THE WONDERS OF GOD’S MERCY
Study Text: Romans 9: 9 - 16
Introduction:
- Naturally, the journey of life is too cumbersome and very difficult to predict. Sometimes, certain unwholesome events happen when they are least expected. Most certainly, it is not the strongest of human beings that always survive in life, not the most intelligent, but those who are the most receptive to the mercies of God.
- The journey to greatness can be very difficult outside the mercy of God. Without mercy, your destiny can be manipulated and truncated. What gives meaning to life is the mercy of God.
- People that have equal opportunities and equal resources may experience great differences in success solely due to the measure of God’s mercy available to them.
- The scripture emphasizes the freedom of the mercy of God. It cannot be earned or controlled by human, but flows in the direction that God wills and purposes.
- The mercy of God is not a function of age, sex, tribe, background, wealth, education or qualification. It is not limited by protocols, laws, traditions or knowledge.
- When mercy is at work, you may be the last to come and be the first to be attended to. You may be given divine recognition and celebration, against all human rejection and resistance.
- It is not a matter of your location; it is God that gives you allocation. You may be located anywhere on this earth, your success and breakthroughs in life depends on God’s mercy.
We shall look at the topic under three sub-headings:
1. The Description of God’s Mercy
2. The Dimensions of God’s Mercy
3. The Direction of God’s Mercy
1. The Description of God’s Mercy
- In this life, the only thing that is constant is the mercy of God. When mercy is speaking for you, your life cannot be explained. People cannot understand how it works.
- There are four qualities that clearly describe the operation of the mercy of God in a man’s life:
1. The Grace of God
- When the mercy of God is in operation in a man’s life, the grace of God will abound in that life. God will release the ability to the man to be able to do uncommon things, achieve uncommon breakthroughs, and obtain uncommon victories.
- David was able to prevail against the attack of lion and bear while tending his father’s flock, and eventually defeated Goliath, who was a champion from his youth, through the grace of God. This was a clear demonstration of the Mercy of God upon his life. 1 Samuel 17: 34 – 37.
2. The Favour of God
- One notable thing that comes to play when mercy is given to someone is divine favour. The favour of God will open a door for unusual favour with men in one area or the other of life endeavours. Psalm 5: 12
- Esther contested for the position of the Queen of Shushan, as a non-indigene, and she was preferred above many more beautiful ladies of this land. She found favour before the keeper of the virgins, and then before the King.
- Among the several hundreds of other beautiful virgins across the 127 provinces of King Ahasuerus, God’s mercy singled out Esther for the coronation, and the King loved her “above all the women” Esther 2: 8 – 10, 16 – 17.
- Also, at a time when she appeared before the King un-invited, rather than being killed according to the tradition of the land, she was offered the best reception and a gift of a half of the entire kingdom. Esther 5: 1 – 4.
3. The Compassion of God
- Mercy is the outflow of God’s compassion and forbearance that shuts the doors against harm but conveys blessings to His people who have obtained mercy.
- The mercy of God will make Him to have compassion on a sinner deemed for destruction to receive forgiveness and pardon. The love of God towards mankind that made Him to give His only begotten son for our sins flowed out of His compassion for the lost. John 3: 16.
- The woman caught in the very act of adultery was supposed to be stoned to death by law. Even if no one was qualified to raise the first stone according to the prescription of Jesus, He could have stoned her to death, but He chose to have compassion on her. John 8: 4 – 11.
4. The Goodness of God
- The manifestation of the mercy of God in a man’s life will result in the outflow of the goodness of God in his life. Exodus 33:19, 34: 6.
- The goodness of God includes all His blessings and benefits both physical and spiritual blessings. The bible describes them as good and perfect. James 1: 17
2. The Dimensions of God’s Mercy
- There are several dimensions of the mercy of God with various outstanding results and blessings. There are several scriptural examples that we can also believe God to perform in our lives today.
