In this article, we're going to be looking at a very central topic in the kingdom. And we're going to be studying on heirs of God and their inheritance. So, we are going to understand by the help of the Holy Spirit; who are the heirs of God? Why are they called heirs of God? What is the benefit of them being called heirs of God? And what is their inheritance? There's a Scripture where Apostle Paul was saying, he said, when the heir is a child; he is not different from a slave.
That being an heir means that there is an inheritance that you have obtained, there is an inheritance you have received, and because of that, you have the opportunity to enjoy all of the inheritance that you have. So, we're looking at heirs of God and their inheritance.
So, we will start by understanding heirs of God, what does it mean to be an heir of God? Romans chapter 8:17, “And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together”.
And if children, then heirs, so if you know that you are a child of God, there's another layer of Revelation; you know that you are a child of God, because you have received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you have believed in Him, you have confessed with your mouth, and you have believed in your heart and you know that you are led by the Spirit of God. Yes, you are children of God.
The Bible makes us understand in verse 16 of Romans, he said, the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit, that we are children of God. So, the Holy Spirit bears witness with us that we are children of God, but it does not stop there: because many of us, where our revelation has stopped, where our understanding has stopped, or where our faith has stopped, is being children of God. But there is more to the kingdom, and there is more in the kingdom for you and I, apart from being children of God.
He said, and if children, then heirs; if you have believed that you are a child, if you have come to the understanding that you are a child of God, that the devil can no longer toss you to and fro, that the devil can no longer bamboozle you, the devil can no longer condemn you. Does God even know your address? Are you even sure that you belong to God? Are you even sure that God is concerned about you? Are you even sure that your prayer is even going pass this ceiling?
If you are sure that you are children of God, then there is another level of understanding you must come into and that's what the Holy Spirit wants to reveal to us. Then, heirs and not just heirs like that but heirs of God: he is now taking us further. You are heirs of God, why? This is because you are children of God.
He did not stop there; and joint heirs with Christ. Is it not getting interested? If children, then heirs; who is an heir? An heir is someone that is qualified by reason of relationship, by reason of blood to a lineage; meaning that, to be an heir; you are a son, and you are not an illegitimate son, you are a qualified son; you are legitimate. Nobody makes an illegitimate child an heir. So, the Bible says we are heirs of God.
So, we legitimately belong to God; we are not bastards, we are not illegitimate but we are legitimate by the blood of the Lamb. In Revelation, the Bible says they overcame by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony. So, you are a legitimate child of God by reason of the blood, then you have been qualified to be an heir. And you are heirs of God and joint heirs, what does it mean to be joint heirs? When the Bible says you are joint heirs with Christ, what does he mean?
Whatever Jesus Christ has access to, as He relates to God; you also have access to it: this is the Word of God. The Bible says heaven and earth may pass away but not one title of God's word will go unfulfilled. God is not a man that he will lie; God will not write a lie in His word, He doesn’t lie. So, when he says you are joint heirs with Christ, He is not making you feel good: it is the truth. So whatever Christ has access to, you have access to it. Why? You are joint heirs with Christ.
That's why the Bible says, we are seated with Christ. What makes us seated with Christ is because we are joint heirs. The Bible says we are seated with Christ in the heavenly places, far above; we are seated with Christ because we are joint heirs with Christ. And this thing does not drop on us like ripe pawpaw; it comes via faith.
That's why Jesus said; as I am, so are you in this world. He said, I'm going to My Father and your Father. Everything Jesus was; He started talking to us that we are. Then, how come it is difficult to understand that we are joint heirs with Christ? If Jesus can cast out demons; you can. If Jesus can raise the dead; you can. If Jesus can heal the sick; you can. Why? You are joint heirs: the same access.
If indeed we suffered with Him; you see that every statement there is if, it is conditional. So, it does not just jump on you; you have access: this is what they say; terms and conditions apply. You'll see promo!!! And you think that's how they want to give everything out like that, and then they will finish the advert and now say terms and conditions apply.
When you see if in the Scripture, it means terms and conditions apply. That's why the Scripture started with ‘and if children’, that's where the condition starts. And if children; so, the first condition is that you are a child, you are children. Why? I want to show us a Scripture in Proverbs chapter 13:22, “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous”.
A good man leaves an inheritance to his servants. Is that what is in Bible? No! A good man; because he is good, leaves an inheritance to his children's children: everything is about children. That's why Romans 8:17 started with and if children; what qualifies you for the inheritance is that you are a child. A good man; even though he is a good man does not leave inheritance for his servants and slaves; it is for his children’s children.
