Dear Friend,

For as he thinks in his heart, so [is] he. (Proverbs 23:7a NKJV)

Have you ever asked yourself, “Do I really live like I am righteous in Christ?”  What would that look like?  Have you spent day after day feeling bad, guilty, and condemned about anything and everything?  Well then it’s time to walk in the righteousness that Jesus gave us.

I used to over apologize to people all the time, and I specifically remember a friend telling me once, “Bonnie, you say ‘I’m sorry’ too much.”  After some careful thought, I replied, “I’m sorry.”  Ahhh!!  I did it again!

I have spent too many years living in regret and wishing I didn’t just say that, do that, think that, or react in a certain way.  Regret is like a cycle; just when you stop regretting something, the thought comes back and you feel condemned, and the regret game goes on and on.  Condemnation and regret can literally steal your day and sap the joy right out of you.

But lately, the Lord has given me a new joyful freedom in this area, and I have to say, it is quite lovely!  I can now apologize and move on without being overly concerned about something.  Why?  Because if God can forgive me, when I repent, then I can choose to forgive myself and move on.  I think the most critical thing is moving on.

The battle we fight today is not to receive righteousness (right standing with God), it is to believe and walk in it, whether we “feel” righteous or not.

I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness . . .– Isaiah 61:10 (NIV)

Tada!  If you have received Jesus as your Savior, then he has clothed you with a garment of salvation and a robe of righteousness.  Several times God has shown me a picture of myself or other believers wearing this white robe.  It is awesome—we are all clean in His sight!

I’ve known several women who are beautiful, but they don’t feel beautiful.  Some people are talented, but they don’t feel talented.  We cannot be convinced of who we really are in Christ by how we feel.  Otherwise, we could waste years of our lives being deceived by not feeling worthy or righteous.

If a person does not feel righteous, they may not talk to others about God, or they may not know how to talk to God. Feelings are important, but they should not be allowed to dictate our lives.

Walking in unrighteousness means defeat; it means bondage and living in a place that we are constantly trying to crawl out of.  But walking in righteousness means freedom; it means the work is finished.

Christ died to set us free from the law of sin and death!  We need to quit bowing to the law of sin and receiving its slow death.  Condemnation, regret, guilt and lies come at us all the time; it is time to say “NO” to the devil and, “YES” to God’s truth.

Say out loud: “God, I believe that I am righteous because you made me righteous.  I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  I have been crucified with Christ and the old me isn’t around anymore.  I am a new creation in Christ Jesus.  Old things have passed away and all things have been made new, including me.  In Jesus’s name, I declare that condemnation has no right over me to dictate my life or how I walk.  I choose to walk in the righteousness that Jesus gave me.  Amen.”

Settle it in your heart; settle the debate once and for all—God sees you as righteous!  Be free.  Walk in His love and enjoy walking in His righteousness.

Be Blessed!