The means to reign

The economy of the kingdom of God is based on life; the life of Christ is the riches of the kingdom. This is what the kingdom of God brings to us.

We do not have the life from above in our bodies. Our body is dead to what God intends.

"And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness." Romans 8:10

We can be born again, with the Spirit dwelling within us, and yet have a body without life. This is the point in Romans 7. A law is at work in the body that is opposed to the law at work in our minds. We find that we do not do the things that we want to do, but do the things that we do not want.

This is not an issue of "willpower"; this is an issue of authority. Sin reigns through the death that comes from sins. Sin has the authority to reign. We cannot wish this away, or work it away. Sin has authority to keep us its slaves because of death.

The kingdom of God can deal with sin because it brings life. Sin reigns through death; where there is life, sin does not reign.

"...as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 5:21

Grace reigns where there is life. The kingdom of sin has no authority where there is life.

But God can give life to our mortal bodies here.

"But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you." Romans 8:11

In the landscape of our world, under the domain of darkness, with sin reigning in each individual, there are exceptions. The heavens have bowed down in places; in places there is life. In those places sin does not reign; the King reigns there. The kingdom of God is near in those places. Life is at work where the kingdom of God is near. This is the only place where life is found.