With great delight I welcome you to the month of May, our Month of Mercy. Any one that has survived these past four months of Coronavirus and global death must know for sure that it is not by power or by might but by the mercy of God generated and engineered by the Holy Ghost. I thank God for his uncommon mercy that has preserved you and I from death. China announced the first case of Corona virus from Wuhan market on December 31, 2019 as at the last day of April over 3.3 million cases have been identified and sadly over 200,000 fatalities have been recorded globally. 200K unbudgeted death has occurred. People who had no plans for death have been consumed. I want you to stand and say “O Lord I thank you for unmerited, grace, favour and MERCY that has preserved my life”. Indeed, if God has not been on your side, on your family’s side, on your ministry’s side, you would have passed on unceremoniously, given a shallow, mass burial in an unidentified grave. But the mercy of the merciful God located, identified, and preserved you and your family. For those who have lost relations we commiserate with you but we also thank God you are alive to survive your relations, whether it’s your parents, spouse, siblings or any member of your family. What I am saying is this is your month to thank God for his unbelievable mercy and to immerse yourself more in his mercy until this siege of Coronavirus is totally over. I pray the covering of mercy shall not depart from you in Jesus’ name. I pray that the blood of Jesus that has preserved you will never be removed in Jesus’ name. May you continue in God’s mercy while this evil strain of COVID-19 parks its bags and baggage out of our planet to oblivion forevermore in Jesus’ name.

Welcome to our month of mercy.

What is mercy?

Mercy is compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm. Mercy is an act of kindness, compassion, favour and leniency that we do not deserve but is given to us. God’s mercy is a “love that responds to human need in an unexpected or unmerited way.” At its core, mercy is forgiveness. The Bible speaks of God's love for sinners – that is, for all of us. The Bible also relates mercy to other qualities beyond love and forgiveness. An example of mercy is giving someone a lighter punishment than they deserve. For instance, when someone is due for conviction the advocate will stand up and plead with the judge that “for so and so reason, please temper justice with mercy”.

Mercy and Grace are closely related. While the terms have similar meanings, grace and mercy are not exactly the same. Mercy has to do with kindness and compassion; it is often spoken of in the context of God not punishing us as our sins deserve. Grace includes kindness and compassion, but also carries the idea of bestowing a gift or favor. It may help to view mercy as a subset of grace.

An example of mercy is described when the scripture said “Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.” Rom. 11:30-32 Another example is someone asking for mercy from God not man “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” (Luke 18:13) When David realized the gravity of his sin of adultery, murder and failed leadership, he said to God “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions” (Psalm 51:1) and he was forgiven.

Scriptural facts about Mercy

1. Eternal. “But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children”Psalm 103:7. Take advantage of it now!
2. Makes Salvation possible. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” Titus 3:5. Not yet saved? What are you waiting for? The Yorubas say ORUNMILA. Heaven knows those that will be saved. No. You can know it too. Ask Jesus to come in to your life today. 1Jn 5:11-13
3. Encourages to Penitence: “And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.”Jl 2:3
4. Forgives sin: “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger forever, because he delighteth in mercy. He has forgiven us our sins, go and sin no more!” Jn 8:11
5. Prolongs Life:” This I recall to my mind, therefore have, I hope. 22 It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” Lam 3:21-23The mercy of God that has preserved you until now will preserve you for ever,You will not be part of the evil statistics of Coronavirus.

God Commands us to show mercy.

God who has showered mercy on you, now commands you to show mercy and has more blessing for you if you obey.

1. “Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart.” Pro 3:3
2. “The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.”Pro 11:17
3. “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” Mi 6:8
4. “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” Matt 5:7
5. “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: 38 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.” Lk 6:36-38. There is no better time for you now than to show mercy and give to take care of the vulnerable, those afflicted by this COVID-19. Save humanity by undertaking the research that will produce vaccine against coronavirus.

When do you need mercy?

