We have every reason to thank the Almighty God who has spared our lives to see the beginning of the year 2023, the year of our Double Portion. To the only wise God, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to Him be honor and everlasting power forever and ever. Amen. This year by the grace of God, may we enter into our double portion of anointing and prosperity as prophet Elisha coveted the double portion of the anointing of prophet Elijah and he got it.
As we start this year 2023, Psalm 23 comes to mind. The first line of this psalm says, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” King David was a shepherd boy, but in this psalm, he saw Jehovah, the Lord God of Israel, as his shepherd. He spoke in this psalm as if he was one of the sheep, and was happy to say, “the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”
When the Lord is your Shepherd, you are in good hands. The Lord loves his sheep. For him, there is no greater pleasure than that of seeing his sheep comfortable and happy. The Shepherd gives everything he has to sustain the sheep.
David says, the Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Our shepherd provides satisfaction and contentment for us too! Jesus Christ is our Shepherd and Master who will guide us throughout the year 2023 if we will let Him. He promises to do this for us, Psalm 32:8 says, I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with my eye.
1. He will guide us along pleasant paths, Psalm 23:1-2. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. [2] He makes me lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
2. He will guide us in difficult situations, Psalm 25:9—The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.
3. He will guide us continually, Psalm 48:14, For this God is our God forever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.
Looking at this psalm, every verse has Jehovah’s name. Jesus called himself the Good Shepherd because he laid down his life for the sheep (Jn 10:11).
Jehovah-Rohi- The Lord my Shepherd;
Jehovah-Jireh-The Lord will Provide (I shall not want)
Jehovah-Shalom-The Lord is Peace (He makes me lie down).
Jehovah-Rapha- The Lord our Healer (He restoreth my soul).
Jehovah-Tsidkenu-The Lord Our Righteousness-He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness;
Jehovah Shammah-The Lord is There (for thou art with me). God is with us wherever we go. He will never leave or forsake us.
Jehovah-Nissi-The Lord our Banner, our Refuge, or Standard, Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.
Jehovah-Jireh- The Lord Sees or Provides (goodness and mercy shall follow me).
The results of trusting Jesus Christ as our Shepherd are:
A. Deliverance- both Spiritual and physical, Psalm 91:3 Surely, He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence.
B. Protection & Security—”go in and out”-Psalm 121:8—The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
John 10:27-29—… My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: [28] And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. [29] My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
C. Provision and Satisfaction—”find pasture”-Psalm 23:1,2,5—The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anoints my head with oil; my cup runs over. Psalm 107:9—For he satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with goodness.
D. Having Fellowship with God and Others- 1 John 1:3—That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
1 John 1:7—But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son.
God told Moses in Exodus 33:14, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
Happy New Year, may the presence of the Good Shepherd abide with you, and give you all-around peace in the year 2023 in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
PRAYERS
1. Lord Jesus, we thank you because you counted us worthy to be alive to see the year 2023.
2. We thank you for the blessings of the year 2022, Lord, let your name be exalted in the name of Jesus.
3. Father Lord, this year 2023, be our guide and protect us from all evils in Jesus’ name.
4. Father, help us to be obedient to all your commandments in Jesus’ name.
Yours in the Lord,
Pastor Lillian Haastrup
