What does God want for His people globally in the coming year? I believe the Spirit of God is calling for greater spiritual expansion for His Church in this upcoming year. Over time, I have noticed that believers in Christ resemble elastic bands; they need to be stretched to be truly effective. When we trust in Christ, God seals us with the Holy Spirit, serving as a deposit or pledge that confirms what we will inherit in the future (Ephesians 1:4-5; 13-14). Our use of that potential and power depends on our faith. God values faith highly. A person trusting in God sees beyond their own abilities and relies on the Holy Spirit’s power within the believer in Christ. The Holy Spirit longs to stretch our faith to accept everything God has given us.
Paul the Apostle told the church in Corinth that Satan has blinded the minds of unbelievers (2 Corinthians 4:4), keeping them from seeing what God has accomplished through the cross. Our spiritual eyes must be opened to recognize “his incomparably great power for us who believe” (Ephesians 1:19). God desires to use each of us in unique ways to step out and trust Him. When we believe and put our faith in Christ, the Lord gives us authority and power as His representatives, enabling us to represent Him regardless of our age in Christ. Here's a story to illustrate this:
For 21 years, Mrs. Chang had lain in bed at her home in China, unable to move her arms and legs. Finally, the pain became unbearable, and she asked her eldest son to take her to the hospital, 40 miles away. The doctors found that some of her organs were nearly dead and advised her son, "Take her home so she can pass away surrounded by your family." Before she left, a Christian nurse visited her bedside and slipped her a copy of the Gospel of Mark. "Read this when you get home," she whispered. When Mrs. Chang arrived home, she asked her son to read from the booklet. Opening it to the first page, he began: "This is the good news of Jesus Christ..." Before he could read any further, Mrs. Chang's bones began to move. Within moments, she sat up, completely healed! She promptly dedicated her life to the Lord.
The next day, as she headed to the village well to fetch water, everyone asked her, "Say, aren't you Mrs. Chang? What doctor helped you? We want to see him too!" Mrs. Chang invited all the women to her humble home. Once a crowd gathered, she began to speak: "This is the good news of Jesus Christ...." In just four weeks, all 600 villagers decided to follow Jesus! The story gets even more remarkable: when news spread, a police force arrived to suppress this "new sect." They beat the villagers, shot their animals, burned their crops, and left, believing they would never hear about Jesus Christ again. But they were wrong: the 600 converts stayed firm, and within four years, 70,000 people in the region had turned to Christ. Who was the hero of this story? The dedicated nurse. She wasn't a famous evangelist; she was an ordinary person responding to a need with love.
In our current era, God desires to stretch and utilize ordinary people like us, provided we believe and do not limit His capabilities. Roger Bannister, the record-breaking runner, achieved what previously seemed impossible: running a mile in under four minutes. Before his feat, others believed it was impossible for a person to run that fast. Once Bannister proved it could be done, what followed? The next year, 37 other runners broke the four-minute mile! The year after, 300 more followed suit. What changed? The measurement of time stayed the same; only the belief in what was possible shifted. The real limits are often set by us—imposed on what God can do through us. Our greatest challenge in living in harmony with the Spirit and harnessing His power is overcoming our own doubts. Come, Holy Spirit, increase our faith! May this New Year bring transformation to each of us! Keith Thomas.
If you want to share this on Facebook or X, or get the link to send via email, click the icon of your preferred social media at the bottom of this page, and it will open automatically. All you’ll need to do is hit the "send" button.