I don’t know about you, but there are some parts of 2017 I’m not very happy about. And there are parts of 2017 I’m not carrying into 2018. Can I get an “Amen”?
In 2018, it’s going to be different for Barry. I can’t speak for anybody else but it’s going to be different for Barry.
The title of the message tonight, and I do have notes but I’m going to hold them until the end, is “You can decide your 2018.” The enemy doesn’t decide it. God doesn’t decide it. Jesus doesn’t decide it. You decide it.
My point is this: everything that took place in your life in 2017 is on you. You can’t put it on anyone else other than you. Since we know that 2017 is on us, let’s make sure we make 2018 where it should be.
We’re going to open with Psalm 45:1 – My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
What is your tongue going to write in 2018?
Look in Habakkuk 2. We’re going to read a couple of verses you’ve seen before.
(1) I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me (Notice that he’s waiting for the Lord to speak.), and what I shall answer when I am reproved.
(2) And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision (for 2018), and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
(3) For the vision is yet for an appointed time (2018), but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
But what do we have to do first? We have to write the vision before we can run with it!
Go back one book to Nahum, chapter 1: 1 – The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Judy...the book of the vision of Becca...the book of the vision of Charlie.”
Do you see this? Whose book is it? In 2018 you are the one writing that book. It’s your book!
We’re going to approach the message tonight this way: “I confess and proclaim in 2018.” This is how we’re going to write our book, our vision, for 2018. We’re going to confess and proclaim it.
We’re going to begin with Psalm 118:24 – This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
When it says “we will rejoice” it means we are going to make a decision that it doesn’t matter what’s going on in our lives, we are going to rejoice and we’re going to be glad.
“I confess and proclaim that in 2018, I will get up every morning with praise and worship on my lips and thanksgiving in my heart because My Father has made another day in which I will rejoice and be glad that I belong to Him. I profess and proclaim that for 2018.”
Look in John 4:34 – Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
Do you see what He’s saying? “What I am here to do is to finish My Father’s work.” Cindy, what you are here to do it to finish the Father’s work. Neal. Doris. Charlie. What you are here to do is finish the Father’s work.
Now turn to John 5. We’re going to read verses 19 and 30.
(19) Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do; for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
(30) I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
“I profess and proclaim that in 2018 – I made this really personal for Barry and you have to do the same – every morning as I sip my first cup of coffee I will ask My Father ‘What is on my agenda for today?’”
If my meat is to do the will of my Father, I am going to ask Him “what is my agenda for today”. That’s how my 2018 is going to be different from my 2017. If it’s not on my Father’s agenda, I am not doing it.
Psalm 91:1 – He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
He, who has planted himself, under the shadows of the Almighty and stays there – that’s what abides means – and stays there.
“I profess and proclaim that in 2018, you will always find me in my Father’s secret place and under His protection. No attack of the enemy will cause me to believe that I can fight him in my own strength and leave the covering of my Father.”
I Corinthians 15:57 – But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory (how?) through our Lord Jesus Christ.
“I profess and proclaim that in 2018, I will remember that whenever the enemy attacks, I will be at peace because My Father has already given me the victory through the completed works of Jesus Christ.”
Do you see how we’re painting a picture for 2018?
Acts 17:11 – These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily (How often? Once a week. Three times a week. Four out of seven days. Daily! Daily!), (They searched the scriptures daily) whether those things were so.
How many of you have heard a message that Pastor has taught and you’ve gone back and searched the scriptures? That is our responsibility. We have a great pastor but if we’re not searching the scriptures to make sure that what he’s telling us and keeping it in context is true, it’s on us.
2 Timothy 2:15 – Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
I think we sometimes forget that when Jesus was here on earth – yes, I know He was the Son of God from birth, I know He didn’t have sin nature – but let me tell you something ladies and gentlemen, Jesus didn’t come here knowing the things He knew when He was 33 years old. Scriptures says He grew. If you have to grow that means you are not at your max. He had to grow and so do we.
“I profess and proclaim that in 2018, no day will pass without me searching the scriptures.”
We’re building an image for our 2018. My hope is when the copies are made available, you will take it and make it your own. There may be other scriptures that mean more to you than these and you will personalize your own confessions and proclamations.
Acts 27:23 – (Paul is speaking. He’s on a ship that should have never set sail. He had told the captain that the ship was going to go down but was ignored. Look at what Paul says as the ship is being pounded by the sea.) For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve. (The word “serve” can also be translated “worship”.)
“I profess and proclaim that in 2018, I will remember who owns me and will serve Him and worship Him with a joyful heart.”
Acts 27:25 – Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.
Now go to Romans 4:21. This is talking about Abraham. Let’s read 19, 20 and 21.
