Mercy triumphs victoriously!

August 21, 2019

Do you want to be victorious (i.e. defeat the enemy)?  Then show mercy. God’s word says, “judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; but [to the one who has shown mercy] mercy triumphs [victoriously] over judgment” (Ja 2:13 AMP). When we show mercy as God does, we become victorious in Him.If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors…So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty” (vv 8-9, 12 ESV).

A friend recently mentioned to another believer that she prays for Muslims. The woman responded, “I’m not praying for no Muslims!” Yikes! God has shown us His mercy in cancelling our huge debts and expects us to show mercy in return (Mt 18:21-35). It may be hard to believe God loves the unrighteous – until we examine closely the pit He pulled us out of (Ps 40:1-3).

Dictionary.com defines mercy as “compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy or other person in one’s power; the discretionary power of a judge to pardon someone or to mitigate punishment;

[and] something that gives evidence of divine favor, blessing.” Mercy is an attribute of YHWH (see Ex 25:22 & 33:19), and we who hope in Jesus, “…with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Co 3:18). We can be merciful to others without partiality as we behold who He is.

There is a false mercy that can trick us into showing mercy to something God is judging because doing so satisfies our flesh. It’s like dressing wounds as if they’re not serious and “saying ‘Peace, peace’ when there is no peace” (Jer 6:14, 8:11; Ez 13:10-12). It is not mercy to say, while welcoming Muslims, that we approve of Islam, which enslaves them. God has mercy on undeserving people, not on evil doctrines (Jn 18:37).

God met with Moses at the mercy seat to speak “about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel” (Ex 25:22) and responded to his repeated cries for mercy for a disobedient people. Through Jesus’ blood, YHWH welcomes us, His redeemed, to come before Him as intercessors. Let’s agree with the Lord that Muslims will receive and respond to His mercy.

Take some time to…

  1. Acknowledge what God revealed about Himself to Moses (Ex 33:17-19, Pr 3:5-6).
  2. Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal where your heart has been hardened toward Muslim people (Ps 19:12-14, 139:23-24).
  3. Confess this as sin and receive His forgiveness.

Consider with compassion…

  • Many Muslims are seeking God but have been lied to and misinformed about His ways, the nature of His being and His redeeming love.
  • Many Muslims, severely conflicted about Islam, are terrified they will be damned if they leave it.
  • Muslims are like the prophets of Baal, beating themselves up, calling out to their god all day but receiving no sign ofmercy (1 Ki 18:16-30).
  • The “strong man” over the House of Islam holds them captive (Lk 11:21-22).

Ask the Lord to impart His mercy to you so you can pray for them with righteous mercy, as one who has received mercy and with His heart for the lost.


About Leslie

Leslie knows by faith and experience that our heavenly Father puts His prayers in our hearts and then listens to our hearts’ cry as we pray them back to Him. We hear God, and God hears us.

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No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion.

Nelson Mandela

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength and all your mind. And your neighbor as yourself.

Jesus