Living by the Holy Spirit

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

Romans 8:1

The gospel is the revelation of righteousness of God which He gives to man as a gift. This is the foundation of Christianity, it is the search of millions of God seekers around the world , the reason for the birth of religions and cults. Condemnation has robbed man of fellowship with God. Man has served God in fear instead of love when scripture says God is love. 

Can a man really have access to the creator and on what legal grounds if God is so holy and man is always failing? Is there a way to approach God irregardless of man's actions? And most importantly, is it possible for man to do what is right? Jesus brought an answer to this mystery. The answer is this gift of righteousness. 

“For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness;...........” Romans 10:10

This is amazing!! Religion in all its forms teaches that man has to do right to be righteous. The gospel says man has to believe and instantly he is given righteousness as a gift. What should man believe? 

“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

Man has to believe that there is a new life that is made available in the resurrection of Jesus. A life that causes man to approach God without guilt and this new life is through Jesus alone. By Jesus , when a person accepts this ,that very moment man is justified from all sin (past , present and future). Not only that but man is made a new creation and the biggest thing as long as we are on the earth : MAN IS GIVEN THE HOLY SPIRIT AS A GIFT. 

So the person in Christ is justified from all sin so there is no more condemnation. He doesn't need to go to God now and then to be forgiven , a Christian is "the forgiven man". I know it may be the first time to hear this for some but that's the gospel. Man is not just a forgiven sinner but he has been made righteous. This suddenly makes man a master over life circumstances, the devil, demons and makes man a son of God. 

“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

This righteous man has a way that he should live. He should live by the Holy Spirit. He has an accurate guidance in himself on the way he is supposed to live. It is an intrinsic life GPS. Thank God ,victory has come!! That is what our opening scripture is saying : this person doesn't live by the flesh (by human impulses or physical senses). It doesn't mean he neglects senses but he is not ruled by them. 

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of life meaning He runs the new creation. Man doesn't need a written law anymore but has within himself is the new guidance and the power to do. It's now a new life under the promptings of the Holy Spirit. 

I am stirred up and have so much more on this subject but let's catch up on the next page of J Amazing Reads tomorrow. 

Further reading : Romans 8

Remember: You are loved by God❤️

Instruments of righteousness

“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof: neither present your members unto sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves unto God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”Romans 6:12-13 

Righteousness is that nature of God that is given to you when you believe in the resurrection of Jesus. This nature allows you to stand in the presence of God without guilt or condemnation. This righteousness is God's gift to you. It is not based on anything you would possibly do but sorely based on what God has already done. 

Before you believed in Jesus , you had sin in you which is the nature of the devil that caused death(depression , sickness, poverty , hatred , jealousy and all kinds of evil) to rule as a master in you. Actions that you did were a result of the wrong nature which was in you. The law exposed this nature even more but it brought more frustration to you because even though you knew it was wrong because the law showed you , you failed to overcome it. The law did not give you power to overcome sin. But thank God for Jesus and His saving grace!! 

“For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.....” Romans 8:3 

Jesus came to condemn sin , in other words He came to destroy and do away with sin. So sin from the time that Jesus came is not the problem anymore. Jesus already condemned it. When Jesus did it , He was doing it for you so that sin (this nature of the devil) would not have power over you anymore. 

Now  that sin has been defeated and you accepted that fact , God gave you a new nature which is called righteousness AS A GIFT. God now sees you as righteous apart from what you do. All that the devil is was visible in your life (defeat , deception, fear ,depression, pain and all evil) because of the nature that was in you.

Now that the nature of God is in you , all that God is (love , power , freedom , peace , joy , patience, prosperity, health and all necessary good) is now available freely for you to enjoy as you fellowship with your Father intimately through the Holy Spirit. So you are not the unrighteous person trying to be righteous , you are already righteous because it was given as a gift and now you are living out who you are. You don't read the bible to become righteous, you read it to understand how you as a righteous person are supposed to live. 

“That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:21

Spiritual growth is not doing more good than bad , it's realizing more and more all that is already inside you because of righteousness. 

“That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.” Philemon 1:6

So when you understand the grace of God and all that is made available for you by grace , now God's goodness will dominate every area of your life. You quit trying to get because you already have it but live a life of thanksgiving. Whoever gets in contact with you is up for an encounter with goodness. Your bodily members become instruments that God use to bring His will in the earth. Your hands can now be laid on the sick and produce healing , your mouth is now heaven's mouthpiece, everything about your life becomes a passage through which the blessings of God flow. 

