Possessing righteousness and living in its blessings begins at the new birth and continues as we allow the image of Jesus to be formed in us. You can reign in this life through the gift of righteousness.  Do you know the reality of righteousness?  Can you pinpoint what limits the reality righteousness in your life? I want us to read a scripture in Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”  Living the Word and allowing it to dominate our lives in every area accomplish the reality of righteousness.  Ephesians 4:23 reminds of that very thing.  “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in righteousness and true holiness.”  Meditating on the scriptures renews the mind and brings us to a reality of what God says about our position in Him.  Then we live by it.

  The reality of righteousness comes when become doers of God’s Word and not just hearers.  This means we practice the Word within the context of our daily living.  We let it dominate our thoughts, words and decisions. It is essential to practice the Word of God in our daily endeavors.  Practicing the Word initiates God’s endorsement and whatever we do will be blessed. This is supported by James 1:25, “He who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”  If you want what you are doing to be blessed, then practice the Word in your daily life.  The reality of righteousness will always be yours when you believe, trust and see yourself as God sees you.

  The reality of righteousness is hindered and limited by an unrenewed mind.  This occurs when we forget to look to the Word for our guidance.  Ignoring God’s Word simply allows human reasoning to become the most predominant influence in your life.  Reasoning is usually based upon experiential knowledge that originates with our senses. At this point our sensory knowledge rules our belief. Because natural knowledge is finite and limited, it almost always contradicts God’s promises. A normal progression for someone who limits his or her self to natural reasoning is:  1.  You see a need.   2.  You know you are able to meet the need in Jesus.  3.  Your previous experience keeps you from searching the Bible to find what God says.  4.  You reason based on past experience.  This progression of events stops you from becoming a doer of God’s Word and substitutes past experience as the basis for action.  Therefore it produces Christians who fail to act on the Word when it contradicts reasoning based on experience.

A low level of fellowship with the Father hinders the reality of righteousness.  This happens when there is not time spent in God’s presence, in prayer and in the Word.  Most of the time is spent learning about God without ever experiencing His presence.  The result is the Word is not very important reducing a sense of its Lordship. This leaves the Christian in a state of fluctuation wavering between several courses of action.  The Bible calls this doubt.  The effect of doubt is instability.  We cannot receive from the Lord when doubt is present.  (see James 1) 

 A realization of righteousness imparts to the believer the ability to reign in the circumstances of life.  Set aside time for Bible study and prayer.  Then you will be established in righteousness and be able to appropriate the blessings of your inheritance.  Righteousness guarantees that the Word will produce for you the same results it produced for Jesus.