Warfare Has Been Declared, Mercy Has Been Decided

The coming days are going to be some of the most riveting and yet dangerous for the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Kingdom of heaven suffereth VIOLENCE and the violent take it by force. The enemy has unleashed some of the most powerful spirits against those who name the name of Christ, but the HOLY GHOST in us who believe is GREATER than he that is in the world. To endure to the end, we must understand that "warfare has been declared" by the enemy, but MERCY has been decided by our Heavenly Father. In these last days, we must rest in the Lord's MERCY which endures forever and is from everlasting to everlasting. Mercy always triumphs over judgment and love covers a multitude of sins. In this beautiful promise from God through Isaiah to Israel, we see the Lord warning Judah of the coming Babylonian captivity while promising them He will never forget them even though "warfare" is coming;  soon their warfare, or slavery, will soon end and her iniquity be pardoned. Many in the Body of Christ are what we term "wounded healers," meaning they are people who though they have been wounded by the scars of life and warfare battle have received mercy and authority in the area of their wounds to make war on the devil and those the enemy has taken captive. In bringing deliverance, we are bringing the MERCY of God to those bound with alcohol, drugs and oppression in these last days. Warfare has been declared, but MERCY has been decided!

 

By Chris McDonald

 

TEXT: Isaiah 40:1-3
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. [2] Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins.  [3] The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Before we get into the meat of this message today I want to share a short testimony of something that happened just over a week ago now to this writer and a dear friend of his, actually the owner of the company who hosts this website. During the church service Sunday morning where we are attending right now the pastor called for all the fellow ministers of the gospel to come down and pray for people in the healing line. There were about 13 of us including myself. As I walked to the end of the line as he had instructed us to do, the prophetic mantle of God came upon the pastor, who incidentally is an anointed prophet of God, and he began to speak certain things to me that only God could know. He told me that even though I had laid hands on the sick in the past and had seen God heal people at times from this day forward not only would I pray for people who were sick to be healed, but I would begin to see a prophetic mantle rest upon my life where I would not just pray for people but begin to speak prophetically into the lives of others. As he spoke these words, I literally felt the hand of God come upon my head and the power of God come on me to the point I could not stand up underneath it. The pastor was not remotely close to me physically so no one could claim he "pushed" me down or blew on me or anything else people who don't believe in these type things mock and mimic. This was a sovereign act of God.

 

Later that afternoon I got home and found out our business site, www.kairosphotography.org  had been experiencing severe technical issues with the server it was on to the point we could not even get into the site to maintenance it or download it to the computer. I contacted the owner of the company who is graciously hosting the site for us to discuss this with her. She is also one of my dearest friends in the entire world and someone I talk to daily and pray with whenever the Lord leads us to do so. The frustration of trying to determine what was wrong was getting to both of us it seemed as even the technicians over her server could not figure out what was up with our site. I told her I'd get back with her in a few days if they did and we'd go from there. Tuesday night as I was coming home from a photo shoot (our tent making profession is photography and websites) I was troubled in my spirit over the entire ordeal with our business site and just began to pray and ask God for help. As I began to pray in the car I began to hear the voice of the Holy Ghost begin to speak deeply into my heart about my friend's company, which incidentally is named "Gabriel Hosting," not the site. The words were clear and concise but very prophetic in nature and having received these words in the past, even though not on a regular basis, I began to try and remember what was being said. When I got home the words just became stronger and more clear as I sat to write her an email to share with her what I felt the Lord was speaking to my heart for her; what I shared with her is what I want to share with you before I write this journal.

 

I was coming home tonight from a photo shoot and the Lord started speaking to me in the car about YOU and Gabriel Hosting. These words just got stronger in my spirit as I sat down. I have not even read your other email but here is what I feel the Lord saying:

He told me to tell you these words almost exactly "As Gabriel, the Archangel of heaven, "hosts" the heavenlies, you are hosting heavenly sites and as such the warfare upon your company is different than most. He said do not be disturbed or frazzled by the events today because warfare has been decreed over your company but it has also been decreed that your company will see even greater miracles in the coming weeks. He said Kairos' problems were not so much technical but that the enemy had made it hard for the techs to find the problem because this site too is under great warfare since it is going to be a source of blessing to our family. He said there are many sites you "HOST" that are making a dent in the heavenly realm and for that He is pleased and going to increase those that tear down strongholds and break bondages through the Word of God. The Lord would say, daughter of God, "You have had your heart right for many days now but there have been questions as to why certain individuals, even in your family, have not caught the same passion and vision for what you do. Even as a child He said you had this idea in your head to do what you're doing today but many came against you and did not want you to fulfill your dreams. His word to you is as the angels soar into the heavenlies to and fro across the earth, so too will GABRIEL soar too and fro "in the heavenlies." Do not look to the left or right and do not fret over evil doers for their time on this earth is as short as the grass that withers and dies in due season. Do not fret daughter of God over things you cannot change but bring them to ME saith the Lord the One who Created ALL things and rest in ME this day knowing that warfare has been decreed but MERCY has been decided. Mercy over you, your family and your business (my friend's name), MERCY and more MERCY has been given abundantly to you this day and grace to endure. The things least explainable are the things that are most spiritual in nature saith the Lord. Warfare is coming against your company as Gabriel, the warring angel wars against the princes and powers of darkness in the heavenlies. Daughter of God put yourself in an intercessory position to receive what the Lord would say to you this night. He is not a man who should lie or repent and has decreed that HE has stopped the enemy's tactics from sources beyond your knowledge and understanding to hurt the business even from within. MERCY is decreed over you daughter of God. MERCY MERCY MERCY MERCY I hear in the Spirit (my friend's name).

I told my friend in the email that with anything like this one can never be 100% sure what they are hearing is from God and I put that disclaimer on the prophecy above. About 2 hours later we received the following email back from her which we edited for content to keep some personal details out of the public view:

 

Chris,

I am going to tell you something and then I want you to go back and re-read what you wrote me.

I am sitting here bawling, trying to stifle the sounds of my sobbing. Chris you have no idea what I have been through within the past 24 hrs. I'm sorry if I have been so ...distant, cold, short and mean today, but I have had the worst 24 hrs ever. It started yesterday. I got into it with (my sister). Bad. She hasn't been coming in to work but MAYBE once a week. Yesterday, I couldn't take it anymore. I have been there every day working on Gabriel's things and our hosting and the billing and invoicing and designs...and everything I am responsible for.

Before I started on your site I was telling her that I would pack my things up Friday and that this company was her dream and I would graciously bow out to keep peace. I never sent it. Instead, I told God that I wish I would have died instead of my Grandma. Grandma had more to offer and that if I was gone all this madness would be gone too. Then... I just started praying for peace. I whispered, "God...I need a word of knowledge." I have been crying all evening. ...and then the word of knowledge came.

Everything is in such an uproar. I don't know what to do. I feel that if I would have kept my mouth shut then none of this would happen. I told God I was sorry for opening my mouth and complaining.  Now...go back and read what you wrote me. I fell apart. I cannot tell you how badly I needed this word! Everything, every single thing nailed it on the head! Everyyyything! God sees me Chris. He sees me.

...where do I go from here? What am I supposed to do now? I have my hope back once again, but do I just keep doing what I've been doing? Working and taking care of the responsibilities???

You know, I feel like I should send that email It took my breath away!!!!! Thank you for being obedient. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!!!!!!!!  God is so good AND merciful. I need mercy for speaking when I should have been silent.


 

My friend told me the next day that at the same time I had received this prophetic word for her, she was working on our site! We got the technical issues fixed the next morning but more importantly the Lord used two prophetic words -  one for me and one for her - to grant MERCY to a situation where warfare had been declared. Warfare, child of God, has been declared over you and your household, over your circumstances, over your finances, over your spouse, over your children, over your job, over your business, over your heart, over your soul, over your mind, over your physical body, over your LIFE - but MERCY, MERCY, MERCY, MERCY, MERCY, MERCY has been decided! Oh, Glory to God. Those words from the Lord given to me last Tuesday night have been ringing in my spirit man and heart for days now and I can't stop them from ringing! That is why I felt led to write this journal and title it just that - "warfare has been declared, but mercy has been decided." I know there is someone reading this journal right now that is involved in the deepest of warfare. You are discouraged, fighting it seems a losing battle against the powers of darkness. Hear the man of God behind these written words today in the name of Jesus - MERCY has been decided over you! Some of you have lost loved ones who are bound by illicit sexual lust, demonic strongholds of fear, unbelief, drugs, alcohol, hatred, and greed, and the more you seem to pray, the worse they seem to get. That is the warfare that has been declared over them but MERCY has been decided because of the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ! MERCY, MERCY, MERCY - can you hear the HOLY GHOST speaking those words to you today child of God?