A good man leaves inheritance; gives inheritance to his children's children. Romans 8:17, and if children; so being a child of God is a big deal. Don't let anybody bamboozle you; don't let anybody tell you otherwise, being a child of God is a big deal. You don't qualify if you're not a child. You don't get enlisted if you're not a child: terms and conditions apply. What qualifies you for inheritance in the kingdom is that ‘and if children’.
So, if that status of being a child of God is not in check, you do not qualify. God is not a Father Christmas. God is not Santa Claus. God is the Creator of heavens and earth; He is a principled God. God has a family; the reason Jesus died is to bring people into the family of God.
The Bible says scarcely for a good man will somebody die. He said while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Why did He die for us? He died for us, so as to bring us into the family of God. Remember that Scripture in First Peter, it says that we have been translated out of the kingdom of darkness; another word for kingdom is family. We have been translated out of the family of darkness; we have been translated out of the association of darkness. We have been translated out of the realm of darkness; into the family of light: into the family of His dear Son, into the family of Christ. Inheritance is by blood.
If you are not related, you are not connected; it is the same thing with the kingdom. When we say life is spiritual, it is the spirituality of these realms: they are more vivid and more real, because the Bible says that the things that are made; are made out of the things that are invisible. The Bible says He set the solitary in families, the families we now have; they are types and shadows of the real deal. The real deal in the family is in the spiritual realm.
So, what family do you belong? It is a serious important question. Do you know in the realm of the spirit, you don't need to talk before your identity is shown? It is on earth that you have to introduce yourself. Once you appear in the spiritual realm, your identity is shown.
So, you can't introduce yourself into an inheritance; you are connected by relationship. If you are not related, you are not connected. The same thing if you are not related to the devil; you cannot be connected to him. The reason, the devil is still oppressing a lot of people is that there is a tie; there is a relation somewhere. The same thing if you are not related to God, you cannot connect to His inheritance.
I want us to see Galatians chapter 3:29, “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise”. And if you are Christ's, when you see Christ’s, you know from our elementary knowledge of English, if you see that Christ’s; you will see that it is a possessive noun.
If you are Christ's; meaning that if you are related to Him, if He owns you, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs. So, you see how the relationship comes? Now biologically, you are not Abraham seed, but see how you relate in that Galatians 3:29: and if you are Christ’s, so the question is, are you Christ's? Not meaning that are you Jesus Christ Himself, but do you belong to Him? Are you His? Does He have you? Does He own you?
So, this is how we relate, and if you are Christ’s, then, you see; often time from that Romans chapter eight, we saw ‘then’ twice there. Here again we are seeing ‘then’ meaning that: you have satisfied a term and condition. Then you are Abraham's seed. Why? This is because you are related to Christ; because you are related to Christ, you are connected to Abraham. And if you are Abraham's seed, and heirs: so being an heir is a big deal.
And heirs, according to the promise; another word for the inheritance is the promise. If you are Christ’s, if is there again not when: so, it is conditional; terms and conditions apply. If you are not Christ’s, you cannot be Abraham seed and you cannot be heirs of the promise. So, heirs of God are those that are Christ's. Who are the heirs of God? They are those that are Christ's. Those that have Christ as their Lord and Savior, they are the heirs of God: they are children of God and heirs of God.
Let us see Colossians chapter 1:12, “Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.” Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us; when you hear this statement, what comes to your mind? That means initially we were unqualified; then we were now qualified. Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. Verse 13 says; “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins”.
He has delivered us from the power of darkness: He has delivered us from the family of darkness and conveyed us; what does conveyed means? It means relocate, move, transport into the kingdom; another word for kingdom is family, the family of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood.
So, what did God do for us? His blood bought us back. What qualifies you as a child of God is that the blood of Jesus has bought you. You have been purchased with a price. That's why you’ve become Christ’s, He purchased you. And He did not purchase you to become a slave. He did not purchase you to become a servant; He purchased you to become a child and a son and an heir.
This is a study; it is so for us, so that we can see what has been appropriated to us in Christ so that when we are living our lives, we live in the understanding of who we are. If you don't know who you are, you will fall prey to the schemes; the devices of the devil, because what the devil will do is, he will be playing with your mind. Is that not what he did in Matthew chapter four? He said if you are the Son of God, turn this stone into bread. Does Jesus need the devil to tell Him that He is the Son of God? But imagine if Jesus was not grounded. If Jesus did not know who He was: His identity, He would have fallen prey. If He had said, devil, I will show you that I'm the son of God; did He need to show anything? No!
So, we see here that God has qualified us. You are qualified. You don't need to do extra things to be qualified; you are qualified by what God has done. John chapter 3:16, for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish into the family of darkness, will not perish by the power of darkness, will not perish in the kingdom of darkness, but will have everlasting life: will have an eternal connection with Him.
