with the hard things, which have reminded us how much we need you
and rely on your presence filling us every single day.
We pray for your Spirit to lead us
each step of this New Year. We ask that you will guide our decisions and turn
our hearts to deeply desire you above all else. We ask that you will open the
doors that need to be opened and close the ones that need to be shut tight. We
ask that you would help us to let go of the things you have said “no,” or “not
yet,” or “wait.” We ask that you would help us to pursue you first, above every
dream and desire you’ve put within our hearts.
We ask for your wisdom, for your
strength and power to be constantly present within us. We pray that you would
make us strong and courageous for the road ahead. We pray that you would give
us ability beyond what we feel able, and that your gifts would flow freely
through us, so that you would be honored by our lives, and others would come to
know you.
We pray that you would keep us far
from the snares and traps of temptations. That you would whisper in our ear
when we need to run, and whisper in our heart when we need to stand our ground.
We ask for your protection over our
families and friends. We ask for your hand to cover us and keep us distanced
from the evil intent of the enemy. We ask that you would be a barrier to
surround us, and you would keep us safe in your hands. We pray that you would
give us discernment and insight beyond our years, to understand your will, hear
your voice, and know your ways.
We ask that you would keep our
footsteps firm, on solid ground, helping us to be consistent and faithful. Give
us supernatural endurance to stay the course, not swerving to the right or to
the left, or being too easily distracted by other things that would seek to
call us away from a close walk with you.
Forgive us for the times we have
worked so hard to be self-sufficient, forgetting our need for you, living
independent of your spirit. Forgive us for letting fear and worry control our
minds, and for allowing pride and selfishness wreak havoc over our lives.
Forgive us for not following your ways and for living distant from your
presence.
We confess our need for
you…fresh…new…again. We ask that you make all things new, in our hearts, in our
minds, in our lives, for this coming year. We pray for your refreshing over us.
Keep your words of truth planted firm
within us, help us to keep focused on what is pure and right, give us the power
to be obedient to your word. And when the enemy reminds us where we have been,
hissing his lies and attacks our way, we trust that your voice speaks louder
and stronger, as you remind us we are safe with you and your purposes and plans
will not fail. We ask that you will be our defense and rear guard, keeping our
way clear, removing the obstacles, and covering the pitfalls. Lord, lead us on
your level ground.
We ask that you would provide for our
needs, we ask for your grace and favor. We pray for your blessings to cover us,
we pray that you would help us to prosper and make every plan that you have
birthed in our heart to succeed. We pray that others would take notice of your
goodness and could not help but to say, “These are the ones that the Lord has
blessed.”
Help us to be known as great givers,
help us to be generous and kind, help us to look to the needs of others and not
be consumed by only our own.
May we be lovers of truth, may the
fruits of your spirit be evident in our lives - your love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Shine your light in us, through us,
over us. May we make a difference in this world, for your glory and purposes. Set you way before us. May all your plans succeed. We may reflect your peace and hope to a world that
so desperately needs your presence and healing.
To you be glory and honor, in this
New Year 2015, and forever.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
7 Verses of Hope for the Coming Year:
“And he who was seated on the throne
said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for
these words are trustworthy and true” (Revelation 21:5)
“The steadfast love of the LORD never
ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is
your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23)
“Remember not the former things, nor
consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs
forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers
in the desert” (Isaiah 43:18-19)
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,
he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
“Brothers, I do not consider that I
have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and
straining forward to what lies ahead” (Philippians 3:13)
“Therefore repent and return, so that
your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from
the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19)
“For I know the plans I have for you,
declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and
a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11)