Joseph Prince (September-24-2023) Daily Devotional: What’s Your Response to the Voice of Accusation?

 

In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you. Isaiah 54:14

It is important for you to be established in the righteousness of Christ, because it will determine how you respond to the voice of accusation when you are believing God for big things, and trusting Him for answered prayers.

“Who do you think you are?”

“Don’t you remember how you yelled at your spouse this morning? Why should God give you favor for your important presentation at the office today?"

“Look at how easily you lose your cool on the road. How can you have the cheek to expect good things to happen to you?”

'You call yourself a Christian? When was the last time you read your Bible? What have you done for God? Why should God heal your child?”

Do these accusations sound awfully familiar? Now, how you respond to this voice of accusation will expose what you really believe. This is the litmus test of what you believe. This is where the rubber meets the road!

A person could think, “Yeah, you are right. I don’t deserve this. How can I expect God’s favor to be on me for my presentation at the office when I was so harsh with my wife this morning?" Now, that's the response of someone who believes that he needs to earn his own righteousness and place of acceptance before God. This person believes that he can expect good from God only when his conduct is good and his own checklist of self-imposed requirements are met to the hilt.

He would probably storm into his office, still seething with anger at his wife. Worst of all, he feels cut off from the presence of Jesus because of his anger and thinks that he does not qualify to ask for God’s favor for his presentation. He steps into the boardroom disheveled and disorganized. He forgets his points and fumbles, causing his company to lose that major account. His bosses are disappointed with him and give him a huge tongue-lashing.

Frustrated and shamed, he drives home like a maniac, sounding his horn at every car that does not move the instant the traffic lights turn green. When he gets home, he is even more upset with his wife because he blames her for putting him in a foul mood in the morning, for his terrible presentation and for the loss of the major account! It’s all HER fault!

Now, see the difference if this person thinks, “Yeah, you are right. I don’t deserve to have God’s favor at all because I lost my temper with my wife this morning. But you know what? I am not looking at what I deserve. I am looking at what Jesus deserves. Even right now, Jesus, I thank You that You see me perfectly righteous. Because of the cross and Your perfect sacrifice, I can expect God's unmerited favor at my presentation. Every one of my shortcomings, even the tone I used this morning, is covered by Your righteousness. I can expect good not because I am good, but because You are good! Amen!”

See the amazing difference? This person is established upon Jesus’ righteousness and not his own right doing or good behavior. He goes to work depending on the unmerited favor of Jesus, and he aces the presentation and clinches a major account for his company. His bosses are impressed by his performance and mark him for the next round of promotion. He drives home with peace and joy, feeling the Father’s love and favor. Consequently, he is more patient with other drivers.

Now, does this mean that he sweeps all his failings under the carpet and pretends that they never happened? No way! This man, full of the consciousness that the Lord is with him, will find the strength in Christ to apologize to his wife for the tone he had used on her. You see, a heart that has been touched by unmerited favor cannot hold on to unforgiveness, anger, and bitterness.

Which of the above accounts demonstrate true holiness? Of course, it is the second account. Depending on God’s favor results in a life of practical holiness. Right believing always leads to right living!

Righteousness is a Gift, Not God's Right Way of Doing Things

 

I just left a church that I had been attending for two years. It was really tough for me, but I had to do it. I am not a big fan of breaking up with a church that I have been attending for a considerable length of time. I was even privileged enough to share a testimony in the church and preach a sermon.

However, I finally had to leave. The pastor was really set in his ways on the matter of righteousness, i.e. that righteousness has to do with doing things God's Way, living God's Way.

That kind of thinking just brings us back under law.

Under the Old Covenant, yes indeed righteousness was something that we had to do, something that we had to attain in our efforts:

"That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee." (Deuteronomy 16:20)

Literally, "Righteousness, Righteousness you will pursue" or "Absolute righteousness you pursue."

Under the Old Covenant, you have to pursue it. You need to capture it. You need to attain it.

And yet, how was Abraham made righteous?

"And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness." (Genesis 15:6)

God's original plan has always been that we would just believe on Him, and receive from Him!