1. Preference above others
- The mercy of God can make a man to be preferred above others of similar or even better qualities and abilities.
We saw the example of David selection to be anointed as King among his brethren. Seven men older and stronger than him were rejected. All were maid to remain standing until he was brought from the bush. 1 Samuel 16: 6 – 13.
- When mercy speaks for you, it doesn’t matter who you have to compete with, you will definitely be preferred above others.
2. Divine connection with destiny helpers
- Under the operation of the mercy of God, you can be divinely connected with people that will be instrumental to your liftings and blessings.
- Naaman was linked with the Prophet in Israel though the slave girl in his house and he was recovered of his leprosy by mercy. 2 Kings 5: 1 – 5.
- We should all endeavour to treat people well whenever we have opportunity to get in contact with them. Some of those people are connected to us through the mercy of God, and they may have a role to play in our breakthroughs and liftings.
3. Divine recognition and attention among the crowd.
Mercy of God can single you out of the crowd for one blessing or the other. A lot of people received special miracles in the Bible at a time and in a place where several people are gathered.
- Blind Bartimaeus, the woman with the issue of blood, the lame man at the beautiful gate, the invitation of Zacchaeus and the offer to visit his house, and so on. When mercy speaks for you, you will become a candidate for special miracle, consideration and recognition among the crowd.
4. Breaking of limitations, protocols, laws and traditions.
- With the mercy of God, satanic and generational barriers and limitations will be destroyed, protocols, laws and traditions can be suspended for God’s blessing to reach you and for His purpose to be accomplished.
- Mary conceived without knowing a man by the mercy of God, the Sun and the Moon stood still for Joshua by the mercy of God, protocols and traditions were suspended for Esther by the mercy of God.
5. Opening and closing of doors.
- God through His mercy can open all doors of blessings and breakthroughs that the enemy shut against you, and close for you all doors of evil, disasters and death that they open for you. Revelation 3: 7 – 8.
- God promised to make a way for you in the wilderness and give you rivers in the desert. All these can be achieved through His mercy manifesting in your life.
6. Mercy gives you victory over the enemy.
- The mercy of God can protect you from all forms of evil and give you all round victory over the enemy. Isaiah 54: 17
- The enemies gathered together to attack Jehoshaphat unexpectedly, but through the mercy of God, he was able to overcome and had peace all round. 2 Chronicles 20: 1 – 12.
7. Mercy can turn evil plans over your life for your blessings.
- There are so many wicked imaginations of the enemy and evil plots of wicked people against your life. Sometimes, wicked people pretend to be your friend in carrying out their wickedness. God through His mercy can turn around their wickedness and use it as a means of blessing you.
- He did it for Joseph by using all the wicked things his brother did to him for his promotion and blessings, and at the end they came to bow for him. Genesis 45: 4 – 8.
- He did it for Obededom, when they kept the Ark of God in his house, and waiting to hear his death, but rather than dying, God multiplied blessings unto him, and he became enviable. 2 Samuel 6: 10 – 12.
8. Mercy prevails over deserved judgement James 2:13.
- There are wrong doings in our lives that should attract the wrath of God upon us. But when God can see our repentance through godly sorrow, His mercy will save us from the judgment. God’s mercy secures our pardon from the wages of sin which is death. Romans 6:23, 1 Corinthians 15:10, Ephesians 2:4-5, 1 John 1: 8 – 9.
- The Devil is the accuser of the brethren, he has a legal ground to accuse and condemn us if we remain in our sins, but the mercy of God can silencer the voice of the accuser over our life and grant us justification. Romans 8: 1 – 2.
- There are people who has an avenging blood crying over their life, either because they shed innocent blood themselves or their parents did. Through the mercy of God, the blood of Jesus can speak for their justification and freedom.
9. Mercy can give you uncommon breakthroughs.
- Through the mercy of God, all evil powers and satanic yokes standing on your ways of breakthrough are pull down, and your little efforts can yield outstanding results and breakthroughs in all areas of your life.
