A Word through Steve Shultz

March 26, 1999

Last week, the Lord gave me one of those dreams that was clearly identifiable as being "FROM HIM." I knew it in the dream and I knew it when I awoke.

It was a word for me. And it was, I believe, a word for the church.

In this dream, a huge number of people, some Christian and some not- were on a massive ship, not unlike The Titanic. Suddenly, there was a horrible accident of some kind and people were being swept into the open sea. The ship was breaking apart and large chunks of the ship were falling on men, women, and children and causing them to be killed instantly or drowned.

A STRANGE BOLDNESS CAME OVER ME

Even though I was myself among the victims, and my own life was at stake, some strange boldness came over me and I began to--with great authority--point at a mother and her children who were in the water, about to be killed by a large piece of the ship falling on them.

"MERCY," I COMMANDED, as I fiercely pointed at these helpless victims. Whether they were believers or not was not an issue. Mercy was the issue. The large object fell into the water and just missed them and something else happened instantly to keep them from drowning.

Next I pointed to another person about to go under the water. "MERCY!" I shouted, as my finger pointed again straight at him. Suddenly a piece of wood or something floated by which he grabbed on to and was saved. I was in what I can only describe as a "righteously angry" state in which I was not going to ALLOW these people to be killed. I wasn't going to have any part of it. So I simply commanded

Mercy!

This same scenario happened 5-7 times within 30 seconds. No more than that. And I woke up.

PROPHESY! COMMAND! EVEN DEMAND!

I knew then that I had a clear ---and I believe the church also; has a clarion call--- to cry out; to PROPHESY; to COMMAND, even to DEMAND "Mercy" to whoever we see who needs mercy.

People who God loves, both IN the church and OUTSIDE the church are dying. God is saying to us, "PROPHESY MERCY! COMMAND MERCY!" We have heard for years that we do not understand "who we are IN CHRIST." Could it be that the Lord is giving yet another picture to us, of who we really are. And what we can really accomplish.

Did the Apostle Paul understand something--more than we do, that something was accomplished in the Spirit when he wrote (and Timothy read):

1 Tim 1: "To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord."

God has reminded me many times this past year that HIS THONE HAS A NAME. It's called the "THRONE OF GRACE." Whatever He does, he does from this throne. We go there--the Throne of Grace--for one purpose; TO FIND MERCY! And to find GRACE. . . .

Heb 4:16 "Let us then approach the THRONE OF GRACE with confidence, so that we may RECEIVE MERCY and FIND GRACE to help us in our time of need."

MERCY TO THE WORST OF SINNERS

Paul displays his true understanding of Jesus. He explains that Jesus came into this world . . . well, here's what Paul said. . .

1 Tim 1:15-16 "Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-- of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I WAS SHOWN MERCY so that in me, THE WORST OF SINNERS, Christ Jesus might display his UNLIMITED PATIENCE as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life."

GOD LOVES MERCY

We perhaps forget that the Lord LOVES MERCY. And He asks us to feel and to act the same way. Those who are being trained by the Lord in intercession and the prophetic, pastoring, or evangelism must never lose sight of the Word as they approach the hurting, the dying and the Lost--to bring "salvation" to them of one kind or another; Micah 6:8 "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to LOVE MERCY and to walk humbly with your God."