Embracing New Opportunities: A Year of Expectation

Devotional

Day 1: Embrace the Newness of God's Work

As we enter a new year, it's essential to let go of past burdens and embrace the new opportunities God is presenting. This involves shedding old habits and mindsets to make room for the new things God wants to do in our lives. The metaphor of putting on new spiritual garments, much like the excitement of wearing new clothes on the first day of school, serves as a reminder to approach the new year with anticipation and readiness for God's work. By letting go of past mistakes and even past blessings that have become monuments, we open ourselves to the new and greater things God has in store. [12:28]

Isaiah 42:9 (ESV): "Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them."

Reflection: What old habits or mindsets do you need to shed to make room for the new things God wants to do in your life this year?

Day 2: Anticipate God's Unexpected Gifts

God delights in surprising us with unexpected blessings, often referred to as "pop-up blessings." These can come in various forms, from material gifts to spiritual breakthroughs. By maintaining an attitude of expectation, we open ourselves to receive these blessings. It's important to remember that these blessings are not just material but also spiritual, such as peace, joy, and new opportunities. Living with an expectation of God's continuous blessings allows us to experience His goodness in ways we might not have imagined. [27:57]

Ephesians 3:20 (ESV): "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us."

Reflection: How can you cultivate an attitude of expectation to be open to the unexpected blessings God may have for you today?

Day 3: Release the Past to Embrace the Future

Holding onto past mistakes or even past victories can hinder our progress. God calls us to forget the former things and not dwell on the past, allowing us to move forward into the new things He has planned. By releasing grudges and past achievements, we make room for new blessings and opportunities. This act of letting go is not just about forgetting but also about forgiving and moving forward with a clean slate, ready to embrace what God has in store for us. [14:55]

Philippians 3:13-14 (ESV): "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, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Reflection: What past mistake or victory are you holding onto that you need to release to move forward with God’s plans for your life?

Day 4: Seek Divine Guidance in Life's Journey

Just as we need glasses to see clearly, we need God's guidance to navigate life's challenges. He promises to make a way in the wilderness and provide direction when we feel lost. Trusting in His guidance leads us to the right paths and helps us navigate the complexities of life. By seeking spiritual guidance, we align ourselves with God's will and open ourselves to His wisdom and direction, ensuring that we are walking in the paths He has set before us. [34:15]

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV): "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to seek God's guidance today, and how can you actively listen for His direction?

Day 5: Live with Expectation of God's Promises

Our expectations shape our experiences. By waking up each day with the expectation that God will do something new, we align ourselves with His promises and open the door for His blessings to manifest in our lives. This mindset encourages us to live courageously, trusting that God will guide us through every challenge and bless us in ways we cannot yet imagine. By living with expectation, we position ourselves to receive the fullness of what God has planned for us. [21:17]

Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV): "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Reflection: How can you start each day with the expectation that God will do something new in your life, and what steps can you take to align yourself with His promises?

Sermon Summary

In this message, I explore the theme of "The Year of New Opportunities," drawing from Isaiah 43:18-19, which encourages us to forget the former things and embrace the new things God is doing. As we step into a new year, it's crucial to let go of past burdens, whether they are mistakes or even past blessings that we have turned into monuments. God is calling us to expect new and greater things, to put on new garments of righteousness, and to walk with an expectation of His continuous blessings.

Reflecting on the past, I shared how many of us were excited about the first day of school because it was an opportunity to wear new clothes. This serves as a metaphor for how we should approach the new year—by putting on new spiritual garments and expecting God to do new things in our lives. Just as we prepared for the first day of school with anticipation, we should prepare for the new year with a sense of expectation and readiness for what God will do.

I also emphasized the importance of forgetting past wrongs and even past victories to make room for new blessings. Holding onto grudges or past achievements can hinder us from moving forward. God wants us to experience "pop-up blessings," unexpected gifts that come when we least expect them. These blessings are not just material but also spiritual, such as peace, joy, and new opportunities.

Moreover, I highlighted the need for spiritual guidance, likening it to needing glasses to see clearly. Just as we rely on guidance counselors in school, we need God's guidance to navigate the complexities of life. He promises to make a way in the wilderness and provide rivers in the desert, symbolizing His ability to create paths where there seem to be none.

As we embrace this year of new opportunities, let's remain open to how God chooses to bless us. Let's not limit Him by our expectations but trust that He will do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think. This year, let's live courageously, expecting God to guide us through every challenge and bless us in ways we cannot yet imagine.

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Key Takeaways

1. Up Blessings:** God delights in surprising us with unexpected blessings. These "pop-up blessings" can come in various forms, from material gifts to spiritual breakthroughs. By maintaining an attitude of expectation, we open ourselves to receive these blessings. [27:57]
3. Forget the Past: Holding onto past mistakes or even past victories can hinder our progress. God calls us to forget the former things and not dwell on the past, allowing us to move forward into the new things He has planned.

4. Seek Spiritual Guidance: Just as we need glasses to see clearly, we need God's guidance to navigate life's challenges. He promises to make a way in the wilderness and provide direction when we feel lost. Trusting in His guidance leads us to the right paths.

