Text: Psalm 93: 5

The long awaited New Year, 2023, has finally come with high expectations. However, solid foundation is required to ensure smooth sail of the year. Interestingly, the Lord, Himself, ushered us into the year with a lot of promises and blessings. Essentially, it is very important to begin the year with the Lord and also remain with Him throughout the year. To ensure this, fire of holiness is required and must be kept aglow.

The foundation of the New Year matters a lot and must be built on holiness. As temples of the Lord, we should therefore do everything possible to preserve holiness in character and general lifestyle. Our conducts must reflect holiness at all times and in all places. Instructively, youths who recently gained admission into the higher institutions must strive to stand on the principles of holiness in all facets of life. The worldly lifestyle prevalent in institutions of higher learning must not be mentioned among Christian youths.

The guarantee to walk with God in this New Year is anchored on holiness, purity and righteousness. These are the core values of a Christian and the secret to accessing the blessings of God. When holiness, purity and righteousness are lacking in the life of a believer, accessing God’s blessings will be a mere illusion. Preachers who assure their congregations of God’s blessings when they are obviously living in sin are false preachers.

No sin is little in the sight of God. Those who categories sins and downplay on God’s word, will not be able to walk with God in this New Year. God is holy and cannot accommodate any form of sin howbeit little. The recently concluded programmes cumulating into the Cross Over night are meant to prepare the church for God’s blessings in the New Year, which was why holiness formed the hallmark of the programme. Holiness attracts prosperity. No one who lives in scriptural holiness will be poor. Those who parade poverty in the church and believe it is a prerequisite to holiness are deceivers. Real holiness comes with liberty, victory, freedom and prosperity.

Devil knows that man can climb to the apogee of his success in life when in holiness. In fact, holiness brings a man to the height God occupies! Holiness is the power that wins all battles. It is the power that gives real success. Holiness is the power that gives prosperity with a peace of mind. In holiness, man’s speed is accelerated.

A Christian who does not live in holiness is an empty vessel waiting for destruction. There are things that defile the body and render holiness impotent. They are: fornication, lying with beast, homosexuality, cultism, tattoo, worldly hair-cut and shaving, worldly hairdo, putting on of weavon, attachment, earrings, drunkenness, among others.

In order to walk with God in this New Year, we must do away with the above sins and compromise.

• Further reading: Mt. 5:16; 1 Cor. 6:19-20; 3:16-17; Mk. 8:36-37; Heb. 12:14; 1 Tim. 5:6; Psalm 104:3; 18:10; 1 Cor. 6:19-20; 3:16-17; Lam. 2: 1-11; 4:1-11; Mt. 23:37-39; 24:1-2; 27:45-51; 1Cor.6:15-16, 18; Lev. 21:5; 18:23, 22, 21; 21:5,7; Gen. 35:1-4; Prov. 3:7-9. You can fellowship with us @ Kingdom Power International Christian Praying Centre, 65 Oluwatedo Estate, Isashi, Ojo, Lagos State. For details of our programmes, visit: @www.kpicpc.org. You can also follow us live on Facebook @kpicpc & YouTube @ kpicpc.