Jim Smith

The great betrayal and the

House of Mercy

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The Great Betrayal and the House of Mercy

Jim Smith

©Jim Smith May 2017 2015

This material may be downloaded or copied for personal, group or church use. It is not to be sold and it is not to be changed.

jimsmithghana@yahoo.co.uk kayisefa.gh@gmail.com

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Index

Part 1: The Great Betrayal Background What is betrayal? Why do we betray? Words and visions What can we do? Part 2: The House of Mercy The beautiful House of Mercy The door of sorrows The door of intense prayer The door of the agony of the cross The door of love bears all The door of mercy And now?

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Background

Ghana, as a Nation, has always been at risk from its very birth. Not because it is an evil nation. Quite the opposite - it is a nation which God has chosen to bless and use in his purposes for West Africa and beyond. It has been, and continues to be at risk because of what Africa has done for the Lord. Satan tried to destroy Jesus from the very beginning of his earthly life. No sooner was the birth of Jesus announced, than Satan was manipulating his agents to kill the baby. But the baby was taken to Africa, where he was safe. Satan tried to prevent Jesus from getting to Calvary, but an African – Simon of Cyrene - helped him. In two great times of need, God looked for a Continent to protect and help his Son. Africa was that chosen Continent. This great privilege has brought with it much suffering. Satan has always tried to destroy or take his revenge on those who stand with Jesus. We have seen this again and again in the history of faith, and very clearly in the spiritual history of Africa. Africa was called on to help Jesus, becoming in the process one of the most blessed Continents in the history of the world. In the following centuries, Africa suffered for this act of service, and is suffering still. In the attempted destruction of the child Ghana, Satan shows that he is still angry with Africa, and will destroy it at any opportunity.

All will be well! Ghana failed to see the danger which Africa’s service has put it in, and went after prosperity at the cost of its blessing. I first visited Ghana nearly thirty years ago. I was told “There are open heavens over Ghana!” I was excited. But as soon as I arrived, I saw that the heavens were closed. I asked the Lord what was going on. “I wanted to bless Ghana in a unique and special way” he said. “The enemy opposed me, and the heavens closed.” “So what is the problem?” I asked. “Your people have only to rise up and break them open again.” The Lord began to cry, and over the next thirty years I began to understand why.

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Part 1: The great betrayal The latest failure of the church in Ghana, and possibly one which is terminal, is the Great Betrayal. Ghana was always open to the risk of this, because of certain patterns in the culture:- * We forget the past We should have known that the cost of saving and serving the Lord would cost us greatly. Why did we forget? I have quoted these words from this 13th Century holy man many times before:- “We should come to the King’s mountain to worship the king, not to take his goods.” (Bernard of Clairvaux) Prosperity robbed us of our spiritual perception. Wanting only goods, comfort, success and power, we were blinded to this truth - that Satan was set on a path of destroying Ghana. Many times in the last decades, I have tried to warn and wake, but have not been able to get a hearing. Now I fear it might be too late – although as we shall read later when we come to the “House of Mercy,” God is ever merciful. Perhaps there is still time? * God will always bless us As I have said many times over the years, this foolish statement has no basis in biblical teaching. God blesses and blesses, but if we continue to ignore his words, disaster will come. It has come many times to Israel, and it will come to us. If a situation is wrong, it has to be put right, and if we will not listen to the warning, the Lord, out of love, will judge to put things right. There is no avoiding this spiritual principle. Ghana tries by reciting endlessly “God will always bless us!” It won’t work. * We only want encouraging words I heard this recently in Accra:- “Prophet only speaks hard words. We want encouraging words.” This is a childish approach to Father’s words. It’s like the children who always want sweeties, and when they can’t get them, sulk and cry. The reality of life is that it is not always easy. This is true in the physical world and in the spiritual world. However, Ghana has this childish attitude, so any hard word is dismissed, but nice words are welcome. What a dangerous approach to Father. We know from experience that sometimes we have to listen to hard things - but not Ghana!

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The doorway

The “Great Betrayal” message is challenging, but if we can look at it and accept it, then it is the doorway to the House of Mercy, and mercy is the only way ahead for us. So readers should choose now. This is a hard word, but leads to hope. It is not a “God will bless us whatever we do” word. If readers want those empty words, they should look elsewhere.

It’s easy to betray. It is not so easy to live with the consequences. It’s easy to regret. It is not so easy to undo the damage. Mercy calls, but only mercy. Can it be enough? Mercy calls. We must choose.

The journey

The only way I can explain the “Great Betrayal”, which is the first part of this material, is to write the story of the journey the Lord took me on. I was praying in Mercy Base, our Accra intercession centre, when the sorrow of the Lord for Ghana fell into my spirit. Many years ago, my wife and I lost one of our sons. He did not live very long. I know what grief is, and it was this same kind of grief which poured down from heaven into my heart. I was feeling God’s sorrow for the loss of his beloved child Ghana. Some of his pain can be found in the material called “The Wasted Child.” I encourage readers to read the whole of that material for themselves. Here are three short sections from that material. They are important, because they give us some understanding of the pain in God’s heart for the loss of his child Ghana. If we cannot feel this, we are truly a lost cause.

