A Prayer For 2008

Precious Father, in the mighty name of Jesus,

We come here thanking you, Father, for bringing us to another year; a year that we've never seen before, and a year that we'll never see again. Lord, we come before your throne of grace, first of all, thanking you for 2007. We thank you for carrying us through this year, even when we thought You abandoned us. Lord, we know that sometimes, it's we who turn our backs on You, for you said that You will never leave us, nor forsake us. Lord Jesus, we thank you for your grace and your mercy, and we thank you for holding us on every leaning side.

Lord, we thank you for the triumphs and the breakthroughs that we experienced in 2007. We thank you for the miracles that may seem insignificant to the natural eye, and we thank you for your everlasting power. We thank you for the healing and deliverance that you have given to us at one time or another this year. We thank you for your joy and your peace, the peace that surpasses all understanding. Lord, we thank you and we praise your name for all that you've done up to this very point, and even if you didn't do another thing for us, your grace and your mercy is still sufficient.

Father God, we thank you even for the trials and tribulations, oh Lord. We thank you for giving us the strength to endure, the strength to persevere, and the humility to seek your face. We thank you because in Your word, it says that you will never give us more than we can bear. And Lord, at the time, our burdens, our trials and our struggles seemed insurmountable... we almost felt like we were being crushed, oh Lord, like there was no solution. But Lord, we thank you for being the solution! We thank you for providing a way out, even if that way out was a smile or a kind word from a stranger. We thank you for sending your angels to minister to us in times of sorrow and bereavement, and we thank you for the Holy Spirit that comforts us.

Lord, some of us had loved ones that passed away, and we thank you for their lives, and the love that they have that is written in our hearts. We thank you for the powerful and loving memories of those who have gone to be with You, and we thank you for keeping them in Your loving arms even now. We thank you for the brief time that you gave us to share with our loved ones, and we thank you for allowing your love to show through them. We thank you for strengthening us and empowering us as we made the transition from tears of sorrow to tears of joy as we reminisce on what our loved ones mean to us. We thank you because Your word says that weeping may endure for a night, but Joy comes in the morning, and we thank you for that joy; a joy that man can't give and man can't take away.

Lord Jesus, as we look ahead to 2008, we ask that you continue to use us. Continue to let your light shine through us, and continue to empower us. Lord, we thank you even now for the greater breakthroughs that will come forth in 2008. We thank you for the overflow of blessings, Lord... we thank you now for the blessings that will overflow our storehouse so that we will not have room enough for it. And Lord, even as the blessings continue to come, we ask that we continue to bless others. As much is given, much is required, oh Lord, so we thank you for allowing us to be your emissaries, your ambassadors to Your kingdom, doing Kingdom work.

Lord, as we continue to move ahead to the new year, let us love more. Let us forgive more. Let us fellowship with one another more, and let us reach out more. We come before you ready to move forward in your kingdom! We come before you ready to tear down the strongholds of the enemy, and we come before you ready, willing, and able to move to higher heights and deeper depths of worship and praise.

Lord, it's not about us. It's about what you do through us, so continue to empty us. Continue to transform us, continue to renew our minds so that we reflect You in the best way that we know how. In the mighty name of Jesus, we rise up and take our inheritance, oh Lord! We stand firm on Your promises, oh Lord.

And Lord, we lift up this upcoming election season, oh Father. Let Your will be done in these elections, and it's not about what man says that he is doing for You, it's about what You are doing for your people, oh Father. Give us the clarity to make the choices that reflect You, oh Father, and we ask that you bless whoever the victor is.

In the mighty name of Jesus, we claim miraculous healings like never before, oh Father. We thank you for moving in a supernatural way, doing what seems impossible in man's eyes. We thank you for allowing us to be willing vessels, eager to serve You. Lord, we thank you for letting us see 2008, and we praise Your name for each and every blessing that comes our way, whether it's physical, mental, or spiritual. We thank you for career and educational advancements, and we thank you for our children continuing to grow and do what's right. We thank you for upcoming graduations and commencements on all educational levels, and we thank you for giving us the zeal to learn. And Lord, we thank you and praise your mighty name.

We bless you, Jesus, for you alone are worthy to be praised! Guide us and keep us in Your perfect will, both now and forevermore.

In the mighty, matchless, omnipotent name of Jesus the Christ we pray...

...AMEN.