God’s message to the church for the new year:

And Abimelech said, “See, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.”

In 2015 some of you will buy or invest in land, some will build houses or have major land holdings.
 2015 will be the year of God’s favour and blessing, said the Holy Spirit. In Gen 20, Abraham thought Abimelech was going to be cruel to him, but instead he showed favour. Those who tormented you in 2014 will bless you and show favour upon you.


• Those with God’s favour will be accepted. The spirit of rejection will be broken this year. Business opportunities and promotions will open up when God’s favour is upon you.
Psalms 104.15 speaks of oil to make your face shine. In Greek the word for oil is translated as favour. When God’s favour is on you, people will be attracted to you because His glory shines through you.
• Favour is a door-opener. Believe that God will open some doors of blessing in 2015: doors of ministry, business opportunity, nations, God’s promotion.

• Favour will cause you to be connected to your helpers. No one is meant to be independent. God gives vision to one, provision to another; and then connects the two. Though the land belonged to Abimelech, Abraham was able to choose where to dwell, as God’s favour was upon him. In the absence of favour, you can stand in front of your helper and they won’t realize you need help. But God will connect you in the Holy Spirit, to those who can help you.
• Favour will cause your weakness, shortcomings and character flaws to be covered. Only Christ is perfect. When we come before the Lord’s Table in our imperfectness, we are covered by His blood. Your weaknesses are covered by God’s favour. Abraham, in his weakness lied that Sara was his sister, but God protected him anyway.


And he said, “Listen, all of you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s

In this nation you may be a minority or a small community. But God says to the church: do not be dismayed, for the battle is God’s. No matter where you are, God will protect you and no weapon against you will prosper.

In chess, there is a situation called checkmate where one side has the other King cornered. A famous European painting depicts such a situation, when the battle is almost lost. But once a chess champion analysed the painting and declared that the game was not over yet – there is still one more move! If the enemy has you cornered, do not fear. You may feel the game is up, but the Holy Spirit says there is one more move left. A child of God cannot be checkmated by the devil; you are more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ.

Pilate wrote ‘King of Jews’ on top of Jesus’s cross. The Jewish priests protested but Pilate said “What I have written, I have written. (John 19.22) Similarly, no one can change what God has written about you.

There is gold and a multitude of rubies, But the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

This year, declare to your tongue that you will speak good. Blessing, wisdom, life and death are by the power of the tongue. In Gen 1, we see that even God – Ominpresent, Omnipotent and Eternal – had to open his mouth to speak and create! As a child of God, His word and power is within you but you need to speak forth with your own tongue.
Speak good of yourself and build up others with your words. When someone criticizes another believer or the church it’s easy to discern that it is not the Holy Spirit, for the accuser of brethren is the devil.

‘Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil, because I am good’


In Matt 20, we find that all those who worked got the same wages. Despite murmurings from those who worked most, the Master gave equally to all. God is free to do as He pleases. Those who do the Lord’s work in 2015 will be given the same wage as Peter, John, Paul and other apostles of the early church. This year, the Holy Spirit will launch some into ministry and disperse some others who are not faithful. God’s spirit will attract those who are faithful, available, submissive and teachable, leading them into ministry.

And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire

In Philippians 4, Paul saw a vision of the Book of Life. Write down the names of your family and friends and pray for them. By the end of the year, Christ will draw them to Him. As you pray, God in heaven will add their names.