As you live life day to day it’s very easy to entangled by this really heavy burden. That is your own righteousness. Your own righteousness stems from a root of pride. You want to do good and be good and you look at yourself. You judge your own actions (good or bad). Then you feel a certain way.
As I worshipped during service this past Sunday I was shown some things by the Holy Spirit. I saw the backs of people with big humps on them. He made me to know they were burdens of self-righteousness. I will minister from that experience.
I present this scripture for your consideration:
Genesis 3:6 NIV| “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.”
Two things I highlighted: 1.) It was good.
2.) Desirable to gain wisdom.
These things aren’t “bad” in themselves. These are actually good things she wanted. But the Holy Spirit has given me insight. I want to share that with you today. It’s this: she wanted to not have to depend on God. She didn’t want to only be like God but she actually wanted to be her own God.
Blissful, this is a big problem still today. It’s the rotten flesh that seeks its own way, it’s own righteousness. It can not please God and causes you to become an enemy to God.
Romans 8:7-8 NKJV| “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
The enemy of your soul is still there from time to time with the same trick. Trying to get you to depend on ourselves. To look to what you do, good or bad.
Isaiah 64:6| “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”
When you are looking at your own righteousness these are some responses you will notice. When you do good, pride will rise in your heart and you judge those who aren’t “as good as you”. When you do bad you feel condemned. You wallow in self pity and loathing.
2 Corinthians 5:21| “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
You see Jesus is the one you must look to. Not your own righteousness. God has done this thing. He did it perfectly by Himself. The more you depend on yourself and your goodness. Then you frustrate the grace that was made available through what Jesus did.
During the vision I mentioned in the beginning, I then saw the fire of God burn out and purify the body of the people. Destroying self righteousness and rooting out pride thus lifting the burden off the backs of the people. Glory to God!
Today, repent for trusting in yourself and relying on your own strength. You can not be good enough or please God by your pious deeds. Put your focus on the One Who did it for you. Then real praise and gratitude will begin to flood your heart and soul. Release that to Him- I t’s very precious to Him. Receive the fire of God to purify you from self righteousness.
Blissful, you are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Just give the glory to God and receive the grace for your life to live blissfully.