 

There is a pastor right now reading this and you sir are in the fight of your life in the church you pastor. I see you right now in the Spirit and you are crying, weeping and have had thoughts this week of suicide even the pain and hurt has been that bad. The Spirit of God says to you warrior of God, the Lord grant thee "MERCY," and "COMFORT," and your warfare has ended and been accomplished and your iniquity has been pardoned. WALK, man of God, in the mercies of God and by those same mercies, BESEECH those under you to present themselves to Me, saith the Lord, a LIVING sacrifice, HOLY, acceptable unto God, which is their reasonable service. MAN OF GOD, MERCY has been decided even though warfare has been declared.

 

I see a young mother of two boys reading this journal right now and you've made it to this point in the message. Your heart is broken because they are coming to foreclose on the house this week unless you receive a financial miracle. You have shed many a tear woman of God and fear has gripped your heart in the midst of this warfare over your home and your son's lives. The man of God speaks to you woman of God this hour and declares, "MERCY has been decided," even though warfare has been declared by the enemy. You will not lose your house and your boys will both be called into the ministry to preach the gospel. Hear what the Spirit of God saith to you, woman of God. MERCY MERCY MERCY, is being released to your situation sister in the Lord. MERCY MERCY MERCY is being echoed through the halls of heaven and is now being released upon you in this very self-same hour you read these words. In the name of Jesus!

 

Neighbor, I feel the unction of the HOLY GHOST all over me right now as I write these words. It's hard to see the screen to be frank for the tears, but I'm just letting the Holy Ghost do the writing right now.  There are some of you involved in the worst of divorce battles. The enemy has come in and sought to destroy your home and children. Warfare has been declared over you child of God, but MERCY has been decided. MERCY has been decided. Hear the man of God speak to you this day and say, "for the Lord God has given unto you the WORDS of reconciliation and you will now speak to your spouse this word and the marriage will be reconciled. For what the enemy has sought to tear down, I, the Spirit of God am come to build up and reestablish in the power and the mercy of My strength and Might." MERCY, MERCY, MERCY has been decided! Warfare has been declared but MERCY has been decided. MERCY has been decided. I hear the Spirit proclaiming as a loud trumpet in my spirit - MERCY MERCY MERCY MERCY MERCY MERCY MERCY over your warfare child of God. Mercy over your warfare pastor. Mercy over your warfare apostle. Mercy over your warfare dad. Mercy over your warfare mom. Mercy over your warfare teacher. Mercy over your warfare evangelist. Mercy over your warfare prophet. Mercy over your warfare child of the living God. GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN YOU than HE that is in the world! GREATER is the Lord's MERCY than the warfare that has been declared and Satan's judgment that has been decreed. The WORD OF THE LORD says MERCY MERCY MERCY MERCY MERCY MERCY MERCY MERCY MERCY MERCY TRIUMPHS over judgment. Mercy triumphs over judgment. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

 

1 John 4:4
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

James 2:13- For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy; and mercy rejoices (triumphs) against judgment.

I hear the Spirit saying right now, "The blast of the shofar heralds the coming of the Messiah, our King and the Judge of all! Praise Him, our King and our Judge. Can you say hallelujah? Praise Him, for His mercy triumphs over His judgment. Praise Him, for His mercy triumphs over our judgment!" Hear the word of the Lord from the Psalms:

Psalms 9:7-9:  The LORD reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment. He will judge the world in righteousness; he will govern the peoples with justice. The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
 

Why does the Psalmist desire the judgment of God? Because his judgment brings mercy, a "refuge for the oppressed." For the oppressors, His judgment is bad news, but for the oppressed it is good news!

 

Ps 76:8:  - From heaven you pronounced judgment, and the land feared and was quiet - when you, O God, rose up to judge, to save all the afflicted of the land.

