This blog is based on a message from Pastor Todd Cosenza.

God has increase and advancement for us in 2026, but before we sprint into growth we need to get the basics right. Think of it like a gas station that used to provide an attendant: three simple checks—gas, oil, tires—kept the vehicle running. Spiritually, there are three basic things every believer needs on a regular basis to thrive, not just survive.

Three basics to get right in 2026

1. Make enjoying the Lord a priority

Prayer driven only by need will burn you out. Let your prayer life be driven by enjoyment—by delight in God’s presence. King David puts it plainly: “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (Psalm 16:11).

David’s spirituality was defined by joy and pleasure in God. No matter your calling—whether public leadership or quiet service—the path of life God gives you includes delight in Him. If your life lacks that steady thread of joy in God, something’s off. You can give, serve, prophesy, or speak in tongues, but without a soul-sustaining enjoyment of the Lord, you’ll struggle.

Enjoyment doesn’t always come automatically. It grows as you spend time with God the way a relationship with another person deepens: initial curiosity, consistent presence, growing affection. Pastor Todd’s simple pastoral challenge: decide to seek God for the pleasure of being with Him, not only for the things He can do for you. When delight fuels obedience, obedience becomes joy rather than drudgery.

2. Drip God’s Word into your life daily

Reading the Bible in one long sitting can be good, but it’s not the only healthy rhythm. The idea is not necessarily quantity in a single block of time but consistent intake throughout the day. Think of it like nutrition: rather than three giant meals, small, frequent feedings keep you healthy.

Psalm 1 models this rhythm: “Blessed is the one… whose delight is in the law of the Lord and who meditates on his law day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2). Day and night—tiny portions throughout the hours—keeps you rooted like a tree planted by streams of water.

Practical ways to drip Scripture into your day:

• Open one verse at breakfast, another at lunch, and a short reflection in the evening.
• If your schedule is tight, read a verse or two during a quick work break. Small moments add up.
• Use a Bible app for quick access, but let the verse sit with you—pray it back, speak it aloud, or meditate on one phrase.

Pastor Todd shared a memory from an Italian restaurant where a tiny faucet continually dripped water into a giant boiling pot, keeping it ready to cook spaghetti at any moment. That steady drip is the picture: a continual, intentional flow of God’s Word into your life keeps you spiritually full and prepared.

3. Connect with like-minded people regularly

Christian life was never meant to be lived in isolation or only on Sunday morning. When believers gather, the Scripture picture is of fire—light that comes from an inner fire, not a battery-powered flashlight. We bring those fires together.

1 John 1:7 captures this: “If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” Walking in the light means living out the fire God has placed within us. When fires come together, they don’t merely add—they intensify. Your spark grows into a blaze.

Real fellowship is more than social niceties. It is the mutual stoking of one another’s passion for Jesus. When your fire feels dim, being with others who carry flame will revive you. The enemy seeks to divide; a church that gathers in genuine fire resists division because the refining, purifying work of the blood of Jesus happens in the context of united passion.

Practical ideas to connect:

• Join small groups, men’s or women’s gatherings, or midweek meetings that focus on prayer, Scripture, and encouragement.

• Prioritize regular face-to-face fellowship, not just Sunday attendance. Build friendships that spark spiritual growth.

• When your own fire is low, reach out intentionally to someone who will help stir it back to life—and be ready to do the same for others.

What happens when you get the basics right?

When enjoyment fuels prayer, God’s presence becomes both the goal and the source of power. When Scripture is dripped into daily life, you are rooted and prospering like a tree by the water. When fires are joined in authentic fellowship, the church becomes a blazing witness to the world—refined, unified, and alive.

Pastor Todd’s prayer for 2026: that these three basics—joyful intimacy with God, daily intake of Scripture, and regular fellowship with fired-up believers—would make this year markedly different. If last year was good, may this year be great; if last year was great, may this year be awesome. The promise isn’t merely effort; it’s trusting the Spirit to do what we cannot produce in the flesh.

Application questions

• What one small change can you make today to let enjoyment, not need, drive your prayer life?
• How can you practically “drip” Scripture into your daily routine this week? Name three specific times you could pause for a verse.
• Who are two people you can connect with this month to help stoke your spiritual fire—and whose fire can you help stoke in return?

Take the basics seriously. Get these three rhythms working in your life and watch how God leads you into increase, advancement, and the thriving life He intends for 2026.