Now, I want us to see a Scripture, Psalm chapter 16:5-6, “O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
Yes, I have a good inheritance”.
O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance; this is a man that has understanding of who he is. You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup. You maintain my lot, what does it mean? You keep my place secured. I can't be robbed because the Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup. You maintain my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance.
So, when we're talking about the inheritance of the heirs of God, it is a good inheritance. The inheritance we're talking about is not the kind of inheritance that you just think you can just abandon. No! You have a good inheritance; you should be interested in your inheritance. Imagine now, let me give an example; a relatable one, that you suddenly realize that you are related to Warren Buffett. Let me explain it, I don't want to use another example in Nigeria.
Warren Buffett for many years; in fact till now, is among the richest men in the world, not in Africa, in the world. Warren Buffett gives so much; he is a philanthropist. He gives so much of his money that what is even left is more than enough to take care of his family and any other need he has. Now suddenly, Warren Buffett is about to die, then you realize that you are related to him. You got a letter saying that, Mr. Francis, this is a letter from the custodians of Warren Buffett estates, we just realized from investigation that you are related to him, you have been given a portion of his estates; we will love you to come in at a particular time and you come and listen to what falls to you out of the estates, and so that you can start enjoying it.
Are you going to sit down the way you are seated now? No! By every means possible, are you not going to plan to go there? Why? You believe it is a good inheritance. There are some of us, the kind of biological lineage we come from, even if they send you that kind of letter from your village, you will say the money that you will use to enter transport to the place, is not enough; maybe it is one drum, why? You know, it's not a good inheritance.
Now, the example I gave of Warren Buffett; the inheritance we have in Christ is far better. Well, you see, the reason why we're not excited about it is because it is not visible. You can't touch it. You can't quantify it. You can't reason it. But David understood it; he said, Yes, I have a good inheritance. You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot.
You know how interesting it is? That we have billions of people on the earth and in God, nobody can take your place. In God, your place is secured. He said, I know the thoughts that I have towards you says the Lord, they are thought of good and not of evil; to give you a future and a hope.
Let us go to Ephesians chapter 1:11, in Him also we have obtained an inheritance; in Him, who is Him? Christ. In Him we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will. You see, this Ephesians chapter one is deep, so we are going to take it piecemeal.
In Him we have obtained an inheritance, not will obtain. The inheritance is not in your future as it were, it is not in donkey years to come; we have obtained. As at the time Apostle Paul was writing to the Ephesians church, they had obtained; as at this time, we have also obtained an inheritance: being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will. God works it according to the counsel of His will.
Now this Ephesians 1:11-18 is now bringing all of the Scriptures we have read before together, we who first trusted; terms and conditions apply: in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him, you also trusted after you’ve heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. In whom also, haven believed; He is showing you your posture.
You were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. You see how He maintains your lot? How does God maintain our lot? He seals us with the Holy Spirit of promise. You are sealed; to seal means to secure. When something is sealed, you can't tamper with it. Your life and my life have been sealed in Christ with the Holy Spirit. Nobody can tamper with this life.
Who is the guarantee? The Holy Spirit; God sealed us with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee, that without any shadow of doubt, this inheritance is yours. The portion that falls to you will not be denied to you by the Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance. The Holy Spirit is the guarantee; your inheritance is sure by the Holy Spirit, until the redemption of the purchase possession, to the praise of His glory.
Verse 16, “Therefore, I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the Spirit of wisdom.” Now as heirs of God; these are the things we need to possess our inheritance. What was the first thing He mentioned? He mentioned the Spirit of wisdom.
As an heir of God, you cannot possess your inheritance without the Spirit of wisdom. Apostle Paul said after I have heard that you have fulfilled the terms and conditions. After I've heard that you're already on the path; he said, I started engaging in prayers for you, so that what is invisible for you; can become a visible experience. He said how will it become a visible experience? It becomes a visible experience; that the Father of glory may give to you the Spirit of wisdom.
What would the Spirit of wisdom do for you? After you have known what is yours in Christ, after you have received the knowledge that Christ have already obtained for you: an inheritance, you can now rightly apply the knowledge that you have received. It is the Spirit of wisdom that makes you and I as heirs of God to walk circumspectly as wise and not as fools. Let me dissect it: what does it mean? It means that; even though you are an heir, if the devil can get you to make the wrong choices, you will be denied of your inheritance. Why? Your Father is principled, for everything He has given to you; He has put terms and conditions.
Part of your inheritance is long life; what is the condition? Honor your father and your mother that your days may be long. They Bible says, with long life will I satisfy you and I will show you My salvation; it is an inheritance. But what is the condition? Honor your father and your mother that your days may belong, if the devil can make you fault the terms and conditions; he has denied you of your inheritance. What is missing? The Spirit of wisdom; you know, but you did not do it, and the blessing is not for those that know but for the doers.
