Monday, April 27, 2015

WHEN MERCY PLEADS

Psalm 55:2-7.........2 Attend to me, and hear me;
I am restless in my complaint, and moan noisily,
3 Because of the voice of the enemy,
Because of the oppression of the wicked;
For they bring down trouble upon me,
And in wrath they hate me.

4 My heart is severely pained within me,
And the terrors of death have fallen upon me. 
5 Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me,
And horror has overwhelmed me. 
6 So I said, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest. 
7 Indeed, I would wander far off,
And remain in the wilderness.  NKJV



Is anyone speaking negative against you? Words can do as much harm to us as those "sticks and stones" might do! Some may disagree, but when having the many opportunities to minister to women and teens, I have seen so many wounded by the words  of death spoken over them by a spouse, another sibling or grand-parent!  When we see a teen not care about their safety, it is because the one of authority, that parent figure is either out of the picture or just does their own thing with no regard for the child in their care! Today we are a society that has cast away children. It did not start today but long ago.
The most important thing to remember is that everyone has some kind of past. Everyone has experiences of what a parent did or did not to do in regards to their care in bringing said child up to adulthood. But we should always know we can "choose" to move away from those things and find life. For my family, I have seen so many choose life in God.

I know from my own experience, that when my husband prays over me everyday (generally at night as we read and pray the Word) I hear words that strengthen my spirit man.  When he gives the prayer the focus of his thoughts, it is those words that plant the Word and builds into my spirit man, a mighty fortress,  that which he is believing for me for today and for my future days!

In the scripture above, David is restless in his complaint. He mentions the voice of the enemy and how the wicked have brought trouble to him. The wrath he mentions is that wrath that is of the devil and the devil will use anyone who stays on the side of wrath, jealousy, contentions, selfish ambitions, and envy. As we see in Galatians 5 that the works of the sinful man are evident.



Galatians 5:19-25..............19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. NKJV


David goes on to say that those who hate him have caused pain within him. That which kills by the word had come to him, and pinned his heart into pain, into a dismal existence, into a desolate and fearful place where he wanted to fly away like the dove and remain in the wilderness.
Psalm 55........4My heart is severely pained within me,
And the terrors of death have fallen upon me. 
5 Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me,
And horror has overwhelmed me. 
6 So I said, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest. 
7 Indeed, I would wander far off,
And remain in the wilderness. 

David wanted to remain in the place where there were no people, so he would not have to hear the complaints of others against him. Hearing wrath and contentions had made him come to a dismal place. Sometimes those sickening words of death make you feel "ill".  But by verse 16 of the same Psalm, we see David doing something.


Psalm 55:16, 17, 19, 22, 23.................16 As for me, I will call upon God,
And the LORD shall save me. 
17 Evening and morning and at noon 
I will pray, and cry aloud,
And He shall hear my voice. 
18 He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me,
For there were many against me. 
19 God will hear, and afflict them,
Even He who abides from of old.
Selah 
Because they do not change,
Therefore they do not fear God. 

22 Cast your burden on the LORD,
And He shall sustain you;
He shall never permit the righteous to be moved. 

23 But You, O God, shall bring them down to the pit of destruction;
Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days;
But I will trust in You. NKJV

We are to be kind to ourselves and to those around us. But many people today have had no one to speak kindness in any manner to them. If you were called "brat", then someone belittled you and called you something that God the Father never intended. If someone called you "stupid' " or "you will not amount to anything" then you have no strength in your inner man to help you walk out your daily life. Words can kill or they can bring life!
Proverbs 18:21..............21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit. NKJV

God's Word gives us life....and speaking right words brings us to health,  brings us to have a vigor for life!......Proverbs 16:24..................24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. NKJV


In our prayer time, my husband chooses the scriptures the Lord shows him. In directing that prayer over me, he is holding on in faith that Word which he speaks goes forth and will be performed in my life.
When two people come together in marriage and both brought some baggage from their past, it is certain if God does not have HIS way, the ole' flesh creature will have his way! And either one or both parties can revert into the world. Someone has to have mercy and to let go of the past "hurts" even when it still hurts! Even though one party may be on the outside of life, we should still be those who look to God and His faithfulness and BELIEVE THAT HE CAN DO THE IMPOSSIBLE, and then look out devil!
If we continually seek the other's good, would we see a change, not only in our homes, but in our communities and the nation as well?

