Each person approaches the start of a new year differently. Some set goals, make resolutions, but some identify a particular word to focus on for the coming year. I am a huge goal setter, but I have never really focused on one specific word. However, as I was evaluating 2023 and looking ahead towards 2024, there was one word that kept coming to mind-BIG.
The word “BIG” is not a glamorous word. It isn’t even a word that I use often because I tend to choose more descriptive adjectives. Yet, I couldn’t get away from the word. I sensed the Lord saying, “2024 will be a BIG year for Restoration Church.” That statement can mean many things, but I want to lean into one discipline the Lord has been stirring my devotion towards.
Prayer is a spiritual discipline that should be consistently evident in the life of a Christ follower. We should be praying corporately, as the gathered body of Christ, and individually as we spend intimate time with the Lord. As we think of the discipline of prayer, I want to share a few thoughts with you that I shared with our Leadership team a few months ago.
If you read Ephesians 3:20-21 you’ll find an action step for each of us…PRAY BIG! What does this mean? I believe the text tells us three things.
The Lord is ABLE!
The Lord can do MORE than we ask for or think of!
He gets ALL the glory!
Considering these statements, I believe it leads us to a few introspective questions. Do we believe that God is able? Do we believe that God can do more? Do we believe that He deserves the glory? Many times, our prayers don’t match the answers that we give to these questions.
The stirring in my heart has been this…Lord, I believe that YOU are ABLE, and I’m trusting that YOU will, so I’m going to ask for crazy things. Let me encourage all of us to PRAY BIG, asking the Lord for things that only He could do! As we pray for these BIG things, let’s expect the Lord to answer in miraculous ways according to His will!