I remember sitting in a hotel room in Laconia, New Hampshire 4 days after the 9-11 attacks in New York crying so hard on the floor that I was shaking under the power of God when this same scripture was quoted to me by the Holy Ghost. I remember feeling a taste of the awesomeness of the Lord's judgment and the solemn quietness that hit the land on 9-11 because of the fear of God. This fear is a GODLY fear because when God pronounces judgment, He pronounces judgment upon our enemies child of God and rises up "to save the afflicted out of the land!" That's GOOD news! People try to make judgment into something evil and bad but in the eyes of God, judgment is part of His character and those who KNOW HIM can rest assured that His judgments are FAIR, RIGHTEOUS, HOLY, HONORABLE and WORTHY of all praise. My Lord, someone needs to shout with me here tonight. I want to scream to the highest pitch of my lungs the GOODNESS and MERCY of the Lord God! MERCY MERCY MERCY MERCY MERCY MERCY MERCY MERCY MERCY MERCY has been decided child of God. Warfare has been declared, but from heaven the Lord has pronounced judgment on your enemies and He is about to rise up to judge and "save all the afflicted of the land." That is divine justice! That is the mercy of God!

 

Ps 96:12:
Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth."

When God moves in mercy and judgment during our times of warfare, He brings an end to the injustice of the enemy! Even the trees and the fields are jubilant at this and everything in them. The Holy Ghost through the Psalmist declares, ""RISE UP" O Judge of the Earth and pay back to the PROUD (Satan, the father of lies and pride) what they deserve." While God's judgment may seem hard to some for a moment, in the end it's for our good and never without mercy and grace being attached to it. It's never unfair or unjust or undeserved or done in a way that makes God wrong. God is never wrong, never never never never wrong in what He does or does not do. No wonder Job cried, "Lord, though you slay me, yet will I trust you!"

 

Ps 94:2  - Rise up, O Judge of the earth; pay back to the proud what they deserve.

 

What is God's answer to the injustice in your life today?  "Rise up, O Judge of the earth; pay back to the proud what they deserve." What is God's answer to the injustice in Moscow, in Washington, in Jerusalem, in any areas of the world where injustice and warfare is going on? "Rise up, O Judge of the earth; pay back to the proud what they deserve." "O God, rise up to judge, to save all the afflicted of the land."

 

What is God's answer to all the injustice under heaven? As Yeshua the Messiah says, in John 12:31, "Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out." Somebody needs to get this. I'm having a hard time writing this but I feel electricity in my fingers right now as the HOLY GHOST is  preaching through these words. JESUS SAID NOW, not tomorrow, not next year, not when you die, but NOW, is the prince of this world DRIVEN OUT. Because of what Christ did at the Cross neighbor, Satan has been defeated. Warfare has been accomplished and mercy has been decreed and decided.

 

John 12:31
Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
 

God's judgment is necessary and merciful. Some of you need to get that. Mercy and justice uphold His kingdom!

 

Psalms 85:10 -Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

 

As a Messianic Rabbi puts it, "without law enforcement, thugs and hooligans would wreak havoc; because God's judgments encourage morality - without boundaries & consequences, children would grow wild; God's judgments show that God really cares - without justice, who could believe in a God of Torah? Because it allows him to show mercy - for what is mercy if there is no judgment? And he delights to show mercy even at the moment of judgment. When God judged Egypt, he was again and again offering mercy to Egypt. And many responded respond to his offer, for Ex 12:38 records that many other people, a mixed multitude, went up to them."

 

Exodus 12:38
And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle.

 

 

It's certainly true that people tend to respond more to God's offer of mercy in times of trouble.  How many of us have cried out to God when we were in trouble and found His mercy? Before the Lord Jesus comes back to Earth in person to judge the earth, the earth's coming time of travail and tribulation will bring much trouble  to the proud, but many, many will cry out to God for mercy and will be saved.

 

Romans 10:10-13
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. [11] For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. [12] For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. [13] For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Acts 2:17-18
And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: [18] And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
 

Acts 2:20-22
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: [21] And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

God really wants to be known more for His mercy than his judgment. He told Moses in Ex 34:6-7:

 

Exodus 34:6-7
And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, [7] Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.
 

And the Spirit of God is speaking to you reading this journal today, "Warfare, judgment has been declared, but mercy has been decided." MERCY, MERCY MERCY has been decided.
 

Isaiah's Comfort To Israel

 

Isaiah 40:1
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.

