I’m Pressing on the Upward Way – New Year 2025

I’m Pressing on the Upward Way – New Year 2025

BY RT. REV. PROF. SAMUEL OBIAJULU IKE (BISHOP, ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF ENUGU)

INTRODUCTION

I wish to start this writing by calling your attention to the second stanza of the hymn “I’m pressing on the upward way”
My heart has no desire stay
Where doubts arise, and fear dismay
Though Some may dwell where these abound
My constant aim is higher ground.

As we come into a new year, the year 2025, we should consider this theme very appropriate with the circumstances around and what we passed through in 2024. As a Christian what is your constant aim as we press on into the new year, 2025?

Like St. Paul said in Philippians. 3:13 –14; “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”.

TO PRESS
To Press means ‘applying force or weight to something in the positive or upward direction’. In pressing on the upward way, your energy and ideas must synergize through the principle of action for results to be made manifest. It means looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith – Hebrews 121:1. It means setting your affection above where Christ is – Colossians 3:1.

One critical fact on the matter of pressing on the upward way is that one must not live in the reality of the past. Either negative or positive past must be forgotten before one can press on the upward way.

God knows why He preserved us to be alive into this new year. The reality before us is that if we are still alive in today’s world, it is an indication that there is an unfinished project before us. You are not an accident waiting to happen but you are on a mission by God. Refuse to watch things happen around you; be involved and active in the game of life. Ask for why God allowed you to be alive this year and focus on what He will use you to achieve. There are distractors and obstacles but do not allow them.

In the football field, we have the players, spectators and the commentators. The commentators and spectators can use their mouths to score goals, yet they lack the stamina and skills to play football. What an irony of life! In 2025, do not be a commentator or spectator but a player. Be involved in the game of life. As you play in this game called life be assured of God’s abiding presence, protection and saving grace – Psalm 20:6 KJV “Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; He will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand”

REASONS WHY WE MUST PRESS ON

Looking at the reasons why we must press on:

We press on because there is a prize before us and on our head. You are not ordinary, friends. God still love us and we can not afford to fail him. “You are chosen generation; a royal priesthood; a holy nation, a peculiar people; therefore, you must show forth His praise to the world.” (1 Peter 2:9 KJV).

We press on because we have great a cloud of witnesses of those who want us to succeed and those who may desire us to fail; with God and His holy Angels inclusive. (Heb. 12:1).

We press on because we are called to be different; you can be identical twins yet unique and peculiar, differently before God. Never join the multitude to do evil in 2025. Do not do things anyhow this year; casual people end up becoming casualties of life.

We press on because our past experience is not enough to carry us through to the Goal set before us. We must reach the goal set before us and do the work of the MASTER while it is still day.

We must press on because we have a better destination and a better home which is far better than here.

We must press on because time is not on our side, if it pleases the MASTER to call us home this year, we will not be found wanting or lose our reward. Every minute of our life  time that passes, can never be recovered again: it has gone into eternity!

We must press on because Jesus is our role model, to be like him in all we do this year and beyond.

Before I share with you six (6) things you need to commit to in 2025 for extraordinary walk with God; evidence in so much results.
Please pray this prayer if you know you have not surrendered your life to the Lord Jesus Christ.

LORD JESUS CHRIST, I AM A SINNER, PLEASE FORGIVE ME AND COME INTO MY LIFE, TO BE MY LORD AND SAVIOUR FROM TODAY FORWARD IN JESUS NAME. AMEN.

SIX (6) THINGS TO COMMIT TO
The six things you must commit to this year, in order to press on the upward way and in order to succeed in the year 2025 are as follows:

1.) Commit your life to Christ – First of all, you need to be committed to Christ ; as many as accept Him, to them He gave the power to be the sons of God. (Jn. 1:12). Without him you can do nothing meaningful or of lasting value, this year, 2025. If we remain in Him and He remains in us, then can we be able to achieve our goal in the year ahead, then if we ask anything in His name He will do it. (Jn. 15: 6-8).

2.) Commit to the Word of God – We need to commit to the word of God in order to navigate through this year. “Thy word is the light lamp unto my feet and the light unto my path” – Ps. 119:105.

3.) Commit to Reading, Studying, Memorising and Meditating on the word of God because it is profitable. Study to show yourself approved, a workman that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Tim. 2: 15).

4.) Commit to Witnessing for Christ – Christ has called us to himself and for us to be with him, after which he will send us out to witness to the world what he has done for us (John 20: 31; 2 Cor. 5 : 18 – 20). When we witness for Christ in our behaviour, in our attitude and in words, the world will see us to be like him and they will want to be like him too.

5a.) Commit to Walking with God – As Paul requested, ” Be you followers of me as I am of the Lord Jesus Christ “(1 Cor. 11: 1).As we walk with God in holiness and righteousness, all the days of this year (Luke 1: 74,75), then we pattern His lifestyle to the rest of the world, and by our fruits, the world will know that we have been, and continue to be with Christ.

5b.) Commit to Work for God – Do not be a spectator in the game /race of this year, 2025. You have a role to play in advancing God’s work this year. And you, if you have committed your life to God, in salvation, have received the requisite gift(s) to carry out God’ s assignment, wherever you may be this year (1 Pet. 4: 10). Take heed to the assignment you have received from God, to accomplish it (Col. 4: 17). Therein will you find fulfilment.

6.) Commit to Revival in every facet of your spiritual, social, mental and emotional life. Do not be satisfied with a suboptimal life of performance. Determine and cry unto God for everything concerning you, your family and your relationship with Him this year – ” Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?” (Psalm 85: 6). The revival will start with you, your friends and family. When we are revived and the church is revived, it will affect the society and God will be glorified.

May God lift you higher in this new year, 2025, as you decide and determine to PRESS ON THE UPWARD WAY IN JESUS NAME! AMEN.

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I’m Pressing on the Upward Way – New Year 2025

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