Focus: Romans 9:16 - KJV
16. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
1 Samuel 17:1-16
Israel was on stand still for forty days when the Phillistines came to war against them. King Saul willed that the battle be drawn and fought. Eliab and two others of David’s siblings had run to the battle being lieutant’s in the king’s army. But for forty days, they were in a valley unable to make progress because of the assault of one man, Goliath. No one dared to advance against the Philistine champion and for that, Israel was in bondage of fear. But here came a young lad who ordinarily was no soldier and the mercy of God located him to destroy the giant of bondage that took Israel out of the valley of despair and shame. There was also an impotent man by the pool Bethesda. He willed to be restored from his impotence. He struggled for thirty eight years with others running to be the one to get into the pool when stirred by the healing angel. But lo, every time he made effort, he failed in that another stronger than he got in the pool and he had no one to help him. But one fateful day like today, mercy located him and without having to jump in the pool, he was made whole never to return to impotence again.
It does not matter how long the enemy has kept you in that valley that appears to be bringing your head bowed; when the mercy of God locates you, it brings you and everyone associated with you out of the evil valley. As powerful and effective as prayer can be, it operates at the level of a will. It is only those whose prayers meet with the mercy of God that obtain result. It is therefore good to pray, but much better to always seek the mercy of God while we pray. It does not matter how so holy we assume we are. It is by the mercy of God we are not consumed. Ask Job: he was reckoned by God to be righteous; but in all his righteousness, he was mesmerized of the devil and made to be of no consequence until mercy located him. Let’s also plead for mercy today for acceleration of our progress in life so that we may overcome those naughty hills and bottlenecks.
I pray with you therefore, that as you start your day today, the God of mercy will locate you in whatever valley life has placed you in the name of Jesus. The Lord will draw you out of obscurity today by His mercy in Jesus name. Everything that had been made to stand still in your life, family, business or calling starts to find new and accelerated progress from now by the mercy of God in Jesus name. By His mercy, God will restore your lost glory in the name of Jesus Christ. Go and progress in Jesus name.