I greet you in the sweet name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In the midst of our struggles and difficult situations, very often we yearn for help from the Lord and pray for His mercy. In our heart we make the prayer: “Have mercy on me, O Lord.” David fell in sin and the sin was pointed out by the Lord though Prophet Nathan. Because of sin, he came under curse stored for his descendants. Besides, the child born to Bathsheba died. He realized his sin against God and prayed: “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions” (Psalm 51:1). In our lives also we plead for His mercy and forgiveness.
The Bible says of His mercy, “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us” (Eph. 2:4). James 5:11 assures us, “the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.” The Lord God had mercy on the fallen man who had been created in His image, and sent His only Son to redeem man because of His love. Jesus Christ who is the express image of God showed the love and mercy of God to many and used the power and authority given by the Father in showing that mercy. He has the same love of the Lord God. He shows this mercy toward people like us living in sin and tribulation to redeem us from eternal punishment. Lam. 3:22 says, “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.” His mercy has no end.
When He showed His love, people were saved. Whenever He had love, He did wonderful things. Those who had mercy from Him received eye-sight, and had victory over sin, and lust.
I. BLESSINGS OF THE FAVOUR OF HIS MERCY
1. Deliverance
“And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” (Matt. 15:22).
The Canaanite woman pleaded for mercy and followed Jesus Christ because her daughter was being afflicted by the devil. She was pursuing Him tirelessly without giving up hope. Jesus saw her faith in Him and praised it. He said: “Woman, great is Your faith.” She was healed that very moment. Dear child of God, today also we are delivered when He is moved with His compassion.
Today man needs deliverance from fear. Fear is a terrible thing in man. It causes defeat in him and brings all sorts of evil with it. It makes it impossible for people to sleep. A few days back a family brought a young man for prayer. He wasn’t able to sleep day in and out. He could sleep only for a few hours in the morning. As a result, he was becoming weaker and weaker. He felt a figure following him all the time and so would not allow them to switch off the lights. Fear is a tool of the devil to harm persons. Some subject themselves to transient pleasure and lusts that enslaves them. Lust is another tool employed by the devil. It was lust that made man created in the image of God to lose His love, blessings, relationship and glory. Satan induced Eve to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree by explaining falsely about the fruit. Even before tasting the fruit, she imagined in her heart that the fruit that was good to look at must be good to eat. This made her act contrary to the command of the Lord and thus transgress against the word of the Lord. She plucked the fruit and ate and gave it to her husband. Thus, they lost the blessings of the Lord, the image of God and the glory of the Lord. The Bible cautions: “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” (James 1:14-15).
Man needs deliverance from the traditional practices of the world. The people of this world think it decoration or beauty to fill their houses with what the Lord despises. And as a result, they are in distress. In Ezekiel 8:9-12, the Lord showed the prophet what the elders of the house of Israel did in the room of his idols. He calls it, “wicked abominations” – “every sort of creeping thing, abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed all around on the walls.” And there stood before them seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel, each man had a censer in his hand, and a thick cloud of incense went up. Similarly, there is the practice of tattooing certain words or figures on their skins for the sake of some dead person. This is an abomination to the Lord.
When the Lord has mercy on us, we are delivered from such slavish practices.
2. Regeneration
“to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.” (1 Peter 1:4).
We should be regenerated in rebirth to a new life in Christ. We must have the desire for it. This is possible when we listen to His words and pray for His immeasurable mercy, realizing that we are sinners needing His mercy. Then we have His mercy. John 3:5 says: “Jesus answered, ”Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” David pleads: “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.” (Psalm 51:5). In 2 Cor. 5:17 Paul says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Regeneration in whole is from the presence of God. When He has mercy on us, we inherit a cleansed new life of forgiveness and are apportioned inheritance in the Kingdom of God. Let us commit to live without any lapse in the covenant of good conscience.
