Kingdom State of Mind

I wrote this in May 2010...........

There’s a song I really like by Alicia Keys. It’s all about New York and some of the lines are

“Baby, I'm from New York
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of,
There's nothing you can't do,
Now you're in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Hear it for New York, New York, “

This singer loves New York; it empowers her; she can do anything – it's where dreams are made. I’ve heard the song lots on the radio, and enjoy singing along to it. Then a few days ago, I found out the title of the song. It’s called “Empire State of Mind”.  I like the title more than I like the song. I think it sums up the song perfectly. However it almost seems too profound or clever for a pop song. If you believe what you see on TV, it seems people in New York do have this state of mind...it’s not just a city, it’s an empire. It’s part of who they are.

This got me thinking about me. As a child of God, there’s nothing I can’t do in Him. I’m part of a bigger and better empire...I’m a part of the Kingdom of God. Therefore, I should have a Kingdom State of Mind. But what is a Kingdom state of mind? Well Jesus is our ultimate example and if we look at Him, we see that He totally had a kingdom state of mind. I was reading in John 5 today about when Jesus was in Jerusalem, and He passed by the pool at Bethesda. There was man there who had been unable to walk for 38 years. That’s a long time. He wanted to get in this pool but he couldn’t. He just sat and watched others get in.
Then along came Jesus. Do you know what Jesus’ first words to this man were when He saw him? “Do you want to become well?” It’s an odd question. This pool was renowned in the time for healings when the water was swirling.

His bed was there – so it is implied that he lived there, or spent a lot of time there. He probably wouldn’t have been able to travel there each day as he couldn’t even get himself in the pool. He obviously had no friends/family or they would have helped him get in the pool. He was there because he wanted to get in the pool and get well. But Jesus asked him first if he wanted to be well. He then told him to get up, pick up his bed and walk. Simple. Done. Healed.

But Jesus knew this would cause controversy. It was a Sabbath. Jews can’t do anything that constitutes work on a Sabbath, and picking up your bed is clearly a no-no as the Jews were asking why he had done such a thing on the Sabbath. Now Jesus wanted to be sure the man wanted his healing more than his religious rituals. The man was a Jew – we know this because Jesus found him shortly afterwards in the Temple. So the man knew he had to do whatever Jesus said if he wanted his healing. Even if it meant going against the Jewish customs. Jesus was a Jew – only a few chapters before in John chapter 2 He stormed into the Temple and cleared all the market traders and money exchangers away. He knew the law. He respected the law and the Temple. But He has a Kingdom State of Mind, not a religious state of mind. He loved people above all else. This is a main trait of having a Kingdom State of Mind.

Jesus healed on the Sabbath a lot. He went to eat with sinners and tax collectors. Wherever He went, He surrounded Himself with people that the Jewish leaders wouldn't mix with and He displayed God’s love for people above anything else. One of the most famous verses in the Bible, John 3 v 16 is the best example of Kingdom state of mind. This is from the Message translation and if we can begin to develop an understanding of this, we can begin to renew our minds too...to have a Kingdom State of Mind. It’s not about judgement and law. It’s all about love:

“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted”

If we keep this in the centre of our heart....that God gave His Son for you, me, the person next door, the person at work, the person who just cut you up at the roundabout.....He came not to judge them, but to love them and make them whole and bring them to Himself. When we get this in our heart truly, then we’ll begin to develop a Kingdom State of Mind. We’ll declare Jesus, and His Word in everything we do; we’ll know nothing is impossible with God....we’ll be a light in the darkness, inspiring others to be all they can be in Him. Our praises for God will go forth and be louder than any anthem the world offers.