So do not let sin reign in your body but allow the grace of God to reign in your life by understanding who you are in Christ. You are the righteousness of God because of Jesus. 

I pray that you understand this so that effort will be removed in your life but you will enjoy fellowship with God knowing that He loves you and He has already made everything that you need for life and serving Him available in your spirit. 

I will focus on living by the Spirit next on J Amazing Reads.

Remember: You are loved by God❤️

Righteousness apart from the law: Part 2

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under law, but under grace.” Romans 6:14

Righteousness by faith is the most important subject you need to understand as a Christian. Failing to understand your righteous standing before God from the time you accepted Jesus as Lord will make you a roller coaster person : sometimes you are excited , some times winning , some times sad , some times losing and to some that's normal Christianity. This cute , weak Christianity is not Christianity at all , we are supposed to reign in life. That's what Jesus was like.  

The gospel is simply "the revelation  of the righteousness of God which is by faith". Let me explain it : it is a relationship between God and man that is independent of man's actions but faith in what God did through Jesus. Look at how Apostle Paul puts it : 

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17

This scripture is clear : the gospel (too good to be true news about what God did through Jesus for you) is the power that God uses to snatch you from the claws of Satan into fellowship with Him when you believe. God uses this gospel because it talks about a righteousness that is not based on you but on Him. Victory in life is no longer limited to your own strength but it is Him working in you. God Almighty!! This is the best news of all time.  

For many people who are always complaining ,worrying about everything and condemned , it's all because they are so self centered instead of Christ conscious. Look at how Galatians 2:20 put it : 

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.” Galatians 2:20

Can you say that about yourself everyday? When you feel weak , when you do wrong , when you feel discouraged or afraid : Christ lives in me. Glory to God!! Christian living is a journey of realizing who you are in Christ. You are the righteousness of God. You are the expression of His will in the earth. You are perfect just as Jesus is perfect in your spirit. 

When you know that God doesn't deal with you according to what you do but who you are in Christ , it's impossible for sin and condemnation to rule your life. That is where the victory in life is. God does not release His power because of you but because of Jesus. When you pray and say "in the name of Jesus" , what you mean is "not because of me(that is you in your flesh) but because of what Jesus has done". 

The law was given so that sin would be seen as sin, it was to show man how wrong his nature was wrong. The law was not a means of correcting man because the law has no life in it. So sin used the law as an opportunity to condemn man. 

“..........But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, by working death to me through that which is good; --that through the commandment sin might become exceeding sinful.” Romans 7:13

Now that the problem has been solved by the death of Jesus, the nature of sin has been destroyed , sin is not the problem anymore, death no longer reigns : you do not need the law anymore. You are now the righteousness of God, a perfect person needs no law. The only problem might be that you have not realized that you are perfect. Your spirit is perfect, you are a new creation and the solution to bring that life in you into your everyday living is by renewing your mind. 

Note this : God will never condemn you any day of your life no matter what you do. He has given you the GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. It's a GIFT. 

It takes faith to accept that Jesus was made sin without doing anything wrong(he didn't deserve it) so that you may be made eternally righteous apart from what you do(you don't deserve it). That's what I call GRACE. 

In my next blog I will focus on "becoming instruments of righteousness"

Further study : Romans 6 

Remember : You are loved by God❤️

Righteousness apart from the law

“Thus David congratulates the man and pronounces a blessing on him to whom God credits righteousness apart from the works he does:”

Romans 4:6

Our gospel of God's grace is a stumbling block to religion in all its forms. It is established on God's eternal wisdom : how he planned to bless man , not on the basis of their works but on the basis of faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. 

I would like to make it clear that salvation is not simply an insurance to the flames of hell as some presume but it is acceptance into an unbroken fellowship with God both in this world and after this present world. 

Some teach that grace allows you to go to heaven but if you do wrong then God won't answer your prayers , won't heal you , won't prosper you and as long as you are in the earth , it's based on your own performance. You have to fast more , pray more , go to church more , have long dresses and all these external features which are good but are not the reason why God blesses us. God has already decided to bless you , Jesus died 2000 years ago before you did right or wrong. God solved the problem of the future in the past. What great wisdom our God has!! 

That is exactly what our opening scripture is saying. David , as a prophet of God saw what salvation was to bring to those who would receive it. How God would accept man not on the basis of his works (good or bad) but entirely because of His Son. Today we will focus on what David prophesied which are two things : The iniquities of the past and the sin of the future. 

