Day 3: Sunday 8th Jan

Joel 2:28 And afterward I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.

What an amazing prophecy telling us how God would pour out His Spirit. Before Joel says that though, he says “afterward”. The question is, after what? Well earlier on in Joel 2 we see how the people were told to fast, pray and humble themselves before God.

When we fast, we are humbling ourselves before God. Once we start to seek His face, then He can pour out His Spirit on us. Do we want the outpouring of God's Spirit? If so, we need to continue to seek His face!

Prayer Points:

Blessing and protection for you and your family: pray that as you consecrate yourselves and serve Him, that God would bless you and your family in 2023 in ways you don’t expect; bless you in your ministries, finances, health, protection and provision, and bless you with His empowerment in your lives through His Holy Spirit. The enemy seeks to wear us down and divide us, he wants to strangle the life out of us: pray against any enemy attack on yourself and your family. No weapon formed against you will stand!

Day 2: Saturday 7th Jan

Joshua 5:9 Then the Lord said to Joshua, "This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you."

From Joshua 5:1-8 we see how God told Joshua that the new generation that had come out of Egypt needed to be circumcised. Even though the old generation had been circumcised, God wanted the new generation to have a new start.

The act of circumcision is a physical act of cutting off. I believe there are things we may have brought or are holding on to from 2022. In 2023, at the beginning of the year, God wants to roll away the reproach of year's past. He wants to cut off the things that don't belong so we can then be ready to be used by Him.

The question is, are we willing? Let's make ourselves available and ready for God to cut us open and cut us off from all that would be harmful to us ...

Prayer Points:

Consecration and commitment of yourself and your family: Ask God to help you and your family to make Him a priority in your lives, living lives of sacrifice, service and purpose for His kingdom. Commit yourselves to times of regular prayer and fasting and intimacy with God in 2023 and to learn and grow in God’s Word. Ask God for strength for you and your family to fulfil that commitment.

Day 1: Friday 6th Jan

Joshua 3:5 “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”

At this point the Israelites were getting ready to cross the Jordan; they were getting ready to do the extraordinary, but first they had to sanctify themselves. If you notice, Joshua didn't say “Sanctify yourself today and then later on today God will do an amazing work.” He said “Sanctify yourself and then tomorrow ...

I believe this year, our 'tomorrow' is just around the corner. God wants to do amazing things in our lives this year, but first we must first seek Him and consecrate ourselves to Him.

Prayer points:

Thanksgiving and repentance: Thanksgiving … for all God has done in 2022 … for His protection, provision, healing, faithfulness. Thank God for what He will do in 2023! Repentance … for our shortfalls, and anything God would convict us of, for example, our lack of commitment, wrong priorities, mismanagement, specific sins etc.