A brand new year is here - the perfect time for a fresh start in our lives! No matter how last year went for you, all of us have a chance to reset and experience a new level of God’s grace in this upcoming year. Whether you are a resolution setter or set in your ways, our challenge is that at the beginning of this new year, you would resolve to grow in your relationship with God.
What Do You Want From God?
I f you could ask God for anything - what would you ask Him for? Most of us have that one thing we’ve been praying for time and time again - healing for a disease, restoration in our marriage, the chance to become parents, an end to the struggles of this fallen world, or the power to say no to an addiction. Be honest with yourself - what is it that you want most from God? Your answer to this question reveals a lot about what you value most.
Lessons From David
David is one of the most famous characters from Scripture. He wrote a good portion of the Psalms throughout his life. At times, David seemed to have nothing going for him - at other times, it seems he had the world at his feet. David was an imperfect man who sinned deeply and yet persistently threw himself back at the feet of the Lord asking for forgiveness. He truly experienced the highs and lows of life - poverty and riches, lowliness and grandeur, shame and forgiveness. Having gone through all of this, he tells us exactly what he wants most from God.
“One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.” - Psalm 27:4 NIV
David, who experienced riches, power, and prestige - along with lowliness, shame, and defeat - only wanted one thing from God. To draw near to Him. May we be a people who have the same priorities. This year, may we be a people who prioritize intimacy with God.
Prioritizing Intimacy With God
One of my favorite pastors, Craig Groeschel, says that “there is no such thing as intimacy without intentionality.” In order to get close to someone, you have to make a decision and commitment to learn about and get to know them! Relationships don’t just happen. They are built over time.
If we want to get closer to God, we must prioritize our relationship with Him. But before we can do that, we must understand why we should prioritize intimacy with God. Here are three reasons why you and I should make growing closer to Jesus a priority this year!
We Are Desperate For God’s Presence
Life is often more than we can bear on our own. The struggles that we face due to sickness, sin, and circumstances out of our control can completely devastate us. On top of that, we tend to make a mess of things. Life is messy - and I don’t know about you, but I am desperate for God to show up in my life. If we are honest - we are desperate for God’s presence. In Psalms 63:1-3 David describes his longing for God - he says he needs God more than water in a land without water. Just like David, we desperately need God. He is the only one that can satisfy us, forgive us, and heal us.
We Are Desperate For God’s Word
We cannot get to know God apart from His word. In Psalm 19, David describes God’s word as perfect, trustworthy, reviving the soul, bringing joy to the heart, clear, insightful, more worthy than riches, and sweeter than honey (see verses 1-10). God’s word is the tool that He will often use to encourage us, guide us, comfort us, and strengthen us. We need God’s word in our lives if we want to grow closer to Him!
We Are Desperate For God’s People
Community isn’t always easy, but it’s essential to our spiritual growth. The Church is the body of Christ - and you can’t have Christ without His body! David’s attitude toward the people of God was one of excitement and enthusiasm. In Psalms 122:1 he says he rejoices with those who invite him to the temple, and in Psalms 92:13 he says that those who are planted in God’s house are flourishing! I want that same joy and flourishing in my life this year. If we want to enjoy the fullness of joy, peace, and fruitfulness in our lives that God has for us - we need His people.
Conclusion: How To Begin Your Breakthrough
Our desperation for God should drive us to pursue deeper intimacy with Him this year. What’s our first step towards breakthrough in 2025? Our first step is to be intentional, be desperate, and pursue Jesus every single day. We are all equally desperate for God’s presence, word, and people in our lives. As we pursue Christ in these areas, we are pursuing Jesus Himself. Just like a child taking their first steps toward their father, every day, stumble towards the outstretched arms of Jesus. As we continue in this series, we’ll see more practical steps that we can take to grow in Christ all year long!
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Breakthrough Week 1: January 5th, 2025. Preached by Pastor Ben Dieterly
Article Edited by Julia Castro
This sermon series was inspired by the Think Ahead series preached by Chris Beall, Tim Doremus, Sam Marin, and Craig Groeschel. We have used some of their free resources to assist us in organizing our sermon outlines for this series!
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