A Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness
Derek Prince
Published: 2008
Last Updated: July 2026
Read Time: 2
The Bible answers one of humanity's oldest questions about how we can be made right with God. Learn the powerful meaning of justification and how we are made truly righteous by the precious blood of our Lord.
The word justification is a rather tiresome theological term whose true meaning is often obscured. We will first look at the word, then I will try to explain its meaning. The central theme of Romans is righteousness. Many centuries before, Job had asked the question:
“How then can man be righteous before God?” (Job 25:4)
The book of Romans presents God’s answer. If we are interested in righteousness, we will be interested in Romans. Jesus said:
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6)
We can hunger and thirst for healing or prosperity without being blessed. But when we become hungry and thirsty for righteousness, then we will be blessed.
“Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” (Romans 5:9)
Notice that we have been justified by His blood. In both the Hebrew and Greek languages, there is one word that is translated as either “just” or “righteous.” In Hebrew, the word is tsadaq, and in Greek, it is dikaioō. But no matter how it is translated, it is the same word. In English, we tend to refer to just in terms of legality and law, but righteousness in terms of character and conduct. There is no such division in the languages of the Bible. “Having been justified by His blood” means the same thing as “having been made righteous by His blood.”
*Prayer Response
Thank You, Lord, for the blood of Jesus. I proclaim my desire to hunger and thirst for righteousness and justification by His blood. Through the blood of Jesus, I am justified, made righteous, just as if I’d never sinned. Amen.
Free Download
This devotional is available to download, print and share for personal or church use.
Code: WD-B097-029-ENG