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* I saw the Lord struggling up to Calvary. His cross was so heavy. “I am bearing the weight of sorrow, disappointment, failure, sin and death” he said. “These burdens I bear but the heaviest of all is the burden of my wasted child Ghana. This is what makes my cross so heavy.” * I am searching for my child, for my precious beloved son, but I cannot find him. I am searching for my son, but I am searching alone. Those I trusted do not care. They turn away and with hardened hearts refuse to mourn with me. * I saw a man on the path ahead of me – a broken man with his face stained with tears. It was a face that had known pain. He was bent over with suffering. In his arms he held a broken and bleeding child, and he grieved over the pain the child had known. As he cried, his tears fell onto the child and I saw a flicker of life flow. After so much, could it be that there was still life and hope for the child? I came up to the broken man, and shared his agony.

The question

As I was thinking about this, and feeling it, I asked the Lord this question:- Why can’t I get through to Ghanaian Christians with this message? The Lord began to discuss betrayal with me. I was shocked at the subject he had chosen, but as always, the choice of discussion was his, not mine. This is what he shared with me:-

What is betrayal?

I needed to know how he saw betrayal. What exactly did he mean? Here is his answer:- * Betrayal is deceit Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1) This is the root of betrayal – it is a deceit which tries to show us a different way than obedience. It shows us a way which is personally gratifying, and brings us what we think we want. This is key. Betrayal is a self-centred experience, not a God centred one. That’s why we cannot often see it, or accept it when it is pointed out to us.

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Is this Ghana?

I saw a 40 story building, and on the 40th floor, I saw the church of Ghana. As I watched, a fire broke out on the ground floor. I rushed up the stairs, burst onto the 40th floor and shouted “The building is on fire. You must leave or you will perish!” The people replied - “Look at the lovely view! God is blessing us. We see no flames or smell no smoke. All is well.” The fire reached the 10th floor, and I rushed up again to the 40th floor, and said “The building is on fire. You must leave or you will perish.” “Oh it’s him again” they said. “What a nuisance he is!” The flames reached the 30th floor, and I rushed up to the church. “The building is on fire” I cried. “You must leave or you will perish” “Not you again! Leave us.” The fire reached the 39th floor, and in panic I rushed in again. “The fire is at your door” I shouted. “You must leave or you will perish.” “That’s it” they said, and beat me with sticks until I was unconscious. They threw me out into the corridor and shut the door. The fire reached the church and began to destroy. “Oh God” they wailed “why did you not warn us?”

Easy to ignore No one wants to hear anything but nice and encouraging things in Ghana. So when a prophet says “The house is on fire” the answer is “We can’t see any smoke” rather than examining the house. From the prophetic view, I see fire in the Lord’s vineyard. The vines are burning. But as this is not an encouraging word, it is ignored. How long must the vines burn before someone feels concerned? Of course it is easy to dismiss me as a Western prophet, but I am not a Western prophet. When I buried my beloved Bishop Ofori, the Lord took away my English spirit and gave me the spirit of a Ghanaian. I speak to the nation I belong to. I speak from within. I speak to myself as well as to the church. My desperate plea - stop shooting the messengers and start listening to the warnings. Test them. They might be true. * Betrayal is pride “Abraham is our father,” they answered. Here is betrayal, from “The Way of the Cross.”

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As they came down the road, they met the Prophet. “What have you been doing?” he asked. “We have been getting all that we need from the King's house” they said. “Look at all that we have now” and they showed him their wealth. “And there's more. Don't delay us. We are going to take this and then come back for more.” “But what of the King?” the Prophet asked. “Is this his gift to you?” “Oh yes” they said. “We thanked him on the way out.” “So who led you to this wealth?” the Prophet asked. “Him” they said, pointing to the Deceiver, clothed in light. “He is our Saviour.”

Betrayal puts us in charge Betrayal puts us in charge. We look at our roots, and believe that because of them, we can never be led into betrayal. The Jewish race was led by pride into the greatest betrayal of all time. Their sin was almost far worse than that of Judas. It betrayed a whole race for centuries.

Is this Ghana?

Have we fallen into the sin of pride? Here is a poem from Father Michael. Is this Ghana? Is this us?

The wind screamed in the trees, a messenger of what was to come. But the forest was proud, exalting in its strength. It did not heed the warning The storm struck tearing ,breaking. Everywhere the wail of the broken. In the afterlight shattered majesty wept for its loss

* Betrayal is arrogance “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” (Dan.4:28-31) Arrogance blinds us to all truth. Nebuchadnezzar forgot that we are guests and stewards on this earth, and that all we have has been given to us in trust. There is a Greater One. This should lead to humility, and does with those who have a servant heart towards the Lord. But Nebuchadnezzar was proud, and it led to his downfall.

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Is this Ghana? Has Ghana become arrogant? It arrogantly dismisses or blocks any message which does not suit it. All we hear is “God will always bless us.” The depth of this arrogance is breath-taking. I am often told “Our God will never abandon us.” Of course he will not, but he does judge. In 587 B.C.E. Jerusalem, God’s own city was destroyed. In 70 C.E. Jerusalem was destroyed again, and in 133/5 C.E. the city was completely destroyed by the Romans who ploughed up the Temple Mount and raised an altar to Jupiter there. The Jews at both times arrogantly believed that all would be well. If we have become arrogant, then we are involved in betrayal. * Betrayal is triumph by aggression ”The chief priests and teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him.” (Mark 14:1) Ultimately, betrayal is aggression. Here is another passage from “The Way of the Cross.” There was a small town, just off the Way. One of the Pilgrims asked “Do the people in that town know of the danger they are in?” Without waiting for an answer, he turned towards the town. He went into the market place, and began to urge the people to abandon their prosperity and comfort, and serve the King with a pure heart. The more he spoke, the more angry they got. One of the mob stepped forward. He shouted “You are destroying our faith, and you are pulling down the Name. You don't deserve to live.” Immediately the mob rushed on the Pilgrim and beat him with iron rods, until the blood poured down his face. He cried out, but still they beat and kicked and spat at him. Then one man rushed at him and cut off his head. A great cheer went up. The people returned home, content with what they had done.