(19) And being not weak in faith, he (Abraham) considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:
(20) He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief (Unbelief can cause us to stagger when we hear and read the promises. And when you stagger ladies and gentlemen, you get off the path.); but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
(21) And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
“I profess and proclaim in 2018, I am fully persuaded – living in boundless faith – that what my Father says my Father will do.”
This is a confession you have to make. When my Father says something, you can take it to the bank. When He says it, He’s going to do it. I don’t care what it looks like. I don’t care what it seems like. If you are fully persuaded, if you are living in boundless faith, you know that God is going to fulfill His Word to you. Let that sink in. He is going to fulfill His Word to you.
Turn to Philippians 4. We’re going to read verses six and seven.
(6) Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Do you see what he’s saying? Don’t be anxious about anything. Just be thankful. Whatever it is ladies and gentlemen, it’s not going to ruin your day unless you let it. It’s not. In 2018 we can decide whether or not we’re going to be anxious about anything.
We have to make that decision. God is not going to make it for us. We make that decision based on whether or not we’re living in boundless faith. We have got to get to the point ladies and gentlemen that we believe the Bible or we don’t.
And, listen to me, if you’re not really believing it, be honest about it. Say “It’s not clicking for me Lord. Help thou mine unbelief!” That’s the first step. You’re admitting that it’s not working and you’re not sure why. “Help me, Lord. Help me find out why.” Do you know why we need to do this? It’s because God wants us to finish His work and we can’t finish His work if we’re living in questions and doubt.
(7) And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Notice that the peace of God does not come until we decide not to be anxious, not to be afraid, and not to be fretful. It’s a decision ladies and gentlemen. And once we make that decision that spirit on the inside kicks in. The spirit is ready. He’s saying “Turn me loose and let me show you what the kingdom of God is really like!”
“I profess and proclaim that in 2018, I will refuse to allow myself to get anxious or fearful about anything. My emotions will not lead me. Instead, I will allow the peace of God to govern how my heart responds to every situation.”
I know we’re in church, but allow me some leeway. If we make a decision that 2018 is not going to be like 2017 in terms of our relationship with our Father and in terms of how we deal with the enemy of the soul, it’s going to be kick-butt time. Just like when I was in grade school – “we’re going to kick some butt and take names.”
Look at verse 11 since we’re in chapter 4 – Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned (If you don’t underline anything else in this verse, underline “for I have learned.”), in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
I don’t care if I’m in Ohio, Alaska, Tennessee, Mississippi, Utah – whatever state. Really? No one caught that? You mean I wasted that? C’mon! Geez! Okay! New York.
Verse 12 – I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
Why? Verse 13 – I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
“I profess and proclaim that in 2018, I will learn how to be content in life because the circumstances are not relevant. (Let me say that again. I will learn how to be content in life because the circumstances are not relevant.) I will confess that I will endure it all because I can do all things through the strength Jesus has given to me.”
Colossians 1:12 & 13– Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light (We were not meet, we were not qualified, until God made us that way.); Who hath delivered us from the power (authority) of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.
He translated us. He “picked us up” and moved us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light where darkness has no power or authority.
We don’t live in darkness anymore. We live in a kingdom that is light dominated not sin dominated. We occupy two worlds because we have a body. But we live in only one. Our bodies allow the real us, our new born again spirits which is a part of the kingdom of God’s dear Son, to live in a world dominated by sin.
“I profess and proclaim that in 2018, I will not forget that I have been delivered from Satan and he no longer has authority over my life.”
Satan has no say in our lives, ladies and gentlemen, unless we allow him to have one. The Bible tells us our bodies are dead. If our bodies are dead, how can they dictate to us what we do? The Bible says we need to mortify the flesh. We need to kill it.
Two more.
John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
“I profess and proclaim that in 2018, I will never be able to thank My Father enough knowing that He loved me so much that He didn’t withhold His only begotten Son as payment for my sins.”
One more.
Matthew 5:37 – But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
James 5:12 – But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
“I profess and proclaim that in 2018, my “yea” will be “yea” and my “nay” will be “nay”.
Why is that so important ladies and gentlemen? If you are not a person who keeps his or her word, then God cannot stand with you. If you make a commitment to do something but you don’t do it, God is not standing with you. You have to be a person who keeps his word.
In 2017, there were too many times when I wasn’t a person who kept his word. Just being honest about it. But in 2018 it’s not going to be that way.
If we don’t tell the truth, if we don’t keep our words, our Father cannot join Himself to us. There is no darkness in Him!
Now, I profess and proclaim that for you and for me that 2018 will be the year that Jesus lives through us like never before!