1. When Coronavirus is killing the world and there is no vaccine, and business, nations, airport are shutdown we need mercy.
2. When the government, the politicians, the medical experts have no solution to global pandemic we need mercy.
3. When the battles of life are raging against you (Psalm 2:1)
4.  When you are weary or overwhelm with issues of life and your heart is almost caving in. Someone had been battling issues of life and had lost many relations. On many occasions when he was being attacked, he repelled the attacks with prayer, when the matter was intense, he asked me what to do, I said what you need now is mercy. Mercy not to cave in. God showed up!
5.  When you are suffering from disillusionment, discouragement, depression, afflictions, weariness, suicide you need mercy from God.
6.  When you are under severe attack.
7.  When everything you touch becomes ashes instead of gold.
8.  When you are surrounded by death, like the time we are in, when you have observed distancing, but death is not distant, when you have washed your hands with soap for 20seconds and yet you are still faced with death, tested positive, you need mercy
9.  When you are infected with Coronavirus, flu, pandemic, malaria and high fever.
10. When you are a frontline worker in this pandemic era, you need the mercy and grace of God not to test positive or contact the virus or die from the virus.
11.  When you are suffering from terminal diseases - Cancer, leukemia, diabetes and other terminal diseases you need the mercy of God.
12. When you are under a generational curse or any curse for that matter whether you know it or not, you need mercy
13. When in your dreams you are being attacked, you see someone coming daily to attack you, when you are seeking for the blessing of the womb but all you experience is intercourses in the dream and see “red scarf”. You need mercy to have children.
14.  When you are having delay in having a marriage partner, conception, or constantly having miscarriages, you need the mercy of God.
15.  You need mercy when household enemies are rising against you, battling with wicked in-laws.
16.  When sleeping has disappeared from you. When all medications fail. When Valium is no more valid as remedy to sleep. Psalm 127:3
17.  When your trusted friends are ganging up against you. Your staff is looting your company.
18.  When you are framed up or lied against and you are sued to court.
19.  When you are jailed for what you know nothing about.
20.  When you are rushed to hospital on emergency, or you are critically lying down in ICU.
21.  Plead for mercy when you are always attacked with dangerous thoughts.
22.  Plead for mercy when like Paul - “For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do” Rom 7:19
23.  When your parents have cursed you or under any curse for that matter. Jacob said to Reuben - “Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my...” Gen 49:4. The prayer of Moses reversed that when based on the mercy of God he said” Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few.” Deut: 33:6
24.  When there is a gang up against you in the church, family, office, in your company, in your ministry, your spouse left you “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,” Psalm 2:2 You need mercy.
25.  Even when God Almighty sends a mighty prophet to prophesy death against you. The mercy of God can reverse it. Read “In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, thus saith the LORD, set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live.” Isa. 38:1. Mercy reversed it, it shall reverse that negative prophecy against you!
26. When you are failing exams even though you’re the one who coaches your colleagues that pass the subjects!
27.  When you were so brilliant in your early school days and you find yourself failing in your college or university days, you need mercy.
28.  When your business is collapsing even though you have done everything in the book.
29.  When your marriage is falling down and separation, divorce is staring you in the face, you need the mercy of God.
30.  When the children refuse to accept Jesus and follow you to church, when they are following wrong groups, when they are involved in unwholesome lifestyles, sexual perversion, alcoholism, addiction, sexual orientation (LGBTQ2), when they are on their way to prodigality or they have become prodigal. Sir/Ma, my sister/ my brother, my pastor you need God’s mercy.
31.  When Ministry is collapsing. No workers, church has split, there is conspiracy theory against you. Cry for mercy!
32. When you are at the verge of deportation back to your country of origin due to failed applications. Plead for mercy.
33.  When your enemies are making a mockery of you? When you are faced with embarrassment for now just cause?
34.  When you graduate from school and you are roaming the streets jobless, or with your PhD you are driving taxi and Uber
35. When you are suffering from deformity, blindness, lameness, dumbness, deafness.
36. When your polygamous mates (what the Yorubas call “ orogun” are eating your children one after the other or manipulating them. You need mercy.
37. When you are losing your mind.
38.  When you are under bondage and captivity of low, medium or high proportion.
39.  When you are trusting God for breakthrough and prosperity.
40.  When you are in need of restoration- whatever you have lost. Joel 2:25
41.  When you are in need of idea, open door, for creativity, innovation.
42.  When you need intellectual, marital, physical, financial, academic breakthrough-ask for mercy.
43. When at cross road of life, totally confused -ask for mercy from God of mercy
44. When your heaven is closed-Ask heaven to open it. Rev 3:7-8
45.  When you need mercy ask for mercy and the God of mercy will show up for you.

How do you secure mercy?

1. Thank God for what He has done, how His mercy has kept you. Psalm 150.

2. Do what David did acknowledge your sin and repent of yours Psalm 51. Do what Nehemiah did. Neh 2, Do what Daniel did (Dan 9); Rom 12:1; Prov 28:13

3. Set time apart for high praise to God. Just praise Him Spend hours praising God

4. Ask God for mercy Mk 10:46-5, Heb 4:16, Matt 9:13, Isaiah 30:18, Psa 25:6-7,

5. Plead for God to send an intercessor that will plead your case on earth and in the heavens. Eli pleaded for mercy for Hannah to have a child. Moses pleaded for God to reverse the curse on Reuben. Peter reversed the spirit of death on Dorcas. Jesus reversed the death on Lazarus. Your divine pleaders is coming!

6. Set time apart for fasting and praying to demand for mercy. Esther 4:16 Acts 13:2,2Kings 6:1,Dan 10:3

7. Ask God to choose you as his mercy candidate- “For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion” Rom 9:15. “And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.” Ex 33:19

Conclusion. This is your month of mercy. God is a God of mercy. God can pardon your sins and change your situation. Have you or your family been attacked by the spirit of death, diseases and challenges whether by Coronavirus or any virus, I have good news for you, Jesus of the bible is a merciful God.  Jesus hated sin, but loves sinners, Jesus hated sickness, but he loves to heal the sick. He hates demons but loves to deliver the demon possessed. Jesus was against death, but raised people from the dead, his mercy can make a difference in people’s lives. Ask for his mercy now. You are also commanded to show mercy don’t be like the man that had his debts cancelled in millions of dollars but incarcerated the man that owed him few dollars. Matt 18;21-35. I see you swimming in Gods mercy! Shalom.

Prophecy

 I prophecy- This corona virus that we see today we shall see it no more. This month God will make a change in your situation, you shall recover your losses, the nations ,economies, airports,  businesses that are locked down shall re-open, global recession shall be averted, those that have tested positive shall test negative, a thousand will die on your left and on your right it shall not come near you or your family, you shall not pass away with COVID-19 in the name of Jesus. After this locked down with your spouse you shall have your long-awaited child of destiny! Mercy shall cancel your deportation order. Pastors, listen to me -The churches shall not only re-open but it will be said- you have not lost any member “Then all the generals and captains came to Moses and said, “We, your servants, have accounted for all the men who went out to battle under our command; not one of us is missing!”  Num 31:49 The of mercy of God will be the catalyst for that change! Shalom!

Pastor Amos Dada is the District Superintendent of Christ Apostolic Church Bethel Canada. Follow him on Twitter @dada_amos;FB Amos Dada. www.cacbethel.com. Youtube/dramosdada.