Is this Ghana Is Ghana trying to triumph by aggression, sweeping aside any voice which does not give encouraging messages, or support the rampant greed and self-assertion of the Ghanaian church? Is Ghana shooting the messengers as a way of silencing the word of God?

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Why do we betray?

Having understood what the Lord saw as betrayal, I wanted to know why we betray. The Lord began to teach me. * We betray when we lose sight of the Lord I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. (Ex.20:1) When the Lord set the standard of our walking with him, the first and primary commandment was simple - no other god. If other gods appear, our responsibilities are clear:- * Make sure that we keep our eyes and hearts fixed on the Lord. This is not as easy as it seems. The Lord demands changes in us which are hard to make – to deny self, take up the cross and follow him. It is human nature to look for easier ways, and other gods always offer them. * Pray without ceasing so that the other gods are reduced. * Live, witness and testify, so that those who would follow another god come to the Lord. We must make sure that there are no hearts available to any other god. * Like Elijah, we must demonstrate with power which God has the power. Remember, only Jesus can heal, and this healing power has drawn millions to faith in the Lord. Have we done this? As we look at the growth of another god in our land, obviously we have not done it. Worse, many don’t even see the need to do it. We are handing our land to another, with hardly a fight, which might be described as betrayal.

Is this Ghana? Have we lost sight of the first commandment? Is another god rising in our land? Do we even care? Have we been tricked into betrayal through prosperity? ? Here is what I wrote elsewhere:- The dark satanic army was everywhere and it was unopposed. It was imprisoning, destroying any signs of faith, breaking the human spirit, and returning it to the bondage which once had been broken. The strong man strutted across the land. “Who can oppose me now?” he laughed. “I have won the prize I wanted. This child Ghana was a danger to me - a danger like no other I have seen for centuries.

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This one I had to break, and it was so easy. These people were fools. I held wealth before them and they could not take it fast enough. I am the ruler now. I will be worshipped. These people will never trouble me again.” * We betray when we fail to see what is happening.

“An enemy has done this..” (Matt 13:24) Betrayal is failing to keep watch, to see and to warn. Betrayal is failing to take action to protect what the Lord has given us. Betrayal is handing over to the enemy what belongs to the Lord. Betrayal is failing to see that we have done this.

Is this Ghana? A Kenyan prophet said to me recently “The Ghanaian church has fallen into a coma.” I think he is right. Hardly anyone sees what is happening in our land, because they do not care as long as they have what they want. No one is watching and warning. I said this in “The Way of the Cross” and I have said it in many other writings and preachings:- The Pilgrims came to a high place, and looked out over the hills. On every hilltop, they saw a watchtower. But the towers were broken down and empty. The Prophet told them - “Once people watched over the land from these towers, and prayed against the enemy. But now they do not do it anymore.” * We betray when we don’t want to let go of what we have got. But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel. (Joshua 7:1) Joshua had told the people that they were to take nothing from Jericho, but Achan saw some gold, took it and hid it. The consequences were that the Lord was angry and Israel were defeated in battle. Joshua asked the people which of them had taken something from Jericho, but Achan did not speak up. He liked what he had. It was his prosperity and his security and he was going to hold on to it, at whatever cost - to himself or to others.

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Is this Ghana? Once a man was on a sinking ship. “Leave everything and jump” cried the Captain. But the man loved his prosperity. He had much gold with him, and he filled his pockets with it. Then he jumped. But his prosperity was so heavy in his pockets that he sank down and was drowned. He had kept his property - and it had killed him. This is our problem in Ghana. We like all the prosperity we have, and we do not want to give it up. What price are we going to pay for this? Achan paid a high price for his betrayal. So did Judas. So will we.

The words and visions This was my first question - “Why is the opposition to anything but prosperity so hard?” The Lord answered that question by showing me the spirit of betrayal – deceit, pride, arrogance, and triumph by aggression. “This” he said “stands in your way?” My second question was obvious - “Why?” I got this reply:- “Because my people made a pact with the enemy. They said “We can all live here happily. If you do not disturb us, we will not disturb you.” They forgot what I said to my people - “You shall have no other gods before me.” I was shocked by this. How have we made a deal with the enemy? Then the Lord spoke again, and expanded on what he had said.

Many of my own people have betrayed me. They have laid down with the serpent. They say “All is well. Why do you Prophet bother us? Return from where you came and leave us alone.” The Lord looks with sorrow at his child Ghana and woe to those who have betrayed and caused the child Ghana to be lost. The people of God have betrayed Jesus and have betrayed Ghana into the hands of the enemy and the child is lost. The day is coming when the justice of the Lord will rise up over us. Those who have hardened their hearts will be ejected. There will be fire in the Lord’s vineyard, and much grieving. But justice will not be denied.

