Heavenly Reality – Seeing Beyond the Trap of the Tangible World
There’s a phrase out there that goes something like this: “Don’t be so heavenly minded that you’re no earthly good.”
Growing up in a Christian family and church, I’ve heard that multiple times and always as if it’s just a solid saying that we should all keep in mind.
A generous interpretation I take of this is that it’s important to have an impact on the world around us, not just walking around, waiting to cash in our ticket to heaven. If this is the argument, then I agree overall… but I have to make a distinction.
If you ask me, it’s more of a problem to be too earthly minded than too heavenly minded.
I want to be so heavenly minded that I’m more earthly good.
Being heavenly minded should not make you less engaged with having a positive impact on the world around you. If it is, you’re doing it wrong.
I fully believe that Christians should propagate heaven’s reality here on earth. Why? Because that’s basically what Jesus did, and it’s what he wants us to pray into:
“Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
– Matthew 6:9-10
If we’re here to positively impact the world around us, what better way is there to do that than to be in tune with the spiritual reality – heaven’s reality – and to contend for that reality to be released through us on earth?
It will make a huge impact on your own life as well. Want to know how? Keep reading…
Recognize where the battle is…
It’s not against flesh and blood
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
– Ephesians 6:12
Being heavenly minded should help us remember the spiritual reality behind the struggles we face. It’s like a backstage pass to see what’s actually going on.
Instead of letting the tangible battles distract us, we can slow it down. We can ask Holy Spirit for insight.
Maybe someone cut you off on the freeway. Instead of a knee-jerk reaction, you pause and ask, “what are You wanting to show me right now that the enemy wants me too distracted to see?”
Personally, with all the craziness of 2020-2021, I have often reminded myself of that verse in order to help me not to judge politicians or people I disagree with online too harshly. I see all that’s happening and I wonder how it’s even possible that all of this could be for real. But when I remember “not against flesh and blood,” it makes a bit more sense.
Look past the enemy’s agenda
“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience…”
– Ephesians 2:1-2
The enemy does have an agenda, and his agenda tends to be broadcast loud and clear here on earth. If you take the path of least resistance, his agenda will be the one you see. It will be the one bringing you fear, the one to which you react.
On the other hand, if you “set your mind on things above,” and search out resources that are also intentional about doing so, you might be surprised to find that God is always doing amazing things (and you might be surprised at your surprise… because, of course He is).
God is never playing defense
God and Satan are not evenly matched. In the spiritual battle, God is never on the defensive. I see this as good cause for us to not operate defensively toward the enemy either.
In Matthew, Jesus says that “the gates of hell will not prevail” against His church. I heard a sermon once point out a profound fact that I had always overlooked: gates are not an offensive weapon. Hell is playing defense.
That means that the church is the offense – ready to break down the gates of hell – and there’s nothing the enemy can do about it. He’s the retreated prey, and we are “more than conquerors.” (Romans 8)
So I entreat you, live from belief in the victory of the Lord. Ask Him to show you more of how heaven is invading earth, even now, in these crazy days.
When you see from heaven’s perspective…
When you apply a heavenly perspective in your life as a habitual practice, you will more readily identify the things that do not align with heaven. You will see them as things you’re invited to change.
Instead of resigning yourself to the fact that your car always breaks down and you can’t afford to get a better one – for one thing I would say to believe for provision to get another car, but for the purposes of this post, I want to make a different emphasis:
Pray over your car, for it to run better.
The forgotten power of prayer – my car
I drove my first car around for at least a year, maybe two, without AC. I live in the Sacramento area of CA where 100+ degree temperatures are common all summer (June through September), so it is not a fun thing to be without AC. When I finally got it fixed, it only worked for about a year before it started to fritz again. And it was August.
I’m not kidding when I say that I would be driving and it would stop working and I would pray over it and it would start working again. I literally prayed my AC along until the weather cooled down and I didn’t need it.
I finally got a new car the following summer, but that miracle happened, and because of it I now have precedential experience that helps me remember to apply faith to even the most random things that I want shifted.
The more I do it, the more precedent I have, and the easier I remember going forward.
