From: All Of Us!

Greetings, Sonsofthesea family

On the Eve of this New Year, before you take that first-fruits step into God’s next, have you prayed? Have you asked His Holy Spirit to show you what ought not go with you into the “new thing” He’s doing? What must be left at the altar, far behind you, so that you might have the strength, peace, courage, clean hands, heart, and constancy you will need to face whatever is ahead boldly, fiercely, bravely, with fresh determination?

To help us succeed in doing this, I pray, above all, that God’s Holy Spirit strengthen, uphold, lead, and guide us. And I also encourage you, and all of us, to heed Paul’s instructions, all of them, using them as our tried-and-true guide. “…throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us. Fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

How can we continue to hold out hope for what may feel impossible and daunting, hope that our yet-unanswered prayer, our heartfelt plea, will be answered by God? You know the one. That prayer you’ve been praying for years now for true and lasting change: of heart, habits, thought patterns, or lifestyle choices, for more of God, so much more, and far less of you. “This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

As the days grow darker and the love of many grows cold, we must trust God now more than ever before, beloved, remembering that apart from Him, we can do nothing of eternal value.

Paul also reminds us that, tired as we may be, as weary and worn out as we may feel at times, we’re not there yet; we must press on, beloved! We are still in this spiritual fight, yet we do not fight alone, ever! Remember that the next time you feel as though you’re standing toe to toe, just you and the enemy of your soul.

Remember, the God of Heaven’s Armies fights for you! Jesus stands with you, always! Hold tight to His promise, wrap it tightly around yourself, shelter and strength, whenever you feel weak or afraid: “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” and “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

And so you must, we must, take a fresh grip with hands made weak maybe and weary by the challenges we faced and fought throughout 2025 and press forward in the strength Christ affords those who belong to Him, encouraged and determined never to turn back or away, but to fight, taking new ground in this New Year, for the Kingdom of our God: “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus.”

We are linking arms with you in the Spirit, joining our prayers to yours for the coming New Year.

Praying for your strength, courage, boldness, and constancy. For greater levels of humility, submission, surrender, and holiness. We pray, too, that the favor and blessings of God rest heavily upon you and your family.

Above all, we pray if you don’t know Jesus, personally, intimately, as Lord, Savior, Friend, the greatest miracle of all will be yours in 2026—your name will be found written in the Lamb’s book of Life! “Like them, he who overcomes will be dressed in white. And I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and His angels.”

New Year’s Blessings from everyone here at Sonsofthesea!

We thank you for following us and pray you’ll continue to do so as we follow Jesus into 2026…