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This is a very challenging word, but the enemy is at the gate and the vines are burning. The time for nice words is over. But as I was to learn, this word is also very encouraging, if we let it be encouraging. Let’s take look at it:- * The Lord looked with sorrow at his child Ghana. The Lord does grieve for his child Ghana:- In heaven, I saw a great table, with many places set. This is where the Nations of the world gather to worship the Lord. But one chair was empty. “Who should be sitting here?” asked the Father. “This is where our beloved child Ghana should be sitting” said the Lord, and he began to cry. “But why has this child not come?” asked the Father. “What are we going to do?” The Lord did not speak, but took his crown of thorns, and placed it on his head. Blood began to run down his face. “Suffer some more” he said, and all heaven was filled with sorrow. * Woe to those who have betrayed. There is a lot of misunderstanding here. People think that the Lord will have a whip in his hand to punish us for our betrayal. That is the god of another religion but not our God. Try seeing it like this:_ I saw a broken man, kneeing in the dust. He was wracked with sorrow, and his tears, dripping onto the road, looked like a river. “Why are you crying” I asked. “I am crying for you” he replied. “I am grieving at your betrayal, and the damage it does to you.” I was shocked. “But surely it is I who should bear the pain? I replied. “No” he said. “I bear all.” My heart was broken that I should have caused him so much pain. “How can I help” I asked. “Share my heart” he said. The greatest judgment of failing the Lord is to see the hurt we have caused him. This strikes deep into our heart. * The child is lost. Can this be true? If we hand Ghana to another god, then it is certainly true for the time being. The coma we are in prevents us from seeing the truth. “The Wasted Child” is very stark at this point. The child wandered in the desert. He had no home and was dying for lack of love. He came again and again to his own people, but they were too busy acquiring wealth. Some laughed and ridiculed him. “Go away” they said. “You are not our child. Your clothes are torn and your skin is filthy. Our children are prosperous, healthy and successful.” Pushed deeper and deeper into the desert, the child felt abandoned. Sinking down into the dust, he cried and cried. No one heard him.

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* But justice will not be denied. This part of the prophecy is an echo of a very old prophet from a previous century, speaking into a similar situation. Those who have led the betrayal, who have gained from it and grown fat within it will be exposed one day. However hard they try to hide, or beat down the voice of true prophecy, the Lord will one day reveal their hearts and their betrayal. Justice will not be denied. I have heard this following prophecy twice in recent months from different sources, and we do well to reflect it. I saw the church in Ghana. It was beautiful. But the Lord appeared beside it, took a hammer and smashed it down into rubble. From the rubble, small flames of the Holy Spirit began to burn. Justice will have its way, but maybe justice filled with mercy and hope. This is why I suggested earlier that this word has in it the seeds of hope. Let’s turn to the possibility of hope with the following visions.

Vision of the searching eyes I asked the Lord to speak to me again, and I saw a vision of the angel of the Lord, standing with this word in his hands. I saw that the word was full of eyes. The Lord sent it out to search for hearts that would receive it, and pray without ceasing for the Child Ghana. I came to understand that this word has two functions. On the one hand it is a searching word. It is searching for those who will offer their hearts for the Child Ghana. It is also a judging word. It will judge those who have betrayed, and they will be filled with remorse. It is a passionate searching. It searches as the Lover does in the Song of Songs:- All night long on my bed I looked for the one my heart loves; I looked for him but did not find him. I will get up now and go about the city, through its streets and squares. I will search for the one my heart loves. (Song of Songs 3:1-2) It is vital for us to understand the emotion and pain in the search. It is a heart search, a lover’s search. The Lord longs to find those who will cry for mercy, and he will stop at nothing to find them, before it is too late.

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Vision of the lamps Later as I prayed with friends, another vision was added. I saw the lamps of many churches being taken away. Those churches lost their power. As I watched, I saw the Lord standing in the room where I was praying. He was holding a lamp with a different light inside it. The light was called “repentance and the broken heart.” I saw many angels also standing, holding the lamps. We all waited quietly, and then one person stepped forward and took one of the lamps with the flame of repentance and the broken heart. They placed the lamp on the ground and a few people gathered round it. The light shone, and the people began to feel the brokenness of the child Ghana. One by one they came forward, and the light of repentance burnt into them, and they were in pain. They laid things before the lamp – things which had to be released before the light of repentance could begin to burn in them. The people fell on the ground and cried in pain for the broken heart of the child Ghana, for their own emptiness and for the betrayal of the child by God’s own people. Tears poured down and became a small trickle which ran towards the feet of Jesus. His tears ran and mixed with the tears of the people. He began to intercede in Gethsemane pain. “Father” he cried “have mercy.” This is a very positive vision, pointing the way ahead - a way which the Lord has already seen and laid before us. We need to believe this vision and have courage to let this purifying begin.

The vision of hope

“The Way of the Cross” again:- The Pilgrims wanted to mark the new beginning and the new hope. So they built a beautiful new house for the Lord. Into the foundations they poured their love, and the walls were built from their praise. A river of forgiveness flowed in the house, and they were daily cleansed and made new. They promised that they would never come to his house to take, but only to give.

