I Prayed have prayed
Father God, I want to know You and be close to You more than I want any other thing in the world. Please conform me to the image of Christ even more in 2024, and help me to pray more about my relationship with You than I pray about any lesser thing.
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As we go into 2024, have you thought about what you want the Lord to do in your heart and character?

Many people like to make goals for the new year, and that’s a good thing. I enjoy doing that myself. But “goals” are usually task-oriented. They involve things like cleaning out the linen closet, running a half-marathon, or simply escaping from the kids for an occasional haircut. 🙂

But what about heart work and heart change, and the ways in which you want the Lord to transform your character?

Aren’t those kinds of things the most important? Indeed they are. So, today I want to challenge you to pick a few things (not everything, as God is more of a slow surgeon than He is a “minute clinic”) to pray about regarding your character, and focus on them for all of 2024.

Here are a few of the things I’m asking the Lord to do in my heart in 2024:

  1. to help me slow down and rest more. (I believe that 2024 is The Year of Slow.) I’m asking the Lord to help me trust in Him while I obey His command to enter into His rest without ever leaving that rest;
  2. to help me learn to be content in whatever state I am (see Philippians 4:11);
  3. for a greater revelation of, belief in, and experience of His “exceeding abundantly” (see Ephesians 3:20);
  4. to have more grace and appetite for long periods of prayer;
  5. for greater revelation that He is no respecter of persons. What He has done for others, He can and will do for me;
  6. to develop a more passionate heart of worship than I have ever had before.

These are just a few ideas. But to help you, below are additional examples of things you could ask the Lord to do in your heart. These are ideas that may inspire your own personal prayers.

You could ask the Lord:

  1. to help you grow in honor towards others;
  2. to help you speak your spouse’s “love language” with greater fluency;
  3. to help you grow in your love-walk in general;
  4. for a greater capacity to dream;
  5. for increased skill in discerning the many ways God speaks;
  6. for a greater unction to fast and pray;
  7. to teach you how to make disciples as Jesus made disciples;
  8. to give you wisdom to lead His great people;
  9. for greater infilling of His sevenfold Holy Spirit — the Spirit of the Lord/Yahweh, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord (see Isaiah 11:1–2);
  10. to help you not speak anything evil about any person;
  11. to make you more trustworthy in His sight;
  12. for a greater compassion for those in need;
  13. to give you the tongue of the learned, so that you might speak a word in season to those who are weary;
  14. for eyes to see God, ears to hear God, and a nose to smell His fragrance;
  15. to help you love what He loves and hate what He hates;
  16. to help you love righteousness and hate lawlessness;
  17. for an increased revelation of eternity;
  18. for a greater passion for the lost;
  19. for Him to order your steps in His Word;
  20. for a greater grace to love your enemies, to bless those who curse you, and to pray for those who despitefully use you;
  21. for His daily conviction and help to not be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is His good and acceptable and perfect will in your life (see Romans 12:1–2).

Friend, these types of things are not glamorous. They aren’t on anyone’s Top 10 Ways to Live Your Best Life Now list.

Nevertheless, in God’s realm, they truly are how to get to your best life now. These types of things are all aspects of being conformed to the image of Jesus. And that is what life is all about.

Goals for 2024 are well and good, and I highly recommend you set some. But more than that, I encourage you today to get alone with the Lord and talk to Him about your heart.

  • Ask Him to show you what He needs you to work on in 2024.
  • Ask Him to help you with the things you also desire Him to do in your heart and character this upcoming year.
  • And write down what you decide on, continuing to pray over those specific heart issues all year.

Friend, if you will prioritize praying about your heart and character, giving these things the same weight and importance that God places on them, you can see your life improved fast. Why? Because everything we experience in visible manifestation is simply the outflow and overflow of what is inside us. If we will place first things first, seeking God first, and His righteousness, all these things will be added to us.

What is the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart about how He wants to transform you in 2024? Share a comment below and inspire others!