3. Multiplication
“So none of the accursed things shall remain in your hand, that the Lord may turn from the fierceness of His anger and show you mercy, have compassion on you and multiply you, just as He swore to your fathers, because you have listened to the voice of the Lord your God, to keep all His commandments which I command you today, to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord your God” (Deut. 13:17-18).
Multiplication refers to increase in our lives, family and in our boundaries. When the number of children increase, the family gets multiplied. “So David went on and became great, and the Lord God of hosts was with him” (2 Sam. 5:10). Prov. 9:9 instructs: “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.” Isaac obeyed God and dwelt in the place without going to Egypt. The Lord blessed him. He sowed and God blessed it a hundred times. “The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous.” (Gen. 26:13).
The Lord God blesses us at all levels – in wisdom and understanding. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For by me your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you” (Prov. 9:10-11). The style of life we live should influence others living around us to lead a life of godliness. To live such a life in Christ with signs of God’s blessings at all levels and in every area of life, let us commit to live in Christ.
4. No Depression
“Therefore,since we have this ministry,as we have received mercy,we do not lose heart.” (2 Cor. 4:1).
Paul declares boldly why he is not disappointed in ministry. The source of strength is the Lord of mercy who called him for the ministry. We also face storms and struggles in our daily lives. When the unexpected happens, we are sorely upset. Isaiah 19:3 reports about depression in the spirit: “The spirit of Egypt will fail in its midst; I will destroy their counsel, and they will consult the idols and the charmers, the mediums and the sorcerers.” There is also a depression in the soul. A lover is depressed in the soul when the partner disappoints her: “I opened for my beloved, but my beloved had turned away and was gone. My heart leaped up when he spoke. I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer” (Song of Solomon 5:6).
Gen. 42:28 reports: ‘So he said to his brothers, “My money has been restored, and there it is, in my sack!” Then their hearts failed them and they were afraid, saying to one another, “What is this that God has done to us?”’ Prov. 24:10 says, “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.” We should pray unceasingly without being disheartened. Even in doing good to others, we should not give up in disgust. Let us continue to do good things in Christ, as we have the mercy of the Lord God.
5. Become Witnesses
“However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, ”Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled”’ (Mark 5:19-20).
The Lord God is faithful to show His mercy. The man who was possessed by a legion of evil spirit was unfit to live in society. He was living in the midst of tombs. It is a place for the dead. That is why it was said to those who sought the body of the risen Lord Jesus Christ in the grave, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5). Many people go to the graveyard to pay respects to their dear dead ones without knowing the truth. They go there to place wreaths, garlands, and flowers on the graves and light candles. Their dear ones had been laid to rest subjecting them to the dust, soil and ash. The Bible teaches us: “For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; Nevermore will they have a share In anything done under the sun.” (Eccl. 9:5-6). But when we go there without knowing the truth, the deceptive evil spirits may impersonate them and begin to operate in evil acts of stealing our happiness, peace and health.
Once a young man came for prayer in a foreign land. His dear friend had got his permission to use his motorcycle just for the pleasure of riding. But he could not assess its speed and increased it to an extent that he could not control it. He hit a tree and died. This death affected him much. He could not withstand the grief. He went every day to his grave and spent time in mourning. One day he saw an abominable evil spirit coming around him. He saw the figure and heard its voice and was terribly afraid. Fear haunted him.
Graveyard is a place where evil spirits that bring evil upon man haunts. A man thus affected by evil spirit came to Jesus Christ who showed mercy to him. He delivered him. He wanted to be with Christ. But the Lord told him to go to his village and declare what the Lord had done in his life out of His mercy. Those who heard his testimony were astounded.
So, when the Lord has mercy on a person, he becomes a witness for Him.
II HOW TO GAIN HIS FAVOUR
1. Believe
“He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy” (Luke 1:54).
