Jehovah Tsidkenu- The Lord our Righteousness.

Believer, see the names of our Lord God. In all of our areas of trouble and imperfection, He is the Supply:

For when we are sick, He is Jehovah Rapha - The Lord that heals. In church, we are told to confess that we have healing in Christ, even though we still feel pain in our bodies. We receive our healing by faith, believing that "by His stripes we are healed."

For when we lack, He is Jehovah Jireh - The Lord will Provide. In church, we are told to confess that we have abundant provision in Christ, even though we are still lacking in what we need at the time. We receive our provision by faith, believing that "my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Also Jehovah Nissi- The Lord my Banner/The Lord my Miracle/The Lord my Refuge; 

Jehovah Shammah- The Lord is There. And so on. He is the Supply for our every area of lack.

But there is one area where many among us become reluctant to receive His abundant supply as His name means for us. See the goodness of God that leads to repentance (that many are rejecting!) in action:

For when we sin or are lacking in righteousness which is the default mode of all mankind (Romans 3:10), He is Jehovah Tsidkenu- The Lord our Righteousness. By faith, we stand on His word in Romans 5:9-

"And there is still much more to say of His unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in My sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God."

In spite of our many imperfections, God sees us as righteous through and through, not because we obeyed the law but because Christ shed His blood for us. We can't see that perfection in our day to day living yet, but in Christ, our conscience can be at rest knowing that to us, He is "The Lord our Righteousness." We have none of ours.

Believer, this is the crux of the gospel of Christ: Righteousness by faith. We don't see this perfection physically in our so, so imperfect lives yet, but we receive this gift by faith and look forward to the hope of our righteousness in Christ.

Many who profess Christ eagerly see Him as The Lord our Provider, Healer, Banner and so on when they face lack in these areas but when it comes to lacking in the area of Righteousness which we all are ("As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous— not even one." Romans 3:10,) there is hesitation and even rejection. Many reject Christ as "The Lord our Righteousness" and look to self (human effort at obeying the law) for righteousness. This can only produce self-righteousness which is an abomination to God. Isaiah 64:6 states plainly:

"We are all like one who is unclean, all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in Your sight."

Believer, believe right. Romans 5:19 tells us: "By one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous."

Only the righteousness that proceeds from the obedience of Christ (Romans 5:19) will suffice for God the Righteous. For when we are sick, He is the Lord that heals. For when we sin, He is the Lord our Righteousness. This is the Truth. Christ overpaid the price for our healing, provision, safety and our RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Believer, don't be deceived by those who tell you that God is angry with you or will punish you when you sin.The wages of sin is death. Christ overpaid the price for our sins. Hebrews 9 says:

"27 Every human being is appointed to die once, and then to face God’s judgment. 28 But when we die we will be face-to-face with Christ, the One who experienced death once for all to bear the sins of many! And now to those who eagerly await Him, He will appear a second time; not to deal with sin, but to bring us the fullness of salvation."

God cannot punish the same sins twice: in the body of Christ and a second time in all who believe. The wages of sin is death. Christ experienced that death to save us. Bear in mind that lack, sickness, fear, depression are all "death begun." Christ took all for us.

Our Abba corrects and disciplines us but NEVER with any of the things that Christ died to save us from like demonic attacks, sickness and lack. Hebrews 12: 9-11 tells us that His chastening is that we might "live," "for our profit," that we might "be partakers of His holiness" and that we might yield a "harvest of righteousness and peace." Never death or any of its "death begun" symptoms.

Christ did not come to discard the law. He came to fulfill the law for us. Romans 3:20 says "For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are." His death magnifies the law: only the sinless blood of our Saviour Jesus can fulfil all of its righteous demands. And by His blood, all who believe are declared righteous and saved from God's wrath, all apart from any puny efforts at obeying the Ten Commandments or doing works of the law.

Believer, only by His blood are we saved from God's wrath. He is "The Lord our Righteousness." Remember Isaiah 54:17-

“No weapon formed against you shall prosper,

And every tongue which rises against you in judgment

You shall condemn.

This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,

And their righteousness is from Me,”

Says the LORD."

Many are led by false pastors to quote this passage while depending on "menstrual rag" righteousnesses of laws kept, fasts and all sorts done by human effort for "support" and to make God answer. But notice that this blessing is not earned by obeying the law, fasting and prayer, sowing seed or any work. It is an inheritance (heritage) for those whose righteousness is from the Lord, not their efforts at keeping the law or doing good deeds in order to get right with Him.

