The Power Of Having A Kingdom Mindset As A Modern-Day Christian.

The Importance of Learning To Think Like God In Today’s World

The music that we listen to, the TV shows that we watch and our time on social media can all have an influence on the way we think and behave. 

However, depending on what we’re watching and paying attention to, these things don’t always align with God’s thinking.

We have an enemy who is always on the prowl looking for opportunities to attack. The Bible warns us in 1 Peter 5:8, 

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

One of the biggest battlefields he’s prowling around on is the battlefield of our mind. All of our thoughts, past traumas, and experiences are fair game for the enemy.  And can I let you in on a not-so-little secret? 

He doesn’t fight fair. He will use family members, friends, and coworkers against you if he has to. 

This is why it’s important to God that we think like him.  Because when we do, we can start to win our daily battles. And as we win our spiritual battles, we ultimately bring glory to God and His kingdom. 

So in this article, we will discuss: 

• What it means to have a kingdom mindset
• The difference between a kingdom and a church mindset 
• The power of having a mind like Christ 
• Tips on how to think like God

Note: All scripture for the above and below in this article were borrowed from biblegateway.com. NIV used.  

What is a Kingdom Mindset

It may be obvious by now, but I first want to define what it means to have a kingdom mindset. Because as we know, God thinks very differently than the world does.  

Isaiah 55:8-9 states, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.” 

And this is God’s goal as you grow in Him. He wants you to think more like him and less like this world. 

To understand further, let’s examine some scriptures that relate to it. 

 Bible verses on a kingdom mindset

1. Colossians 3:2 tells us: 

“Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth.”

From this verse, we see that a kingdom mindset is having a mind and heart focused on God. With this mindset, one isn’t concerned with the distractions of this world and what it deems as important. 

Let me give you a personal example. 

A few months ago I wrote something that God had placed on my heart and published it on Instagram. After a few hours, the post received 3 likes. Some would call that a failure or a bad post.  

In this situation, Satan usually starts to stir up thoughts that sound like: 

“I don’t know why you’re writing all this. No one is reading your posts.”  

“No one is listening to you. You’re wasting your time.” 

In these instances, your calling and even your sense of worth is attacked.  

My former self would’ve believed his lies and stopped posting. But, God has been working with me over the years.  And I’m glad I didn’t remove the post and kept going.  Here’s why.  

A family member loved the post and commented that it was for her.  She then called me to tell me about a struggle she was having and how she felt God was speaking to her through the words I shared. During that phone call, I was able to encourage her in Christ and God ultimately got the glory.  

A worldly mindset would’ve been focused on the likes and applause of social media.  But, a kingdom mindset knows that if we help one person, that’s a win for God and a win for His kingdom.   

Let’s move on to the next scripture.  

2. Matthew 6:33 says:

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” 

Not only is a kingdom mindset heaven-focused, but it’s also placing the will of God as its number one priority. 

The world has this hustle-and-grind mentality. We see #teamnosleep and people doing whatever they can to make money and gather possessions. 

As you may know, money and possessions don’t bring you the ultimate treasure…peace. But, the mind of Christ does. 

Instead of spending all of your energy trying to obtain what the world glorifies, God is saying focus on me. He desires for you to find out what’s important to Him and chase after that. Then He will give you the desires of your heart if it’s good for you. 

3. Romans 12:2 states: 

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.” 

From this scripture, we can gather that those with a kingdom mindset do not seek to fit in with the world. The people of God are called to renew their minds each day to accomplish the goal of becoming more like Christ. 

It seems like social media, people, this world works overtime to tell you who you should be and what’s right or wrong.  The majority of the advice is to suit selfish ambitions and to please others with looks, talents, and praise.  

However, I can tell you from first-hand experience that taking the road less traveled was the best decision of my life.  

Choose to discover who you are in Christ. Let Him show you and take you on a journey beyond your wildest dreams.    

4. 2 Timothy 1:7 says:  

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and love, and a sound mind.”  

A kingdom mind is a sound mind. 

However, the world that we live in today is chaotic and challenges this daily.    Rising prices with inflation, concerns regarding global warming, and conflict with other countries are just a few on the list.    

Just turning on the news gives some people anxiety.  But of course, this is no surprise to God and he warns us of what is to come in the last days in Matthew 26:6-14. Scripture states, 

“ You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom.  There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.” 

As a child of God with a kingdom mindset (i.e. a sound mind), these things should not frighten us.  Standing on His word and His promises allows us to walk with a sound mind by doing what he advises in 2 Corinthians 10:5. The scripture states: 

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 

Kingdom Mindset vs Church Mindset

Some may think that a kingdom mindset and a church mindset can be used interchangeably. However, they can be quite different. 

To explain the difference between the two, you can look at the Pharisees and Jesus. 

Jesus had a kingdom mindset. He healed on the Sabbath. When people fell, he picked them up. When others scorned individuals, he went out of His way to speak to them. 