My old laptop spontaneously stopped working when I was typing up my last homework assignment of the semester when I was in college. I initially panicked. Then I slowed down, and I prayed over it. I hit the power button (which I had tried multiple times already), and it came on. I got a replacement over the summer, but my old one got me through my last assignment, and was still working when I replaced it.
Again, because of these experiences, I have extra faith to see broken “things” restored. It becomes more of a natural response for me to look to heaven first for answers. And ultimately, it helps my mind to be more inclined to the greater reality than the one I’m used to.
It doesn’t have to work – just accept the invitation
Don’t get me wrong – it doesn’t always “work” when I pray over something. I don’t always think of it and sometimes I don’t feel like it even when I do think of it. By no means is this a perfect or even a stellar record.
But when I’ve seen things I’ve prayed for fixed or people I’ve prayed for healed, it’s part of how I train my mind not to just accept the “fallen world” around me.
I love this passage from Romans 8:
“For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope;because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.”
To me, this is an invitation to call the “fallen world” out of bondage.
Experimenting with calling creation higher
I had some dahlias last year that were getting eaten by slugs. I prayed over them and saw significant improvement. I’m not saying that just as someone who paid enough attention to tell the difference. Legitimately, it went from looking like a thoroughly sad, eaten, holey plant, to a beautiful flowering plant that had just a couple nasty leaves you’d only really notice if you were looking for them (you might say it went from “holey” to “holy”! – sorrynotsorry).
Creation is longing to be called higher. I don’t know what that looks like, but we have been given authority – we have Christ in us and He has all authority. Let’s explore what He might want to do through us.
What does bringing the kingdom on earth look like to Him? To you?
Walking in authority…
I’m going to drop some verses here to help us out:
“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
– Matthew 28:18
“Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.“
– Luke 10:19
“Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
– 1 John 4:4
“And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
– Mark 16:17-18
“And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases…”
– Luke 9:1
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.”
– John 14:12
“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
– Matthew 16:19
“And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’”
– Genesis 1:28
I want to point out that last one – obviously that’s from the garden of Eden, but I feel like we should be walking in even more authority than God gave Adam and Eve, because, again, we have Holy Spirit living in us.
Our source and His desire for us
I’m not trying to suggest that we should somehow not attribute this authority to God. By all means, please, stay humble and recognize the source of “…every good and perfect gift…” (James 1:17) in your life.
But I feel like we are more apt to shy away from the authority we have through Him, when, clearly, He wants us to walk in it. He wants us to crush Satan under our feet. He wants us to walk in freedom, not in bondage to anything: “Let us throw off everything that hinders…” (Heb. 12:1).
The journey and the fruit of taking authority
As I’ve experimented with this the past couple years, there was a year-plus long stretch where I didn’t get sick at all.
There was an instance or two where I felt like something might be coming on, but I stood on the authority I’ve been given and I broke agreement with sickness.d instead of waking up the next morning with sickness fully manifest, I woke up feeling better.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that taking communion every day is a big component of this victory, but I will have to save the detail on that for another post.
I believe God enjoys when we experiment in our God-given authority with Him. If the fruit of the spirit isn’t there and if it isn’t aligned with the heavenly, “higher reality,” then it’s probably not a great use of authority. But there’s grace to make mistakes.
I think God, just as a loving father here on earth, would rather see us feel safe enough to take risks and make mistakes than to live suppressed lives out of fear of disappointing Him or messing up.
Counsel and conscience
Keep wise counsel in your life. Ask Him for more wisdom and discernment. Continue to listen to His still, small voice – to your conscience. In fact, I will make a point of saying: don’t violate your conscience.
If this pricks your conscience and you don’t know why, it could be from false mindsets – in which case, please take it before Holy Spirit for clarity and possibly breakthrough in that. Let Him speak truth to you. [Note: I’m only saying this if you desire to walk in what I’m sharing but you feel a block and you don’t know why and/or you want it removed.]
In closing…
Ultimately, I hope that this encourages and (dare I say) empowers you!
Probably the best way to be a force for earthly good is through the heavenly mindset I’ve just described.
Let yourself view your life through this lens – how can I bring heavenly reality to this situation? To my life? To my relationships?
We know that things here are not as they “should be.” So how should they be? What is the role Holy Spirit is inviting us into in that?
Happy exploring, friends!
