Grace in Galatians (Part 121): Understanding Your Position as an Heir

https://youtu.be/BAHxGkMW_rM

Today, we continue our series entitled “Living the Grace Life,” where we will learn to embrace and walk in God’s unmerited, unearned, and often undeserved favor throughout 2025.

As part of this series, I am teaching a verse-by-verse exposition of the book of Galatians.

Key scriptures for this year:

(2 Corinthians 9:8 TPT)

"Yes, God is more than ready to overwhelm you with every form of grace, so that you will have more than enough of everything—every moment and in every way. He will make you overflow with abundance in every good thing you do."

(Galatians 5:4 TPT)

"If you want to be made right with God by fulfilling the obligations of the law, you have cut off more than your flesh—you have cut yourselves off from Christ and have fallen away from the revelation of grace!"

(Romans 6:14 ERV)

"Sin will not be your master, because you are not under law. You now live under God's grace."

(1 Corinthians 15:10 CEV)

"But God treated me with undeserved grace! He made me what I am, and his grace wasn't wasted. I worked much harder than any of the other apostles, although it was really God's grace at work and not me."

Scripture we will study today:

(Galatians 4:1-2 TPT)

“Now, let me illustrate: As long as the heir is a minor, he’s not really much different from a slave, even though he actually owns everything. He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father.”

(Galatians 4:1-2 NLT)

“Think of it this way. If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, those children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up, even though they actually own everything their father had. They have to obey their guardians until they reach whatever age their father set.”

Supporting scriptures:

(Romans 8:17 NLT)

“And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.”

(Ephesians 1:3 NLT)

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.”

(1 Corinthians 3:21-23 NLT)

“So don’t boast about following a particular human leader. For everything belongs to you—whether Paul or Apollos or Peter, or the world, or life and death, or the present and the future. Everything belongs to you, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.”

(2 Peter 1:3 NLT)

“By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.”

(Hebrews 11:6 NLT)

“And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”

(1 Corinthians 3:16 NLT)

“Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?”

Setting the Stage:

Yesterday, we discovered that you must intentionally believe for Abraham’s blessing! We learned that while both the blessing of Jesus (spiritual) and the blessing of Abraham (natural) are yours through Christ, you must actively apply your faith for Abraham’s blessing. The blessing doesn’t come automatically! We established that God knows what you need before you ask (Matthew 6:8), but James 4:2 says, “you have not because you ask not!” We must ask in faith, without wavering, for the fullness of our inheritance to manifest!

Now Paul shifts gears and gives us a powerful illustration about position versus experience. He’s using an analogy that would have been immediately understood in the ancient world: if you have a child who is underage, that child may be an heir, and you want to give that child everything you have destined and planned for them to have. However, because they’re underage, they need somebody to make decisions on their behalf. They are not fully capable of managing the right or the responsibility of the fullness of what you want to give them until the fullness of time has come.

But here’s where Paul’s analogy gets powerful: he’s comparing and contrasting the Old Covenant with the New Covenant! Under the Old Covenant, God’s people were like children under guardianship. They were governed by external rules, external laws, and external regulations. They had to visit the temple of God, where the Holy Spirit dwelt in the Holy of Holies. They needed priests to mediate. They needed the Law to govern them from the outside because they didn’t have the Holy Spirit living inside them!

But under the New Covenant, everything changed! The Holy Spirit is no longer external; He is internal! We no longer visit the temple of God where the Holy Spirit is; we ARE the temple and the Holy Spirit lives IN US! 1 Corinthians 3:16 declares, “Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?” This changes everything!

Because of this internal transformation, we don’t need the tutor anymore! We don’t need the guardian anymore! We have access now to the fullness of what God wanted from the beginning! And what God wanted was for humans to be filled with Him, to have a direct connection to Him Spirit-to-spirit, and then to be able to execute the Kingdom dominion, power, and authority that He destined from the beginning of time!

So, what does this mean for you today? A few things.

1. You Can Legally Own Everything But Practically Experience Nothing If You Don’t Understand Your Position!

Paul’s illustration is powerful: an heir who is a minor owns everything but experiences nothing because he lacks the knowledge and maturity to access what belongs to him! This is the condition of countless believers. They are spiritually wealthy but experientially poor because they don’t understand their position in Christ and what changed when the Holy Spirit took up residence inside them!

