Blessed are those who hunger and thirst

An amazing thing happens when we seek God's face! He ends up 'clothing' us with His righteousness and as the scripture in Matthew 6:23 says, adds all things unto us. As I was meditating on the word righteousness, the Spirit led me to search the word in my iPod NIV Bible. Some incredible threads leapt out at me and I decided to dig a little deeper.

I found something interesting in the following verses from John 16:7-11:

7: "But I tell you the truth: It is for your own good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you"

8:" When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgement."

9: "In regard to sin because men do not believe in me;

10: "In regard to RIGHTEOUSNESS (emphasis mine), because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer and in regard to judgement because the prince of this world now stands condemned."

John Kagaruki

When we look at the three items Jesus mentions, we see the Holy Spirit doing three things and there is righteousness in the middle of them, being positioned in such a manner as to suggest that the Spirit of God comes to dwell in us and thus clothe us with righteousness! 'In regard to righteousness, because' He is going to the Father where they can see Him no longer! The light bulbs go on! 'Seek ye first...' In Psalm 13:1 David asks how long the Lord will hide his face from him. Paul in quoting the Psalms in Romans 3:10,11 says that 'There is no one righteous, not even one, there is no one who understands, no one who SEEKS God.'

So we find from John 16 that:

1. The sin that the Spirit convicts of is that of not believing in Him (It is by grace we are saved through faith...). Ephesians 2:8 & John 3:16, Galatians 5:5.
2. The righteousness that He convicts of is that of being with and in Him
(It seems strange that Jesus would deliberately equate righteousnesss with His not being seen any longer! When Jesus was with them, they walked with 'God'. He who has seen the Son, has seen the Father! 

3. The judgement He dishes out is to the prince of this world.

It then seems that we are truly blessed when we are filled with the Holy Spirit (God's manifest Presence in us) as this is what produces our righteousness by faith. Galatians 5:5 talks about us eagerly awaiting the righteousness for which we hope for by faith. 

From this arise the fruit of the spirit, the gifts of the spirit and the authority of the spirit! Malachi 4: 2,3: But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall. 

(3) then you will TRAMPLE (emphasis mine) down the wicked! Connect this with Luke 10:19 where Jesus says 'I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome ALL (emphasis mine) the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you' ( Mark 16:17: And these signs will accompany....). Oh that we would seek His face and hide under his wings! (Psalm 91).

Do you want to get healed? Do you want to trample down demons and powers of darkness? This is not the monopoly of titled ministers of the Gospel! Does 'In the last days I will pour out my Spirit on ALL people...'(Joel 2:28) ring a bell? Then seek His face, hunger and thirst for His righteousness (The Counselor) and you will be filled!

By John Kagaruki.