What are the steps to receiving God’s mercy?
Desire and Repentance: You can receive God’s mercy when you desire it strongly especially after your repentance.
Daniel and his friends
When all the wise men of Babylon were condemned to die because no one could interpret the King’s dream, Daniel’s life was also put on the line. Daniel and his three friends decided to consult God through prayers. Their strong desire to recover the lost dream and its meaning moved them to seek God’s mercy.
“Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishaal, and Azariah, his companions: That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven“. Daniel 2:17-19
Through divine mercy, the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision, and Daniel blessed the God of heaven. By the revelation of God’s mercy, Daniel and his three companions-Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were delivered. Also, all the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans were spared from the King’s death sentence.
Spared from Judgment
When you receive divine mercy, people around you will be spared from evil judgment and destruction. But the most important thing is to desire and pray for it.
“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”. Luke 18:13
“And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy“. Nehemiah 13:22
Conditions for Receiving God’s Mercy
Humility.
You can receive God’s mercy through humility, solid desires, and prayers. The public approached God in humility, not presenting anything as merit. He humbled himself and prayed with a powerful desire to obtain mercy.
Holiness
Holiness is essential to receiving Divine Mercy. Before Nehemiah prayed for mercy, he commanded the Levites to play their part by cleansing themselves. A life of holiness is a necessity before approaching God for anything. God is holy, and those who wish to relate with Him should be holy.
“Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. Have mercy upon me, O Lord; for I am weak: O Lord, heal me; for my bones are vexed. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted“. Psalms 4:1; 6:2; 25:10, 16
Prayer and Righteousness
God is a God of righteousness; if we must get his attention during prayers, we must maintain his righteousness. Prayer is one of the ways through which we can receive mercy, especially when we pray passionately with an assurance of our relationship with Him. If you enter the path of divine mercy and obtain mercy, you must be sincere with God. If you are a sinner, you must acknowledge your sins and repent. If you are a believer, you must maintain your covenant relationship with God. When you play your part, God, who is faithful, will turn to you with mercy, deliver you from affliction, and take you to your place in life.
“Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When thou saidst, seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, thy face, Lord, will I seek. Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. Shew us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation“. Psalms 27:7-9; 85:7
Qualified to Pray for Mercy
Those who are qualified to pray for divine mercy are believers. God commands them to pray and seek for mercy. When a believer desires God’s mercy and prays, God will return to him with mercy and help him where he needs help. If God had been angry with such a believer before, the mercy of God would have turned the anger away, and he would have been remembered for good. Without craving for mercy in the place of prayer, some aspects of God’s salvation will not be made available for you. That’s why we must start praying for God’s mercy, no matter your level of relationship with God.
“Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so, our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he has mercy upon us. Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt“. Psalms 123:1-3
“And therefore, will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him“. Isaiah 30:18
Dependence on God’s Mercy
No one is too big to ask for God’s mercy, irrespective of one’s achievement as a believer. Asking for mercy is a proof of your dependence on God, and He derives joy from showing His mercy to His servants. God is waiting for you to desire and ask for His mercy so that He will be exalted in your life as He shows you mercy. When you obtain God’s mercy through desire and prayers, your blessings from God will multiply.
“Then the angel of the Lord answered and said, O Lord of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?” Zechariah 1:12
“And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us. And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, according to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, see that no man know it.” Matthew 9:27-30.