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In the house, the name of the Lord was held in high honour. Glory shone and heaven rejoiced. Satan was afraid and feared to come near. Then the Lord came again to his people. They rejoiced at his presence and offered him love from a pure heart. He walked with them, and was their covering. The Lord gave the House a name - “The Hope of Ghana” and he came and spoke to his people:- “Once this land was chosen to be the place where my Spirit would flow into all of the surrounding countries. I wanted to bless you and use you as a blessing to others. But you wasted my promise, and now it is no more. Now I give you a new commission. Your land is to be a well of forgiveness and healing. Many will come and draw water from your well. They will return to their own lands and healing for their lands will flow. Then they will bless my name, and bless Ghana for its faithfulness to my cross and my sacrifice.”

Maybe there is still time for this vision to become a reality, if not for us then for the heritage. It all depends on the Intercessors and their cry for mercy.

Betrayal - what can we do?

Prophets must not apply their message. They bring it and leave the testing and application to others. But I can suggest some areas to be thought about:- * Bear the pain rather than shoot the messenger. The pain of this message is great. But nothing is achieved by shooting the messenger. Rather, it is time to stop looking for encouraging words, and start studying the things God is saying to us, however hard they are. Here is the way in which we must walk:- I was walking on a road filled with thorns. Every step I took was painful, because the thorns pierced my feet. I wanted to stand still, but ahead of me I saw the Lord, and he was calling me to himself. But to get to him, I had to walk on the thorns, and I did not want to do that. “You cannot choose when you follow me or where you follow me” he said. “You cannot choose to follow for one day, or one week, and then stop. You cannot choose a nice path, but ignore a hard one.

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You must walk the Way always, whatever is in your path. You must love me so much that whatever the cost, you will come. You must desire to share my sufferings every day and every hour. Your constant journey must be towards Calvary, and as you journey this path, every step will be Calvary for you. You must become Calvary among my creation, so that you will know their sufferings and mine.” I saw a child, laying in the road, deep in the thorns, bleeding and crying. I was shocked. “How did you come to be here?” I asked. “Help me” he sobbed. “No one comes to help me.” My heart was filled with compassion, but as I moved to help, my feet were crucified by the thorns. I cried out in pain – “Lord, I want to show compassion, but it is hurting me so much.” The Lord did not speak. The child cried, and deep in my heart, the spirit of compassion stirred. The cross called me. I stepped out to rescue the child. The thorns bit into me, but compassion grew stronger than the thorns. I was crying in pain when I arrived at the child. I lifted the child and in great agony of spirit, I turned and walked towards the Lord. The journey was endless. The pain hurt, but the sorrow of the child hurt more and began to overcome my own sufferings. I finally arrived at the cross, covered in blood and pain. “Take the child” I cried. “Now you can heal.” “No” said the Lord. “It is not as easy as that. You must continue to bear the child, day after day. You must bear the burden day after day. You must release the compassion day after day. Do you think you can put down your suffering? I suffer day after day for the heartbreak of my children. If you truly want to share my sufferings, you must do the same.” * Begin Gethsemane intercession. Much of the intercession in Ghana is either not intercession at all, or very shallow. Here is the depths to which we have to descend, if we are going to cry for mercy. This is from “Touching the gold.” I was standing in Gethsemane. Doubts crowded into my mind. Doubts about my faith, doubts about eternity and doubts about the power of the blood. I felt weak and the enemy seemed so strong. Dark shadows swept around me. A dark and spiteful chasm opened in front of me and powerful forces were pushing me towards it. I heard mocking voices, saying “You will fall. You cannot withstand us. We are strong. We are Legion.” Battle raged around me. I was falling back under the assault, until I saw the mighty angel. He was stronger and greater than any angel I had ever seen before. He cried out in a mighty voice “God rebuke you Satan!” Love flowed and lifted me up. The Lord spoke to me.

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“Now you know the intensity of this fight” he said. “You must grow stronger to withstand this aggression.” “But Lord” I said “If you were victorious here, why must the stress and pain fall on me.” “Sharing” said the Lord, and looked at me with eyes of compassion. “I long for you to share my sufferings, as my mother does.”

Time for broken hearts It’s time for heart - breaking struggle in intercession. We have had enough of “Come to Independence Square to thank God for all he is doing for Ghana.” It is time for the serious intercessors to step forward and begin to bear the pain. * We have nothing left but God’s mercy. I saw a father with such love in his eyes that it made me want to cry. He came to his lost son and embraced him. I saw the father’s hands. They were firm, yet tender and they had loved a thousand sons and daughters before. They wrapped themselves around the son and drew him into his embrace. The son let go all his fears and sobbed into the father’s shoulder. He cried tears of belonging and surrender. The father pulled him closer and closer, until they seemed as one. “You never needed to have left” he said. “I have waited and longed for you. Now we shall never be apart again. I will walk with you and together we will heal. I will be your strength and your song.”

Time to visit the House of Mercy How do we reach this point - where the child is back home, the betrayal is dealt with and the promises for our land can be reclaimed? We have to learn to plead for mercy, and to do that, we have to enter the House of Mercy and be changed. Let’s follow the Pilgrims on this journey.

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Part 2: The house of mercy

The watch towers The Pilgrims came to a high place, and looked out over the hills. On every hilltop, they saw a watchtower. But the towers were broken down and empty. The Prophet explained to this to them. “Once people watched over the land from these towers, and prayed against the enemy. But now they do not do it anymore.” A small group of pilgrims came to the Prophet. “We want to leave the group” they said. “We want to go and rebuild some of these watchtowers. We want to set a guard over the nation again. We want to watch and pray. We want to stand guard. We will rebuild the towers, and once again, the enemy will be opposed.” “First you must come to the House of Mercy” said the Prophet. “Then you can go to the watchtowers. The path lays though the House of Mercy.” “We will” they said, and set off. The Prophet was concerned for them, for he knew the House of Mercy, and how costly it was to enter it.

