What do you envision for your life in 2024? Knowing Jesus more is my focus, or aspirational goal. For anyone to reach their goal or get where they want to go, attainable steps must be involved in the process. Setting specific goals which are realistic, achievable, and have measurable results make your progress easier to track. Aspirational goals however, won’t have timelines attached to them because you’ll want to continue pursuing growth in those areas. Aspirational goals are those you have a strong desire and hope to achieve.
I believe many Christians want to read their Bibles and pray more as part of their new year’s resolution. These spiritual disciplines are essential in building a successful relationship with Christ, and remain foundational for every believer’s journey in knowing God. But sticking to goals is challenging when you’re going it alone, so find an accountability buddy! Having someone who helps you stay on track and provide support makes hitting those goals that much easier.
After a time of seeking God in prayer, the Holy Spirit dropped a word in my heart about having visual acuity, or simply stated: clarity of vision in 2024. 20/20 vision reflects the sharpness of vision at a specific distance. When you have 20/20 vision, you can see what an average person can read on an eye chart from 20 feet away. On the other hand, people with 20/24 vision will have to move four feet closer to read the same letters, classified as “below average” eyesight.
The analogy God gave me was the need believers will have for ‘corrective lenses’ to see clearly in 2024, following and obeying Jesus in the Way. The Holy Spirit is warning us that things are going to become a bit blurry for people. Even things we are familiar with will appear somewhat different, possibly causing one to take a wrong turn, or be misled by altered perceptions. So how do we regain this visual clarity and focus?
The Bible teaches us, ‘put on the Lord Jesus Christ.’ Col. 3:9b-10,”since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” Here are 3 steps to help us grow in knowing Jesus more in 2024. This WOW acronym becomes the corrective glasses to put on before going forward with your day. By applying the WOW steps, that weird blurriness hampering your sight will be corrected.
1) Wonder of Jesus- Experience His Presence! Prioritize and keep your daily appointment with God. This time spent with your Creator and Savior is lifesaving and life transforming. Smith Wigglesworth, a British preacher living in the early 20th Century never read the morning newspaper until he had spent at least one-two hours worshipping Jesus and studying the Bible. Smith didn’t want the world to influence his view on the day, or steal his focus from where Jesus wanted it to be. As you meet with God, there is such power in declaring out loud what the Word says. Include time to worship Jesus, recognizing His glorious attributes. You’ll discover and experience with the Holy Spirit a perspective change on whatever is going on in your life.
2) Offer up your whole self to Jesus. The Bible teaches we are made in the image of God, who is Triune: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God created us with a body, soul and spirit. “May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (I Thess 5:23) Our loving Creator desires full surrender of who we are for His divine purposes. Give Jesus your all!
3) Working with Jesus and for Jesus. It’s time to roll up our sleeves-get to work, and serve God each new day. Allow Jesus’ redeeming love to work in you and through your life; put on the serving apron. Serving Jesus involves working on our family relationships, the workplace; serving with Jesus through our church, school, and community. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength… Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31)
Make a commitment to practice the WOW steps this year. Just watch and see how you will be brought closer to God, knowing Jesus more, and gain His vision for your life in 2024!