When God Commands a New Beginning

“Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” – Isaiah 43:19 NKJV

“And God-Enthroned spoke to me and said, 'Consider this! I am making everything to be new and fresh. Write down at once all that I have told you, because each word is trustworthy and dependable.'” – Revelation 21:5 TPT

My New Beginning

Earlier this morning, I was pondering the thought of God being the God of New Beginnings. It’s currently January 5th, 2026, and my first day back at work since last year, after a restful two-week break. By God’s grace, it’s officially been six months since I started my full-time job post-graduation, which is within my career. I’m beyond grateful! This time last year, I’d been applying to various jobs, both full-time and part-time – simply trying to secure something. As is the custom in my church, we were embarking on a 21-day journey of prayer and fasting. It was actually on the first day of the fast that I’d begun my part-time job as a Sales Representative at a gym. Although I was grateful for finally having a job, after being unemployed in the midst of a long job-seeking season, there was such a level of discouragement that I felt, since it was the only job I could get at the time.

There’s something so profound about God and how He orchestrates new beginnings. God isn’t confined to our timeline, nor is He limited in perspective. He sees all things, and He knows all things. After hundreds of applications and several interview rounds, I ended up landing my job, the job that I have right now, in April of 2025. I will never forget the pure joy I felt in accepting the offer – I immediately played “See What the Lord has Done,” by Nathaniel Bassey, after receiving the job offer. God orchestrated my new beginning well after the new year began. But He made all things new, so beautifully! I officially started my new job on July 1st, 2025, and it’s been an amazing journey since then.

This time last year, I was frantic, anxious, and discouraged. I couldn’t yet perceive the new thing that God was doing in my life because my eyes hadn’t seen it, nor had my ears heard it. I simply couldn’t see, and my faith felt weak. A profound thought came to me earlier today – It’s possible for God to be doing a new thing in your life that you can’t experience because you refuse to perceive.

The Power of Perception

In Isaiah 43:19 ESV, the scripture uses the word perceive: “Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” A new thing is springing forth in your life that God is doing; do you not perceive it?

The word “perceive” is quite interesting. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, perceive means, “to think of something in a particular way; to come to an opinion about something, or have a belief about something.”

It’s interesting to find that God is asking us to perceive the new thing, perhaps even before we receive it. Faith is having the hope to perceive what you haven’t yet received. Sometimes, a new beginning feels anything but new. Sometimes, they even feel like setbacks. I didn’t know that in taking a part-time job, it was simply God transitioning me into full-time work, and doing a much-needed work on my character.

What you perceive, or your perception, all comes down to one simple thing – how you think. You cannot enter into the new beginnings God may have for you in this year 2026 until you change the way that you think. I believe it’s in the will of God for us to get rid of old ways of stinking thinking. Certain mindsets are preventing us from accessing the new God promised and beholding the evidence our faith hoped for.

How’s your thinking?

Thinking anew means that your mind must be renewed! “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” – Romans 12:2 NLT

The only way to change how you think is by adopting the mind of Christ.

How to Think with a Renewed Mind

1. Be Consistent in Private Devotion

   • Through the Word of God – “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” – Joshua 1:8 NKJV

   • Through Prayer – “pray continually,” – 1 Thessalonians 5:17 NIV

   • Through Fasting – “However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.’” – Matthew 17:21 NKJV

   • Through Reflection – “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” – Philippians 4:8 NKJV

2. Surround Yourself with Renewed Thinkers

   • Renewed Thinkers promote you to maintain a renewed mind! – “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” – Proverbs 27:17

3. Don’t Permit or Promote Negativity in Your Environment

   • You become whatever you are around – this applies to people, places, and things! – “'So stop fooling yourselves! Evil companions will corrupt good morals and character.” – 1 Corinthians 15:33 TPT

God is doing a new thing, and YOU HAVE TO SEE IT! It’s all up to you. One of the greatest ways to defeat the enemy is to defeat Him in your mind. Often, the sins, struggles, and negative emotions we fall into are because we’ve allowed the enemy to have a field day in our minds. We’ve surrendered our rights to a new beginning at the wits of a poor mindset, and a weak tenacity. Whatever it is in life that you desire is worth fighting for – and the way you fight is by not giving up when it gets hard, when it looks impossible, or when it feels hopeless.

The moment you decide to let your guard down and believe the enemy’s lies is the very moment you’ve forfeited your new beginning. See, here’s the thing: God can do a new thing, but if your mindset, attitude, and understanding of the new thing is poor, you’ll soon spoil the very beautiful thing He’s prepared for you!

In His merciful nature, God will sometimes delay the new beginnings we haven’t begun to perceive. He will wait for our faith, trust, and obedience to align with what He’s about to do. And this is His nature, He’s for us, not against us. But sometimes, we do experience a new beginning – whether a job, relationship, lifestyle, etc. – but it doesn’t last long, and not because it wasn’t God’s intention, but because we had an immature mindset.

The word of the year for my church is Maturity. When it was first announced, my mouth was simply open, and I was shocked. I was expecting a cuter and easier-to-digest word like fulfillment. During New Year’s Eve Service, my Pastor shared many sentiments regarding new beginnings and how it’s what God promised this year. But He also shared how it’s up to us, each Believer, to leave the past behind, and walk into the newness God has for us.

God’s plans for you are grand. God’s plans for you are newness. New beginnings are a part of an abundant life, and I believe, God’s intention for this year and season. But what you perceive, or refuse to perceive, is directly related to the promises you will receive. Don’t allow your new beginnings to be stolen from you this year! Don’t allow what you have yet to see to discourage your faith in the God of New Beginnings! God is so faithful and true, trust and believe that He won’t fail you!

Stepping into new beginnings means you must stand on the Word that never changes!

Here are a few scriptures to stand on as you change your perception:

• “So now wrap your heart tightly around the hope that lives within us, knowing that God always keeps his promises!” – Hebrews 10:23 TPT

• “Again, GOD’s Message: “I’ll turn things around for Jacob. I’ll compassionately come in and rebuild homes. The town will be rebuilt on its old foundations; the mansions will be splendid again. Thanksgivings will pour out of the windows; laughter will spill through the doors. Things will get better and better. Depression days are over. They’ll thrive, they’ll flourish. The days of contempt will be over. They’ll look forward to having children again, to being a community in which I take pride. I’ll punish anyone who hurts them, and their prince will come from their own ranks. One of their own people shall be their leader. Their ruler will come from their own ranks. I’ll grant him free and easy access to me. Would anyone dare to do that on his own, to enter my presence uninvited?’ GOD’s Decree.” – Jeremiah 30:18-21 MSG

• “Let me tell you what God said next. He said, ‘You’re my son, And today is your birthday. What do you want? Name it: Nations as a present? continents as a prize? You can command them all to dance for you, Or throw them out with tomorrow’s trash.’” – Psalms 2:7-9 MSG

• “The entire family got up early the next morning and went to worship the Lord once more. Then they returned home to Ramah. When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the Lord remembered her plea,” – 1 Samuel 1:19 NLT

• “Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.” – Luke 1:45 NKJV