Stand Strong and Firm in His Righteousness

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness.

—Ephesians 6:14 (NKJV)

 

 

Girding your life with the truth of God’s Word is the first piece of armor you put on. The other pieces of your spiritual armor receive their power from His truth. But God’s Word has no power in your life unless you believe it.

 

The second piece of armor is the breastplate of righteousness. 

 

You overcome the enemy with the truth that you are the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). It is not enough to know in your mind that you are righteous because of the finished work of Christ. You must believe in your heart that you have received His righteousness and clothe yourself in it. What has happened inside of you must change what happens outside. Believing you are His righteousness protects your heart from the enemy’s deception. When you believe you have received His righteousness and it rules your life, you can freely come to God without being bound by feelings of unworthiness. You never come to God on anything you do. You have nothing to offer. You come to God on the righteousness Jesus gave you, and nothing stands in your way. You believe your prayers will be heard and answered even though the flesh comes against you (Ephesians 5:23-24, Romans 10:10, Hebrews 4:16).

 

The enemy reminds you constantly of the old person you were, and the Holy Spirit reminds you of the righteousness Jesus has given you. When you pray God’s will from the mindset of the righteousness that is yours in Christ, you believe your prayer is heard and answered (1 John 5:14-15). You believe Jesus has given you a relationship with God. He has given you His complete and perfect work of grace. He has presented you without fault to the Father. He has paid your debt in full, and you are reborn as a new creation by the Holy Spirit in His righteousness. You are now saved, healed, delivered, and sealed in the Holy Spirit (John 10:10, 1 Peter 2:24, 2 Corinthians 5:17, 21, Ephesians 1:4, Ephesians 1:13).

 

When you believe you are righteous in Christ, you know that within your flesh, you are nothing but that in God, you have His power to stand against the flesh. You believe in your heart that His Word is the truth in your life. The righteousness of God has defeated evil. When you walk by faith in His righteousness, you put the power of His righteousness on. The lusts of your flesh are not fulfilled (Galatians 5:16). The righteous power of the new nature you walk in defeats the flesh that battles against you.

 

In a battle, the enemy reminds you of who you are in the flesh. He reminds you of your failures. You must remind the enemy that those lies and accusations are no longer valid. Jesus has given you His righteousness. You have to cast those lies and accusations down. Having done that, you stand (Revelations 12:10, 2 Corinthians 10:5, Ephesians 6:14).

 

God never answers your prayers because of anything you have done or will do. He answers your prayers only because you are standing in the righteousness of His beloved Son. He will not answer your prayers according to your holiness or your works but only because of the grace of Jesus. Because of Jesus, there is nothing held against you. You are accepted and loved because of His perfect sacrifice. 

 

When you look at yourself, it is hard to see Christ’s righteousness. You only see the imperfections of your flesh. But when you keep looking into the truth of your new nature in Christ, you begin to see yourself as His new person. You are renewed in your mind with His truth. As you grow spiritually, the flesh is overcome with His righteousness. Your flesh will not change itself. Changing your behavior with your mind instead of allowing Jesus to change you is only temporary. Only Jesus overcame the flesh once and for all. You are changed by His truth from the inside out. 

 

Do you remember that prayer—the one you prayed believing, and then time and the enemy came against you?  It is still powerful and answered in Jesus (Mark 11:24). 

 

Stand firm. You are unshakeable in Jesus. Let the Word renew your mind with God’s Truth (Romans 12:2). Stay focused on the new person Christ has made you, and rebuke the enemy's lies. If you believe the enemy, your heart will condemn you. But God is greater than your heart (1 John 3:20). The Holy Spirit constantly teaches you who you are in Jesus (1 Corinthians 2:13). Are you listening?

 

Listen to His truth, and yield your mind to the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:14-16). Submit yourself to God. Surrender your heart to the authority of God’s truth, and the enemy will flee from the righteousness of God that stands strongly in you (James 4:7).

 

"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Romans 5:1-2).

 

 

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