Cheers, it’s 2025! You’ve entered one-quarter of the way into the 21st century. How do you feel about the problems and possibilities ahead? I feel a bit nervous but excited. And I don’t make New Year’s resolutions anymore. Instead, I evaluate the past year in December and make intentions for the coming year. Yes, I intend to eat better, exercise more, and be more patient! During my daily routine, I sat secluded in my home office around 5:30 a.m. with my Bible, journal, and Yeti mug steaming with Jehovah Java dark roast. Surfacing from a warmed soul, here’s what I intend for 2025: to form and fuel my life and leadership with the Lord’s prayer. I launched the New Year with one request, “Lord, teach me to pray” (Luke 11:1). Jesus announced, “My house shall be called a house of prayer [not preaching]”—the residence of God’s presence. Too many churches are houses of singing and sermons but not prayer. We approach and access his presence by prayer.
Praise
If you haven’t done so, please read my previous article, Lord, Teach Us to Pray. I covered the first section of the Lord’s Prayer in Luke 11:2: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.” In 2025, I intend to praise God my Father, who’s housed in heaven, radiant with stellar perfection and power. I intend to honour his lofty name – his colossal person and reputation – as holy. And pursue holiness like a hound after a hare, so I will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord as his image-bearer (Heb. 12:14; Eph. 4:1; 2 Cor. 3:18). God’s holiness and name are elegant. We live near Calgary, braving another frigid Alberta winter. As I gaze out my office window, the pristine beauty of our neighbourhood, blanketed by six inches of fresh gleaming snow, enthralls my theological imagination. The gospel trumpets hope for my Kingdom prayer, “Though my sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow” (Isa. 1:18).
Presence
I intend to pray for God’s manifest presence – his kingdom come through his rule and reign without rival as King – in my life and the world. My posture will be open arms and upraised hands – in magnificent surrender. I’ll pray for a raging river of renewal to flood the church and revival in Canada. I’ll pray for God’s dominion to invade Congress and Trump, the House of Commons and Trudeau. I’ll pray for God to end the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas wars. Through fervent and unceasing prayer, I’ll “seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually (Psa. 105:4).
Provision
Jesus continued with what we should pray, “Give us each day our daily bread” (Luke 11:3). Like children who depend on their parents, we depend on our Father to supply our immediate needs of food, shelter, clothes, and the necessities of life, both physical and spiritual. Good fathers give good gifts to their children, who constantly ask for things. So does God (Matt. 7:11). Most of us have incomes, refrigerators, homes, and maybe some savings. But our jobs and finances are fleeting and unreliable. And multitudes in the world suffer from poverty and hunger.
In all cases, the Lord’s prayer directs us not to forget our Provider and assume that our power, rather than the Lord’s, got our wealth. Like Israel in the wilderness, God will supply a day’s worth of manna daily (Keith Green called it “bamanna bread”) as we trust him (Deut. 8:11-20). Millions don’t have refrigerators or freezers and can’t stock up. They shop daily. We must eject anxiety about tomorrow, fearing God won’t come through (Matt. 6:25-34). He will. What do you need daily? Ask him for it. God is not stingy. He’ll supply – in his way and time.
My parents were tight with money. At times, I can be tight too and resist generosity. Unlike my generous wife, who had generous parents! This is a faith issue for me. I intend to live one day at a time and trust our Father to give fresh-baked daily bread. Remember, we need Jesus, the Bread of Life from heaven (John 6:46-50). And we don’t live on multigrain bread alone but on every spoken (rhema) word that comes from God’s mouth (Matt. 4:4). In 2025, I intend to pray for God’s daily provision for my life and leadership, for my wife, children, and grandchildren.
In 2025, I intend to dive deeper into devotion to Kingdom prayer and pursue God’s presence.
Ignite Prayer Canada
Explore Ignite Prayer Canada. Our vision is to see one thousand churches across Canada cultivate vibrant cultures of Kingdom prayer. Our mission is to help churches become houses of prayer. Prayer isn’t a religious ritual, duty, or agenda item. It’s a power-packed and transformative practice of communication and communion with God that activates his Kingdom mission on earth. We offer resources, training, newsletters, leaders forums, networking, and events to teach you to pray. We’ll be in Halifax on March 21 and Toronto on April 4. Check our website and become a participant or co-sponsor: igniteprayer.ca
Roger Helland is the prayer ambassador of The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, lead team member of Ignite Prayer Canada, and author of Pursuing God’s Presence. (available at Amazon.ca)
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