I love this straight-up prophetic voice from the prophet; Isaiah 64:6 exposes our need,

“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” 

What is our “own” righteousness? Notice this didn’t say all our “unrighteousness” is as filthy rags. This is saying that all our “righteousness,” our “goodness,” is as filthy rags. The Hebrew word ‘ed, which was translated “filthy” in this verse, means the menstrual cycle (Strong’s Concordance). This is saying all our great works are as a menstrual cloth. This is speaking of our self-righteousness. All that we do on our own to obtain right standing with the Lord is grossly inadequate. But when we come to Jesus and receive His salvation, we are given His righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21). So, for us believers, it would be incorrect to say that all our righteousness are as filthy rags. Jesus has become our righteousness; Jesus is not a filthy rag. Pardon the graphic depiction—but it’s not mine! It’s straight out of the scriptures.  

I’m not an old sinner saved by grace. I was an old sinner, but I have been saved by grace and am now the righteousness of God in my spirit (Eph. 4:24). But because of Jesus, I am not just in the flesh. I am in the Spirit. I am in Christ. 

We heard another ministry leader share this very impacting truth: The church is often typified by a “woman” in scripture. So very many truths are expressed in stories and symbolism! (You will have to get the book—available on Kindle.) In the Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah declared in Isaiah 64:6 “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” Sin was not the main problem. Even from the Old Testament, we see that our effort and performance are not what God is after. Our choices are important and what we are going to believe and put our trust in is important. Our general mode of operation has been behavior modification to prove ourselves righteous and holy. It’s a total misrepresentation of the truth to present the Gospel that way. This ineffectiveness in the body of Christ in reaching the world has to do with us putting trust in ourselves. Doesn’t it cause us to separate from the very ones God wants to reach? As believers in Jesus, we have been clothed with righteousness in Christ. As stated in Isaiah 61:10, “He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness.” This is a prophetic voice speaking what was to come in Christ. Do you have a robe? If you believe in the simplicity of this good news and receive it, you are wearing it now. 

“The Lord gives the command [to take Canaan]; The women who proclaim the good news are a great host (army); “The kings of the [enemies’] armies flee, they flee, And the beautiful woman who remains at home divides the spoil [left behind]” (Psalm 68:11–12, Amplified Bible). This is the time for illumination of this truth to be fully integrated into our understanding. I believe it’s a sign of the times. This speaks to me. I believe it speaks to all of us. Especially for us women. It’s time to rise up and be the catalyst for a Gospel revolution. We have freedom in Christ. At a time where there is more oppression, slavery, and trafficking happening to women and children, and religious bondage trying to ensnare, we are not only the voice of freedom, but the resurrection life of God is flowing from us into our next generation to bring the greatest release of God’s love and power. 

(Excerpt from For the Rest of Your Life: Living Out Your Destiny Blueprint)