The beautiful house After many days of travel, the Pilgrims saw in the distance, a beautiful building. It was pure white, and stood out majestically against the deep blue sky. As they came closer to it, they asked themselves - “How will we get in?” Finally they came to the building, and its beauty stunned them. It shone with an inner light, and its glory lifted their hearts. Looking around, they saw a small door, and on it was written “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” The Pilgrims were puzzled. What could these words mean? The Prophet had told them that this house was the way to the watchtowers of prayer, yet it had no instructions – just a door with these unusual words written on it. They pushed open the door, and immediately they were swept up into the worship of heaven. Their hearts were warmed, and their courage was renewed. They entered into the house. They did not know what to expect, but they had no time to look. They felt the strong urging of the Spirit to go forward, and falling to their knees they worshipped, with all of heaven, the Lord of glory. When the worship ended, they looked up and saw the Lord standing in front of them, but they had never seen him looking like this before. His face was scarred, his hands were broken and tears were running down his face.

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“You want to go the watchtowers for your Nation” he said, “but first you must visit the rooms in this house. After you have been in each one then you can go on – or back. The choice is yours.” He began to cry, and the Pilgrims were troubled. What were they going to have to face? On the hill with the Prophet it had looked an easy thing to want to rebuild the watchtowers, but they had not thought of the cost. Now that they had seen the Lord, and his broken hands, they weren’t so sure that they wanted to walk this way. They had failed to realise that rebuilding the watchtowers was going to be costly.

The room of “Sorrows”

Knowing the pain of rejection, He does not reject. Unworthiness demands for me a crown of shame, yet he only wants to love. He wears the thorns so that I need not. In the presence of such love what can I say? I see only the emptiness of my own life and grieve for the waste.

An angel came to the Pilgrims and led the to the door of the first room. On the door was written the word “Sorrows.” The angel stood to one side and they entered. Immediately a great sorrow poured into their hearts. They had never felt such sorrow before. Tears began to flow from their eyes, and great sobs shook them and tore them apart. The Pilgrims cried out in despair. “What is happening to us?” In the middle of the room, a man – a harsh and angry man - was smashing a hammer onto an anvil. He was smashing again and again - intent on destruction. They heard his voice - arrogant and proud. “I have smashed them” he said “and I will smash them again and again. Victory is mine now.” When they looked they saw that Ghana was on the anvil. From out of the darkness came the voice of a woman, mourning for the loss of her child. Her grief was deep, but the hard man rejoiced and mocked and ridiculed her. “I am I control now” he said, “and there is nothing you can do about it. I will drag them deeper and deeper. I will triumph, because no one can stand against me.”

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Without knowing how, the Pilgrims found themselves standing at Calvary, in the dust and the spite and the pain. A voice from above them cried in agony - “Oh my son. Oh my beloved son. Oh my son Ghana, what have you become?” They saw the crucified Lord. He was reaching out his broken hands, but God’s people of Ghana did not see them, or want them, or reach for them. For the children of Ghana had hands full of the possessions they had stolen from the King’s house. Their hearts were full of greed and arrogance. There was no place in them for the Lord’s broken hands - no place for those hands to touch and heal. No place for the child Ghana. The angel of the door spoke:-

We were so proud but when the storm came it tore away our hope and left us wasted One sorrow The Lord looked down from heaven and saw what we had become and his heart was filled with sorrow Two sorrows Blood dripping calling one love

The Pilgrims were in an agony of sorrow – sorrow for the lost child, sorrow for the Lord’s pain, sorrow for the rejection of their people. But most of all, they cried tears at the emptiness of their own hearts, their own lack of love, their lack of feeling for the Lord’s pain. Now they realised what the Lord meant when he said that the House of Mercy would either lead them on or send them back. “What must we do?” they asked. “Share my sorrow” said the Lord.” This is the beginning of mercy.”

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I thought I was doing well but now I see that I never opened my heart to you but was content with little loves. I only looked to myself and now shame crushes me. He put his broken arms around me and held me while I cried - for myself and for him.

“It’s a beginning” he said. The room of “Intense prayer”

I prayed until my head ached and my body was wracked with pain. I prayed until the blood flowed and all hell crushed my spirit. I prayed until I was almost dead. Then I looked up to you. “It’s not enough” he said and showed me his broken hands.

The Pilgrims left the room of “Sorrows” and found themselves standing with the Lord again. He asked them “Do you want to go on?” They were not so sure of themselves now. The room of Sorrows had shaken their confidence, and, they were honest enough to admit, their pride. They had entered the house of Mercy with the conviction that they knew how to pray. The room of sorrows had shown them up for what they were – shallow, and unaware of the depths to which they would have to go in order to plead for mercy. But they took courage from the worship of heaven which echoed continually through the House of Mercy. “Yes” they said, “we can go one step further.” The Lord looked on them with compassion. “It gets harder” he said. The angel who had led them to the first room went ahead of them again - deeper into the house of mercy. The Pilgrims moved closer together. They were afraid of what was to come. The angel stopped at a door marked “Intense prayer.” He stood aside, and the Pilgrims pushed it open.

