3 Steps to a Closer Walk with God in the New Year
The word sanctification means a dedication to seeking God and becoming more Christ-like while turning away from sin and a world-centered lifestyle. Sanctification is the process of pursuing God and becoming more like Jesus.
Here are 3 steps to help believers maintain the process of sanctification.
1. Put God's Word in Your Heart
Begin the sanctification process by putting God’s Word in your heart. Read it, believe it, study it, memorize it, think on it, and obey it. Start by establishing a time of daily Bible reading. Some Bibles provide a schedule to help you read through God’s Word in a year.
Prior to each reading, ask God to give you insight into His Word and thank Him in faith for doing so. Write down scriptures that the Holy Spirit quickens to you.
During the day, memorize and think about what you’ve read. Prayerfully ask God to show you how the scriptures apply to your life. Do what the Word and the Spirit—both are always in agreement—tell you to do.
You can also supplement your daily Bible reading with a devotional. Devotionals from Faith Library Publications such as Kenneth E. Hagin’s Faith Food Devotions and Health Food provide a brief but powerful Bible-based reading for each day of the year. From a Pastor’s Heart by Kenneth W. Hagin provides short, inspirational readings without specific dates assigned to each teaching. You can read your devotional before or after your daily Bible reading.
2. Pray Regularly
In addition to a daily intake of the Word, Christians need to pray regularly in order to hear from God and remain sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Dedicate a time for prayer each day. Perhaps you could start by committing to pray for at least 15 minutes in the morning or evening, whichever time works best for you. Begin by praising God and thanking Him for salvation, for other benefits He has provided for you in Christ, and for specific things He has done for you in your life. Pray for those in authority (1 Tim. 2:1–2) and for your pastor, family, local church, and personal needs. Pray with your understanding and in the Spirit. You will soon find your prayer time growing.
3. Actively Serve God
Start actively serving God. You can sow your talent to help in the work of the Lord. Your talent may be painting, cleaning, organizing, or something else. But whatever your talent is, you can get involved in your local church by using the talents God has given you to bless others.
Growth in God comes from exposing ourselves consistently to Him by reading and thinking on His Word, doing what God’s Word tells us to do, maintaining a consistent prayer life, and wholeheartedly serving God. Putting these 3 steps to work in a consistent way will make a difference for the better in the your life.