In fact, consider some of the key prophesies about the New Covenant in Isaiah:

"In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee." (Isaiah 54:14)

and then

"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD." (Isaiah 54:17)

Notice in the first verse "In righteousness you shall be established." The verse is in the passive construction, implying that righteousness is done to us. We do not "do righteousness."

Four verse later, Isaiah prophesies: "There righteousness is of me, says the Lord." Our righteousness comes from Him, not from us! It's not our righteousness through our efforts, but we receive it as something from Him!

Consider also the promises declared in the Psalms:

"To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness." (Psalm 31:1)

We are saved, set free through His righteousness, not our own!

Now, many people will counter: "But Jesus said 'Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness'!"

Yes, indeed Jesus declared that we should seek God's righteousness, not our own. However, that was not the first time that Jesus mentioned righteousness in the Sermon on the Mount:

"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." (Matthew 5:6)

Again, we see "be filled," a passive construction which shows that we receive the action instead of achieving the action.

Righteousness is given to us, not achieved by us.

And there's more throughout the New Testament to affirm this New Covenant revelation. Paul preached in Antioch:

"38Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Acts 13:38-39)

We are granted forgiveness of sins, we are justified from all things through Jesus! Not through Moses, not through keeping Moses' law, not through our self-effort, but through what Jesus did at the Cross.

Paul affirms this revelation to the Corinthians, as well:

"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

We don't do righteousness: we BECOME righteousness, and we become the righteousness of God in Christ!

The New Covenant is all about how we are justified by what Jesus did, not by what we do.

If pastors are still preaching righteousness as "His right way of doing things," they are bringing people back under law, under self-effort, under the Old Covenant. And I do not want to frustrate the grace of God!

"4Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace." (Galatians 5:4)

Just in case there lingers any further confusion on the matter, Paul writes to the Romans:

"17For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:17)

By one person, Jesus Christ, we:

1. receive

2. gift of righteousness

We do not achieve the works or the salary of righteousness. It is a gift, one which we receive and keep receiving, in fact! Paul could not make it more clear.

And yet ... and yet ...

I hear one outspoken preacher after another continue to say, as a matter of forced habit: "Righteousness, or His right way of doing things."

That is wrong! That is error! We need to stand up to this error big time!

And why does this matter? Why does this hit home for me, specifically?

When I meditated on His righteousness as my righteousness, a gift that I receive and keep receiving from Him, I rest in the knowledge that no matter what is happening around me, I will never be condemned. I can rest assured that no matter how many times I fail, or if I fall, my righteousness, my right standing before God does not change!

"For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief." (Proverbs 24:16)

A just man is not defined or changed or loses his rightousness because he falls. It's as simple as that.

We need that revelation so that we can keep receiving His grace, His favor in our lives. I cannot tell you how many trials I have faced in my life, and how easily I would have been overcome and overwhelmed by those challenges, if I had been reduced to believing the lie that I am righteous based on what I do.

Because of the GIFT of righteousness, I know that I will never be condemned, I will never be rejected, I will never be separated from my Loving Father. That kind of assurance turns wastrels and failures into winners and warriors, men and women who have nothing to fear, but everything to gain when they come boldly before the throne of grace in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

Righteousness: A Gift, Not a Work (So Stop Telling Me It's "His Way of Doing Things"!)

  This is one of the most frustrating stumbling blocks that I am hearing in the churches today.

They keep talking about righteousness as if it means "God's Way of Doing Things."

That is patently untrue. I am so tried of hearing that. I am so tired of people not paying attention to what God's Word says.

Consider this passage:

"In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee." (Isaiah 54:14)

Could it not be any clearer? Righteousness is something that we are established in. It is not something that we do, but rather somenthing that is done to us.

Let's go back to the Father of Faith, our beloved Abraham:

"And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness." (Genesis 15:6)

What more do modern-day preachers need? How more clearly can God make it?

Going back to Isaiah 54, we find this verse:

"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD." (Isaiah 54:17)

Our righteousness comes from Him! We do not create it, we do not manufacture it.

And why stop there?

