The City Church

Preparing for a New Year and a New Beginning

Published: December 2007

We are declaring 2008 at The City Church in Seattle to be the Year of New Beginnings.

God is faithful. He called you, He will also do it. He who started a good work in you will complete it! The end of a thing is greater than the beginning. He is the Author and the Finisher of your faith. He is a sun and a shield; He will give grace and glory. No good thing will He withhold from you because you are walking uprightly!

That problem is not too hard! That challenge is not too hard! That money is not too hard! That change is not too hard! That relationship is not too hard! That healing is not too hard! That ministry is not too hard! That promise He made to you is not too hard! "There is nothing too hard for the Lord!" "Nothing is impossible with God"

His grace is greater than our weakness! His healing is greater than our sickness! His purpose is more powerful than persecution. His power is greater than Satan's devices.
His promises are greater than our problems. His love is greater than all the things of this life that try to separate us from it.

God will turn our mourning into dancing. Weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning! His wrath is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime. All things will work together for our good because we love Him and we are called according to His purpose. Nothing can separate us from the Love of God! Even if we walk through the valley of the shadow He will be with us and comfort us! Goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our life! Nothing is impossible for us.

Our God will fight for us. The battle is not ours but God's. We are more than conquerors! He that is in us is greater than he that is in the world. The God of peace will soon crush Satan underneath our feet. He will arise and scatter our enemies! They will come against us one way, but they will flee seven different directions! No weapon formed against us will prosper! We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. After we have suffered awhile, the God of all grace will perfect, establish, strengthen and settle us. His grace is sufficient for us. Even when we are weak we are strong, for then the power of Christ rests upon us.

"Your latter will be greater!" "You haven't seen anything yet" "Your best days and your blessed days are ahead!" "Your problems don't equal your promises" "The devil's 'no' cannot compete with God's 'yes'!" "The best is yet to come!"

I see many wonderful things for the Church in 2008.

I see a fresh and new anointing of authority and revelation on the preaching of the Word. Prodigal children will be coming back to the Lord. A spirit of conviction and the fear of the Lord will come upon people. New converts will flood our altars. Leaders will step up to bear burdens- mentoring and coaching with new levels of grace for leadership.

Prophecies will come to pass and promises will be fulfilled. New intimacy and unity will thrive in marriages. Peace and harmony will come to homes and families. Prayers will be answered. Businesses will prosper in the midst of economic downturn. Creative revelation will come to those who wait upon the Lord. Promotion and favor will come to those who seek Him.

God will open supernatural doors for the Gospel. Our times of intercession will be accompanied by surprising demonstrations of the glory of God. New wineskins will be filled with new wine. There will be outbreaks of healing in our church. And we will see amazing manifestations of the presence of the Lord in our worship.

I see the Lord restoring many things that were stolen.

Seven fold restoration. This will be for many who have sown abundantly, a year of great reaping. We might have gone out weeping, but we will return with joy bringing our sheaves with us!

As we approach this year — this new season, this new beginning — let's not let the pessimistic, doubt-filled, hell-spawned, negative perspective of the world, the media or the unbelieving critic get to us.

Don't listen to it. Don't embrace it. Don't believe it (faith comes from whatever you are hearing). Meditate in His law day and night (every morning and every evening) and everything you do will prosper and succeed.

We are not to believe the evil reports of many around us. Discouraging statements will come from many sources this year. But we are to believe the report of the Lord.

"Believe in the Lord and you will be established. Believe His prophets and so shall you prosper!"

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