How this applies to you:

— You are Abraham’s seed through Christ, which means you legally own the blessing of Abraham! But if you don’t know this, don’t believe this, and don’t declare this, you’ll live in poverty (spiritually and naturally) even though you are an heir to divine provision!

— This is partly why Paul has spent three chapters establishing your identity and position! You can’t access what you don’t know you have! The blessing is yours, but your experience of the blessing depends on your knowledge of your inheritance and your faith to access it!

— Many believers pray like beggars instead of heirs because they don’t understand their position! They say, “God, if it’s Your will, please provide for me,” when they should be saying, “Father, I thank You that as Abraham’s seed, provision is my inheritance! I access by faith what You’ve already given by grace!“

— Here’s the key: immaturity doesn’t change ownership, but it does impact experience! A five-year-old heir doesn’t lose his inheritance just because he’s young, but he can’t access it until he matures and learns how to operate in his position! The same is true spiritually!

— This is why knowledge of God’s Word is so critical! 2 Peter 1:3 says God “has given us everything we need” through knowing Him! Your knowledge of who God is and who you are in Him determines your access to what you already possess! Without knowledge, you’ll live like a servant even though you’re a son!

— Stop living beneath your inheritance! You own everything through Christ, but you must mature in your understanding and activate your faith to experience what you possess!

— Heirs who know who they are don’t beg, they receive. They make a demand on what is legally theirs, and if they have come to the age where they are capable of managing what is theirs, nothing is withheld from them. Understanding this should change the way you pray and live!

2. Under the Old Covenant, God’s People Were Governed by External Rules; Under the New Covenant, You’re Led by the Internal Holy Spirit with Full Access!

This is the heart of Paul’s analogy! Under the Old Covenant, God’s people were like minors under guardianship. They were governed by external laws, external priests, and external temple worship. They had the promises through Abraham, but they couldn’t fully access them because they didn’t have the Holy Spirit living inside them! But now, through Christ, everything has changed! You’re no longer governed by external rules; you are led by the internal Spirit!

How this applies to you:

— Under the Old Covenant, access to God was limited and external. Only priests could enter the Holy of Holies, only certain people could perform certain functions, and everyone was under the Law’s restrictions. They had to visit a physical temple because God’s presence was external, not internal. They owned the promises through Abraham, but their access was limited because they were like children under a guardian!

— But here’s the supernatural change: when you received Christ, the Holy Spirit came to live inside you! You became the temple of God! 1 Corinthians 3:16 declares, “Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?” This means God’s presence is no longer external. He is internal! You don’t visit God’s house; you are God’s house!

— This shift from external to internal is the game-changer! Under the Old Covenant, the Law governed people from the outside, telling them what to do and what not to do. But under the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit leads you from the inside! Romans 8:14 says, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” You’re not controlled by external rules anymore; you’re led by an internal relationship!

— Hebrews 10:19-20 says, “And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus!” You’re not under restrictions anymore! You have full access to the Father, full access to His resources, full access to His presence! You’ve been promoted from minor under external guardians to mature son with internal Spirit-guidance!

— This means you don’t need a human mediator between you and God! You don’t need to go through a priest; you are a priest (1 Peter 2:9)! You don’t need someone else to access God on your behalf; you have direct access through Jesus! You’re not a child under external supervision; you’re a mature son with an internal Spirit-connection!

— Many believers still live like they’re under the Old Covenant, thinking they need someone else to pray for them or that they can’t approach God directly. No! The Holy Spirit lives in you! You have a direct Spirit-to-spirit connection with the Father! God wants you to have boldness when you enter the throne room! Why? Because you are a SON!

— Romans 8:15 says, “You did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father!’” You’re not living under the fear and restrictions of the external Law anymore! You’re living in the freedom and access of internal sonship! You can call God “Abba” (Daddy) because you’re His mature son with the Holy Spirit living inside you, giving you full rights and direct access! Say “AMEN” to that!

3. The Fullness of What God Wanted Was Spirit-to-Spirit Connection So You Could Execute Kingdom Dominion and Authority!

Here’s the ultimate revelation: God’s plan from the beginning was not external religion but internal relationship! He didn’t want people visiting a temple; He wanted to live inside them! He didn’t want external rules controlling them; He wanted internal transformation empowering them! And the purpose? So you could execute the Kingdom dominion, power, and authority that He destined from the beginning of time!

