Samuel Rodriguez - First Things First
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Summary
The preacher emphasizes that to have a victorious year, we must put «first things first» by starting everything with God, His Word, and praise. He draws from three key Scriptures: Genesis 1:1 («In the beginning God»), John 1:1 («In the beginning was the Word»), and Judges 1 where God sends Judah (meaning praise) first into battle. The conclusion is clear—if we begin 2023 with God, immerse ourselves in His Word, and lead with praise, we will end the year in victory, fruitfulness, favor, and breakthrough.
First Things First: The Prescription for Victory
Somebody say, «First things first.» The Bible gives us a prescription of what to do first if you want the outcome to be defined as victorious. The Bible says there are things we do in the beginning. What we do in the beginning, if we do this right, will determine what we see at the end. There are three moments in Scripture where the phraseology, the verbiage, both syntax and semantics, and the context of the declaration is so clear that it’s explicit by the Holy Spirit. It’s powerful, and it’s our prescription for 2023.
First things first, somebody say, «First things first.» Some of them are obvious. Here we go. First things first: Genesis chapter one, verse one. In the beginning. Some of you knew it; some of you did not. In the beginning. And there it is. In 2023, with God in the beginning—your boyfriend, your girlfriend, your mother-in-law, your spouse, Billy McGillicuddy—in the beginning. If you begin with God, you will end the year with God. Whatever begins with God is already guaranteed to end up in victory. God in the beginning, God in the end, and through it all, God.
Beginning the Year with God
Begin this year with God, with the strength of the Father, the grace of the Son, and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Begin this year with God. Make God your priority—not a Sunday thing, but an everyday thing. Make God your everything. I love the words of the Apostle Paul. He says, «Christ is my everything.» God in January, God in December, and February through November. God, God at the beginning of every day. Begin every week with God. Begin every relationship with God. It’s God at the beginning of every action, word, deed, and thought.
In the beginning. Why should God be in the beginning? Because He is the Alpha; He is the beginning and the end (Revelation 1:8). Why? Because seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all things will be added unto you (Matthew 6:33). We begin with God. Somebody say, «I’m beginning to share with God.» Tell your neighbor, «This year, I am beginning with God, and when I finish this year, I will finish this year with God.» How do you understand what I’m saying? Your priority is everything about God.
A God-Centered Year
It’s God; it’s the Father’s covering, it’s the grace of the Son—are you looking more like Jesus, breathing more like Jesus, acting more like Jesus? You fill with the Holy Spirit. This is a God year for you. You’re going to get to know God like never before—not God the religion, not God the philosophy, not God the ideology, not God the ATM machine, but God Almighty, the Maker of heaven and Earth. God. Somebody say, «God.»
When you begin this year pursuing God’s presence, you will finish the year occupying God’s promise. You begin the year pursuing God’s presence, and you will finish the year occupying God’s promise. If you begin the year, this year, 2023, on your face, you will finish 2023 on your feet. And if you begin 2023, here it is, with forgiveness. Pastor Eddie talked about it; Pastor Elijah—it’s about knowing the power of the blood. Listen, you’re already forgiven, but you need to forgive whoever offended you in 2022, whoever harmed you in 2021, whoever traumatized you in 2012. You need to forgive. Stop living in your pain; stop living in the past.
Forgiveness Leads to Favor
The moment here—I’m going to give somebody a word. If you begin 2023 with forgiveness, you will finish 2023 with favor. How many want to see God’s favor? So you forgive. We’re going to do things differently today because it’s January 1st. Raise your right hand; it’s a day of declarations. Repeat after me: I decree and declare upon my life, my family, and my church community that 2023 will be defined by the strength of the Father, the grace of the Son, and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. God is with me in the beginning; God will be with me through it all, and God will be with me at the end of 2023. If you believe that for you and your family, give Him a praise offering right now.
