Mercy Triumphs

Most people know that something different is happening in the world today,  Christians and non-Christians alike.  It is like society and nature are going crazy at an alarming level.  Many realize that we are nearing the end of the present age, which is the age of the church and the dispensation of grace.

In these dangerous and uncertain days, it is time to keep alert spiritually and pray more than ever.  It is easy to get caught up in the evil and negativity of the times and focus on destruction and judgment. But God has one main thing in mind: the salvation of souls.  The devil has one main thing in mind: the destruction of souls.  There is a fierce battle going on for the souls of men. We need to learn to take the right side in prayer, God’s side not the devil’s.

Jesus told us to be on guard and to watch and pray.

Mark 13:32-33 – But of that day or that hour not a [single] person knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  Be on your guard [constantly alert], and watch and pray; for you do not know when the time will come.

Watch – to keep guard over, to guard what belongs to you, to tend, to wait expectantly, to keep informed about.

We must be diligent and serious to take the position of authority that has been given us.  We are in God’s kingdom to reign and rule where He has placed us. God wants us to watch and pray over the things we are responsible for, our families, the people around us, the area where we live.  He wants us to keep guard over the things that belong to us, to watch and wait expectantly, keeping things in His hands and keeping the devil’s disasters off of them until all who will be saved are saved.

Their sins may deserve judgment, but this is still the day of grace.  In this day, God’s main thing is bringing salvation.  His focus isn’t judgment but mercy.  He is very patient for the fruit of the earth (all of the souls of men he can get) until it receives the rains. Our part is to keep watch over and guard the part of the earth in which the Lord has placed us and pray, pray in authority, pray for rain, pray for the harvest, to pray as He teaches and leads.

Ezekiel 22:29-31 – The people of the land have used oppression and extortion and have committed robbery; yes, they have wronged and vexed the poor and needy; yes, they have oppressed the stranger and temporary resident wrongfully.  And I sought a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.  Therefore have I poured out My indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; their own way have I repaid [by bringing it] upon their own heads, says the Lord God.

Someone standing in the gap can stop judgment.  God is searching for someone to do this.  He doesn’t want to bring judgment; He desires mercy and salvation for mankind.  If we don’t do our job, many things will happen that God doesn’t want to happen.  And the stupidest thing is that people will blame God saying He is bringing judgment when in reality He wanted to bring mercy and salvation but couldn’t because we didn’t take our place of authority and pray.

God will allow one earth whatever we allow.  God has given us authority.  All authority in heaven and earth was given to Him and He passed it onto us – for the salvation of mankind.  For He desires that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

Many times we can stop catastrophes and natural calamities through prayer.  We can surround our nation and area with a hedge of protection.  If we can’t stop something evil that the devil has planned, we can minimize the results.  If there is one person that is destroyed and killed that could have been saved, that is too many.

Or we can just let evil come in and say, “Oh, God is judging us!”  God is not holding sin against the world.  People need to see a loving, merciful God!  The church needs to be doing what God has given us to do in this present age of grace.

We are in the church age, the age of grace; today is the day of salvation.  There is a day of judgment coming, but today is still the day of grace.  Our job isn’t to judge or condemn the world but to preach salvation, to preach acceptance with God.  Jesus didn’t come to condemn the world but to save it.  This is God’s heart, and this is our job.  (2 Cor. 5:17-21; John 3:16-18)

1 Timothy 2:1-4 1 – Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

God wants all men to be saved.  God wants ALL men to be saved.  This is the focus of the present dispensation.  It isn’t a time of judgment but a time to get out the good news of God’s grace.

By our prayers or lack of prayer, we determine the kind of outward life we will live.

Jeremiah 29:7 7 – And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace.

When we pray for those in leadership, we can life a quiet and peaceable life.  When we seek the peace of the city and nation in which we live, in its peace we will have peace.  God holds us responsible to pray for our leaders and for the area in which He has placed us.

If we give our nation up to “God’s judgment”, Satan will come in and take advantage of our ignorance.  If we become proclaimers of God’s judgment we are fighting against His will and plan and intention who wants all men to be saved.

If God shows you some catastrophe or destruction while in prayer, be like Abraham who prayed for mercy, be like Ezekiel and pray to build up the wall and stand in the gap before God for the land it might not be destroyed.   In Ezekiel’s day He found no one to stand in the gap; let it not be like that in these days.

If you really want to know God’s heart, listen to God’s heart as expressed in His word.  Ezekiel had a vision of God’s mercy.  He knew the character of God better than many Christians.

Ezekiel 18:23 – Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked? says the Lord, and not rather that he should turn from his evil way and return [to his God] and live?

Ezekiel 18:31-32 – Cast away from you all your transgressions by which you have transgressed against Me, and make you a new mind and heart and a new spirit.  For why will you die, O house of Israel? for I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies, says the Lord God. Therefore turn (be converted) and live!

Ezekiel 33:11 – Say to them, as I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?

James 5:7-8 – So be patient, brethren, [as you wait] till the coming of the Lord.  See how the farmer (georgos – husbandman, landworker, a tiller of ground) waits expectantly for the precious harvest from the land.  [See how] he keeps up his patient [vigil] over it until it receives the early and late rains.  So you also must be patient. Establish your hearts [strengthen and confirm them in the final certainty], for the coming of the Lord is very near.

2 Peter 3:8-9 – But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

Romans 2:4 – Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

The ends seems near, but the Lord doesn’t want any to perish; He wants all to come to repentance.  He is waiting for the rains of revival to come so that the greatest harvest ever can come to pass.

It is His mercy not great catastrophe that will bring them to repentance.  Our part is to stand in the gap and  hold off the disasters that are the results of the sin on the earth until the harvest can come in.

Most of the church world doesn’t realize this.  They are joining in with the devil pronouncing judgment upon the world. They seem to delight in prophesying destruction.

Let us not have the heart of Peter and John calling down destruction on those in the world.  Let us have the heart of Jesus who yearns over each individual soul, who does not wish for any to perish but longs for all to come to repentance.

But let us take our place and stand in the gap and hold back the forces of evil and pray for the rains of God upon the crops of the earth until we see the harvest of the greatest move of God ever upon the earth and multitudes of souls come into the kingdom of God.