- God’s blessings are found inside God’s boundaries.
- And when we honor Him through obedience, we remain “righteous.”
- Righteous is being in “right relationship” with God.
- Isaiah is going to show us three blessings that are ours when we are righteous.
- He is talking about the coming Millenial reign of Jesus on the earth.
- He talks about the blessings that we’ll have when that happens.
- But whatever we will enjoy physically when Christ reigns we can enjoy spiritually now.
- vs 17 - “The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.”
- Notice three things we have when Christ’s justice and righteousness are on display in our lives:
- 1) PEACE - we will experience total tranquility of spirit.
- We’re not all anxious and fearful of what’s coming in the future.
- We aren’t living chaotically in our minds.
- We’re at full and complete rest.
- EX: Jesus asleep in the boat.
- He rebuked them for not being at peace.
- When we are peaceful in our hearts, we will experience the next two:
- 2) QUIETNESS - you cannot hear God speak until you are quiet.
- You quiet your heart and your mind (stop all the chatter).
- We don’t let loud, noisy thoughts fill our minds.
- The noise on the outside does not produce noise on the inside.
- As a result, we can hear God’s still, small voice.
- EX: Jesus driving out the “busy-ness” in the Temple.
- 3) CONFIDENCE - we have 100% trust that God can and will come through for us.
- Nothing will ever harm us.
- We truly believe that God will be our provider and protector.
- EX: Jesus praying in the Garden - “All things are possible for you. Please take this cup from Me. Nevertheless not as I will, but as You will.” (Luke 22:42)
- How do we get these three things - peace, quietness, and confidence?
- God’s justice and righteousness in our lives.
- Justice is alignment with God’s rules, staying inside the boundaries, and repenting when we fall out of line.
- Righteousness is being in a “right relationship” with God through faith in Jesus and a commitment to following Him.