But does this mean that we are now free to go on sinning sprees? Certainly not! This kind of statement usually comes from people who think that they can "play their part" and "at least try" to obey the law and do good things. This is the height of foolishness according to the order of the Christians in Galatia who were deceived into believing that they had to obey the law and do other stuff by human striving in order to be godly and in order to receive from God after they got saved. Paul called them "foolish" and "bewitched." See Galatians 3. To such who believe so, understand this:

The reason that we are not committing particular sins is because we have not been tempted beyond what we can bear in those areas. The flesh in a pastor is the same flesh in a paedophile. No sin is beneath anybody. The right amount of testing can transform a meek angelic person into a mass rapist murderer overnight. Just ask Peter who denied Jesus three times after KNOWING 100% and boasting that he would not. The POTENTIAL to commit heinous crimes is in everybody. God sees this POTENTIAL and how favourable circumstances can make some people think that some sins are beneath them or boast about their obedience.

To those who think and boast that they can never steal or fornicate; to those who think "At least a person should have a standard and be able to abstain from certain sins;" to those who trust in their own human effort even the tiniest bit; to those who think that some sins are beneath them, Proverbs 14:12 says-

"Your boast becomes a prophecy of a future failure.

The higher you lift up yourself in pride,

the harder you’ll fall in disgrace."

Believer, this is why the proliferation of churches on every street corner in Nigeria has not translated to right living, even in the church. Sin has dominion because people are relying on human effort/trying to obey the law in order to get right with God and be godly. His word says the arm of flesh will fail but many trust in the same arm of flesh to obey the law in order to be godly. But trying to obey the law is what gives sin dominion over such who try:

"For sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under law but under Grace." Romans 6:14.

Everyone who professes Christ yet believes that false doctrine of "Yes, we are saved by Grace but we still have to obey the law and do good things in order to remain righteous and acceptable to God" rejects God's gift of righteousness to us in Christ. These ones still foolishly believe that they can obey even a tiny bit of the law by their own power; like Peter, because circumstances are favourable, many do not yet realise that the reason why they are not committing particular sins is because they have not been tempted beyond what they can bear in those areas. Believer, let's not be found here. NEVER trust yourself. Trust in the LORD through whom we overcome trials, tests and temptations: 1 Cor. 10:13

"We all experience times of testing, which is normal for every human being. But God will be faithful to you. He will screen and filter the severity, nature, and timing of every test or trial you face so that you can bear it. And each test is an opportunity to trust Him more, for along with every trial God has provided for you a way of escape that will bring you out of it victoriously."

We too would be wallowing in sins and making stupid mistakes if God was not screening and filtering...This revelation makes it difficult for us to look down on people who just can't seem to get their "sins and addictions" act together or tell them things like "You'd better stop sinning and come to Christ or else God will punish you." Instead, we point them to Christ of whom it is said in Titus 2:14-

"He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds."

No sin is too big for Christ to save the sinner who believes from. Even the vilest offender who believes in Him gets to be righteous before God and is transformed to right living by His Spirit. Romans 5:19 says:

"By one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous."

Believing and proclaiming Christ by His name: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS is the Way to live in triumph over sin and death:

"For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one Man, Jesus Christ." Romans 5:17.

This is the only Way to live in triumph over sin and death. The Holy Spirit transforms us from within and our actions in the physical get to align with the work of the Spirit in us. But try to obey the law to be godly and sin will have dominion. Many agents of Satan who are posing as church leaders know this and so are preaching the "noble thing" of obedience to the law as the means of attaining right-standing with God with the aim of keeping the flock locked down under sin's dominion. Death is the result.

By grace, believe right. Believe and proclaim Christ by His name: JEHOVA TSIDKENU- THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Believer, for every shortcoming in thoughts, words and deeds, know that He is our righteousness; same way He is Jehovah Rapha for us when we have shortcomings in areas of health. When you are sick, confess Him as Jehovah Rapha. Likewise, when you sin, thank Him that you are forgiven and proclaim Him as your righteousness- Jehovah Tsidkenu.

By His grace, believe that The LORD is your Righteousness. Confess with your mouth what you believe in your heart; especially in the midst of those sins that hold you captive, say: "Lord, you are my Righteousness. I have none of my own," and you will see it manifested.You will experience His salvation, even from sins. See Romans 10:10-

"For it is with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and it is with the mouth that a person confesses, resulting in salvation." Even salvation from sins.

Believe Right and you will Live Right.