BE ESTABLISHED IN RIGHTEOUSNESS

Dearly Beloved,
BE ESTABLISHED IN RIGHTEOUSNESS
“In righteousness you will be established: Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear. Terror will be far removed; it will not come near you” (Isaiah 54:14 NIV).
I was led to use Isaiah 54:14-17 as my family prayer wishes for the New Year for people in my Internet ministry. I pray once again that these prayer wishes will come to pass in the life of each one of you in Jesus’ name. Amen. However, for the next few weeks, I will base my weekly devotional messages on these verses.
The basis for the prophecy in these verses that was turned to prayer wishes is righteousness. God promised that He would establish His people in righteousness. Many Bible scholars have interpreted this prophecy to different sets of people. Some of them apply it to the Jews that were returning from the Exile. Some are of the opinion that it is applicable to the Jewish Christians, while some extend the application to every Christian of all generations and nations. Some even apply it to the future Kingdom that God will set up in the last days and the people in that kingdom. Whichever the correct interpretation, the important thing is that the people that were (or will be) established were (or will be) established in RIGHTEOUSNESS. If anyone would like to apply the prophecy to himself, he must be ready to be righteous.
To be righteous is to be virtuous, blameless, morally upright, and be in right standing with God. A synonym of the word “righteousness” is justice: to be just, fair, impartial and honest. A person that wants tyranny and terror of the evil ones to be far from him will be righteous. He must have allowed God to really establish him in act of righteousness and he must remain in it.
Allow God to establish you in righteousness by moving closer to Him in prayer and meditation of His words this year. Be just and fair with people around you. Be in right standing with your God. “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people” (Proverbs 14:34 NIV). Then, tyranny and terror of the evil ones will indeed be far from you.
In His service,
Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).