“Blessed and happy and to be envied are those whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered up and completely buried.”

Romans 4:7

Beloved , this is great news to know that all the wrong you ever did in the past has been forgiven , it is completely buried, God doesn't count it against you anymore. God is not angry at you concerning the sins of the past. 

“It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but cancelling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor).”

2 Corinthians 5:19

God was in Christ , reconciling the world to Himself. That word reconciling is a musical term which means to bring into harmony. For people in love it means hearts beating at the same rate. That is fellowship!! That is what God was doing in Christ but the question remains how a holy God would bring a sinner into harmony with Himself? 

The scripture answers that for us : because He is not counting their trespasses against them but He is cancelling them! God is not imputing sins against man. The word imputing is an accounting term that means to add to your credit account. For example when you use a credit card in a shop , as you swipe : that amount is credited to your account so that you pay at the end of the month, it means you now owe the bank. In the same way , though you were the one that sinned , your sins are not credited into your account but into Jesus' account and thank God He already paid for all of it. So your credit has been cancelled. 

How did he cancel them ? Jesus paid for all sin. This is the message of reconciliation given to us to tell the whole world ; your sin has been paid for , your sin has been cancelled !! That is our chant wherever we go. 

“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” Romans 4:5

God justifies the unGodly : this is not what religion teaches. Religion says God is angry at the unGodly. NO, HE IS NOT. He is not imputing their sins against them. Sin is no longer an issue with God , the issue is : can you receive the free gift of righteousness.  

“But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;” Romans 3:21 

I focused on your past sins. The question is now ; what about your present and future sins. I have news for you ; they have already been paid for. I know you're shocked but stay with me tomorrow as we work on that. 

Don't allow condemnation to rob you of your fellowship with God. He is not angry at you. Your spirit is perfect . You are the righteousness of God in Christ. 

This is your week , no blue Mondays. Victory is yours all the way because of righteousness. 

Further study : Romans 4 

Remember : You are loved by God❤️

Righteousness: Should I continue sinning? Part 2

“Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Romans 6:11

My hope is built on nothing less 
Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness 

I dare not trust the sweetest frame 

But wholly lean on Jesus' name. 

Woke up this morning humming this great song. Christ is our righteousness glory to God!! 

Righteousness is your ability to stand in the presence of God without guilt or condemnation or any sense of inferiority. This righteousness is a gift that's not dependent on your external performance. The favor of God and the blessings of God don't come to you because of what you do externally but because of what Jesus has already done. Your actions do not change God's heart towards you, He is pleased with you because of Jesus. That is the gospel. However religion has hardened the hearts of many people that they cannot receive this truth. 

“For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”

Romans 10:3

Humanly we always had a problem to receive , each time someone does something good to you , you think you have to do something in return. This is the reason many have a problem receiving the gospel of God's grace.

I hear people saying ,"It should've been me Jesus on that cross, it should've me!!" and the spirit of slap comes on me. If it was you on that cross , we would be on our way to hell. No , it was supposed to be Jesus. I know what they are trying to say in their ignorant way of displaying humbleness but that's an insult to the wisdom of God. Instead of being thankful and receiving this favor , they want to repay. How could you repay a gift of life. Jesus is your righteousness on your worst and best day outwardly. He loves you and there is nothing you can do about it.

“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 

Your spirit has been changed , you are a new person. That old man is passed away completely, that person died with Christ. You are no longer a sinner , you are exactly like Jesus in your spirit. You do not grow in righteousness, you are as perfect as Jesus is from the day you are born again. As Jesus is , so are you in this world , not when you go to heaven. This is the new you!! Again religion would call this heresy but look at the scripture below: 

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

This is 100% true in your spirit and it becomes real in your body and soul when you renew your mind.

To the extent that you renew your mind , everything that is in your spirit will begin to show up in your life. 

Romans 6:11 says for us to reckon that we are dead to sin. This is an accounting term meaning establish by calculation , count it to be so , it's not an estimate or guess: you are dead to sin!! This is what happened in your spirit when you believed. However for you to see the fruits of it , you have to know something: 

“Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.” Romans 6:9-10

Christ is not dead anymore and He will not die again, He doesn't die and rise. He is alive unto God. In the very same way , the nature of sin has been completely destroyed in you. The nature of God is now in you. You don't have two natures fighting each other in you , you cannot be part devil , part God, you are changed. That's a wrong teaching religion has embraced. 