"But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:" (1 Corinthians 1:30)

Christ IS our righteousness. What else do you need to understand that righteousness is not "His way of doing things"?

How about this?!

"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

That's all you need to know. 

When Jesus said to the Israelites of His day during His earthly ministry "See ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness," He was talking about the perfect standing before God, in which we are no longer condemned for our sins, but justified from all things (Acts 13:38)

Consider this passage, too:

"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:17)

It's a gift! IT'S A GIFT! How much more plainly can Paul make it?!

I am done. I will not settle for any pastor or preacher who continues to push this canard that righteousness is something that we do. No! It is something that Jesus has done, that He has bestowed as a gift to all who will receive it, who will receive Him!

Righteousness Has Nothing to Do With Feelings

 Wow! Just plain wow!

I cannot believe this revelation has taken me this long to understand.

But hey, it just goes to show how important it is for us to believe the truth, and to be set free.

I have been the righteousness of God in Christ since the moment that I believed on Him. That was in 1994.

It was not until 2008 that I started to learn that I was made the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). This revelation came to me through Joyce Meyer and her ministry. At that time, I was facing so many dark conflicts and problems in my life. I was trying to find full-time employment as a teacher, but I had walked off of two different jobs. It seemed that all was lost, and I had no idea how I was going to pay the rent, to get through the month, etc.

Then I started to learn that I am the righteousness of God in Christ.

With righteousness came all these other blessings. Wow!

I started claiming these blessings fully in my life. "You know what my needs are, Lord," I would often say when I was facing difficulties, or when I was worried about how I was going to get through the day.

It was really something that year, that I saw the LORD taking care of every need in my life. I had a new job, I was gainfully employed. I was well-received and favored by my coworkers, colleagues, etc.

But then a sense of strain, of condemnation overtook me. I felt that I had to take care of life on my own afterwards. The question began to nag me: "What happens after this? What is next?"

There was the growing sense about me that life was all about me, and that everything was all up to me. I did not understand that Christ Jesus is my life, and that He is providing all things for me.

It's the abundance of grace with the gift of righteousness that we reign in life (Romans 5:17). God wants us to receive and keep receiving. God was not present in my life if my thoughts, feelings, and behaviors were properly aligned. It's hard to reconcile this, but I had no idea that God was actively alive in my life. It;s crazy, but it seemed to me that I was rolling the dice every day, wondering whether God was for me or not.

This bondage brought me into such despair and fatigue. I was so tired, so empty, and I ended up walking off the job. That was the third full-time teaching job that I had been working ... and I quit. I had no idea what the future held for me. I had no idea where God was taking me, or what I would have to do or say or think to be in the right place at the right time.

It was really hard for me to trust the Lord at the time. I had had no training in the grace of God, in His unmerited favor workin in my life, and more importantly that He is my life (Colossians 3:4).

Because I did not have a strong enough knowledge of God's Word, and because I did not understand how alive, vibrant, and real God is, I ended up trusting in my feelings. I ended up falling into this notion that I had to think and feel a certain way to ensure that God's presence was ... present.

This, of course, created unprecendented problems. The fiery darts of the Enemy were firing away at me, and I would get caught up in these arguments all the time. Yet what does Paul counsel to the Corinthians?

"4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

"5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

"Imaginations" can also be rendered "arguments." God's Word answers every argument, Yet for years, I would argue with my head constantly, convinced that I had to get all the negative thoughts and feelings out of my head so that I could hear God clearly. What madness, but it was true.

That was the life that I was living.

TODAY, I am learning that this precious gift of righteousness is a rugged, rigid, right and ready standing that is not going away.

Now I understand what the prophet Isaiah shared:

"In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee." (Isaiah 54:14)

TODAY, I am established in His righteousness. I know that nothing I am thinking, feeling, wondering, or worrying about is going to change that. I understand that I am not living this life in my own efforts anymore. Because of this perfect gift of righteousness, Christ is able to live in me and guide me. I do not have to wonder or guess whether He will be there for me or not. This life is no longer about second-guessing God, but knowing and believing in His love for me. 

