The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
     because the Lord has anointed me
     to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
     to proclaim freedom for the captives
     and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the
 Lord’s favor
     and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
     and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
     instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
     instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
     instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
     a planting of the Lord
     for the display of his splendor.

Isaiah 61:1-3

Jesus promises the presence of the Holy Spirit to all believers. The New Testament authors testify universally that not only is this presence living, active, enduring, and accessible to all of us, but that it is a presence that empowers. When children of God live in step with the Spirit, the result is transformation, emboldened faith, spiritual gifts exercised with wisdom and love, and kingdom fruit borne to the glory of God. Jesus himself goes so far as to say because of the Spirit's presence, we will do works even greater than the ones he accomplished while on earth.

In 2023, we believe God is calling us to walk in the reality of this truth. All believers carry the power and anointing of Christ in their hearts (1 John 2:18); few, however, are truly living out the implications of this reality. Our desire this year is to help believers (1) know who they are and what they have in Christ, (2) shed the things that are holding them back, and (3) take steps of faith to live out a life empowered by the Spirit of Christ.