 

I have to end this journal before I even get started but I want to deal with our text briefly before I close. The same God speaking to us today spoke 750 years before Christ to the nation of Israel and Judah through Isaiah and said, "Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people," assuring the exiles that would be later banished to Babylon because of sin that prophetically He will not forget or lose sight of them.  The Assyrian struggle is over. The prophet has now accepted into the depths of his spirit God's announcement that the true spoiler, "the Rod of His anger and the staff of His indignation," is not Assyria, but the coming Babylon. Isaiah accepts the sentence that his people are to go into captivity. Into this future of his nation, he throws himself without a faith, a fervor, and a power of realization, which are all his own. All sounds and voices of the present are hushed and move him no more. The prophet sees a nation soon to be in bondage once more and from the inner depths of his soul he cries, "COMFORT, COMFORT," my people, saith YOUR God." Notice he said, "YOUR GOD," Israel.

 

I want you to hear this writer and hear him as you've never heard him before. Our nation teeters right on oblivion. The land is vomiting up from within because of the stink of our sin and rebellion against God. Homosexuality, abortion, corruption, dishonesty, greed, malice, hatred, and the like are ripping this once proud nation in two. At the same time instead of the church being a prophetic voice warning the nation what is coming we have gotten into bed with the world's system and no longer see the sentence that God has passed on this land. I heard a sermon not too long ago that alluded to the fact Sodom's sin got so bad that it "came up before the Lord" and literally "cried" out to Him into the heavens, and as a result God had to move in justice and mercy to ensure what was going on in Sodom and Gomorrah would not corrupt the whole earth. I wander today how close America's sin is to "coming up" before Him? I wander how close we are to captivity yet the voices of "comfort," we hear today are not the same as Isaiah's plea that was laced with sadness based on his knowledge Judah would soon be slaves to Babylon? Sin brings slavery friend. Hear what I say to you.

 

Mister, you're a FOOL if you think you can live foot loose, fancy free, sleep with this woman, sleep with that woman, drink your high ball liquor, smoke your cigarettes, do your drugs and just go on in life without consequence. Young lady, your virtue is not something that is the punch line of a joke but something so precious that gold cannot buy it back once it's gone. You may think I can dress like a harlot and give my body to men for money and it won't affect me in an adverse way. You're a FOOL for thinking that. Sin brings bondage. Sin brings captivity. Sin brings judgment if it's not repented of. Mister, if you think for one second you can take a quick peek at a porn sight then turn it off five seconds later and it not affect you, you're a fool for thinking such!

 

Sin brought affliction to Israel of old and it will bring affliction to us today. True prophets declare "comfort," just as Isaiah but they also declare and warn the nation of the consequences of sin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! False prophets declare the "comfort," but they refuse to warn the nation of the consequences of sin!

 

Isaiah encouraged Israel with the terms, "your God," and My people," meaning irrespective of their sin and coming captivity, they will be restored and restored they were. There is also the spirit and the power of the Promise, a restoration not yet come, which speaks of the coming Kingdom Age, but which most surely will come under Messiah when He returns. "COMFORT, COMFORT," my People, saith YOUR God." I feel the heartbeat of the HOLY GHOST on those words as I write them. Those words are not just for Israel of old but for some of you reading this journal tonight. Sin has brought severe captivity. You're bound by alcohol and drugs and can't quit like Kathy Herrick of Macon, Georgia. Some 13 years a binge drinker, she said she would start at 10 AM in the morning and just start drinking till dusk. Some days she would be so drunk she would not know her name or where she was at. Then one night at 10:30 P.M. she's watching Prophet Woody Martin of Lenoir City, Tn., (www.woodymartin.org) who has become almost like a spiritual father to this writer in the last few months, who is offering a capsule of the "Blood of Jesus" anointing oil. Kathy in a mocking, mimicking spirit and attitude orders it (it's free for the asking) and when she gets it, anoints herself with it.

 

When she places the oil on her head, the power of God hits her, causes her to start weeping and trembling under the power of God as the HOLY GHOST comes and declares, "MERCY" over her warfare and captivity! She is set free from the powers of darkness and last time I spoke with her just a few nights ago as of the day of this writing she had a smile on her face and has not touched a drink in over 18 months now. Neighbor, no rehab center can do that. No 12-step program can do that! No humanistic self-help new age guru's moronic principles can do that. No "secret" formula can do that. Only the power of the blood of Jesus Christ through the power of the HOLY GHOST can do that.  "Comfort," comfort, saith the Lord.