When God said, serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and water, He will take sickness out of the midst of you. So, if you don't serve; that’s the term and condition! If you don't serve; that inheritance, even though it is there, you will be denied of it. So, if you study Matthew chapter four, the engagement of Jesus with the devil; what the devil was trying to do was not necessarily to collect from Jesus’s inheritance; he knows it is His, but he was trying to make sure that Jesus faulted the terms and the conditions that guarantees Him the inheritance.
That's why Apostle Paul was saying here in Ephesians chapter 1:17, when I noticed that you have started working with Christ, when I noticed that your faith in the Lord Jesus is genuine, that you have become children of God, and heirs of God, I started praying for you; because this prayer is what secures your place. This prayer is what will make you understand and work, and the Lord truly will become your inheritance and you will enjoy your good inheritance in Christ; the Spirit of wisdom.
It takes the Spirit of wisdom, to work in the terms and conditions of God; because you wonder, Apostle Paul said, the things I desire to do, I don't do them. The things that I don't want to do, I find myself doing them; there is another law at work in my members. When another law is at work in your members, what that law is trying to do is to make sure it denies you of your inheritance. Because the things you are supposed to do in Christ, when you do them, you will obtain your inheritance. So, we need the Spirit of wisdom; the Spirit of wisdom is the Spirit that allows you, and aligns you with the instructions of God. The Bible says who knows the heart of God; save the Spirit of God.
The Spirit of wisdom and revelation; number two, Revelation and it is not just anyhow revelation, he said revelation in the knowledge of Him. As an heir of God, how do you lay hold of your inheritance? It is by revelation in the knowledge of Him: Christ Jesus. No wonder Apostle Paul said, that I may know Him, the power of His resurrection, the fellowship of His sufferings being conformed even to His death.
The revelation! Looking unto Jesus; the Author and the Finisher of my faith, for the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross; He despised the shame. Revelation! What will help us lay hold of our inheritance is revelation in the knowledge of Him. If you know Him, you will connect with Him and connect with the inheritance that is in Him. When you know Christ, you will know what belongs to Him. The Bible says we will know what has been freely given to us. Revelation in the knowledge of Him helps you to know what has been freely given to you, so that you can now lay hold; you can demand it by faith.
Verse 18, the eyes of your understanding, we've looked at Spirit of wisdom, revelation in the knowledge of Him. Number three, and the eyes of your understanding being enlightened to lay hold of your inheritance, you must not be blind in the Spirit. To lay hold of your inheritance, you must not be blind spiritually. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, you must understand the times and the seasons; and what God has appropriated in it for you.
Jesus entered into a town and they didn’t receive Him, and He said woe to them, because they didn't even understand the day of their visitation. What was the problem of these people? Was Jesus absence? No! Jesus was present, their inheritance was there, but the eyes of their understanding were not enlightened.
Heirs of God require the eyes of their understanding to be enlightened. Why? That you may know; what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. That you may know, via the Spirit of wisdom; that you may know, via the revelation of the knowledge of Him; that you may know, via the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know. These are three critical pillars upon which heirs of God obtained their inheritance.
The devil keeps denying children of God of their inheritance because they don't know, and when he met Jesus that knew, he had to leave Him. That the devil came to you is not the problem; that he triumphed over you is the problem. If the devil could come to Jesus, he will come to you. Jesus said, if they persecuted Me, they will persecute you. If they did not listen to Me, they will not listen to you: remember that Scripture where Jesus was saying that. If the devil came to Jesus, he will come to you. Don’t say why should the devil come to me, I'm a child of God? The problem is not that the devil came; the problem is that you allowed him to triumph.
1 Peter chapter 1:3-4, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you”.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again. What was the first time He begot us? The first time He begot us is in Genesis chapter one. He has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance; He begot us to an inheritance incorruptible.
If you received Jesus at sixty, the inheritance, you will still obtain it; because it is incorruptible: to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you. Do you see ‘for you’ there? The inheritance is for you. The inheritance is for me. The inheritance is reserved for you.
So, you’ll understand where in Psalm 16:5-6 when David was saying, “O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance.”
So as heirs of God, what should we do? Psalm 2:8, “Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession.” See what God said, He said, ask of Me; don't sit down and say God, can't you see me? If you truly love me, you will give it to me. Psalm 2:8, Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance; what was the instruction? The instruction was ask of Me; and the ends of the earth for your possession.
Are we ready as heirs of God to ask of Him? Are we ready as children of God to understand that we have become heirs and joint heirs with Christ? What is the inheritance, and what is the possession that you have seen in Christ that you desire?