In the Beginning Was the Word
This is real quick—number two: first things first. Not only in the beginning God, but John chapter one, verse one: «In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God.» In the beginning was the Word. What is God telling you? Begin this year with Me and begin this year with My Word. You missed it; God is saying you begin this year with Me and begin the year with My Word. I have some news for you: you’re not beginning this year with a curse; you’re not beginning this year with shame, worry, anxiety, or depression. Here’s the great news: you’re beginning this year, 2023, with the Word, Jesus, inside of you and the Word from Jesus upon you.
I don’t know if you understand what this means. This is the year of the Word! You’re about to see that Word—and I mean the Word, Jesus—the Word incarnate, the Word that became flesh, growing inside of you and His Word upon you. What does this mean? I’m going to tell you what it means. I’ve got to hold back here. Isaiah 55:11: «It is the same with My Word; I send it out, and it will always produce fruit. It will accomplish all I wanted to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.»
A Year of Fruitfulness and Prosperity
You’re not hearing what I say. Isaiah 55 says if you have the Word inside of you and a Word upon you, wherever the Word is present, you will be fruitful, and you will prosper. Is there anyone in this auditorium that believes this will be the most fruitful year of your life? I’m going to ask that one more time. Is there anyone that has crazy faith? How many believe that the things you’ve been sowing for years, you’re about to reap in 2023? Are you ready for that? How many believe that every single day, 365 days this year, you and your family will prosper?
If you believe it, shout like you know you’re about to have the most fruitful, prosperous year of your life! This is not just a year of consumption; it is a year of production. I’m going to say that one more time: this year, you’re not going to consume; you’re going to produce because Jesus, the Word, is inside of you, and His Word is upon you. You and your family better get ready! I’m telling you, get ready! Get ready! Get ready! Get ready for the most fruitful, prosperous year of your life.
Declaring the Power of the Word
Raise your right hand and repeat after me. By the way, Luke 1:37 says, «The Word of God never fails, » and Hebrews 4:12 says, «The Word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between your soul and your spirit, between your joint and your marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts.» But when the Bible in the New Testament talks about exposing, it’s not to judge you. You know what it means? God lets it come out so that God can deal with it, so no devil will ever have victory in your life.
Are you getting that right now? When God exposes, it’s never to shame you, condemn you, or send you to hell. He exposes it for His blood to crush it forevermore and for the enemy to be defeated in that aspect. Oh, I’m sorry, raise your right hand; we’re supposed to be declaring. Get excited sometimes. On occasion, repeat after me: I decree and declare that 2023 is the year of the Word! Jesus, the Word, is my everything! And as I read, study, declare, and do His Word, I will see the Word bearing fruit and prospering in me, with me, for me, and through me like never before. And by the end of this year, the following truth will define me and my house: the Word of God never fails! Somebody shout like the Word of God never fails in your future, in your finances, in your health, in your holiness, in your healing, in your church community, in your generation! The Word of God will never fail!
Praise Goes First: Judah Leads the Way
Luke 1:37—final one. God says this through His Word. Here’s the formula, here’s the rubric, the prescription: you begin 2023 with Me—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You begin 2023 with My Word, and there’s one more. In the beginning, watch this: Judges chapter one, after the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked the Lord, «Which tribe should go first?» And the Lord answered, «Judah, for I have given Judah the victory.» Who should go first? Oh, you— I need to begin this year with God, begin this year with His Word, and with Judah.
Unless you know what Judah means. Eighteen of you know what Judah means; some of y’all know. Those that are clapping know what Judah means. If I had time, I would tell you. Go on your phone and Google what Judah means. You could do it right now. But some of you already know. Matter of fact, can I ask those of you who already know what Judah means? Can you tell your neighbor what Judah means? Judah means praise! You’re not getting it. In other words, if you begin… They ask, «We see the promised land; there’s a promise. The promise is occupied. Who should go first?» And God says, «If you want to occupy the promise, praise has to go first.»
Putting Praise First in 2023
Oh, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, this year will not be a year defined in your life by anxiety. This year will not be defined by depression, fear, or failure. I have news for you: this year, you’re going to put your praise on like you’ve never put your praise on before! Is there anyone here ready to praise God on good days and bad days, on sunny days and rainy days, on days when everyone loves you and on days when people abandon you? Is there anyone here that says, «In 2023, every single day, I will give God my highest praise»? And let me hear you shout like you have a Judah anointing on you!
