PUTTING ON RIGHTEOUSNESS

Belt of truth – is the truth in the inward parts. Is when the word is in our heart coming out of our mouth.

Mind binding spirits – they don’t just blind the unbelievers, but they labor to blind the church.

2 Corinthians 4:4

whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

Note: If anyone is blinded to the light of the gospel, they are blinded by the god of this world.

Apostolic prayer: Ephesians 1:17-20

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,

Note: Paul prays so that we can SEE what He has Said. Because there is a battle going on for the church to be able to see.

Ephesians 6:18-19

praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,

Note: Unity of the spirit comes with the bond of peace. Also, Read Ephesians 1 to have our eyes opened.

Ephesians 4:3

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Note: Stay FULL of the Holy Spirit – a church that can’t be divided, can’t get offended, and a church that walks in love. Like in Joel 2, there is an army that are all in rank, nobody breaks rank, they love one another, praying and encouraging for one another, helping, fighting, knit together, walking with lowliness, gentleness, and long suffering, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

John 17:17

Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

Psalm 51:6

Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,

And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.

Note: We are sanctified by truth. “You desirest truth in the inward parts…” 90% of the time, when someone is struggling is because of ignorance of the word or disobedience of the word that they know.

There are 2 kinds of righteousness:

1. Legal righteousness – a person repents from their sin and puts their faith in Jesus Christ. Because of their repentance and faith, God declares them righteous. For example: The thief in the cross.
2. Fulfilled righteousness – that’s sanctification. The more sanctification, the more victory over satan we have. (Read Romans 8:3-4). Fulfilled righteousness is Love (Read: Romans 13:10). Romans 5:5 is accomplished by grace and the Holy Spirit. He pours the love of God into our heart.

Romans 5:5

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Isaiah 52:7 (speaks about the feet that brings the message of peace).

How beautiful upon the mountains

Are the feet of him who brings good news,

Who proclaims peace,

Who brings glad tidings of good things,

Who proclaims salvation,

Who says to Zion,

“Your God reigns!”

Note: God was in Him (Jesus) reconciling the world to Himself. God never turned His back on Jesus. Peace precedes sanctification. The spirits of darkness cannot do their work in the realm of peace. They cannot operate in the realm of peace. (Read Romans 16:20). In other words, we have the weapon of peace to speak peace so hell can leave us alone.

Romans 16:20

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Romans 13:10

Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Note: Love is the fulfillment of that righteousness. The Law of love is the law of the spirit. Which is the spirit of Christ in us. The fruit of righteousness come from those who make peace. “Be diligent to be found by Him in peace” (2 Peter 3:14). “He will perfect that which concerns you” (Psalm 138:8). He will not forsake the works of His hands. We are His workmanship. “He who loves another has fulfilled the law” (Read Romans 13:8).

Romans 13:8

Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.

1 John 3:16

By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Note: 1 John 3:16 is what love is. Is an unearthly supernatural love. In Romans 5:5 we have to be born again for the Lord to pour His love into us. The love of God is poured into our heart by the Holy Spirit. LOVE is the armor of light! (Read 1 John 1:5). In 1 John 4:16, God is love. Light is His substance and love is His nature. In Psalm 36 it says “in His light, we see” because His light illuminates. He who loves His brother there is no cause for stumbling in him. He who does not love his brother, is in darkness. Love God, love people and you will not stumble. Walk in the light. If you have bitterness, criticism or judgement in your heart, then you are not walking in the light. In Psalm 119:130 it says that “the instance of His word brings light”. The Lord did not call us to not hate, He called us to love. Love them, pray for them, bless them, do good for them. Don’t try to NOT be prejudiced, NOT be impatient, etc. Just LOVE. When water stops coming out, spider webs can be built, black widows and dirt can get in there; but when the water comes out, none of those things can get in there. The same thing happens in your heart when you decide “not to hate” instead of just LOVE. Don’t try to not do the knots, walk in the light.

• The more we abide in love, the more we can see (knowledge and discernment).
• In Phillipians 1:9, we can see past all the faults and see what’s good in a person.
• Spirits of darkness can stay on us if there’s something in our heart that agrees with them.

Phillipians 1:9

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,

Declaration of Prayer:

Lord change my heart to love them. To not judge them, not criticize them, not pass judgement. My assignment from God is only to love them. A person whom is hard to love is the door for you to go to the next level with Christ. I pray for you Lord to change my heart so I can become like John, the disciple whom you loved in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

In an excerpt from Watchman Nee (Author of “The Normal Christian Life” and other books) about “Christ Our Righteousness” it stipulates the following:

“The experience of many Christians follows a certain pattern: If they read the Bible in the morning and manage to control their temper during the day, they can pray in a strong way at night. But if they fail during the day, their prayer at night is very weak. Actually, even when we sin, Christ is still our righteousness. The fact has not changed, because we are in Christ. If we behave well today and think that we are more qualified to come to God, we are coming to Him by our own righteousness. This is a wrong concept. God does not receive us based on our righteousness, much less on our unrighteousness. His receiving is based on Christ. A Christian does not become more unrighteous through sinning, nor does he become more righteous through doing good. Sin does not diminish a Christian’s righteousness, nor do good works increase his righteousness. Our righteousness before God is not dependent on our conduct, but on Christ Himself. Our righteousness before God never changes. Righteousness is a person; it is not a thing. The righteousness that a Christian has is the living Christ; it is not some dead object. Even if we committed all the sins of the world, our righteousness is still Christ Himself. Sooner or later every Christian must realize who this One is who is his righteousness.” (Watchman Nee).

Some quotes from Watchman Nee are the following:

 

“Man’s thought is always of the punishment that will come to him if he sins. God’s thought is always of the glory man will miss if he sins. God’s purpose for redemption is glory, glory, glory.”

― Watchman Nee, The Normal Christian Life

 

“The Spirit is both a builder and a dweller. He cannot dwell where he has not built; He builds to dwell and dwells in only what he has built.”

― Watchman Nee, The Spiritual Man

 

“Lord, I am willing to break MY heart that I might satisfy THY heart.”

― Watchman Nee, The Normal Christian Life

 

“A drowning man cannot be saved until he is utterly exhausted and ceases to make the slightest effort to save himself.”

― Watchman Nee, The Normal Christian Life

 

“Good is not always God’s will, but God’s will is always good.”

― Watchman Nee