How this applies to you:

— Think back to the Garden of Eden! God created Adam and Eve to walk with Him in direct fellowship, Spirit-to-spirit connection, and to exercise dominion over the earth! Genesis 1:26 says, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” God’s original plan was for humans filled with Him, connected to Him Spirit-to-spirit, executing His authority on earth!

— Sin interrupted that plan! When Adam and Eve sinned, they lost that direct Spirit-to-spirit connection. They hid from God’s presence. The internal connection was broken, and humanity needed external rules to govern them because they no longer had internal transformation! The Law served as a guardian, an external tutor, until the fullness of time came!

— But Christ restored what Adam lost! Jesus got us OUT OF the mess that Adam got us INTO! When you received Christ, you didn’t just get forgiveness; you got the Holy Spirit living inside you! The direct Spirit-to-spirit connection was restored! Romans 8:16 says, “For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.” You have what Adam had before the fall: a direct connection with God!

— And with that connection comes authority! Jesus said in Luke 10:19, “Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy.” You’re not just saved; you’re empowered! You’re not just forgiven; you’re filled with the Holy Spirit! You’re not just a believer; you’re a Kingdom representative with dominion authority!

— You’re not meant to just survive; you’re meant to reign! You’re not meant to just get by; you’re meant to dominate! You’re not meant to be a victim; you’re meant to be victorious! And this is what God wanted from the beginning!

— Many believers are saved but powerless because they don’t understand that the indwelling Holy Spirit gives them access to Kingdom authority! They pray like they’re still under the Old Covenant, begging God to do something instead of understanding they have the Holy Spirit inside them, giving them authority to enforce what Jesus already accomplished!

— Stop living like you’re still waiting for God to show up! He already showed up, and He lives in you! Stop praying like you need external help when you have internal power! The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you (Romans 8:11)! It’s time to execute what God destined from the beginning, and you can do so by the grace of God!

4. Stop Living Like a Servant When You Are A Son!

Paul’s point is clear: there’s no reason for an heir to live like a slave! Yes, there was a season of minority under external guardianship, but that season is over! The fullness of time has come! Christ has arrived! The Holy Spirit has been given!

How this applies to you:

— Many believers have been saved for years, but still live like spiritual children under external rules! They’re always dependent on others to pray for them, always needing someone else to “get a word from God” for them, always living in spiritual immaturity! But God wants you to grow up into mature sonship with internal Spirit-leading!

— Some believers are even going back to Law-based living! They’re trying to relate to God through performance, through following rules, through external behavior modification. But Paul says that’s spiritual regression!

— 1 Corinthians 3:21-23 says, “Everything belongs to you—whether Paul or Apollos or Peter, or the world, or life and death, or the present and the future. Everything belongs to you!” Did you catch that? Everything! Not some things, not most things: everything! You’re not a slave with limited access under external restrictions; you’re an heir with unlimited access through internal Spirit-connection!

— If you’re living in constant anxiety about provision, you’re living like a slave or a servant, focused on external rules. Who you are is a son with the internal indwelling of the Holy Spirit who will assure you daily! If you’re operating in fear instead of confidence, you’re living beneath your position!

— Stop worrying, “What if God doesn’t come through?” and start declaring, “The Holy Spirit lives in me, and He’s more than enough!” Stop saying, “I hope God will help me,” and start saying, “The Spirit of the living God dwells in me, giving me wisdom, power, and authority!” Stop living in fear of external circumstances and start living in confidence of internal presence! Mature sons don’t doubt their Father’s provision; they rest in the internal witness of the Spirit!

That's enough for today.

Declaration of Faith:

Father, I thank You that I am an heir, not a slave, through Christ!

I declare that I legally own everything You’ve given me through Jesus!

I refuse to live beneath my inheritance any longer!

The Holy Spirit lives in me—I am the temple of God!

I have direct Spirit-to-spirit connection with You, Father!

I don’t need external rules to govern me; I have internal Spirit-power to lead me!

I have been promoted from minor under guardians to mature son with full access!

I boldly approach Your throne because the Holy Spirit in me gives me confidence!

I have everything I need for life and godliness through the indwelling Spirit!

I am not governed by external Law; I am led by internal grace!

I execute Kingdom dominion and authority because Your Spirit empowers me!

Everything belongs to me because I belong to Christ, and the Spirit of Christ lives in me!

I am Living the Grace Life in 2025 and beyond, and GREATER IS COMING FOR ME!

I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!