Lift up your hands. Lift up your hands, all my Judah people! All my Judah people, here it is. You’re going to repeat after me because I want you to know your praise will lead the way. It is God; it is the Word; it is praise. Somebody say, «God, His Word, praise.» Repeat after me: I will begin this year with God, with His Word, and with praise. You know, you need to understand. Every single day, wake up. Don’t wake up thinking about, «What do I have to pay? What do I have to overcome? What text message do I have to delete? Who do I have to block? You know, none of that stuff—the medical report coming in, my bank account, my relationship.»
Starting the Day with Praise
No, you’re going to wake up every morning and you’re going to say, «This is the day the Lord—» I feel like preaching right about now. I know it’s January 1st, and some of you are still left over from what happened last night, but this is the day the Lord has made, and I will rejoice and be glad in it!» The Bible says, «All that have breath, give Him your best praise right about now!»
Lift up your hands; lift up your hands. Let’s finish right here. We’re done. Where there is praise, there is victory! Repeat after me: Where there is praise, there is victory! When praise goes first, walls come down. Ask Joshua. When praise goes first, your enemies will defeat each other. Ask Gideon. You all didn’t hear that. When praise goes first, they ask, «Who should go first?» God says, «Praise!» In the beginning, God; in the beginning, the Word; in the beginning, praise. If you begin this year with God, His Word, and praise, you will have victory!
Victory Through Praise
By the way, I bind every lie of the devil. I rebuke this mindset: «I’m going to have victory some days this year.» No, you’re not! Don’t even say, «Oh, I hope the majority of the days…» No! I will not give up one day to the enemy! Somebody here should understand: 365 days with Jesus means 365 days of victory, 365 days of anointing, 365 days of breakthrough, 365 days of overflow! Stand with me. When your praise goes first, your enemies will defeat each other. That’s what happened to Gideon in Judges chapters six and seven.
I know this makes no sense to some of y’all, but when your praise goes first, it means anxiety and depression gang up on your fear, and they just take care of each other. When praise goes first, you don’t even need to fight because the battle belongs to God. Ask Jehoshaphat. When praise goes first, you will see what you never saw before. Ask the blind man Bartimaeus. In 2023, you must put on your garment of praise. A garment of praise—praise is something you put on; it has to be intentional. God won’t make you praise Him.
The Garment of Praise
Hence, He created us in His image and gave us free will, because if it’s coerced praise, if it’s obligatory praise, meaning praise that is mandatory, as it pertains to you being programmed automatically to do it out of some sort of algorithm—no! It’s the greatest expression of freedom! You can’t—the moment you give God praise! I love what Paul says in Romans chapter 12. He says, «You know what God really wants as the greatest form of praise and worship? A holy life through your life.» You start praising Him through your testimony.
I’m telling you this: instead of despair, praise; instead of depression, praise; instead of defeat, praise! In 2023, your praise will activate victory! If you believe that, raise your hand because you’re about to say some crazy stuff right now. Raise your right hand. This is crazy what you’re about to say! What I’m about to say: repeat after me: I decree and declare that in 2023, my praise will go first! Every day, every day, my praise is unconditional! You missed it; it’s not based on how you feel; it’s based on who He is! My praise will be uncompromising and unprecedented! It will be more passionate, more purposeful, and persistent!
Declaring Praise First
In other words, raise your right hand and say, «I’m about to be known for my praise!» And because God promised to release victory upon my praise, my mouth will be full of praise! My family, my life, my postings will be defined by praise in 2023, in Jesus' name! Praise will go first! Now give Him your best praise!
Conclusion: Open Doors and Blessings
In conclusion, if God goes first, if the Word goes first, if praise goes first, 2023 will be the year you and your family go through open doors, occupy the greatest promises, and receive the greatest blessings— all for the purpose of seeing everyone you come in contact with in 2023 experience salvation, healing, godliness, and the glory of Jesus without exception! And that is how we change the world! Give it one more clap offering! Go ahead!
