The Power of Righteousness
I love you, LORD, my strength.
The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer . . . The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness . . . To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the devious you show yourself shrewd. . . . You, LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.
With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall. (Psalm 18:1-2; 24-29).
The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer . . . The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness . . . To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the devious you show yourself shrewd. . . . You, LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.
With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall. (Psalm 18:1-2; 24-29).
It is arresting to see the number of times righteousness is mentioned in Scripture as a sine qua non (something essential) to unhindered prayers and the release of divine power and favor.
God Himself tells us in Isaiah 59 that our sins hide His face from us so that He cannot hear our prayers. The Psalmist says in Psalm 66 that if he had cherished sin in his heart, God would not have heard his plea. Jesus also says in Matthew 5, "Blessed are the pure in heart for they will
see God." James tell us that the prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective.
Living in purity and righteousness is a big deal with God. Our natural bent is to go with the flow of our flesh and succumb to things that are not in line with the character of God. The enemy knows that unrighteousness robs us of spiritual power and divine favor so he constantly seeks to push us along that path. O! How much we miss due to unrighteousness!
But we are not helpless. Our risen Lord, Jesus Christ, has given us victory over sin and every form of unrighteousness. When Jesus said, "It is finished," it included victory over sin.
That is why Paul boldly says in Romans 6:14 that "sin shall no longer have dominion over you." The resurrection of Jesus gives us power to live righteously.
Live righteously. There is power in righteousness.
God Himself tells us in Isaiah 59 that our sins hide His face from us so that He cannot hear our prayers. The Psalmist says in Psalm 66 that if he had cherished sin in his heart, God would not have heard his plea. Jesus also says in Matthew 5, "Blessed are the pure in heart for they will
see God." James tell us that the prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective.
Living in purity and righteousness is a big deal with God. Our natural bent is to go with the flow of our flesh and succumb to things that are not in line with the character of God. The enemy knows that unrighteousness robs us of spiritual power and divine favor so he constantly seeks to push us along that path. O! How much we miss due to unrighteousness!
But we are not helpless. Our risen Lord, Jesus Christ, has given us victory over sin and every form of unrighteousness. When Jesus said, "It is finished," it included victory over sin.
That is why Paul boldly says in Romans 6:14 that "sin shall no longer have dominion over you." The resurrection of Jesus gives us power to live righteously.
Live righteously. There is power in righteousness.
Prayer: Lord, I thank you that I was buried with you in death and I arose with you to righteousness. Sin has no dominion over me. Holy Spirit, please help me to live out the resurrection power of Jesus through righteous living. Amen.