Abraham is said to be the father of faith. Our Lord calls into being those things that do not exist. To those who lack something, He gives His blessings. You may lack a house, a good job, or some blessings. He will supply you what you lack in unknown ways. He did mercy to the Father of faith, Abraham. In his hundredth year the Lord made his wife Sarah, aged 90, to bear a child. Those who believe this act done to Abraham will also have mercy of the Lord. Then, in His mercy He does things beyond our understanding to make us happy. If you only believe in His mercy and power, you will see the glory of the Lord. He will make you witness miracles in your life.
I met a lady who had no child for many years. I had been to her house to tell her about the visit of a servant of God. They did not know about me or the servant of God about whom I informed them. But the Lord makes our faith to grow. She had got conceived for the first time, but there was a miscarriage. Second time she conceived and again she had abortion. Now they did not know me or that servant of God. But the Lord revealed these things in her life to make them believe in the Lord. I told them that they would have a girl baby before I would meet them next time even though she had had two abortions. As the Lord told her, she had a girl baby. As our faith grows, the Lord would show mercy in our lives.
2. Fear the Lord
“As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him.” (Psalm 103:13).
As there is no fear of the Lord in the hearts of people, sufferings multiply. In them, the devil works to bring sufferings. If a person really has the fear of the Lord, the Lord would bless him or her and hug and bless the person. He protects the person as the apple of the eye. With no fear of the Lord, people act and speak boldly thinking that no one would know that. But the Lord created both the eye and the ear; will He not see or hear us? But man, not knowing that, does and speaks things He detests. They do not make use of the organs to listen or do what the Creator wants them to do. As they use the organs wrongly, there are struggles and they stumble. They are involved in evil things and waste time in vain things using laptop and cell phones. This affects their spirit, soul and body. They are led to the temptations of the devil and are destined to the punishment of the hell. Be wary of what you see and do. The Lord sees everything and knows everything. Let us detest those things that are evil. That is the fear of the Lord. Today let us decide to fear the Lord. Let us enjoy His mercy from today.
3. Keep His Commandment in Love
“but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.” (Ex. 20:6).
Let us love the Lord in truth. Let it not be only in word or in songs. As He loved us before we loved Him and gave His life for our sake on the cross as a sacrifice, let us realize the act of love. If we do so, we will be filled with true love for Him. Why was He who was Almighty mocked, spit and crowned with a crown of thorns? He was beaten with a rod. Let us realize that all this is for our sake. If we accept that, we would obey every one of His words of counsel, and commands. Instead of meditating on the love of the cross of Calvary, we love this world and the things of this world. We lose the exalted things of His blessings, as His words stand. Let us decide now to accept what He has done for us on the cross and the love He has for us. He has sacrificed Himself on the cross for you. Realizing this, tell Him that you would love Him and obey His words and commandments. If you act accordingly, you would have His abundant mercy.
4. Confess and Give up
“He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” (Prov. 28:13).
If you confess your sins before Him and decide to give them up, the Lord God would have mercy on you. You will be a blessed person.
In my life, I was healed from my illness, but I had to join duty again as games teacher in a school. With a thankful heart I sought the help of the Lord in prayer. As I began to thank the Lord with true faithfulness, there appeared before me a scroll with all the sins I had committed in my life from my young life. I prayed for His forgiveness, and then a drop of blood removed all that was written there. Isaiah 1:18 says, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” So were my sins cleansed, and I was sanctified and made holy. That day I spent several hours to thank Him and I was filled with happiness. That very day I was filled with the Holy Spirit and the Lord gave me spiritual gifts also.
Dear child of God, if today you faithfully thank Him for all the mercy shown to you till now and humble yourself before His presence, He would love you and cleanse you with the blood He shed. You will be cleansed and He will give you a new life in Him. When you are thus cleansed, He will fill you with the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit out of His mercy. He will bless you. Will you humble yourself before Him?
May the Lord bless us!
In the service of Christ Jesus,
Bro. C. Ebenezer Paul.