Annual Declarations Tradition
Y’all should have received a declaration page. Did you receive it? Can I get my team to come up here real quick? My five readers, come up here real quick. We’re going to begin every single year from now until the coming of the Lord! We’re going to begin every first Sunday of the year with new declarations! So, every single year from now on, if you remember this church for the next 30, 40, 50 until the Lord comes— we’re going to begin the first Sunday of the year with what we’re doing now, with new declarations! And every year we change them—this is fire! Lift them up!
So, I’ll be honest—full disclosure. At the nine o’clock service, if you look around, our church—if you’re here for the first time—our church is a beautiful Christ-centered, Bible-based, Spirit-empowered church. We’re about 40% white, 40% African-American, 20% Latino, Asian, and Native American. We look like heaven! Somebody say, «Praise God!» We are every generation! I mean, every generation! We are primarily—just number-wise—it’s primarily a millennial church but we have 80, 90-year-olds in this church. We have 70s, 60s, 50s; we have Generation Z thriving in this church—all the generations here!
Reading the Declarations Together
These declarations right here—at nine o’clock in the morning, the people that came, which was amazing—they were shouting them! And I’m asking, like, «Y’all didn’t—y’all went to sleep at eight o’clock last night, there’s no way you have that much energy!» They were like, «I declare!» So, I want you to just—we’re going to read it. Sam, you’re going to read the first one, but I want you all to read this out loud. Now, these—Pastor Sam, what gives you the right to tell us to declare things? Not me! I just work here! I don’t make the pizza; I deliver it! It’s true!
Job 22, verse 28: «You will decide and decree a thing; it will be established for you, and the light of God’s favor will shine upon your ways.» You! You—if you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask what you please, and it will be granted to you (John 15:7). So, here it is! Lift up your declarations! The following prayerful declarations are made in the name of Jesus for the glory of Christ. They are all biblically substantiated and serve the purpose of both fulfilling the Great Commission and advancing God’s kingdom here on Earth.
First Declaration: God Makes a Way
So, here it is! Read them out loud! Sam, do the first one: «I decree and declare that God affords me and He levels all obstacles, crushes all opposition, and breaks through every message of oppression, making a way for me to live out His purpose for my life and my family.» What is that? That’s literally quoting Isaiah 45, verse 2! So, this is not like spaghetti on the wall; this is all from the Word of God: Isaiah 45, verse 2; Deuteronomy chapter 31, verse 8; Isaiah 52, verse 12! It’s all there! God already made a way! So, He made a way! What does this mean? There’s not a devil in hell or a demon on Earth that can stop what God is already sending your way! Nothing can stop you!
Second Declaration: From Glory to Glory
I love this! Pastor Jeff, I decree and declare that in 2023, I will occupy God’s promises! I will go from one level of glory to the next! Oh, see—say it one more time! I will go from one level of glory to the next! So, I’m not going from problem to problem; I’m going from glory to glory! Come on, come on! I will go from one level of glory to the next! As goodness and mercy, signs and wonders, works and deeds, blessings and favor follow and overtake me every single day this year! How many believe that? If you really believe it, raise your hand! If you believe it! Alright, Ruby, take it away!
Third Declaration: A Year of Shalom
I decree and declare that 2023 will be a year of Shalom! Say it one more time—Shalom! A lot of people have been through so many storms in the past few years! Just say it one more time—Shalom! Where nothing will be missing, and nothing will be broken as I pursue the righteousness of God and as I make priority my faith, family, friends, and fitness! Some of y’all went to the fitness part—everything else I agree on! Come on, stop! Pastor Sam’s here to reverse that! There actually is 1 Corinthians 3:16: «You are a temple of the Holy Spirit; you have to take care of that temple.» Go ahead, Rex!
Fourth Declaration: Souls for Jesus
I decree and declare that in 2023, people will come to Jesus as Lord and Savior throughout my life and my testimony more than in all my previous years combined! Your testimony is going to bring so many people to Jesus!