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”2 Corinthians 5:17 

I know someone is saying ,"but I still do wrong things". That's the problem because you are looking at yourself from the outward viewpoint. As you see what is in your spirit through the word , renew your mind to that ,the outside has no option but to follow suit. 

“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”

Romans 6:16

This is another point why a person must not indulge into sinful acts. When you do that , you are submitting again to the devil as your master and giving him an inroad in your life to do all sorts of his evil works. It won't mean that God has left you or is punishing you but you would have agreed with the devil to wreck your life. Don't do that , it's not good for you. 

“That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Romans 5:21

This is our goal , for the grace (favor of God that endeavors to do you good and make you fulfilled) to reign in your life through your understanding of this free gift called righteousness producing an intimate fellowship with God through the Holy Spirit. 

What a great way to end the week in victory!! Love is on the throne. Next week I will focus on GRACE vs LAW. Open your heart to receive , search scriptures on what you don't agree and ask questions. 

Further study : Romans 6

Remember: You are the righteousness of God❤️

So should I just continue sinning?

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?” Romans 6:1

Righteousness is the ability to stand in the presence of God without guilt or condemnation. This righteousness is a gift received through putting faith in the savior , Jesus Christ. No matter how many good works a person does , it doesn't make a person righteous. No matter how many bad works a righteous person does , it doesn't make the person unrighteous because IT IS A GIFT. 

God's relationship to us is not based on our outward works but on our faith in the savior. The righteousness of Jesus in you is what matters to God. The devil attacks you by letting you put attention on you instead of looking at Jesus. Our good works do not earn us favor with God : God is pleased with you because of Jesus. God heals you because of Jesus , God prospers you because of Jesus ,God gives you peace because of Jesus , it's all about Jesus! 

“But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.” Romans 5:15

No action of sin is nearly comparably greater than the price God paid by Jesus. Your sins for yesterday, today and future are already paid for. When sin increases , the grace of God increases even more!! This is the gospel. Sin has been defeated , death(depression, poverty , sickness, jealousy , anger and all evil) has been put to nought!! LOVE IS ON THE THRONE.

“Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:” Romans 5:20

Now the question comes : So should I keep on doing wrong ? I have answers for you.

Firstly ; “God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Romans 6:2

When you really believe in Jesus and have seen the price paid by God, it means you are dead to sin. This means your core desire is to live for God. The old nature has died. You are not who you used to be anymore. You are a new creation in your heart. 

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 

This miracle happens in your spirit : not in your body or personality. Remember you are not your body or your soul (mind, will and emotions) and it is sad how much people have defined themselves by how they look or their so called personality leaving their real self which is created exactly like Jesus in true righteousness. 

To the extent that you renew your mind , everything that is in your spirit will begin to show up in your life. 

“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” Romans 6:6 

This is a scripture dear to my heart - knowing this!! Some people don't know it yet that they are crucified with Christ. They think they're still that old poor sinner that is struggling through life. Though it is 100% true that you are crucified with Christ , it will not show in your actions until you renew your mind and KNOW THIS: You are not a bad person trying to be good , you are already good , the real you is the righteousness of God, you are perfect. 

“For he that is dead is freed from sin.” Romans 6:7

Many people, some even reading this call me and tell me how much they are still doing things they used to do and how they feel so terrible about it bla bla and my answer is the same: You still think you're that old you trying to be a better person. When they think about Christianity, all they think about is outward works. NO , focus on what God did in your spirit. 

You are dead to sin and you have to know that! Does this mean you never do wrong ? That's besides the point , it was never about what you do. Righteousness is in your spirit , it's a gift. If you do wrong , you just need to remind yourself that you are dead to sin and still righteous. 

I will continue tomorrow to give you the second reason why it's inconsistent with the gospel of grace to think that it is freedom to sin. It is actually a key to reining over sin.  

Remember: You are the righteousness of God❤️

End this week strong in the favor of God. Be thankful every moment about what Jesus has already done. Your life can only get better with Jesus. 

Righteousness: One gift for all time.

“For if, by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; much more shall they that receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, even Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:17

We have been talking about how grace has to reign through righteousness unto eternal life. 

The reason why the knowledge of righteousness is so important is because it is the core that causes the grace of God(all that God has already done for us by Jesus Christ) to be real in our lives through an intimate fellowship with God. 