 

Speak Comfortable to Jerusalem, and Cry unto Her

 

Isaiah 40:2
Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her.....

 

While I'm not a big fan of comparing translations, I feel led to show you how this verse is worded in ones other than the King James Version:

 

The Holy Spirit through Isaiah commands His servants, the PROPHETS, to declare and comfort Judah with the assurance that her "warfare," or slavery, would have an end. There is warfare in the spirit realm and there is warfare such as Isaiah speaks of here that resulted in Judah's captivity in Babylon.  The word "comfort," comes from the Hebrew word "nacham," and means "to have pity or compassion; to be sorrowful in a good  way; to console, avenge, or comfort. The general purpose of  The prophecies speak as if Israel were already near the end of the  Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 41:1-3,25; Isaiah 44:26-45:4,13), Jerusalem already in ruins  (Isaiah 44:26-28), and the people about to be restored to their own land.

The word "Comfort" is used in other places in Isaiah:

1.Comfort ye, comfort ye My people (Isaiah 40:1).

2.Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her (Isaiah 40:2).

3.The Lord has comforted His people (Isaiah 49:13; Isaiah 52:19).

4.The Lord will comfort Zion (Isaiah 51:3).

5.He will comfort her waste places.

6.I am He that comforteth you (Isaiah 51:12).

7.By whom will I comfort you? (Isaiah 51:12).

8.Restore comforts unto him (Isaiah 57:18).

9.To comfort all that mourn (Isaiah 61:2).

10.So will I comfort you (Isaiah 66:13).

11.You will be comforted in Jerusalem (Isaiah 66:13; cp. Isaiah 12:1).

 

There are three things the Holy Spirit through Isaiah cried to Jerusalem:
 

1. Her warfare is accomplished.
2. Her iniquity is pardoned.
3. She has received of the Lord double for her sins.


These things are spoken of as already accomplished, but all are yet to be fulfilled literally at the Christ's second coming (Isaiah 63:1-5; Zech. 12:10-14:21; Matthew 23:37-39; Romans 11:25-29). Furthermore, these are national problems: the warfare, iniquity, and reaping for sins referred to concern Judah as well as Jerusalem. The city will be restored and all the people blessed and pardoned under the coming Messiah. As it relates to us today, we have received these things spiritually as a result of the CROSS, where Israel's Messiah, our Saviour, accomplished such through the shedding of His blood 2,000 years ago. It's a message the church needs to be CRYING out to a lost and dying world but instead we are damnably silent about. The message of the Cross is what we should be screaming to the top of our lungs yet we remain terribly quiet about as men's souls slip off into eternity by the thousands on a daily basis. Speak comfortably to Jerusalem and CRY unto her, saith the Lord.

 

Her Warfare Though Decreed, Has Been Accomplished

 

Isaiah 40:2b - ....that her warfare is accomplished..

 

This passage means that Israel's slavery as a result of her warfare is coming to an end. One translation above says, "announce to it that its time of hard labor is over and its wrongs have been paid for." Some of you reading this journal need to hear those words today from the Holy Spirit. You've carried guilt and condemnation over past wrongs for so long you've lost all hope things can ever change and your bondages ever broken. You've been in a time of "hard labor" of reaping bitter consequences, yet somehow you've found your way to this journal. I'm here to tell you today first of all, the devil is a liar and the father of it. Secondly, your warfare yes has been decreed by the enemy but MERCY has been decided saith the Lord. Spiritual warfare neighbor, is not cowboys and Indians where we shoot our guns over the bow and the devil shoots his arrows. Neighbor, this is not spiritual tidily winks or playing with monopoly money when it comes to men's souls. Spiritual warfare is about the eternal souls of men and where we spend eternity - either heaven or hell. That's why hearing a word from God that says "mercy has been decided" over your warfare is so important to hear and grasp!

 

 

Her Iniquity is Pardoned (MERCY has been decided)

 

Isaiah 40:2c....that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins.
 

