The week of January 1-7 is the first week of the new year, the 14th week and beginning of the 4th month of Nigeria’s year. So, we must begin with thanksgiving – especially in this first week of the new year. Let us give thanks to God for leading us through the past year. We couldn’t have made it without Him. Let us thank God for the promises of His presence and help in the new year.
The first week of the year is a book of Genesis season in the year. Genesis is the first book of the Bible and holds the guiding light for the first week of the year. The first chapters of the Bible are also applicable to this first week. Patterns in the first book and first chapters of the Bible indicate the following about the first week of the year:
1. It is a season to honour God by prioritizing His Word (or Voice) and your relationship with Him. God is first and the first belongs to Him. God demands to be honoured with the first (Exodus 13:1ff; Proverbs 3: 9-10). God rewards honour and reacts against dishonor in the first season. In the book of Genesis, He rewarded honour in Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham and his descendants. He reacted against dishonor in Adam and Eve, Cain, the Flood generation, the Babel generation and in Sodom and Gomorrah.
The first season is a time to touch God’s heart through alignment with His plans and purposes. It is a time to acknowledge Him as FIRST in our lives. This is important because the devil uses every beginning to tempt men and recruit them to disregard God and live independently. He knows how spiritually strategic the beginning is; and that is when He wants people to focus on themselves instead of focusing on the Giver of time and life. Those who yield to the temptation inadvertently make themselves enemies of God and reset the course of the year against themselves.
PRAY that the Lord honoured in your life and among His people in land. Pray that our devotion and sacrifice of time at the beginning of this year will be acceptable to Him.
2. It is a season to release the light of God’s presence against the darkness of the unknown future. God is Light and there is no darkness in Him. The light of the first day of creation did not come from the sun, moon or stars but from God Himself. It came from His Presence and Voice. God also began to reveal Himself and His plans to man in the first book of the Bible. The first week of the year is both for receiving light for the year and releasing light into the year.
PRAY “Let there be Light” into the new year this week. Receive light from His presence and release the same into the year.
3. It is a season to start work. It is the opening season of the year. God did the work of creation in the first book of the Bible and started the work of the first week on the first day of the week. Let us follow His steps and start the year’s work on this first week. The journey into the year starts this week. You have received a destination from Him. You have also received the roadmap. Now is the time to step out and go to work.
PRAY grace and strength and wisdom to start the work of the year and continue to the finishing point.
4. It is a season of recruitment. God recruited men in the first book of the Bible. He began with the creation of Adam and Eve. They failed. Abel came into alignment with God but was murdered by his brother. God came to Seth, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. God ended His search when He found Abraham. This week, God is looking in Christ. for the ‘People of the Year’. He is looking for people whose hearts are after His. It is important to give attention, and respond, to the pull of the Spirit on your heart. It might just be a recruitment opportunity.
PRAY to come into alignment with God and what He wants to do this year in your life, community, region or in the world.
THE 14TH WEEK OF NIGERIA’S YEAR
The 14th book and chapters of the Bible indicate that the 14th season is a time of fearful things accompanied by divine intervention. That is the reason Jesus said in John 14:1, 27:
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. [27] Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
- WAR
The 14th season is a time of invasions and war. Genesis 14 tells us about war that took place in a 14th year. Caleb went to war for his inheritance in Joshua 14. God helped Jonathan and his armour bearer against the Philistines in First Samuel 14. God helped king Asa against his enemies in Second Chronicles 14. Both Sennacherib and death came to Hezekiah in the 14th year of Hezekiah’s reign. The first World War happened in 1914. Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.
- CAPTIVITY
The 14th season has something to do with captivity. Lot was captured by enemies in Genesis 14. Judah went into captivity in the 14th book of the Bible. The Babylonian Captivity of the Papacy’ happened in the 14th century when for about 67 years (1309 – 1376) seven popes ruled from France instead of Rome – because the king of France brought the papacy under his rule. 2014 was a year of abductions in Nigeria and it was in the season of the 14th National Leader, Goodluck Jonathan.
- JUDGMENT
The 14th season is a season of judgment. God killed the firstborn of Egyptians on the 14th day of the first month. God sentenced Israel to 40 years of wandering in the wilderness in Numbers 14. Judgment came upon Jeroboam the son of Nebat in First Kings 14. Ezekiel 14 is about judgment purposed for Judah. The 14th book of the Bible ends with judgment poured out on Judah. Revelation 14 is about the judgment of the earth.
- DIVINE INTERVENTION
The 14th season is a time of intervention. The Passover happened on the 14th day of the first month. God delivered Israel at the Red Sea in Exodus 14. God delivered Hezekiah from Sennacherib and death in the 14th year of Hezekiah’s reign. A lame man was healed by the power of God at Lystra in Acts 14.
PRAYERS FOR THE 14TH WEEK
Pray that this will be a week of Intervention in Nigeria. Rename this week of Nigeria’s year and call it PASSOVER. Evil will pass over Nigeria and Nigerians this week.
Pray that he Lord will cut off the Pharaoh and Egyptians that want to follow us into the year. Pray against the Sennacherib coming against Nigerians in this season. All enemies of Nigeria rising in this week will go down.
Pray against disasters of the 14th season – especially the spirit of abduction and death – and decree that they be far from Nigeria.
Pray for the reversal of sentences of death over Nigerians in this season as God did for Hezekiah in his 14th season. Numbers 14. Job 14.
SCRIPTURE FOR THE 14TH WEEK
Exodus 14:13-14: “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. [14] The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”