The end of this conversation is "eternal life". Let me define eternal life for you according to the scriptures. Religion has taught that eternal life is living forever in heaven. So people just believe in Jesus as an insurance for hell's fire and from there on try to be good enough for God not to surprise them at the gates of hell with His big angels who look like bouncers on a Friday night party with long spears.This is a wrong way Christianity has been presented. 

God's heart is for you to have an intimate day to day fellowship with Him where He pours His love on you , talks to you , guides you ,makes your life beautiful and allow you to pass His liquid love and power into your world. It's that place where He matters more than anything else. To know Him is to love Him. This is eternal life. 

“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” John 17:3

I know many of you it's the first time to see this scripture. When you know about eternal life , life takes on a new meaning. I will focus more on this later on but the reason I mentioned this is that our main scripture says God's grace has to reign through righteousness unto eternal life.

“That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Romans 5:21 

Eternal life is the ultimate goal but to enjoy that fellowship, a person has to understand that it's not by your self worth or your actions that you get to be accepted by God ; it's because of Jesus. It is this gift of righteousness that causes you to stand in the presence of God without guilt or feeling inferior. 

Righteousness doesn't come and go based on our actions. If righteousness was given to us as a gift (not based on our good works) , this means no amount of bad works can take away this righteousness from us. This is simple but religion has taught people to earn God's acceptance by something they do. 

“For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” Romans 5:19

You became a sinner (received the nature of the devil - Ephesians 2:4) not because of something wrong you did , Adam (one man) sinned and you were born with a wrong nature. In the same way , one man (Jesus Christ) obeyed : died and rose again so that because of Him alone you may receive this gift of righteousness. It is His obedience that makes you righteous. 

So you are righteous for all time irregardless of anything that you do if you believed in what Jesus did. I know this challenges your usual theology but go through those scriptures again and receive truth. This will give you freedom.This is how much God loves you. 

Don't try to earn it , it's ONLY JESUS. 

Further reading : Romans 6 

Remember: Righteousness is a gift for all time❤️

Tomorrow I will write on : So should I just continue sinning? 

Two kinds of righteousness

“For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to every one that believeth.” Romans 10:3-4

Yesterday I focused on why understanding righteousness is the foundation of Christian living starting with Romans 5:21 on how grace has to reign through righteousness unto eternal life. When grace reigns , sin (depression , sickness, poverty,bitterness ,unforgiveness,anger, immorality and all evil) isn't reigning. 

Ephesians 6:14 ,Apostle Paul calls it the breastplate of righteousness meaning it covers the heart ; it is the core of Christianity. Anyone who is not aware of this truth about righteousness cannot reign in life. 

“For if, by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; much more shall they that receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, even Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:17

Righteousness is a gift from God. A gift is something that is not earned by any form of performance. We do not stand in the presence of God based on how good we live. The right to approach God is sorely based on what Jesus did for you. Let me put it this way :

I have two people : one is a murderer and the other is a very good person(prays every morning , visits the sick and does all those nice things). Both of them DO NOT have any approach to God unless they come to God in the name of Jesus. God does not accept man on the condition of the outward actions , whether good or bad. The good person is not better than the murderer to God. Righteousness is a gift. 

I know this is news to some people but it is the reason why many struggle because they want to earn God’s gift instead of just receiving it. Honest Christians who love God live in defeat because they think their works earn them advantage with God. 

Struggling Christians(in their actions) walk with their heads down and defeated because the think God is angry at them and their works separate them from God. Here is good news : righteousness is a gift. 

Our opening scripture talks about those people who went to establish their own righteousness: this is the righteousness based on performance. However, they were only supposed to submit to God's righteousness which by faith in His Son. 

“for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”Romans 10:10

Man believes unto righteousness, he doesn't PERFORM unto righteousness. I pray this becomes real to you. Your good works don't make you righteous , your bad works don't make you unrighteous, it's all based on your faith in the righteousness of God in Christ. 

“Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ;”

Romans 5:1

Justified means declared "not guilty" and this happens by FAITH ALONE. You see, God loves you . He is not angry at you. He is not punishing you for any wrong you did. Don't let the devil lie to you , stand firm and proclaim that you are the righteousness of God. If you believe in what Jesus did , you are at peace with God. Righteousness is a gift. 

“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

You are not just "a sinner saved by grace" , you are "a righteous man that received grace"!!! 

Righteousness is a gift , don't try to earn it. 

