I. Introduction
A. Equipped
1. I hope that we have learned, or simply been reminded of, things that have equipped us for living life as a Christian every day, not just on Sunday.
2. We have examined Ephesians 4 thoroughly this year, learning how to be equipped for unity, growth, and spiritual warfare.
3. We examined what it means to equip ourselves for marriage and the workplace.
4. We even discussed equipping ourselves for hardship and failure.
5. This morning we finish with examining how to equip ourselves for the new year.
B. New Year’s Resolutions
1. Statista released the results of their online poll from late fall this year about Americans’ top New Year’s resolutions. The top five are no surprise:
a. To exercise more- 48%
b. To save more money- 46%
c. To eat healthier- 45%
d. To spend more time with family and friends- 42%
2. Often, our resolutions have to do with health and wealth, but what if this year we resolved to equip ourselves spiritually?
II. Resolving
A. Resolve to Walk
1. What does it mean to walk wisely?
2. In essence, he is telling us to really pay attention to walking the which God has laid out for us in Scripture.
a. This is the fourth exhortation in Ephesians.
b. In verse 17, Paul tells us not to be foolish, but to understand what the will of the Lord is; that is found in His Word.
c. Throughout Scripture, we find the contrast between the wise and the unwise.
d. Joshua 1:7
e. Matthew 7:24
3. We must resolve to follow the of God, as He desires for us to live.
B. Resolve to Steward Your and Resources
1. God wants us to use our time and resources in the manner that best Him.
a. Notice that the passage urges us to make the best use of our time.
b. There are so many good things we can invest our time and resources in, but what is the best?
c. For many here this morning, we’re talking about the difference in what is good and best, not good and bad.
2. Illustration: During one of my grad classes, I was having a hard time finishing an assignment. I reached out to the professor for leniency, and he replied with a stern admonition. He reminded me that my time is one of my most significant resources, and just like money, I spend it. I must choose who I give it to and what I spend it on.
3. The phrase, “making the most of your time,” means “to buy up for oneself.” (The KJV & NKJV use the phrase “redeeming the time.”)
4. Can we honestly say that we give God the best of our time?
5. Answering this question is not necessarily about how much time we spend in worship, Bible class, or personal Bible study; it’s about learning to give God all our time by making Him part of every of our lives.
C. Resolve to Seize
1. Earlier this year, I discussed who our real enemy is in our spiritual warfare—the devil.
a. Among the things Paul warns us about in this letter is that the devil is working hard against us (Ephesians 2:2).
b. One of the most famous quotes about doing good is the one that reminds us that doing nothing is not an option. “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing” is a quote often attributed to Edmund Burke. While the exact quote is never found in his work, the statement is nevertheless true.
2. When we choose not to seize the opportunities that God brings to us, we are allowing the to win.
3. Our path in this world should be one that others see as so good and so that they wish to travel with us.
III. Conclusion
A. Equipped
1. One thing to remember about being equipped—it is a constant process.
2. Our resolve must be strong because our enemy will continue to wage war on us.
B. God’s Resolve
1. God has resolved to redeem us. He sent His Son to make it possible.
2. You are worth redeeming!
3. Sometimes our resolve grows weak, don’t give up!
4. Perhaps the new year needs to begin with you resolving to follow God.
Suggestions for Spiritual Resolutions
· Read through the Sermon on the Mount
· What are some of the most challenging teachings of Jesus in this sermon? List your top three.
· Now, under each teaching, list three practical, measurable, and attainable things you could do that would help you grow in that area this year.
Suggestions for Stewarding Time and Resources
· Do a budget for 2026, including all your income and expenses (bills, loans, expenses, gifts to charity, etc.)
· Review how much money you give to the church. In comparison to other expenditures, does it reflect your heart?
· What is one area of work for the church you could give one more hour a month to in 2026?
· How could you use your home to serve the Lord this year?
Suggestions for Seizing Opportunities
· Pray and ask God to provide opportunities. Also, pray that He will help you realize when those opportunities present themselves.
· Watch for the opportunities.
· Do something; anything is better than nothing.