This is just wonderful. This is peace. This righteousness, from Christ, to me, and it has nothing to do with my feelings.

Through Christ Jesus, We Receive Our Life as More Than a Prey

"And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the LORD: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest." (Isaiah 45:5)

I have read this passage a number of times in different devotionals.

There is always one thing that is left out, that is missing in many of the discussions on this verse:

This event took place under the Old Covenant, under the blood of bulls and goats which could never cleanse sin, but which could atone for sin until the fullness of time would come (Galatians 4:47).

Jesus is the Perfect Sacrifice, the propitiation for all the sins of the world (1 John 2:1-2)

We are not under an Old Covenant, but under the New Covenant.

He is our God, and we are His people. We do not seek great things for ourselves, that is certainly true, because ... He is already blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:6)

The name of the scribe whom Jeremiah is speaking to, Baruch, is taking down a prophecy for Jeremiah.

Baruch was really hard up at this point in the history of the nation of Israel:

"Thou didst say, Woe is me now! for the LORD hath added grief to my sorrow; I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest." (Jeremiah 45:3)

Baruch had every reason to feel down. Israel was beseiged by the Babylonians. Those who were still alive were going to be taken captive to Babylon very soon. The city of Jerusalem was going to be burned to the ground, and the Temple was going to be destroyed.

Yet God promised Baruch that his life would given to him as "spoils" wherever he went.

Today, in Christ Jesus,  we are  more than mere spoils.

We have been redeemed from sin and death!

"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:" (Galatians 3:13)

And in Christ Jesus, we are not just barely getting by!

"31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things." (Romans 8:31-32)

In fact, we are called to reign in life with Him (Romans 5:17)

Let us also never forget the promises which Christ Jesus has fulfilled for us through the Cross:

"14In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee." (Isaiah 54:14)

We have His righteousness today. In fact, we are made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus! (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Baruch received comfort that he would receive his life as "a prey." In Christ Jesus, we receive life and that more abundantly (John 10:10) and eternal life (John 3:16).

Indeed, we receive our life as more than a prey, because of Jesus!

Established in His Righteousness—Therefore, Unashamed and Unafraid

Barbwire Chief Editor Dave Jolly issued a stunning indictment against the Body of Christ in the United States.

In America’s Christians – Ashamed and Afraid, Jolly writes:

The state of the Christian church in America today is nothing like it was when I was young and the change is not a good one.

When I was young, many Christians boldly stood up for Jesus Christ and their faith in Him. They weren’t embarrassed to pray over the meal when eating in a restaurant or in front of other people. They weren’t afraid to stand up against the social recognition of sins and perverse lifestyles.

Sadly, over the past 50 years, millions of American Christians began to compromise with the decaying secular world. Rather than continue to stand up for their faith, they didn’t want offended anyone and they wanted to be inclusive.

Christians are ashamed to call themselves Christians, or to declare that Christ Jesus is their Savior. They are afraid to be slammed, shamed, defamed, and defeated in the public square.

Granted, these are welcome criticisms to point out.

I am interested in finding out why this is happening. One can suggest that many of this class of Christian really are not Christians. They are professors, not possessors of faith. If that is the case, then they need to hear the Good News in its fullest.

But I submit to you that there are indeed many in this “Ashamed and Afraid” class that do believe in Jesus, in that they know that Jesus died on the Cross for all their sins and rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures.

So, what’s the problem, then? How does this get remedied?

The Gift of Righteousness

I can attest that I believed on Christ Jesus when I was 13 years old – June 11, 1994. Yes, indeed, I can point to a day and a time when I said “I believe in Jesus,. I believed that He died for my sins.)

It wasn’t until at least 20 years later that I understood the fullness of what it means to “be saved.”

Salvation is about righteousness, it’s about being established in Jesus’ own righteousness. Indeed, there can be no eternal life until we understand that all our sins are eternally forgiven—sins past, present, and future.

The Apostle Peter preached to Cornelius and his household:

“Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him … To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” (Acts 10:34, 43)

Remission, the sending away of all sins—that is Gospel.

