SIN, JUDGEMENT AND MERCY: THE BATTLE FOR NIGERIA 2
(week 04/14)
OLUBI JOHNSON
Last week, we saw that the sins of the church, the politicians, the citizens and our forefathers are causing God’s judgement and Satanic affliction on Nigeria that has and is still hindering her from attaining her FULL potential as a nation with the great human, material, mineral and financial resources God has given her.
This judgement of God and Satanic affliction can only be overcome by the Church prevailing in spiritual warfare through confession of sin, repentance, fasting, intercessory prayer and most importantly FORSAKING OF SIN in conduct.
This week, we will see how to do this in more detail.
How will the Church prevail?
By using the blood of Jesus (Heb. 13.20-12), the Word of God (1 Jn. 2.5) and the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Jn. 4.12-13) in intercessory prayer and to perfect the love of God in our conduct, so forsaking sin and allowing the MERCY OF GOD to triumph over judgement in Nigeria, like Daniel did for the restoration of Israel from Babylon:
Daniel 9:1-5 NKJV: In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans— (2) in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the LORD through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. (3) Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. (4) And I prayed to the LORD my God, and made confession, and said, “O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, (5) we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments.
Daniel 9:6-9 NKJV: Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land. (7) O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against You. (8) “O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. (9) To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him.
Here, we see Daniel identifying with the whole nation and confessing their sins and asking for God’s mercy.
God responds BECAUSE of Daniel’s honesty, repentance, prayer and individual righteousness bringing the answer through angelic ministry:
Daniel 9:20-21 NKJV: Now while I was speaking, praying, and confessing MY SIN and THE SIN OF MY PEOPLE ISRAEL, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God, (21) yes, WHILE I WAS SPEAKING IN PRAYER, THE MAN GABRIEL, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, REACHED ME about the time of the evening offering.
In the same way today, just like God was ready to preserve Sodom and Gomorrah if He could find 10 righteous people (Gen. 18.23-33) there; God will preserve and save Nigeria through the intercession and righteousness (right-doing based on the foundation of the right-standing given by the blood of Jesus) of a relatively small (a little flock (Lk.12.32, Rev. 3.8)) compared to the number of born-again Christians and people in Nigeria) ‘Daniel’ company of prophetic intercessors: hence this message!
Any Christian can join this group by praying this prayer daily:
“Father, I confess our (i.e. self, immediate family, household etc.) sins (e.g. pride, lack of patience, prayerlessness, intemperance, disobedience, spiritual slothfulness, lying, sexual immorality in thought, word and deed) and the sins of our people, fathers and forefathers of greed, murder and wickedness. I receive forgiveness, cleansing and the purging of our consciences from these dead works and a guilty conscience to serve You the living God according to Your word that says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1John 1:9)”, and “how much more shall the blood of Christ purge your conscience from dead works and a guilty conscience (Hebrews 10:22) to serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14)”; and “whosoever sins you remit, they are remitted unto them (John 20:23).” I forsake (Proverbs 28.13) these sins by practicing the Word with a continual determination (Proverbs 24:16) and giving all diligence (2 Peter 1:5-10) to stop sinning and so to receive mercy to triumph over the judgement for these sins (James 2:13)”.
We must pray DAILY in this manner and also walk in obedience by the Spirit for the mercy of God to prevail over judgement in Nigeria in this year of 2014 to hasten the coming of the glory of God to our land.
This is because TERRIBLE SINS ARE BEING COMMITTED DAILY by the rebellious church, corrupt politicians and ordinary citizens and their consequent judgement is being compounded (like compound interest in the bank!) BUT AS WE ALSO PRAY AND FORSAKE SIN BY THE SPIRIT, WE WILL NEUTRALIZE THE EFFECT OF THE SINS OF THE MAJORITY and so by the MERCY OF GOD win the battle over Nigeria!