Jamie Rohrbaugh is the founder and CEO of From His Presence. She is the author of Getting to Know the Sevenfold Holy Spirit, and she seeks to equip you to carry His manifest glory everywhere you go. Her resources have been published by YouVersion Bible Plans and in Charisma magazine, as well as on The Elijah List, Spirit Fuel, and various other ministry outlets. You can find free mentoring on her podcast, Take Your Territory with Jamie Rohrbaugh, which is available through your favorite podcast streaming app. Download her free prayer tool, Praying the Names of God: 555 Biblical Names of God and How to Use Them in Prayer and Worship, here. Photo Credit: MART PRODUCTION/Pexels via Canva Pro.

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Delores
January 3, 2024

Amen.! Well written. Thank you for these great prayer requests. Lord help us all to seek a greater likeness to you!

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. John Ade Ogbaji
January 2, 2024

Am seeking for God’s blessings and favor. I want my friend to help me get a transfer to a better government office in Abuja. In Jesus name I pray. Amen

2
Cynthia
January 2, 2024

Thank you Jamie for the best New Year’s prayer and priorities. First seek God’s kingdom, presence of our King, and how to hv first
His vision and what He wants done, all else will follow. The outflow of the love and presence of King Jesus causes all else in our spiritual walk, relationships, health, finances, vocation, ministry service and the like to flow in seamless grace.

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Ms Mary
January 2, 2024

Jamie, as always, your article is loaded with nuggets of wisdom. I so appreciate your insights. Much love.

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    Ms Mary
    January 2, 2024

    I would like to add, thank you Jamie for all the links to your many resources. I really needed this today. Lord bless you.

    2
Gail Russ
January 2, 2024

Thank you so much, Jamie, for your article about heart change in 2024. It is exactly what I needed to move closer to Jesus on this front. Our Sunday morning prayer team at church identified a shared request for the year, on Dec. 31. The request is that we would become true image bearers of Jesus Christ in 2024. I made 20 copies of Jamie’s article for two weekend prayer teams. I am praying for these teams and can’t think of a better way to encourage them to seek to become more like Jesus Christ.

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Gail Russ
January 2, 2024

Thank you so much, Jamie, for your article about heart change in 2024. It is exactly what I needed to move closer to Jesus on this front. Our Sunday morning prayer team at church identified a shared request for the year, on Dec. 31. The request is that we would become true image bearers of Jesus Christ in 2024. I made 20 copies of Jamie’s article for two weekend prayer teams. I am praying for these teams and can’t think of a better way to encourage them to seek to become more like Jesus Christ.
A grateful member of the IFA team!
Gail Russ

4
Brian lynch
January 2, 2024

Lord Jesus, it is necessary to transform me to be more in Your image of how you see me. Please use me going forward to help to grow Your kingdom, Show me how to be Your ambassador, and to value the things that are important to You. Make me and mold me into what You want me to be. Thank you, Jesus.

16
Allena Jordan
January 2, 2024

Thank you for encouraging me with these words.

6
Candy
January 2, 2024

My end of year prayer time revealed that God is seeking to refine me. This is both a joyful thing and one I am a bit afraid of. The refining fires are a tough place to be. But the end result is beautiful. I am seeking His grace to make it through this year. And rejoicing that He loves me enough to make me better. I am truly anticipating this time next year and the beauty that will come from this time in the fire.
Isaiah 7:9 If you do not stand firm, you will not stand at all.
By Gods mercy, grace and strength I will stand. And will shine with the beauty only the Lord can produce in me.
Amen.

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Trena
January 2, 2024

And, it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him,” Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”
So, He said to them, ” When you pray, say….”
“… And, I say to you, ask and it will be given to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks, finds, and to him who knocks, it will be opened.”….
Luke 11: 1-4, 8-10
This was the lesson for His didciples.
He did not say, “repeat this prayer, or pray ” this prayer” He said to ” pray in this manner,” Matt.6: 5 -15.
With more explanations here.
He was answering that disciple’s question, addressing the 12 altogether. Its the principles of the prayer he said. We can learn so much from it; then , put into practice the order in which He prayed, inserting our personal requests and listing our sins. For example, when asking forgiveness for our debts, and to those we are indebted too , or stating our temptations when asking for help with them, be specific with Him.
That is being clear in our prayers with Him, making His example personal…for ourselves.
May God Bless all in this new season, New Year ! I am sending hope in all things , mercy, grace, forgiveness, faith and Love to you all , through Jesus Christ, in my prayers for you…
May our New Year, be more than just happy✝️✝️✝️🙏💞

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