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Righteousness is a gift. It is something that we receive the moment we make Jesus Christ our Lord. But for the most part, we have misunderstood righteousness the same way we have misunderstood grace. To the average believer, becoming a Christian means accepting the fact that it is a free gift, which can not be earned. But somewhere, confusion sets in. Each time they sin or fall short as a believer, they think they must earn their way back into righteousness. Additionally, they feel that repentance and faith in the blood of Jesus doesn't work the same once they become born again. The truth is that couldn't be farther from the truth. The blood of Jesus works when you're dirty or clean. The child of God who's been born again for thirty years doesn't have any higher standard of righteousness than the person who's been saved for thirty minutes. It is the gift of God it is the righteousness of God. 

One of the greatest handicaps to our prayer life is a lack of knowledge to the fact that we are the righteousness of God. “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.” (2 Cor 5:21)
I'm convinced that if He hadn't made us the righteousness of God, but rather left it up to our religious minds to choose, we would have never received it. If He would have said, “Ok, now I will make you the righteousness of me.” We would have said, “Oh, no! We'll wait! You just hang it out there close enough for us to get to heaven some how.” Most of that type of thinking hides itself in false humility, but it only serves to weaken our faith walk, diminish our vision and cripple our prayer life. Remember what the psalmist said? “ The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers.” (Ps. 34:15) The first time most Christians hear that, they think, “Dear Lord, if I could ever get to be righteous, look what I'd have. People would line up to get prayed for by me.” A true understanding of the practical side of righteousness would cause them to realize that they have been trying to obtain something that they already had. The reason we have been limited where our understanding of righteousness is concerned is because of the religious use of that word. Religious minded thinking has made believers timid toward the things of God. Like one guy said when asked, “Did you bind the devil?” “No, I wasn’t in any condition to antagonize anybody.” 

It's time we come to the understanding of who we are and begin to boldly declare, “I am the righteousness of God. I am who He said I am, and I can do what He said I can do.” That doesn't mean that you've “arrived” at everything or experienced everything God has in store. There is much that you or I have not even tapped into yet. But a healthy understanding of who we are will cause you to say, “Whenever I come across something in the Word that belongs to me and I haven't been enjoying it, I'm going for it!”

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (2 Cor 6:14-7:1)

There is a clear distinction between the believer and the unbeliever. He calls the believer “righteousness.” He calls the unbeliever “unrighteousness.” Now if the Word of God calls you that, you ought to adapt that same thinking for yourself. Not in some “haughty” fashion, but as identification. Stop and think about that. He said He'd walk in you. He's not just close enough for you to look Him up in prayer. He's in there. You're not going to that interview by yourself; the righteousness of God dwells on the inside of you. You're not facing that challenge alone; He's facing it with you. You say, “What if they give me a negative report?” Then know with certainty that when they open up their mouth, they will be telling it to God. And as 1 John 4:4 says, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” 

It is not talking about apostles or preachers. It is not talking about those who are in authority; it includes those who are in authority. He's talking about believers. The good news of this message is that if you are a believer, He doesn't just promise to walk with you; He promises to walk in you. Because He said, “You are the temple of the living God. I will dwell in you and walk in you.” When? When you take your place. As what? As righteousness, light, anointed, believer and temple of God.

This is how you ought to be thinking when you pray. Instead of squawking and carrying on like some no good unworthy sinner who confesses, “Oh God, I’m just so unworthy. I don’t even deserve the answers to my prayers. I’m just a little worm in the dirt.” Get Saved!

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. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. 
(Rom 5:17-19)

God wants His children to know what it means to rule and reign over the circumstances of life, not to be ruled by the circumstances. The key to holding this authority is receiving this gift of righteousness and accepting the image of righteousness. I'm telling you, this is the centerpiece of the Bible. Accept the fact that you are the child of God, created in the image of God. Accept the fact that because of the righteousness of God, God is offering to us all that He is and all that He has. But this has got to be more than you just saying, “I accept it.” It has got to be evident in your life demonstration. This means that it must be demonstrated in what you do, what you say and how you carry yourself. You're no longer a no-good dirty rag. When you've really accepted the righteousness of God, you lay hold of it by faith. And now you start speaking like you're the righteousness of God. You start praying like it, praising like it, giving like it and living like it. Suddenly, our image becomes defined by the Word of God. 

Do you know who you are? I can tell you what you're not. You're not some no-good for nothing, pitiful looking something from Lo-Debar. You came from God stock. The same sap that's in the vine is the same sap that's in the branch. Now, go out and start walking differently, knowing that you’re not walking alone. That's right! The righteousness of God is in there!