And there’s more! Paul the Apostle clearly articulated the Gospel message thus.

“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.” (Acts 13:38-39)

Forgiveness of sins, justification from all things – there you have it. And how? Through Jesus!

“He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.” (Isaiah 53:11)

Now what does righteousness have to do with dismissing shame and fear?

After Isaiah 53, the prophecy of our suffering Messiah, we find the glorious Blessings outlined in Isaiah 54, in seventeen stirring, remarkable verses!

Here are a few:

“4Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.” (Isaiah 54:4)

Why “fear not”? The prophet declares:

“In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.” (Isaiah 54:14)

Whose righteousness, though? Our own? Not at all!

“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.” (Isaiah 54:17)

It’s HIS Righteousness, God’s own righteousness that secures every blessing.

Does this sound farfetched? Even heretical?

Rear your Bible:

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Because of Jesus, we are not just righteous, we are made the Righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. We are invited, exhorted to receive—and keep receiving—this gift of righteousness and the abundance of grace, of unmerited favor from Him (Romans 5:17). God our Father looks at us, and He sees His own Son, because we are in Him!

“Herein is our love made perfect [lit. love perfected among us], that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17)

When we are established in His righteousness, we have nothing to fear, since His covenant of protection watches over us (Hebrews 8:10-12). And let’s face it, people are fearful because they feel condemned, they are wary of any wrongdoing attached to them, whether rightly or not.

Consider Isaiah 54:4 once again:

“Fear not”

Why fear not?

1.       thou shalt not be ashamed:

2.       neither be thou confounded;

3.       thou shalt not be put to shame:

4.       thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth;

5.       [thou] shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.”

All the shame, all the reproach is taken away from us forever, because of Jesus! We need to preach fully that all our sins are forgiven, that any and all shame is removed forever from us.

Even when we sin, fall, fail, screw up—His righteousness is never taken away from us. It’s an eternal gift which we receive and keep receiving.

Why are Christians ashamed? Why are they afraid? They don’t know their righteous standing before God in Christ. We have been made the righteousness of God in Him—but many Christians just don’t know it—yet. Let’s change that! Once we know the grand and glorious gifts, the standing, the grace we have in Christ, we can then say with Paul:

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18)

When we are established in His righteousness, Christians will no longer live in fear and shame, the way that our loving Father intended us to live!

Jesus Our Big Brother

"One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." (Proverbs 18:24)

For a long time, I saw seeking God's help as just "Something that I would" as a matter of form, but then it was up to me to take care of everything.

That's not true at all.

God is very much active in our lives. He wants to work in us, through us, and definitely around us and among our situations.

He is alive, active in our times, in our places.

I really did not believe that. For a long time, I still saw Jesus, my Daddy God, as figments of my imagination, or as comfort measures to make me "Feel better", and nothing more.

He's alive, though, and well-aware of what we are going through. He doesn't look away from our troubles, but implores us to come to Him!

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16)

We have this boldness because of His righteousness!

First, the righteous are as bold as lion. (Proverbs 28:1)

We have been established in His righteousness (Isaiah 54:14)

In fact, because of Jesus' Finished Work, we have been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Paul later writes:

"9For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. 11For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious." (2 Corinthians 3:9-11)

The ministry of righteousness provides greater glory than the ministry of condemnation (the Old Covenant, the Law of Moses). This glory gives us greater boldness:

"Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:" (2 Corinthians 3:12)

Plainness is the same word for boldness, parrhesia.

God's gift of righteousness gives us full confidence, full boldness to come to Him, to know that all our sins are paid for, that if we come to Him, we know that He hears us!

"And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us" (1 John 5:14)

Jesus is closer than a brother, and sticks with us when times are tough, when we have no answers, or despair of the outcomes.

He is at work, and He wants to work for me:

"But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work." (John 5:17)

Babies Work for Righteousness. Adults Receive Righteousness

We cannot earn righteousness, but rather we must receive it as a gift. If we are still trying to earn or work for it, then we are still little babies in Christ:

"13For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." (Hebrews 5:13-14)

Righteousness is all about faith, faith in God's promises specifically, and faith in Christ Jesus essentially:

"And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness." (Genesis 15:6)

Righteousness is something God declares that He will establish us in:

"14In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee." (Isaiah 54:14)

and then

"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD." (Isaiah 54:17)

So, God's gift of righteousness is granted to us as a gift.