5. Live with Expectation: Our expectations shape our experiences. By waking up each day with the expectation that God will do something new, we align ourselves with His promises and open the door for His blessings to manifest in our lives. [27:57]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[04:28] - Reflecting on School Days
[07:57] - The Excitement of New Beginnings
[12:28] - Letting Go of the Past
[14:55] - Forgetting and Forgiving
[17:35] - Expecting Greater Things
[21:17] - Consistency in Relationships
[25:22] - Pop-Up Blessings
[27:57] - Adult Blessings
[32:01] - New Mercies Every Morning
[34:15] - Spiritual Guidance
[37:13] - God Makes a Way
[40:08] - Closing Prayer and Invitation

Sermon Clips

"Behold, watch this, I, God speaking, will do a new thing. I will do a new thing. Now it shall spring forth. Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the deserts. Amen. You may be seated." [00:02:14] (24 seconds)

"I'm trying to help y 'all. Y 'all better catch me. I'm going to take off the garment of old last year and put something on this year because I am expecting God to do some great and some wonderful things. And I don't know about you, but in 2025, I'm letting go of depression, of anxiety, of anger, of bitterness, and put on the new stuff because I'm expecting God to do some new things in my life. Huh? You're going into a new year, and you got to sit there and say, what happened last year can't come with me into this year." [00:08:48] (39 seconds)

"Because please understand this, dear brothers and sisters, as we study the scripture, it's important to recognize that moving forward is something God continuously tried to do for his people. He continuously tried to move them from grade to grade, from class to class, from new life to new life, dear brothers and sisters. And when it came to Abraham, he tried to get him to move past the inability, the inability to have children." [00:12:33] (23 seconds)

"And dear brothers and sisters, some of you all, your memory is too good. Come on. You're holding on to stuff that God is sitting there saying, I need you to forget some stuff. Ah! Ah! Some of you need to do some spiritual spring cleaning in January. Come on, because you know spring cleaning, especially back when we was growing up, you was getting rid of clothes and stuff that you no longer wear or no longer needed. Woo!" [00:13:20] (30 seconds)

"Because watch this. God was trying to get them to move past. It says in Micah 7 and 19, you will again have compassion on us when you tread our sins under your foot and hurl our iniquities into the depths of the sea. So here Micah is sitting there saying, even God. Hmm. even God is willing to throw your sins in the sea of forgetfulness." [00:14:27] (28 seconds)

"And not only have you made it, now you're living in it to where you're sitting there saying, look what God has done. Instead of saying, look at what God is doing. Come on. Why is that important? I'm glad that you got your stuff 10 years ago. I'm glad you got your stuff 15 years ago. But guess what? God wants to do new things. He wants to do new things in 2025. And he's saying, if I did it those years ago, I'll do something even better now. So I need you to forget that and expect even greater things in this year." [00:17:35] (36 seconds)

"So God sits there and says that, watch this, occasionally, occasionally, occasionally, dear brothers and sisters, I will do something, a blessing that will spring forth. Meaning that God is sitting there saying, I will do pop -up, out -of -nowhere blessings. Pop -up, out -of -nowhere blessings. Come on. Why is that important? Back to... analogy. Again, when we got our clothes from school, for the most part, we didn't think about the next time we would get clothes." [00:25:50] (38 seconds)

"and God is sitting there saying in 2025 I'm not just going to give you what you need but I'm going to give you some pop up blessings some stuff that you weren't expecting but was on your list anyway so he says it's going to spring forward it's going to come out of nowhere come on you can't see your blessings if your head is always down" [00:28:34] (28 seconds)

"come on which takes us to the scripture in the book of Lamentations Lamentations chapter number 3 says this through the Lord's mercy we are not consumed because his compassion fell not y 'all don't read y 'all Bibles enough they are new when every single morning oh my gosh every morning God is sitting there saying I want to give you new mercies new hopes, new blessings and new breakthrough every single morning" [00:29:04] (33 seconds)

"even if you can't see the way forward, if you allow me to be your spiritual eyes, even though you can't see through the wilderness, I will begin to guide you through troubles. I'll guide you through trials. I'll guide you through tribulation because now you're depending on my eyes and not your eyes. How many of you need spiritual assistance in 2025 so that you can see which job to take, which man to marry, which house to get, which friend to have because God understands that you're not able to see through the wilderness, but if you allow me to help you put on some contacts or some spiritual eyes, I'll help you see." [00:36:15] (43 seconds)

"And dear brothers and sisters, when it comes to your life, God is trying to give you spiritual guidance counselors to help you make the right choices so you can get to the destination that you're trying to reach. Come on. So the Bible says this in Psalm 40 and 3. Here it's put a new song in my mouth. Praise to our God. He will put a new song in my mouth. Praise to our God. Many will see it and fear and will trust in the Lord." [00:37:13] (44 seconds)

"So as I close, dear brothers and sisters, please understand. And as we continue to move through the calendar year, continue to believe that God will give you new opportunities. And be open to how he does it. Don't watch this. Don't make a monument out of God's past victories. Continue to believe that God will do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. Amen. Come on, put your hands together. Come on, stand to your feet." [00:39:55] (37 seconds)

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