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As they looked in they saw only darkness. “Gethsemane was dark” said the angel. “You have to learn to live in it.” They went in and stood, uncertain as to what to do next. As the darkness cleared, they saw people praying, but praying with an intensity which they had never known. These people were in an agony of prayer. Their bodies were twisted up and they were crying out with such anguish. They were hurting, being hurt, broken and being broken by the intensity of their prayer. There seemed to be blood everywhere. It looked like a slaughterhouse. Standing in the middle of the group they saw the Lord. Their prayer was flowing into him, and out of him into them. This went on and on and on. Each time the wave of prayer swept into or out of the Lord, there was such an agony. The Pilgrims were shocked by what they saw, but before they could do anything, the pain and longing swept into them. The crying and the bearing crushed them and they fell to their knees. The burden was so great, that they feared for their lives. The enemy mocked them. “I rule and I bind.” he said. “I steal the wealth of the nations. I steal their hope, I steal their destinies, I steal the soul of every nation. Then, when I have the Lordship, I dominate and crush. I exalt myself against the powerlessness of this house, and the liar who owns it. You cannot stop me. You are weak and powerless.” They saw the cross again, standing above the whole world. The Lord’s blood was flowing for the healing of the Nations and his deep compassion was burning for every land. In the slaughterhouse the Intercessors were struggling to bear the Lord’s burden of compassion and to release the healing of his deep compassion. The Intercessors had accepted the intercessory burden of the nations. But they were being broken by it. The Pilgrims were in despair. They cried out to the Lord. “How can we bear such a burden?” He replied “For the release of mercy you must bear it.” The Pilgrims cried and cried for their own inadequacy. They knew they could never do what the Lord was asking.

I pleaded in the slaughterhouse. I prayed - “Deep compassion flow in me.” But when it did, I could not stand it but fell to the ground in agony. “Lord” I said, “I want to, but I cannot.” “But can’t you see?” He said. “In wanting you are already bearing.”

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The room of the “Agony of the cross”

Down the deepest shaft of pain I descended bleeding and broken by the agony I found that it ended at your cross I cried for your suffering and the breaking of all that was good “I can bear it” you said “How” I sobbed “Love” he replied “just love”

Standing with the Lord again the Pilgrims were beaten and broken. “This” said the Lord, “is your preparation,” and showed them again his broken hands. “Only when we become the brokenness can we truly plead for mercy.” “This is too hard” said some of the Pilgrims. “This we cannot bear.” They turned away and left the House of Mercy, never to return. To the rest the Lord said “It get harder. Who has the courage to go on?” The worship filled the Pilgrims again, and again they took courage. “We want to” they said, whatever the cost.” The angel of the doors came to them again and led them even deeper into the house of mercy. The Pilgrims were beginning to understand that each room led them deeper into intercession, but also deeper into brokenness and suffering. The angel, seeming to know their thoughts said “You are right. To get to the heart of this house, you have to go deeper, and as you do you are changed - or leave.” The angel stopped at the door called “Agony of the cross.” The room was bare and empty, except for one figure, bent double in grief. The Pilgrims were puzzled. They expected to see the cross, and see the Lord in agony, yet all that was here was this one figure, bent over in the agony of grief. She was whispering:

This agony crushes all my hopes. Like a dying flower I wither and in the icy blast. Was ever sorrow like mine yet for Him I bear it.

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The figure lifted her head and they knew that this was the Lord’s mother. Her face was covered in blood and tears, her clothes torn and her hands broken. Her heart was filled with pain. She said “You came ready to look at the cross, but this is not the way forward for you. Looking is not enough. The agony of the cross has to enter you, be branded into your very soul, and there remain, burning, hurting, breaking. Then you can call for mercy.” They heard the Lord’s voice, high above them. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Pain and despair entered them like a plough pushing into the ground. Everything in them was torn and bleeding. The Virgin Mary was crying again, and her blood, like red tears, dripped onto their hands. “Bear the agony” she said.” “But how can we?” they cried. “We do not have the strength.” “Together we can” she said, and in the darkness they knelt together and began to pray. The Pilgrims were in agony, and yet, by a miracle of God’s grace, mercy began to flow through them. “So this is it” they said. “Not quite” replied Mary.

I am broken but in the breaking I understand his love, deep beyond all rejection. My breaking, a mirror only of his, is a poor offering. But his calls the broken with love which will not yield. I cry with despair. “Such love is beyond me!” “But not me” he says and shows me his broken hands.

The room of “Love bears all”

Lord, how can I go on with you? The more I try, the less I seem to understand. Again and again, I throw myself at your feet - a hopeless case, a wreck best left to sink. The way is too hard, and I’ve grown weary of the fight. In the darkness of the night, I sometimes wonder - do you still love me?

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Others do so well. They shine, they grow, they blossom like a tree. Their confidence is boundless, and they smile at me - and I smile back. But inside I’m crying, I’m hurting, I’m dying - can’t they see? I am a child crying in the dark, needing a hand to hold, arms to draw me close, to tell me that I matter, even though I know I can offer nothing in return. Then the one on the cross, who knows all pain, comes down and comforts me - not with a promise, or an easy answer. But with eyes that show such compassion for me, that I should be hurt so much.