- Mercy of God makes you to succeed where other people failed, mercy of God can give you blessings beyond imagination, mercy of God can recover your loses and recover your wasted years.
3. The Direction of God’s Mercy
- Mercy is not dependent on our ability or strength but God’s grace. Mercy is not earned but granted by God’s grace alone. Hebrews 4:16.
- However, there are certain things we can do according to the scriptures that will position us in the direction of the mercy of God.
1. Knowing God through the gift of Salvation.
- Our salvation makes us children of God and enlists us in His Kingdom. This makes us suitable candidates to receive and enjoy the blessings of God’s mercy. John 1: 11 – 12.
- Everyone who refuses the free gift of salvation is condemned already, and such people already locked themselves out of the reach of the mercy of God. John 3:18
2. Obeying His words and keeping His commandments.
- The Lord keeps covenant and mercy to them that love Him and observe His commandments. Nehemiah 1: 5
- Every deliberate disobedience to God’s clear instructions will shut us out of the reach of God’s mercy and may attract the wrath of God in our lives.
3. Forgiving and showing mercy to others.
- The scriptures clearly state that God will forgive our sins as we are also willing to forgive others that offended us, and He will show mercy to those who are merciful unto others. Matthew 5:7.
- Unforgiving spirit and unwillingness to show mercy unto others are major obstacles on our way of receiving the mercy of God, and we must carefully deal with them in our lives.
4. Living in righteousness.
- The Bible says that God will bless the righteous man, and surround him with favour like a shield. Favour is one of the major outflows of God’s mercy, and will only surround the righteous. Psalms 5: 12.
- When we continue in our sins without seeking for God’s pardon though genuine repentance, it will be difficult to be a candidate of His mercy.
5. Praying and crying for Mercy
- Were it not for God’s Mercy that we receive moment by moment, we would have been consumed by woes and wickedness (Lamentations 3:22-23). Hence, supplication for mercy should remain a top agenda on our prayer altars.
- God is a merciful God, and He had never turned down any prayer or sincere cry for mercy. Because it is His will to show us mercy, we can pray with faith and cry unto Him for mercy with full assurance that He will answer us.
- Blind Bartimaeus cried for mercy, though he was silenced and resisted by people, but the merciful God stood still for him, commanded that he should be brought, and gave him the miracle he needed. Mark 10: 46 - 52
6. Living in Humility
- Jesus demonstrated the greatest humility to us, and thought it as a means of experiencing promotion and divine liftings. The way up is the way down.
- Pride of any kind will make us to face resistance and rejection from God, and as such shut out of the reach of His mercy. James 4: 6
7. Living in Thankfulness
- One of the things that God cherishes in our lives most is thanksgiving and praises to Him. Psalm 100: 4, 1 Thessalonians 5: 17 – 18, Philippians 4:6.
- When Jesus healed ten lepers, and only one of them returned to give Him thanks, He did not only commend the thankful one, but He requested for the whereabouts of the unthankful nine. Luke 17: 11 – 19.
Conclusion:
- God’s mercy is a distinctive attribute of the Supreme God that does not allow Him to overlook the helpless in his miserable estate (Numbers 14:18). Mercy is God’s prerogative that makes Him embrace the rejected.
- We all need the mercy of God to succeed in all areas of our lives and life becomes unbearable and unreasonable in the absence of His mercy.
- When mercy speaks, the most disadvantaged becomes repositioned into the most advantageous estate. Mercy is all that’s needed to transit any man from prison to the palace, as with Joseph, the Egyptian Prime Minister (Genesis 39:21).
God’s mercy is never-failing because it is as eternal as it is everlasting, and it is as dependable as it is reliable. The mercy of the Lord is ever sure and durable (Isaiah 55:3).
- If you have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus, then mercy is already your right in Christ. Mercy will speak for you; mercy will speak louder than judgement in your destiny.
Let us, therefore, come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need Hebrews 4:16.