His actions led more people to come into the knowledge of God and the great gift of salvation. He didn’t care who you were or what worldly status you held. All were and are welcome. 

The Pharisees on the other hand had a mindset that didn’t follow one of the most important commandments. That commandment is to love your neighbor as you love yourself. 

They were all about laws that no human (but Jesus of course) could uphold. They had this standard of perfection that people were crucified for. And even though they knew it oppressed God’s people, they upheld it likely for their own selfish gain. 

Power of Kingdom Mindset

The Bible says as a man thinketh so is He. How have your thoughts been lately? Are they encouraging you or are they filled with ungodly fear?

Your mindset is essential to whether you succeed or fail in your Christian walk. Allowing discouraging thoughts to reign means that you put God in a box. 

Remember, it was by faith that Jesus said that people were healed and that their sins were forgiven.  

Your mindset and your faith are directly correlated. This is why it’s so important to God that you think like him.  

When you think like God putting your faith and trust in Him, you’ll be able to do what Jesus says in the following verses: 

Matthew 17: 20-21-He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

John 14:12-“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father.”

I am a witness to the power of a kingdom mindset.  When I was applying to med school, an advisor told me to apply to other programs as a backup.  

Well, I knew and believed in my heart that God had called me to be a physician.  I remember thinking, “Well you don’t know who my God is.” 

Statistics should have been against me, but my mindset was to believe in my heavenly Father. I trusted that His word would never return to him void.  

Well, this small-town girl who chose to believe God’s word sits here typing to you today as a board-certified physician.

 Developing a Kingdom Mindset

Now that we’ve discussed how powerful a kingdom mindset is, here are some tips God gave me on how to develop one.  

1. Spend time with God: For you to think like God, you must spend time with him. Remember that saying birds of a feather flock together? Now you may ask, how do I do that? Glad you asked.  A couple of obvious ways are through prayer and scripture.  Check out my blog article on simple ways to spend time with God throughout your day. 

2. Prayer: This is your direct line to heaven. In prayer, we’re able to connect with God on a deeper level.  We can give praise and gratitude while expressing our wants and needs.    

3. Worship: This is a jewel. This doesn’t have to occur only at church. It can happen in your car, in the shower, or dancing around your home. When you worship, you invite God in.  Watch how quickly your problems become small, your faith becomes bolder and your heart is put at ease.  

4. Guard your heart: Well, it’s more like guarding your heart and your mind.  Be aware of the company that you keep, the shows that you’re watching, and the music that you’re listening to.  I’m not saying you can only listen to gospel music.  But, if something is leading you down the wrong path and you feel that tug on your heart, that’s the Holy Spirit.  In that case, it’s time to reevaluate.  

5. Read encouraging books: In addition to the above, Christian books are also a great way to build your faith and help develop a kingdom mindset. One book that I would like to recommend is Battlefield of the Mind: Winning the Battle in Your Mind by Joyce Meyer. This book blessed my spirit. I read it years ago and recently began reading it for a second time.   

6. Fellowship: On the more extroverted side, join small groups with like-minded individuals at your church. Keep company with people that will help you to grow in Christ. 

7. Renew your mind daily: Changing your mindset won’t happen overnight. It’s something that has to be worked on.  Each day gets better. I promise. I’m also right there with you. We have to be conscious about what we are thinking about.  And when our thoughts don’t align with our Father’s, we must cast them down with his word of truth.   

8. Align your perspective with His: This has been an insanely valuable lesson that I have learned (and am still learning) from God. Many times, how we view things is not how God views them.  We can save ourselves a lot of headaches and trouble if we would get on the same page as God.  Let me give you an example. 

 Let’s say you get blessed with some extra money. And then your car breaks down or you have an unexpected medical emergency that comes with a bill.  In our flesh, we are tempted to say, “God, why? As soon as I get a little money, all these things start to happen.” But, from God’s perspective, he gave you the extra money to provide for you before you even saw the problem.  So in this case, we should be thanking him.  

If you have any other advice on how to develop a kingdom mindset and want to share, drop them in the comment section below!

Final Thoughts on the Importance of a Kingdom Mindset

A kingdom mindset is essential to walking in your purpose, winning your daily battles, and taking your place in the kingdom of heaven.  A man or woman who thinks and operates like God is a powerful child of God.  Hell shutters and Heaven cheers when they’re on the move.  

So, I hope that from this article, you have a better understanding of what a kingdom mindset is, including how it differs from a church mindset. I hope that you know the power of having one and how to continue in your pursuit of developing it.  

Until next time. 

-Dr. Jay

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

A few other things while you’re here:

1.  Be sure to sign up for our email list.  We post a new, encouraging blog article every Tuesday.  Check out the right-side panel of this article to sign up 
2. Be sure to check out our shop which features Angel wax melts and faith-based candles inspired by the women of the bible to encourage the women of today.  “Praying Hannah” and “Eve and the Forbidden Fruit” are now available.  Leah and the Proverbs 31 Woman should be launching in a few weeks. 

You can shop for Christian candles here.