A broken group of Pilgrims stood before the Lord. They were so shocked that they could hardly speak, but fell to the ground at his feet. “If you want to enter the watchtowers to pray, this is how your heart has to be” said the Lord. “You entered the house of mercy without thinking of the cost. You thought you could pray for mercy as you were. But now you know what it will cost you. Now I must show you how you must live.” The Pilgrims came to the last door. It was called “Love bears all.” This time the Lord came with them. They knew now that it was best not to try and think what was in the room, but just to open their hearts and let the Spirit lead. They entered saw a woman coming to the cross. She was filthy and covered in dust and maggots. She smelt very bad, and her whole life was in ruins. “I wrecked my own life” she said “I have no excuse and no hope.” The Pilgrims were shocked. “Shall we pray for her?” they asked. The Lord replied “This lesson you must now learn - praying is not enough. Watch.” One of the Pilgrims came close to the woman, and saw her ugliness and filth, not just in her body, but also in her soul. Compassion filled him and he reached out and touched her. Suddenly, to his horror he became like her. Filth was all over him. Maggots ate his skin, and he smelt of hell. But his soul was also filthy, corrupted and broken. In shock he stood, confused and afraid. “What you saw in this woman was my church” said the Lord. “This is what my beloved child has become. If you want to cry for mercy then it is not enough just to see, or even feel. You have to become. You have to become hard, lost, deceived, false, naked and blind.

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This is where so many of those who want to intercede fail. They think they can stand on the outside and call to me. You who want to intercede for mercy - you must become them, and then come to me. Becoming is the first step. Being crucified is the second step. If you want to cry for mercy, you have to become the shame and become the crucified ones. You have to hang with me - in shame for what has happened, and in love for what mercy can do.” The Pilgrims were silent in the face of this awesome challenge. The Lord looked on them with compassion and love. “I am only asking that you do what I did” he said. “I became you, and I died for love of you. If you, as intercessors can enter this pathway, then mercy will flow down from heaven like a mighty river.”

A beginning

One of the Pilgrims came forward, and knelt before the Lord. He saw blood falling like rain, and the rain was searching for those hearts which would receive it. Many wanted it for the salvation it brought, but would not bear the sacrifice. He looked up and saw that the Lord was crying. ”They want some of me” he said, “but not all of me. “Salvation is in the blood, but that is just the beginning. Where is the willingness to bear?” The Pilgrim cried and cried, because he realised that he was one who had taken the salvation, the blessings, the joys and the gifts, but had not been willing to bear the sacrifice for the healing of the nations. He had not understood and now he did, he was deeply sad about himself. He sobbed and sorrow crushed him. “You saved me and asked only that I share your burden, so that you did not have to bear it alone. But it was too much for me.” In that moment of surrender and acceptance of his frailty, his heart was ready and the blood found him. He fell to his knees. He became the sacrifice. The Lord loved him, and all was well.

I never thought it would be like this. Crucifixion - yes, his, but not mine. I never asked for this. But now I know and I accept.

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The room of “Mercy”

The Pilgrims were changed people. They entered the House of Mercy full of confidence. Now they were bowed down with sorrow, broken by the agony of the cross and filled with compassion. The Lord led them to the final door. On it they saw these words:-

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice

The door opened and to their surprise it led not inwards but outwards into the world. They looked through it and saw, in the distance, the watchtowers of prayer – the same ones they had seen when they had been with the Prophet. “Now you must choose” said the Lord. ”You know what is required of you. You can go, enter the watchtowers and begin to cry out for mercy, or you can go back and never see them again. It’s your decision.” The Lord turned back into the House of Mercy. The Pilgrims looked ahead. They knew what to expect now. They needed to go and plead for mercy, but did they have the courage?

And now We have been reading a story but it is built on the clear biblical teaching about mercy. Ghana needs those who will plead for mercy, because it is the last weapon we have left to avert the spiritual disaster which is rushing on us. But it has to be pleading from the heart. I hope we have all got this message now. What now? Simple. We have to respond to this:-

I saw a path - a narrow path, covered with thorns. As I looked, in the distance I saw a figure walking. His feet were broken and cut by the thorns, but still he walked on. I cried out “Who are you? Why do you walk this way? Why do you carry on?” He turned, and I heard his voice. “Love” I wanted to follow, but I was afraid of the thorns and the pain and the sacrifice and the cost. I wanted to follow, but if I started, could I carry on? I didn’t have his courage, but I could hear his voice. Love - could I love enough to walk on pain? Did I love enough to make the sacrifice, and keep making it? Could I enter the watchtower, and could I stay there? He looked at me, and waited for my answer.

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Other material

I have used material from the following sources:-

The Way of the Cross. Repentance – Ghana’s last chance. The Wasted Child. Touching the Gold. Laying the Cross over Ghana. The full text of all this material can be read on the appropriate pages of www.touchingthesoul.org The way of thorns can be found on the MATERIALS page of www.prioryfellowship.org MP3 material can be found at www.missionaudio.org The Mission teaching Academy can be found at http://academy.servingafrica-mission.org To contact us:- (U.K.) jimsmithghana@yahoo.co.uk (Ghana) kayisefa.gh@gmail.com Mission website: www.servingafricamission.org

Mercy - our only hope

Jim Smith writes: �������������������������� ����������� �� �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

Writing from 30 years of experience in Ghana, and teaching in over 60 countries, Jim Smith continues his challenge to the people of God in Ghana with his latest material.

“The Great Betrayal and the House of Mercy” is challenging but it contains seeds of hope for the future, if only the Intercessors can take hold of it.

Jim Smith is married to Mary. They have five children, and their work is based in Kohleman, Accra and Heathfied U.K.