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' as a wage of sin rules in life to destroy it eventually (see Romans 6:23a).
• 'Reign' (Gk. basileuo ) means 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 have an 'abundance of grace' and 'the gift of righteousness' to reign in your new life. You can now reign over temptation, sin, depression, poverty, curses, sickness, challenges, and circumstances. You 'reign in life through Christ', not by your own ability (see Ephesians 1:18).
A. Inheriting the kingdom of God
Allowing God's kingly presence to rule in you and to manifest through your life is also called 'inheriting the kingdom of God'.
• In Galatians 5:16-26, what Paul calls 'inheriting the kingdom of God' (verse 21) he also calls 'walking in the Spirit' (verse 16), 'being led by the Spirit' (verse 18), or 'living in the Spirit' (verse 25).
• In Ephesians 5:2-21, what Paul calls 'having inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God' (verse 5) he also calls 'walking in love' (verse 2), 'walking as children of light' (verse 8), 'walking circumspectly' (verse 15), and 'being filled with the Spirit' (verse 18).
• In 1 Corinthians 6:9-20, he calls 'inheriting the kingdom of God' (verse 10) also as 'glorifying God in your body and in your spirit' (verse 20).
• In Romans 8:1-11, you 'walk 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).
• The 'kingdom of God' is God's kingly presence, which is absolutely holy, manifests through you as you are walking in the Holy Spirit. To inherit the kingdom of God is to manage the eternal life you have received in regeneration (see Galatians 6:8; John 3:16). 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).
• Heaven is God's perfect dwelling yet He condescended to stay in a believing heart (see 1 Corinthians 3:16). The 'kingdom of God' begins at our spiritual regeneration (see John 3:3, 5) but it is not salvation itself. Paul and Barnabas strengthened 'the believers' of Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, people who were already been born again through grace and not by works, reminded them 'that they must enter into the kingdom of God through many tribulations' (see Acts 14:21-22).
B. Walking in the Spirit to inherit
You inherit the kingly presence of God by walking in the Spirit.
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 and man-made religion can remove 'the evil desires of the sinful self' (see Colossians 2:23).
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.
C. Benefits of walking in the Spirit
Walking in the Spirit produces a Spirit-controlled or Spirit-filled 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 NLT).
• The fruit of the Spirit is an effortless outcome of walking in the Spirit, not products of your own effort or self-imposed discipline.
• Sanctification is bearing these nine qualities on your character through the help of the Holy Spirit, which is essential to inheriting the kingdom of God.
Walking in the Spirit allows the Holy Spirit to manifest His power.
For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21b NKJV).
• The Holy Spirit rules from 'within you' and 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.
• Spiritual gifts are the manifestation of the Holy Spirit operating together with the kingdom of God through believers (see 1 Corinthians 12:7-11).
When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21 NLT).
• 'Anyone living that sort of life' or 'those who practice such things' in NKJV 'will not inherit the Kingdom of God' (see also 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Ephesians 5:3-5).
• God manifests His kingly presence in a community that practices godliness (see Ephesians 5:3-5). Godly influence among Christians can build up an environment conducive for the Holy Spirit to manifest His presence, purpose, and power.
Walking in the Spirit gives you 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).
Walking in the Spirit puts you to live in the abundant providence of God.
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you (Matthew 6:33 NKJV).
• Seeking first the kingdom of God by walking in the Spirit and seeking first His righteousness through the justification of Christ's finished work releases on your life the abundant providence of God.
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-27 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.