I had prayed for others to be comforted when I needed comfort and had none but God's. Praise the Lord! He is our saving strength. He carries us if we need carrying and He will surely walk beside us when we can walk again! My prayer was not making a deal with God. My prayer was that He would have His way in my husband's life, my life, and our daughter's as well. My prayer was the kind of prayer for everybody involved in my family, and because of sins, any fallout as such, would affect everybody in the entire "family"! I was also praying for our family to be spared. 
Romans 8:31-39........................If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died-more than that, who was raised to life-is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: 
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. NIV
We thank YOU for upholding us with YOUR hand and that our steps are ordered by YOU. 

He calls me the priest of the Lord, as a  minister of God and that I will eat the wealth of the nations. He also prays that we believe together that no weapon formed against me shall prosper and that any tongue that rises against me in judgment shall be shown to be in the wrong.
He also prays that we both together hold onto the pattern of sound teaching in faith and in love which is in us in Christ Jesus. He prays that I will be consistently opening my mouth boldly to declare courageously as I ought to do to get the Gospel to the people. And then my husband declares he stands and under girds me in prayer. He also states he will speak only the words that will edify me.

I always think of this scripture when my husband prays over me..............Proverbs 18:22...22 He who finds a wife finds a good thing,  And obtains favor from the LORD. NKJV

Now was it easy for me to hear him pray............that for me at the beginning?  No! It was not easy. It is how we look at ourselves and how we believe of what we deserve. It is all those things that which can mount on top of us when things go terribly wrong and we know not why things changed on us so abruptly. It is those very things that can pull families apart by divorce or just by miscommunication on every side. It can amount to "he said" and "she said".......and we must communicate. I cannot stress that enough.........that we must be men and women who communicate, not with a tongue lashing but with a coming in mercy and respect for the other person whom we are wanting mercy with at the time. 

By staying with God and His Word, I have found life and strength to say NO! to a lot of things I carried with me especially those things of the last ten years or so. When when things look like abandonment, and things that would bother me or even to try tempt me to be the "wounded party" at some time off and on, I have them no more. Two people in any situation are the wounded no matter the circumstance or trouble. I have words spoken over me everyday, and not only by me only, but by my husband who speaks as the prophet of our home and declares good things for his wife!
James 2:12-13...........12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.  NKJV

In giving mercy to myself, I receive that which another would speak as good in favor for me. Just as in the salvation plan, justice demands the sinner condemned, but mercy pleads for salvation and mercy prevails. Mercy is that which pleads, prays, and seeks another's good.

Several years ago, we were living in the Seattle metro area, and it was a busy winter time season. For some reason people were shopping EARLY IN THE SEASON, not only for groceries, but for things that seemed out of season to me at the time. But it was the city and it was busy, so you look for the longest line and hope it moves quickly! (Have to remember most of those long lines held the one and only checker working in that huge store and usually the other three open were for 12 items and less )
So I finally get to be the third in line. Hooray, I can see the whites of the cashier's eyes. I AM almost through and on my way home! 
The lady#1 moves through with all her Christmas stuff she wanted on sale. Hooray!
Then the lady#2 ahead of me moves through, and yes has some Christmas but summer stuff as well!  aaaah...............alas! 
First lady#1 will not leave and then she speaks.................""oh, no don't speak, please"............but she does........and she has a complaint...............she wanted the items on sale...........well, some ticket items did not show the sale mark on them, because it was only The one item to be had...........and she took two of the same thing, with only sale on first item...! There were no second's on any she had picked out to purchase.  She had avoided the "limit" on those items she wanted. Then # 1 lady speaks...................."oh no, she is talking again, only louder"! Yes, much louder this #1 speaks.........!  Cashier responds, "ticketed sale items says to limit one per customer", "so if you bought two and you did, the second is full price"!

