It is one thing for you to know God is merciful. It is another thing for you to have an understanding of how that mercy will operate in your life on a practical, day-to-day basis.

In Ephesians, Chapter 2, we find a fascinating portion of Scripture that sheds some light on this issue. The first few verses paint a dark picture of where we all were before Jesus saved us: "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest" (Eph. 2:1-3 NAS).

Then the apostle Paul brings us the glorious news of how and why we are no longer in that horrible state: "But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)" (Eph. 2:4-5 NAS).

Why did God make us alive together with Christ? Because He is rich in mercy. In fact, the entire grand plan of salvation is a direct result of the love and mercy of God. The love of God produced the Virgin Birth. God's love produced the plan for man's redemption from sin. God's love produced the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The love of God gave us our access to Him through prayer.

Everything we have a right to as believers (and that's more than you can imagine) is a direct product of the love and mercy of God. These things did not spring from a mind that was set on vengeance. They did not come from a God Who takes pleasure in destruction. All of this, of course, is contrary to popular religious opinion.

You Be the Judge
At this point you may be asking yourself, Isn't God a Judge Who rewards or punishes based on our actions? The answer to this question is twofold: yes and no. The truth is, God does not want to be put in the place of judging our lives; He wants us to do that. Look at First Corinthians 11:31: "For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged."

This verse means it is God's best for each believer to judge himself. If you will be vigilant about comparing your behavior to the standard of the Word, you will never have a need for God or anyone else to judge you. Of course, the flip side of that coin is this: if you refuse to judge yourself, you will be judged by an external source. Failure to judge yourself will hinder God's ability to bless you as He wants.

When you refuse to examine your life and eliminate those things that don't please God, you put God in the position of having to point out those things to you. The good news is, God judges in mercy. As far as believers are concerned, the judgment of God is always a judgment motivated by love and designed to bring about restoration, healing, and blessing.

Conviction vs. Condemnation
Often, a believer who has sinned will mistake conviction for condemnation. When you blow it, two things usually happen: The Spirit of God moves in to convict you of that sin, and the devil moves in to condemn you for it.

The conviction of God is designed to bring you back into fellowship with Him through repentance and forgiveness. The condemnation of the devil is designed to shame you into pulling away from God. Satan wants to drive a wedge between you and your Source of life.

The next time you sin, respond to conviction and reject condemnation. The Word says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

When the enemy starts whispering condemnation in your ear, hit him with Romans 8:1: "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

If you have allowed condemnation to drive a wedge between you and God, you can take care of it right now. Just lift your hands and say this prayer:

"In the name of Jesus, by faith I receive forgiveness. I forgive myself as I forgive others. I will no longer be condemned by the acts of my past. They have been taken care of by God Almighty and I have been judged by the mercy of God. God has judged me as being righteous. I am what He has judged me to be: right with Him! I receive restoration of my fellowship with God right now, in the name of Jesus."

From this moment on, you should always respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit and never to the condemning voice of the enemy. How will you know the difference? The first - conviction - will always draw you to God. The second - condemnation - will always make you want to hide from God's presence. Whenever you blow it, immediately run to God. He will meet you with the open arms of mercy.

Taking Hold of the Mercy of God
Is there anyone among us today who doesn't desperately need the mercy of God? The truth is, we all need it. Without the mercy of God we all would be lost. Every moment of every day, you and I need to be able to access the provision and power that comes from the mercy of God. The key to getting all of the mercy, grace, and help that we need is simply to come boldly.

You and I have a High Priest in heaven Who knows what it feels like to be clothed in the weakness of human flesh. He experienced every temptation we have ever fallen into, yet He never sinned. As a result, we are commanded to come to God's throne for help and to do it boldly.

This does not say you are to slink into God's throne room on your belly, groveling at the feet of God and muttering how unworthy you are. It does not say you have to come to God with your head down and your tail between your legs.

Instead, you are to come boldly. Jesus is your High Priest. It is His blood that was sprinkled on the mercy seat to cleanse you of all unrighteousness. He is your representative in heaven; therefore, you are just as welcome in the throne room of God as He is. The mercy of God is yours. Come and get it!

Source: Answers Awaiting in the Presence of God by Creflo A. Dollar, Jr.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers