Righteousness, Peace, and Joy
Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness,
and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit are fruits of the spirit. I want to ask you if you have these fruits in your life, and if you don’t why not?
Righteousness is simply an old English way of saying, being right with God.
One dictionary says righteousness is justification. Being right or justified with God comes only by faith in Jesus Christ.
Ti:3:5: Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Ep.2:8. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:
it is the gift of God:
- 9. Not of works, lest any man should boast.
We see by the Word of God that right standing with God can only come through faith,
By the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit.
Washing and renewing also is implying that there is an on going process. So take heart,
you don’t walk in the fullness of this overnight, but we are all in an ongoing process.
It is a process that starts by faith.
Rom:4:3: For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Gal:3:6: Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
Jms:2:23: And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
We see that not only was it counted to him as righteousness but God called him His friend.
Having faith in God will cause us to walk in a state of right standing. Glory to God.
Then, being in this state of right standing will produce the peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Heb:11:6. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
We must use our faith to please God, for without faith it is impossible to please Him.
When we exercise our rights as Christians, and start to walk in the reality of the new creation, then God is pleased. That is what pleases Him.
We must use our faith and exercise who we are!
What do I mean by this? I mean we are new creatures. We need to start acting like God’s Word is true. We need to start talking and walking like His Word is true.
We need to stop acting like mealy mouth, down and out, ole poor me, Christians.
We are children of the most high God. We are joint heirs with Jesus Christ.
Rom:8:17: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
We have got to get this truth into our spirit man, and let it become preeminent in our lives.
Rom:12:2: And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
I use this scripture a lot, but it is the key to becoming right standing with God.
You see, if you don’t believe it, how are you going to prove it? And if you can’t prove it , what good is it? The answer to that simple question is, you can’t. So lets renew our minds to that fact, and start to walk in the reality of this new creation that we have become.
2Co.5:17. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
We are new creatures let us walk in the light of that fact.
Many of us have been so religiously trained that we feel a sense of unworthiness.
Let me tell you something, this is a false sense of humility and a lie from the devil.
Let’s lay that religious mumbo jumbo aside and thank God for what He said
we are in His Word. Thank God, I am the righteousness of God in Christ.
Rom:10:3: 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.
You see it is not earned, and can not be earned in any way shape or form, and those who try to earn it, the Word says are ignorant of God’s righteousness, and have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. So quit trying to earn it, you can’t, it’s impossible, you can not establish your own righteousness. So stop, stop, stop.
Do I need to repeat myself?
True humility accepts and recognizes the state we were in, and acknowledges the free gift that God has given us, it is a free gift!!!
Remember what we just read in Ep. 2:8, and 9, it is worth repeating.
Ep.2:8. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:
it is the gift of God:
- 9. Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Remember, right standing with God is not earned, it comes by faith in Jesus Christ.
This faith then will bring true peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
I don’t know if you have ever thought about this in this light, but if you will start, you will see the fruit of righteousness, which is the true peace and joy of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Rom:3:22: Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
So let us continue to renew our minds to the reality of who we are in Christ Jesus.
This then will bring the peace and joy of the Holy Spirit. Glory to God.
Remember our opening scripture, Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Lk:12:32: Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
It is the Fathers good pleasure to give us the kingdom, and then it tells us in Romans,
what the kingdom of God is. Righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Amen.
If you want to know for sure that you are a child of God, then I would like to invite you to earnestly pray this prayer.
Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus. Your word says, “…and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.” (Jn.6:37), So I know You won’t cast me out, but You take me in, And I thank you for it.
You said in your Word, "whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.'' (Ro. 10:13).
I am calling on Your name, So I know You have saved me now,
You also said, “…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation.” (Ro.10:9,10).
I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I believe He was raised from the dead for my justification. And I confess Him now as my Lord, Because Your Word says, “… with the heart one believes to righteousness…” and I do believe with my heart, I have now become the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21),
And I am saved! Thank You, Lord!
I can now truthfully say, I see myself as a born again child of God!
Glory to God!!!! Amen.