KEY SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 6:14 KJV” Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness”;

God is holy and would have nothing to do with sin. Satan’s easiest onslaught is against the man that iniquity is found in him or her. Righteousness according to our key scripture is placed on the breast or on the heart. The Lord said in Mark 7:21& 22  “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: He added, these are the things that defile the man. All these sinful acts come from the heart. The prophet Jeremiah also said the heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked, who can tell. (Jeremiah 17:9. An unrighteous heart has willingly submitted himself or herself to Satan. This makes it extremely important to guard the heart against any intrusion of the devil.

During the journey of the people of Israel to the promised land Balak the king of Moab hired Balaam a prophet to curse the Israelites for them, so they could easily overpower them. When Balaam tried all that he could do. The Lord said the following to him Num 23:21 KJV “He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them”. The Lord added the following. Num 23:23 KJV “Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought! “The prophet said God has not beheld iniquity in Jacob neither has he seen perverseness in them and so no divination or enchantment can prevail over them. Satan will not prevail over you. Your heart must be guarded with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life. Proverbs 2:23. Righteousness is the best way to guard the heart.

There are two parts to righteousness.

1.Righteousness which comes to us as a gift from God and

2. Righteous living, which is living out that Righteous nature given to us as a gift from God

To effectively live out the Righteous lifestyle you must first understand what the gift of righteousness is. At our new birth or when we were born again, we received the very nature of God. This made us new creatures with the very life and nature of the father. (2nd Corinth 5:17&18) We became children of the most high. Our father is a Righteous God. He shared His nature with us. 2Corinth 5:21 KJV For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him”. This was the divine exchange that took place on the cross. Jesus became us, and He took on our sinfulness and we took on His righteousness. The Spirit calls us the righteousness of God. If we have become the righteousness of God then we must manifest a life of righteousness. Doing things rightly is our nature and must be seen in us. We are righteous by faith and must demonstrate righteousness by actions or works as well. Anything short of this will expose you to an arrow of the enemy. Psalms 11:2 KJV “For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily(secretly) shoot at the upright in heart” .The arrow of the wicked is already pointed to the heart of the upright. Now listen to the question the psalmist asked right afterwards. Psalms 11:3 KJV “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?”. If the foundation of living an upright life is destroyed what would the Righteous do? Do not destroy your foundation. It is your righteousness. Keep to it. If you have let down on it then quickly repent and get it repaired so the enemy cannot get to your heart. The heart is so delicate. If the enemy should get your heart hell may become your home.

CONFESSION

I guard my heart with the breastplate of righteousness. I am righteous by birth. Righteousness is my nature. I do not walk in sin or disobedience to the Word of God. I am therefore always victorious over the enemy. I am made very strong in the Lord.

FURTHER STUDIES

 Romans 5:17 KJV” For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)”

Proverbs 4:18 KJV” But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day”.