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It's time to forgive and release both the offenses and the offenders and be set free of unforgiveness, bitterness, and resentment in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
Here are five hindrances that will keep you from receiving God's mercy in your life.
  1. Self-condemnation will keep you from receiving God's mercy.
    Many people who commit suicide are deeply sorrowful for bad things they have done. However, when you condemn yourself for all the bad things you have done and the devil points them out to you, you begin to get in agreement with him.

    Remember, Satan is the accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:10).

    Jonah 2:8 says, "They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy." In other words, God can be offering you mercy, but if you entertain wrong thoughts and imaginations or lying vanities, you will miss the mercy of God.

    God has mercy for the person who has done wrong, but if they have such a guilty attitude, "I've done so bad...I am so terrible," usually they will go back into the gutter of life and into the depths of sin. It produces more sorrow and heaviness. Many people get to the point that they despair of life itself, so they take their lives in self-condemnation.

    When you condemn yourself, you will not look to the cross of Christ. Here are a few scriptures to consider:

    Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

    For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

    Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
    (Heb. 4:14-16)

    It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
    (Lam. 3:22-23)


    Every time you see the sun rise, you can say, "Thank God, the mercy of the Lord continues." It goes on and on until the sun quits rising!

    We are in a time of mercy and grace. You can receive it today. Don't play with it. Don't say, "I'll get mercy later." Receive the mercy of God now, and assume the responsibility to walk in newness of life.

    The mercy of God is greater than your sin. Light is always greater than darkness. Mercy is always greater than sin. Where sin abounds, grace does much more abound. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so God's mercy is higher than our needs and problems. God's mercy is boundless. It has no limit. We need to tap into the full measure of the depth of the mercy and grace of God.

  2. Self-righteousness will keep you from receiving God's mercy.
    Let's review the account of the Pharisee and the publican in the parable Jesus shared in Luke 18:10-14.

    Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

    And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.


    The publican who acknowledged that he was a sinner was forgiven, but the self-righteous Pharisee wasn't forgiven. Self-righteousness builds a wall and blocks the mercy of God.

    The Pharisee was into "works." In a sense, self-righteousness and works go together. I want to separate them, because some people have a self-righteous attitude, thinking they are okay. There are others who continually attempt to earn their salvation by works. Both attitudes will stop the mercy of God.

  3. A "works syndrome" will block the mercy and grace of God.
    The more I study the scriptures, the more I realize that everything has come to us by the mercy and grace of God. From start to finish, we're in a life of faith, and faith speaks of grace and mercy.

    Even in giving, people sometimes think they are making things happen by their giving, and they are receiving a harvest because of their own efforts. The harvest you receive from whatever you give is the mercy of God.

    If you get over into a "works syndrome" that you are pulling it off with your own money and efforts, then you re right back in the same place as those who are attempting to reach God by the works of the law. But if you realize, "All the money I have has come from God," then you will acknowledge that whatever harvest or blessing comes back to you is because of the mercy and grace of God.

    Take a stand against assuming that works will attain righteousness. You do the works because it's your responsibility. You feed, clothe, reach out, witness, touch, share and give because freely it has been given to you.

  4. Failure to give mercy will block the mercy of God.
    Jesus said, "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy" (Matt. 5:7). If you are merciful to others, you will receive mercy.

    In Luke 6:36-38, Jesus said:
    Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.

    Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.


    We often use verse 38 in regard to financial giving, which is appropriate, but Jesus is talking about mercy.

    The way you give mercy is the way others will show mercy to you. If you want mercy in good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, then you need to give it in the same measure to others.

  5. Unforgiveness, bitterness, and resentment will block God's grace and mercy.When people are unmerciful, unforgiving and they hold grudges and resentments, they stop the healing power of God from coming into their body. They stop financial blessings, and they stop wisdom from coming into their lives. In fact, all of God's blessings are blocked by unforgiveness, bitterness, and resentment.

    Sometimes people think, "I'm going to keep confessing prosperity, and I'll prosper," but on the other hand, they are unforgiving toward another person. Their confession is sacrifice, and God says, "...I desired mercy, and not sacrifice" (Hos. 6:6).

    God was fed up with the sacrifices of the people in the Old Testament, because they were bringing their lambs and goats, but they didn't have mercy on their fellow man. God was saying He wanted a family that would be in love with each other.

    When Jesus came, He made us one family in heaven and earth (Eph. 3:15), and God intended for this family to be in love with each other. That's why Jesus said:

    Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all they mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
    (Matt. 22:37-40)
It's time to forgive and release both the offenses and the offenders and be set free of unforgiveness, bitterness, and resentment in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

He that followeth after
Righteousness and mercy
Findeth life,
Righteousness,
And honour.
(Prov. 21:21)


Victory Christian Center
All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Author Biography

Billy Joe Daugherty
Web site: Victory Christian Center
 
Billy Joe Daugherty was founder and pastor of Victory Christian Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was also the founder of Victory Christian School, Victory Bible Institute and Victory World Missions Training Center.
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