Disciples are serious followers of Christ, reigning with Him over every area of their life. And holiness becomes their heavenly heritage.
For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17 NKJV).
• 'Death' is a wage of sin that rules in life to destroy it (see Romans 6:23a).
• 'Reign' (Gk. basileuo) is kingly rule. God has put you into the kingly dominion of Christ (see Colossians 1:13) and through Him you can reign in life as a king.
•  In Christ, you are given an'abundance of grace' and'the gift of righteousness'. You can overrule temptations, sins, depressions, poverty, curses, sicknesses, and circumstances. You'reign in life through Christ' and not by your own ability (see Ephesians 1:18).

1. Inheriting the kingdom of God
The'kingdom of God' is where God manifests His kingly presence.
•  Allowing Christ to rule in your life is'inheriting the kingdom of God'.
•  Heaven is God's perfect dwelling yet He condescended to stay in a believing heart (see 1 Corinthians 3:16). Inheriting the'kingdom of God' begins at your spiritual regeneration (see John 3:3, 5) in salvation. Paul strengthened'the believers', people who were already born again through grace in Christ, by faith and not by works, reminded them'that they must enter into the kingdom of God through many tribulations' (see Acts 14:21-22; Ephesians 2:8-9). Inheriting the'kingdom of God' and having salvation are not synonymous. To'enter' or inherit the kingdom of God involves overcoming'many tribulations'. Not by your own effort but by the help of the Holy Spirit.
•  According to Galatians 5:16-26, you'inherit the kingdom of God' (verse 21) by'walking in the Spirit' (verse 16),'being led by the Spirit' (verse 18), or'living in the Spirit' (verse 25).
•  According to Ephesians 5:2-21, you'have inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God' (verse 5) when you are'walking in love' (verse 2),'walking as children of light' (verse 8),'walking circumspectly' (verse 15), or'being filled with the Spirit' (verse 18).
•  In 1 Corinthians 6:9-20,'inheriting the kingdom of God' (verse 10) is'glorifying God in your body and in your spirit' (verse 20). The'kingdom of God', God's kingly presence, is absolutely holy. It manifests through you as you are walking in the Holy Spirit. Inheriting the kingdom of God is living in holiness'worthy of God who calls us into His own kingdom and glory' (see 1 Thessalonians 2:12; 4:7).
•  In Romans 8:1-11, you inherit the kingdom of God by'walking according to the Spirit' (verse 1) by'setting your mind on the things of the Spirit and away from the flesh' (verse 5) to allow'the Spirit of God dwelling in you' (verse 9) to give'life and peace' (verse 6).

2. Sanctification by walking in the Spirit
Moving in the Spirit is the way to have a godly character.
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16 NKJV).
• 'Walk in the Spirit' means'live by the Spirit' (see NIV) or'live by following the Holy Spirit' (NCV). It is living by consulting the Holy Spirit, to know and to do the will of God.
•  The'flesh' (Greek: sarkos) is also called'sin', the sinful nature that came into all people after Adam had sinned, produces all kinds of sinful desire in your life (see Romans 7:8). It is at work in your life to'bear fruit to death' (see Romans 7:5). The sinful nature works with the'law of sin and death' which is like the gravity of the earth, pulls you down (see Romans 8:2). Dealing with the flesh, which is spiritual in nature, requires a spiritual method. No human effort, man-made religion, and discipline can remove'the evil desires of the sinful self' (see Colossians 2:23 NCV).
By sending his Son to be an offering to pay for sin, God used a human life to destroy sin. He did this so that we could be the kind of people the law correctly wants us to be. Now we do not live following our sinful selves, but we live following the Spirit (Romans 8:3b-4 NCV).
•  Christ has died and destroyed the power of sin. Believing in Him is the only way to gain control over the sinful nature and following the Holy Spirit is the only effective manner to live in holiness (see also Galatians 5:16).
•  It is by depending on the grace of God, not relying upon your own effort, that you can break the dominion of sin (see Romans 6:14).
Walking in the Spirit stops the sinful flesh from driving you to sin.
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law (Galatians 5:18 NKJV).
•  To be'led by the Spirit', or'directed by the Holy Spirit' (see NLT) which Paul also called it'walking in the Spirit' benefits you to obey God's word.
•  By walking in the Spirit, you can'keep in step with the Spirit' (see Galatians 5:25 NIV) or'follow the Holy Spirit's leading in every part of your life' (see Galatians 5:25 NLT). And'you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh' (see Galatians 5:16).
When you walk in the Spirit your mind is set off the sinful flesh.
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit (Romans 8:5 NKJV).
•  Setting the mind on the Spirit means'thinking about the things the Spirit wants you to do' (see Romans 8:5 NCV).
Our sinful selves want what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is against our sinful selves. The two are against each other, so you cannot do just what you please (Galatians 5:17 NCV).
•  Because the Spirit and your sinful nature'are against each other', whenever your mind opens to the Holy Spirit the sinful nature stops operating against you.
•  Getting in between the flesh and the Holy Spirit, as they are against each other, causes a tug-of-war of conviction and guilt within you (see Romans 7:13-25).

3. Benefits of inheriting God's kingdom
Inherit the kingdom of God by walking in the Spirit produces a godly character.
But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law (Galatians 5:22-23 NLT).
•  The fruit of the Spirit, nine qualities coming on your character, is an effortless outcome of walking in the Spirit.
•  Self-righteous effort and self-imposed disciplinary do not produce sanctification.
Inherit the kingdom of God by walking in the Spirit manifests His power.
For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21b NKJV).
•  The Holy Spirit who rules from'within you' manifests His authority through your life.
For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power (1 Corinthians 4:20 NKJV).
•  The kingdom of God is a displaying of the power of the indwelling Spirit, which is basically not a demonstration of knowledge and eloquence.
But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you (Matthew 12:28 NKJV).
•  Deliverance is a demonstration of the kingdom of God.
Inherit the kingdom of God by walking in the Spirit gives good health and blessings.
If people's thinking is controlled by the sinful self, there is death. But if their thinking is controlled by the Spirit, there is life and peace (Romans 8:6 NCV).
•  The Holy Spirit gives you'life (Greek: zoe) and peace'. Zoe is'life as God has it' (Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words). Walking in the Spirit connects you to God, the Giver of life. As you walk in the Spirit, zoe goes into your life, family, relationships, and what you do to give blessings. In the opposite,'those who live only to satisfy their own sinful desires will harvest the consequences of decay and death' (see Galatians 6:8a NLT).
Inherit the kingdom of God by walking in the Spirit gives abundant providence.
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you (Matthew 6:33 NKJV).
•  Living a life of seeking first God's kingdom by walking in the Spirit and seeking first His righteousness through the justification of Christ releases the abundant providence of God.
Inherit the kingdom of God by walking in the Spirit grants breakthroughs to prayers.
For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose (Romans 8:26b-28 NKJV).
•  You can feel God's feelings and think God's thoughts by praying according to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
•  Spirit-led intercession brings all things to a total fulfillment according to the plan of God for His people.