Further reading : again Romans 5

Remember: You are the righteousness of God❤️

Why righteousness

“that, as sin reigned in death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Romans 5:21

Man has no approach to God. The sense of condemnation has given him an Inferiority Complex that makes him a coward. It robs man of faith in himself , in man , in God and in His Word. This leaves a person to prayers of desperation, praying of necessity(because they said we should pray) , to some just mechanical prayers which have no life and produce no results and some who reason it out have given up to philosophy because they don't get it altogether. 

Christianity then becomes a duty instead of an intimate fellowship with a loving Father and His Son Jesus Christ. I believe with all my heart that the solution to all this is understanding righteousness. This is a knowledge that gives you boldness to stand in the presence of God , authority in the face of the devil, demons and life circumstances, it absolutely makes you a master in every arena of life. Grace would begin to reign in your life producing the beauty of God all around you. 

Righteousness is the ability to stand in the presence of God without the sense of guilt and condemnation. This is because a person that has believed in Jesus has been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. 

“Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

So Jesus is the one that became sin on your behalf: this is the greatest news of all ages! That word sin has been wrongly defined by religion. That word is used mostly in the book of Romans as a noun , not a verb. This means this is not "doing wrong" but the nature of sin in man that causes death to reign in him. This nature came in when Adam submitted to the devil. Sin is that nature that produces death : this death involves depression , poverty , sickness, hatred , jealousy , unfaithfulness and all sorts of evil that come as a result of man's alienation from God. 

“Therefore, as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned:--”

Romans 5:12

The best way I can put this is all man sinned in Adam meaning sin isn't what man does but who He is until he believes in Jesus. This is the state of the man without Christ ; he is more than a transgressor of the law but is by nature the child of the devil. 

“among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest:--”

Ephesians 2:3

This is why no amount of good works can make a man righteous before God. It will give you a little standing before man , not before God. His nature is wrong , he was born a sinner. A person has to be reborn. Man needs a new life from God. Man needs righteousness from God. Jesus puts it this way : 

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

John 3:3

How does a person do that : the person has to make Jesus Lord and believe that Jesus took his place in death , burial and God raised Him up from the dead. When a person makes that confession from his / her heart , the gift of righteousness is given that very moment! 

My heart is for you to reign in life as you learn these truths. Grace can only rule in your life through your revelation of righteousness. Tomorrow I will write on the two kinds of righteousness. It will revolutionize your world. This week and every week is your moment to shine!!

Further reading : Romans 5 

Remember: You are loved by God❤️

Understanding by the Spirit

“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.”

1 Corinthians 2:12

The gospel is a very simple message : it is a message of God's grace that makes us righteous thereby allowing us to live in an intimate fellowship with God forever by Jesus Christ. However , the world we live in functions completely opposite to what the gospel presents. 

Because of this , man has tried by all means to run away from the subject of God like a hungry person running away from food. This is more evident in the corporate world. Many have succumbed to philosophies, therapy , talk shows and self help material to try and find answers because that's more logical and easy to understand.  Those who mention God are either fanatics or too religious. What has robbed man of faith is ignorance of what the scripture presents. 

The gospel is the best news to ever reach the earth. Man always knew deep inside him that having access to God , His maker , is the answer to all life's problems. They pray all over the world trying to reach God but sin consciousness makes them feel unworthy and inferior to have a hearing before God. So it's either a prayer of desperation , asking for forgiveness or asking but never expecting an answer. 

That's what makes Jesus a hero of all time , He talked to God like friends talking on a dinner table. He knew totally He was loved by the Father. Thank God that Christianity is the only faith that has a righteous savior and we can stand before God without fear because we have His righteousness, not on our own merit. I will spend next week focusing on this gift of righteousness. 

“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

1 Corinthians 2:14

However , this is the problem of the natural man (man without the Holy Spirit) : he cannot understand, even though he wants to with all his heart because these things require the Holy Spirit. You need the Holy Spirit to help you understand the message of grace and love, understand that everything you need had already been made available. 

Many are struggling in life but it's not supposed to be so when you are a child of God. Every problem is a knowledge problem. There are things freely given unto us by God that are understood by the Spirit of God. Ask Him to guide you as you study the word. Your future is so glorious and wonderful as you live your life with God. You are an absolute victor in Christ!

It's great to end the week this strong. Keep on winning!!Next week I will talk about the gift of righteousness.

Further study - 1 Corinthians chapter 1 & 2  

Remember : You are loved by God❤️