BEGIN THE YEAR WITH PURPOSE AND SPIRITUAL ALERTNESS

Greetings in the blessed name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As we enter a new year, it’s important to pause and reflect—not just on our goals, but on the spiritual posture with which we begin the year.

One of the most sobering stories in Scripture is the account of King David’s fall into sin with Bathsheba. While David was a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), even he was not immune to temptation. The consequences of his choices were tragic, not just for him, but for others around him. And it all began with a small decision—one that seemed harmless on the surface.

2 Samuel 11:1 says:

“In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.”

This single sentence sets the stage for David’s downfall. It was a time when kings went to war—but David stayed home. While his army was fighting, David was idle. That moment of spiritual passivity became an open door for temptation.

In verses 2–5, David notices Bathsheba, inquires about her, and eventually commits adultery with her. When she becomes pregnant, he tries to cover it up, and when that fails, he arranges for her husband, Uriah, to be killed. A single decision at the beginning of the year spirals into a chain of sins that brought deep grief and long-lasting consequences (2 Samuel 12:10–14).

This account teaches us a powerful theological truth: spiritual passivity leads to spiritual vulnerability. The Apostle Paul echoes this in Ephesians 6:11–13 when he writes:

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil… take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.”

The beginning of a new year is not just a fresh calendar—it’s a critical spiritual season. It’s not a time to be idle, distracted, or disengaged. It’s a time to rise up in prayer, to re-align ourselves with God’s will, and to engage in spiritual battle.

In the Bible, beginnings matter. In Genesis, God sets order to creation at the beginning. In Exodus, God begins the nation of Israel’s deliverance in a specific season. And in the Gospels, Jesus begins His ministry by withdrawing for prayer and fasting (Luke 4:1–2). Starting well spiritually matters.

That’s why at the beginning of the year, we are called to:

• Engage in prayer and fasting (Matthew 6:6,17)
• Gather with God’s people in worship (Hebrews 10:25)
• Stand guard against spiritual laziness (1 Peter 5:8)
• Seek God’s guidance for the year ahead (Proverbs 3:5–6)

If David had chosen to go to battle with his men, as was customary for kings, he might have avoided the situation that led to his greatest moral failure. His story serves as both a warning and an encouragement for us to be spiritually alert and active—especially at key transition points like the start of a new year.

May the Lord help us not to coast into the new year, but to begin it with purpose, prayer, and power. Let us not stay behind when we are called to the frontlines of spiritual warfare. Let us press forward in faith, trusting in God’s grace and protection.

Shalom.

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