Yes, you guessed it. Lady #1 did not want the extra item if it was not on sale........so through the whole basket, they now took out every bag she purchased.........they NOW had to go through and switch out what she did not want..........!
So I stand and praise the Lord. I pray in tongues. Look happy now girl, smile, because you may be the only example of Jesus' love in this place. Finally I get to the check-out counter. Yes, I look to see if Lady #1 is coming back, for she certainly had not gone out the front door yet, but kept the receipt in her hand as she stood by the Front Desk Customer Service Counter of store.

The sweet cashier, apologized for the long wait and the extra things that had transpired. And the Lord had me to say, "No problem".......... " it is the holiday season, "so we should expect more people out and getting ready for their families holiday time together", "we live in a big city with lots of people and shopping for groceries can take some time" "and you know ....it was all good!"
The cashier stopped, looked at me, and said "thank you". She smiled, she laughed and came into an ease and comfort that it "was all good".


My prayer had been to be like Mary the mother of Jesus who said "yes" with no holding back. That God's word to me would be fulfilled, come to pass and no looking back to the past. I prayed to be an example of faithfulness like Deborah who judged the people of Israel in truth and righteousness. And I had begun some prayers for my husband who had not heard them, but God had!
I had prayed for women who needed resurrection of marriages and resurrection of families because I needed it for myself as well. I had prayed in His holy name for women, who against all odds, would get to the "safe" place to create a place for their families to live and that those still hurting, would receive strength to go forward and find their needed strength in the Lord of Glory!

I was always giving thanks that the Lord of glory would prevail and I would see my family receive and do what God had planned from the start.

I was going to speak words that gave life to something that was dying. I spoke the Life of God into dead things to see them rise again. I spoke and believe and I still speak and I still believe that God is not done with this family and THAT WE will see our greatest days ahead of us and not behind us. If God be for me (US), who can be against me (US)? 

"For your sake we face death all day long;  we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."  



 Start PROPHESYING and continue praying and expect God the Father to release His power over those dry bones. It may look like the darkest hour before the dawn, but we must believe and hold on to His truth!  GO AHEAD AND SPEAK WHAT HE SAYS! 



Father, today we pray for men and women alike who have been cut down by words that harmed their strength and stopped them "dead" in their tracks in life, that today they receive strength to go forward and find their needed strength in You our Lord of glory. Make us strong where we are weak. We pray that YOU help us to rise above anything that erects itself as a stronghold in our lives and show us any words that we speak that are not merciful to another human being.
Remove all that is not of You and help us to take charge over our own spirits and have self-control to resist anything and anyone who becomes a lure. May we abhor what is evil and cling to what is good.  According to Psalm  37:18-20….WE pray and confess that The LORD knows the days of the upright, And their inheritance shall be forever. 19 they  (we) shall not be ashamed in the evil time, and in the day of famine they (we) shall be satisfied. 20 But the wicked shall perish;
And the enemies of the LORD, Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish. Into smoke they shall vanish away. 23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD,  And He delights in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand. NKJV

We know that YOU are our source of love, companionship and friendship. It was Your desire to restore man back to YOU, and that includes restoration for families and people to have friends. Father,You know the hearts of people, so we will not be deceived by outward appearances. Father, thank You for quality friends who help us build stronger character and draw closer to You. Help us to walk as a friend to others and to love our friends at all times. Help us to see marriages and relationships restored that were lost and dying to spoken words of death and not to life. Today we will laugh with those who laugh, we will rejoice with those who rejoice and we will weep with those who weep. Teach us how to walk this out with a spouse, a child and even our grown children. Help us to pray and be supportive using merciful words that heal. Help us to relax around people, even our spouse and children, and to be ourselves. Instruct our hearts and mold our character, that we may be faithful, trustworthy and of good report in the restoration of marriages, restoration of families and those that You are sending into our lives as friends. 
We thank You today, that we can entrust ourselves and our need for restoration of marriages and families into YOUR holy Hands! Amen!


You can also visit my Youtube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV 


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