Finally, the Holy Spirit says "her iniquity is pardoned, for she hath received of the Lord's hand 'double' for all her sins." This speaks of the coming Babylonian captivity, and even the pardon which is YET to be given, which will take place ultimately  in the coming Kingdom Age, and which shall most surely be given. The "double" has reference to a practice in ancient Israel, where in the event of a bankruptcy, all the debts of an individual were posted on a scroll, with the individual's name at the top, and positioned in a place of prominence for all to see, most of the time at the city gate. That is what sin will do to you friend - it'll bankrupt you, it will enslave you and it will embarrass and humiliate you! At times a very wealthy benefactor, whether local or distant, after surveying the indebtedness of the bankrupt individual, would take the scroll, double it, and write his name on the double-overed face in essence meaning that the wealth benefactor was then standing good for all the indebtedness of the bankrupt individual, and the creditors would come to him, not the individual, for payment. Furthermore, since the scroll was not doubled over, the embarrassment of the indebtedness could no longer be seen. The benefactor could do this, because what was an overwhelming amount of debt the bankrupt party had to pay, because of his great wealth, was mere pennies and insignificant to him.

 

Listen to me neighbor as I close today. Two thousand years ago, bankrupt humanity stood ashamed and chagrined; its many sins and failures were obvious for all to see. They had had to declare spiritual bankruptcy and there was absolutely no way for the indebtedness to be paid. But "God so loved the world that He gave his Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have Everlasting life." (John 3:16) Jesus Christ took the list that contained our innumerable sins, folded it "double," and signed His Own Name with his Precious Blood. For all who will believe, the debt is now paid and PAID IN FULL; the debtor is no longer debtor but can now because of Christ can go free from his warfare and slavery. Israel did not accept His Promise when he came the first time; consequently their sins have been paraded before the entirety of world ever since. Israel sits in a dangerous place today with enemies all around and no where to turn. Sadly, she will turn to the coming Antichrist who is about to break forth on the world's scene very soon and accept him as a false messiah who will plunge her and the rest of the world into Great Tribulation. Yet one day, she will recognize the TRUE MESSIAH, the One who paid for Her sins, as well as the sins of the whole world with His own Precious blood; when He comes the second time, they will then receive HIM. He will then take the list of all her sins, "double it over," hiding them forever, and write His Name, so to speak, in Blood on the cover, which says, "Paid in full." Such is for Israel of old and today, and such my friend is for all today, including YOU reading this journal. Warfare has been decreed, but MERCY has been decided!

 

You say, "I don't know if He'll forgive me for what I've done." Neighbor, He's already forgiven you for what you've done, you just have to walk up and receive the check and cash it by repentance and faith! The double has been declared over those who have placed their faith in Him!

 

I pray this journal has encouraged you today. It's a bit unlike any in the past we've written to be honest but we feel the Holy Ghost all over it and we know someone's heart is being touched right now. Pray with me please, "Heavenly Father, I pray for those dear saints reading this journal right now involved in the fight for their spiritual lives. I know there are many who can relate to the term "warfare" for it is what they are experiencing right now at the hands of Satan the tempter. But just as sore as the enemy would try and tempt, let the words of the HOLY GHOST ring just as loud and sore - MERCY has been decided. As Israel of old received pardon for her sins and received of the Lord's hand "double" let us today repent of our sins before You Lord, humble ourselves and receive this same mercy by faith. We pray for our nation and ask You to move once more in the land through revival and in judgment Lord, remember mercy. Remember mercy. Remember mercy Lord, for Your name's sake and Your people's sake today. Remember mercy Lord over our nation. Forgive us for the abortion, the homosexuality, the greed, the unbelief, the stagnation among those who call themselves Christians and claim they know You, FORGIVE YOUR CHURCH LORD for blaspheming Your name by seeking to align ourselves with false gods and false religion in seeking to appease sinners instead of warning the sinners of their condition without Christ. Forgive us Lord, we plead the blood of Jesus Lord, We plead the BLOOD OF JESUS, the payment of the DOUBLE of our sins. Lord, we are BANKRUPT without YOU. We are Bankrupt without YOU! Help us Lord, In Jesus Name, we pray, Amen and Amen.

 

If one of these prophetic words written in this journal is for you, please email us and let us know  - cmcdonald@spiritjournals.com

 

God bless, keep the faith and remember, though warfare has been decreed, mercy has been decided! In Jesus Name! Amen!

 

Return to Spirit Journals Home

 

Hit Counter