Righteousness is Where We Are, Regardless of The Attacks

I was meditating on this revelation today.

For the longest time, I would work so hard to ignore or undo bad thoughts, bad feelings, bad memories.

If I remembered something that made me mad, angry, or I felt upset that some event or circumstances transpired a way that I wish had not happened, I would feel so bad that I was remembering that sentiment again.

Then I learned about what it means to be established in righteousness. This status we have in Christ Jesus cannot be asailed, no matter what happens to us, what happens around us.

"In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee." (Isaiah 54:14)

We are established in His righteousness (Isaiah 54:17)

In fact, we are made the righteousness of God in Christ!

IN HIM!

That's where we are today, and all the blessings that come upon the righteous, come upon us because of Jesus.

I started to realize more and more that it didn't matter what I was feeling, what I was thinking, where I was going, or what was happening to me.

I have been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21).

That's where I am, and that's where I shall rest and remain blessed, no matter what happens to me.

With that, I both know and believe that I am defended, protected, prepared to be overcome, no matter what attacks may come my way!

Are You Established in His Righteousness?

"In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee." (Isaiah 54:14)

I learned about righteousness from Joyce Meyer.

The righteousness that we receive from Christ Jesus guarantees a long series of promises to us.

Meyer encouraged me to look all of them up and claim them in my life. Within a few months, my life was transformed. I was not sure how I was going to make it through that summer period.

Then I found a teaching job near me and I got the job the next day.

I found that I was receiving an incredible salary and working at a great place. God was really blessing me.

Then a sense of emptiness started to roll over me. Also, I labored in these days with a misunderstanding of Scripture.

For example, here's a wonderful promise from Isaiah:

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." (Isaiah 26:3)

I used to interpret this verse to mean that I had to keep thinking about Him, that I had to aggressive make myself conscious of God in my life every day. If my mind or attention wavered in any way, I was going to lose God's presence in my life. 

In effect, I was aware of God taking care of me at every level and over everything. I walked around with this incredible peace. "God will take care of the 99% in my life, if I do my part, this 1%."

Yet that is not what God's New Covenant depends on.

It all falls on what Jesus has done for us as our Mediator!

"10For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

"11And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

"12For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 8:10-12)

Notice that God provides all His blessings to us because He has provided a full payment for our sins, and our inquities, our failures, our sins God will remember no more.

See, I knew that there were these promises, and that these promises came to us because of what Christ Jesus had done for me:

"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Now here was the part that I didn't understand: God has put away our sins forever. I was still operating under a mixture, much like the Galatians. I thought that I had to be obedient in some fashion, whether it was focusing on God continuously. There was still this strange, condemning inkling that I had to do "my part".

In other words ... I was not established in righteousness. I didn't realize that righteousness is a gift that I get to keep on receiving, and that even when I fail, or when other people accuse of my wrong--whether justly or unjustly--that I am still righteous!

"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:17)

Thank God for Pastor Joseph Prince, who taught me that "receive" is in the present, continuous tense. Young's Literal Translation emphasizes that we keep continuously receiving this gift of righteousness!

I didn't understand that, I didn't realize that I am established in His righteousness!

This flowing of God's justification into our lives comes forth in Amos' prophecy, too:

"But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream." (Amos 5:24)

That word "mighty" in the original Hebrew also means "never-ending" or "eternal". 

The righteousness we receive from Jesus because of His death and resurrection will never leave us!

But how many of us believe it? How many of us know that we have been made "the righteousness of God in Christ"?

I did not know it, and we perish because of this lack of knowledge in our lives:

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." (Hosea 4:6)

We need to understand that God's righteousness is going nowhere from us. Terror, ruin, tyranny will be far away from us nor will it every come near to us. This righteousness comes from our Daddy God (Isaiah 54:17)