Heaven Rejoices & the Breastplate of Righteousness

Heaven Rejoices and We Put on Righteousness

Did you know you serve a joy-filled God who rejoices over you?  Join us today as we cover the rejoicing of heaven and the songs God sings over you. You will discover how to put on the Breastplate of Righteousness to protect your heart, keep the JOY, and stand firm against the devil’s lies of your unworthiness.

Heavenly JOY

Last week, we defined true and lasting joy, and with that in mind, we prayed with the More JOY Prayer Guide. We pursue JOY,  invite JOY, and pray for more JOY! This week, we start with Heaven’s JOY. Today, we cover these points:

The JOY of the Lord

• “The joy of the Lord is my strength” is the source of our strength (Nehemiah 8:10).
• God and all of heaven are joyful and want to share it with us.
• Some think God is a grump; if we follow him, we are destined for a life lacking any fun. That is NOT the truth.

Heavenly JOY

• The Scriptures call our attention to God’s joyful creation (e.g., Psalm 61: 12-13).
• The Lord takes pleasure in you and even sings over you (e.g., Zephaniah 3: 17).
• God is a celebrating God (e.g., Luke 15: 20-24).
• The angels rejoice when one sinner repents (e.g., Luke 15: 8-10)

Put on the Breastplate of Righteousness Over Your Heart

• We put on the “breastplate of righteousness ” to protect our hearts (Ephesians 6: 14).
• In spiritual language, the heart “refers to our inner orientation, the core of our being,” including our “thoughts, feelings, and desires.” (Fr. John Horn, S.J., Heart Speaks to Heart, IPF Publications).
• Jesus is concerned for your heart (Matthew 15:19).
• So is the devil, so you must guard your heart (Proverbs 4:23).

What is Righteousness?

• The Catholic Dictionary of the Bible defines righteousness as “communion in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ through which we begin a new life in the spirit –a life in which we live in Christ and Christ lives in us”( p. 743).
• Righteousness can be summarized as the Right Relationship and Right Living (e.g., 2 Corinthians 5:15).

Jesus Christ, the Righteous One

• The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains Righteousness: “Justification has been merited for us by the Passion of Christ. It was granted us through Baptism. It conforms us to the righteousness of God, who justifies us. …It is the most excellent work of God’s mercy” (CCC, 2020).
•  The Scriptures tell us we do not have to produce righteousness on our own; we can look to “Jesus Christ” (Romans 5: 17).

Personal Reflection: Breastplate of Righteousness Declarations

• Lies: The devil will whisper lies to attack your thoughts, feelings, and desires, especially saying you are unworthy.

You cannot expect God to keep loving you and helping you. You should be discouraged and fearful. You do not deserve His help. You can never be holy; it’s too difficult to follow God and be righteous.

• Truths: When faced with spiritual warfare, put on the breastplate of righteousness. In the mighty power of Jesus Christ, speak these Breastplate Declarations (inserting your own name in the verse).

In Jesus, I am the righteousness of God. (Repeat 2 Corinthians 5: 21). I live in Jesus Christ. I am forgiven and free. I refuse to feel discouraged, downcast, or fearful. (Repeat Galatians 2: 20). I will follow the ways of the Lord because they will bring JOY, not hardship. (Repeat Psalm 19: 9 and 14 aloud.)  Cup of JOY Women

Consider hosting a weekly one-hour Cup of Joy Women’s small group study that accompanies this podcast, and you can begin anytime.  It’s free!

• Pray about accepting this opportunity to engage others and gently evangelize a small group of friends over coffee or tea.
• For information, email me or go to Cup of Joy Women.

Links

• Download Bookmarks from this podcast series at my website: WRAPYourselfinJOY.com.
• Read more on hosting a Cup of Joy Women’s small group.
• Check out more podcasts here!
• Click HERE to find the book WRAP Yourself in JOY: Find the JOY, Fight the Fear.

 

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