New Year's resolutions...oftentimes we make them so easily at the end of a year, but without a firm resolve to "carry them out," they become useless words and fall to the floor in a collection of useless, unproductive commitments and lofty ideas that are never realized because they have no backing.
"What backing are you talking about, Rich?" I'm simply saying that these useless resolutions have no power! The Bible says that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God. It is the power of God for salvation, for healing, for financial deliverance, for release from oppression, and for anything else you might have a need for, or be attacked by.
"But what does this have to do with New Year's resolutions?"
In a letter to the Church of Corinth (1 Cor. 4:19) Paul said, "But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the words of those who are arrogant, but their power."
Words that have an effect must have "power" behind them. These kinds of words accomplish things, whether good or evil.
Paul, in this particular instance, was coming to deal with the Church of Corinth because they had begun to sway from "his" teachings. He knew that words were unimportant without power. It was the power, and its source, that Paul was interested in dealing with.
When you make a New Year's resolution, make sure you do it with firm resolve. As Kenneth Copeland puts it, make a firm, quality decision! Take your goals to God, in prayer, and get His advice and direction. Then, when you firmly, with conviction and purpose, make these resolutions for the New Year, you'll have "power" behind them—power that will carry them out!
My pastor, Dr. Michael Brown, always says, "You begin a new year with the way you finish the old year!" Purpose in your heart that this year—your year—will not be wasted with dashed dreams that never happen.
Plant seeds and set in motion things that will produce results! Whatever you desire to be must always have a beginning, a starting point.
Stand Strong To Complete Your Goals
Like any idea or good intentions, though, you must oversee and stay on top of your resolutions. The Bible says that God watches over His Word to perform it. Why wouldn't we? If you really want your New Year's resolutions to happen, you're going to have to watch over them, and measure your progress.
You're going to have to stand defiant in the face of the enemy through prayer and spiritual warfare and ensure that they are completed.
This year, unlike the others, have goals and checkpoints—places to measure your progress! Lots of prayer and spiritual warfare should go into each day to "ensure" success! The kingdom of God suffereth violence but the violent take it by force!
Make your New Year's resolutions count this year! And while you're planning out your new year, let me give you a couple of resolution suggestions to make first, before any others:
- Purpose in your heart to win souls this year! This is our command from Jesus Himself. He said we are to preach the Gospel and make disciples to the world! It's not an idea, or a request, but a command. Purpose in your heart this year to keep this forefront in your thinking and in your daily routine.
- Make the Holy Spirit your personal friend. Get up in the morning to, "Good morning Holy Spirit!" As Benny Hinn teaches in one of his books, the Holy Spirit is a person. Someone who is there, with you...all the time! Jesus sent Him to be with you, to teach you, to train you, to comfort you, and to help you in all that you do!
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Rich has served as an evangelist, a teacher, and as a singer, while visiting various churches in the U.S., and together with his wife, Jane Allcorn, they served as associate pastors while attending the Williamson County Cowboy Church, in Liberty Hill, Texas. 
