“Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” — Joshua 3:5

We stand on the banks of the Jordan. Behind us is the wilderness of the past year—the victories, the failures, the dry seasons, and the manna. Behind us are the ghosts of what could have been and the memories of what was.

Ahead of us is the promised land of the New Year. The unknown territory. The battles not yet fought. The victories not yet won.

You cannot conquer a new year with an old mindset. You cannot fight new battles with yesterday’s strategies. The manna that sustained you in the wilderness will stop; you must now learn to eat the fruit of the land. The methods that got you here will not get you there.

Joshua commanded the people: “Sanctify yourselves.”

To sanctify means to set apart. To cleanse. To re-calibrate. Before they took a single step into the new territory, they had to get right with the Commander. They had to wash the dust of the wilderness off their bodies.

Tonight is not about resolutions; it is about consecration. It is not about a gym membership; it is about a heart posture. It is about deciding, right now, who you are going to be when the sun rises on 2026.

Leave the guilt in the wilderness. Leave the shame in the dust. Leave the failures in the grave of the old year. Wash your armor. Sharpen your sword. Set your eyes on the Ark of the Covenant and step into the water. The Lord is about to do wonders. Be ready.

The Warrior’s Prayer: God of New Beginnings, I consecrate myself to You. I wash my hands of the past year’s failures and I release the past year’s glories. I stand ready at the edge of the new. I separate myself from the common things to be used for Your holy purpose. Lead me into 2026 with clean hands and a pure heart. I am ready for the wonders You will do. Let us cross over. Amen.