Dick Leggatt, President of Derek Prince Ministries – USA and comprises his September 8, 2018 Newsletter. Click here to receive the Derek Prince Ministries emailed E-devotional.

 

Have you hit the wall regarding a particular situation?

After applying every spiritual solution you know, is there still no change?

Are you wondering what to do next?

You and I run into certain issues in our lives (and with those whom we love) which stubbornly resist all efforts and remedies. We pray, we fast, we trust, we relinquish the matter to The LORD.

Still, there the situation stands — unmoving. What else can we do?

At such times, there may be one more step we need to take. Even though it may not guarantee a quick solution, it is vital.

What is it? We go to The LORD and cry out for mercy.

A Different Approach

Recently, Cindi and I met some new friends. In our initial conversation with this couple, Susan (not her real name) testified how she had agonized in prayer for her father’s salvation, repeatedly asking The LORD to save him before he died.

“Toward the last, though, my prayer changed,” she said. “I simply began asking The LORD to have mercy on my dad.”

A few days before he passed away, Susan heard her father praying. It was clear that something had changed, and he was talking with The LORD. Somehow, he had come to faith.

One fact was clear to Susan: The LORD had heard her cry for mercy for her dad.

Wonderful Assurance

Another dear friend was telling me about his desperate prayers for his son, who had been diagnosed with a serious neurological disorder.

With tears in his eyes, he testified, “I am simply asking again and again: ‘LORD, have mercy on my son. LORD, have mercy.’”

A prophetic word came to my mind: “The word I am sensing for you is from the psalmist who proclaimed, ‘I love The LORD, for He heard my voice; He heard my cry for mercy. Because He turned His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live’” (Psalm 116:1–2, NIV).

With tears in my eyes as well, I assured my friend: “I believe God has heard every one of your cries for mercy for your son. The LORD listens when we cry out for mercy.”

A Conduit for Grace

I am not sure we know exactly what role mercy can play in our lives. I just know that it does make a huge difference.

We know that grace is sometimes defined as “unmerited favor.” Mercy is different — but clearly it has tremendous impact, and we all need it.

Is it possible that one role for mercy is as the conduit God uses to bring His grace to us?

Hebrews 4:16 NKJV would strongly support this premise: “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

According to this verse, mercy seems to be the means by which God brings us the grace we need.

Breaking Free

Lots of questions come to mind. What does all this mean to you and me? How does God’s mercy uniquely impact our lives? A touching incident comes immediately to mind.

One chilly morning several years ago, Cindi and I were walking out to the parking lot at the apartment complex where we lived.

A cold snap had hit the area the previous night, and ice now covered the cars, the driveways, and even the puddles in the dirt next to the parking lot.

As we walked, we suddenly heard the weakest, most pathetic whimper. There at the edge of a frozen puddle was an emaciated stray puppy.

She had been too weak to move her leg out of the puddle, and the ice had frozen around her paw.

Gently, we broke the ice that trapped her leg. We carried her to the bathtub in our apartment, warmed her up, washed her off, and fed her some tiny food scraps.

That act of mercy kept her alive, and “Biscuit” survived to become a frisky and beloved pet.

Isn’t that how God’s mercy works for us? Here we are: weak, hungry, trapped in a life-threatening situation.

God reaches down, touches us, breaks us free, warms us with His love, washes us off, and nurses us back to strength — all because we cry out for His mercy.

Asking for Mercy

Back to our original questions. Have you hit the wall?

Are you desperate to receive God’s touch of mercy upon your life or the life of a loved one?

Here are some helpful insights in Derek Prince’s message, “The Prayer of Desperation,” urging us to cry out for mercy.

Here is the principle I want to bring out to you: there are certain things God will only do when we come to the moment of desperation.

Isaiah 30:18–19 comes to my mind in that connection: “Therefore The LORD will wait, that He may be gracious to you; and therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you.”

The LORD is waiting to have mercy on us till we meet the conditions. Verse 19 says: “He [The LORD] will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you.”

What is He waiting for?

The sound of our cry (the NIV says, “your cry for help”). The Hebrew word sa-akar means a desperate call for help. It is the shout of a man who is drowning and going down for the third time, and he cries out, “Help!”

God is waiting for His people to come to that point.

Crying Out

Are you or a loved one facing a matter that requires God’s mercy?

Me, too — and I don’t want to be too proud to ask. A powerful worship song contains the following lyric: “I’m running to the mercy seat.” Would you like to run with me — joining me in this prayer?

LORD, You know the situation weighing on my heart at this moment.

It has stubbornly defied all resolution. In spite of all my efforts and prayers, it persists.

Father, I’m hastening to You now. Thank You for the assurance of Your Word.

You hear my voice. You hear my cry for mercy. I can come boldly to Your throne of grace to receive mercy from You, and grace to help in time of need.

Like the song says, I’m running to Your mercy seat. Please pour it out upon me and my loved ones in this moment of need.

I come to You now in the precious Name of Jesus, thanking You in advance for pouring out Your mercy upon me.

Finding Mercy Together

The circumstance confronting you may be deeply personal, or it may pertain to someone else — a concern for the life and health of someone you dearly love.

Regardless of what the need may be, mercy is the starting point. When God pours out His mercy and grace for the challenges we encounter, the atmosphere around those issues starts to change.

Please be assured of our continuing prayers for you — and our desire to stand with you as you pursue Him.

All of us who love and serve Jesus have the same deep need for God’s mercy. Let’s cry out for it and find it together! We can help one another in that process.

As a tangible tool for that quest, we want to provide “The Prayer of Desperation,” the message from which we took Derek Prince’s quote.

Please download it using the link below and receive it as a token of our appreciation for your prayers, your partnership, and your generosity to DPM.

Assurance of His Help

Once we know that The LORD is infinitely willing to pour out His mercy upon us, our future seems to brighten.

The problems assailing us may not disappear instantaneously, and other issues may continue to arise to challenge us.

But just knowing that The LORD has made His supernatural mercy and grace available is a huge encouragement, isn’t it?

Hopefully, through the content of this letter, you and I have identified a vital truth for addressing the issues of life.

We can proclaim, with the psalmist, “I love The LORD, for He heard my voice; He heard my cry for mercy.”

When we run up against stubborn problems, we know the step to take. We can confidently approach Him — and cry out for mercy.

 

All the best,
Dick Leggatt
President, DPM–USA

P.S. Once again, we send you our love and thanks for your partnership with us. We deeply appreciate your prayers and your gifts. Please don’t forget to download week one of “How to Be Led by the Holy Spirit.” We know it will encourage you.

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Materials used by kind permission of Derek Prince Ministries.

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