KINGDOM THINKING
by W. G. Guy
The following is the result of information provided by the testimony of Dr. Richard Eby who suffered a massive head injury when he fell off a balcony onto a concrete sidewalk splitting his head open.[1] He died and went to be with the Lord in paradise but was returned to life after a remarkable period of time. He records his experience in paradise after his soul and spirit left his body, and especially lists his questions and answers of the Lord regarding being in His presence.
The most astounding part of this physician’s testimony is the revelation of how things happen in the spiritual realm of God’s Kingdom in heaven. In a portion of his testimony, Dr. Eby carefully described the beauty of the paradise he was in. He was standing in the midst of a field of lovely flowers. He then realized that he was in a spirit-type body instead of a physical one because he saw the flowers IN his legs as he was standing amongst them. When he lifted his leg, he was lifting it out of the flowers as though his leg passed right through them without disturbance.
He wanted to bend down and pick a bouquet of flowers so he could smell their aroma. Before he could even make the motion to stoop over toward the plants they were already in his hand and positioned at his nose to smell. He never moved, yet the very thing he wanted to do was accomplished just by thinking or desiring it.
He asked the Lord, “what happened, how did this occur?” What the Lord revealed to Dr. Eby at that moment is the basis of “kingdom thinking”. The Lord showed Dr. Eby that “the thought is the act; the thought is the fact”. What this means is that in the spirit realm of God’s Kingdom, you only have to think a thought, or have a desire, and it happens. No physical effort or material substance is required.
This is how things happen in Heaven, in God’s realm, in His Kingdom:
Isaiah 14:24 – The Lord of hosts has sworn, saying, “Surely, as I have thought, so it shall
come to pass, And as I have purposed, so it shall stand:
WOW! Just think it and it happens; it’s done! This is what we will experience in the next life in His presence. However, here is where we face a great problem. Currently we are very undisciplined in our thinking. Our thoughts in this life, and our imaginations, are not very honorable, if at all; and mostly very self-centered. It appears that our current thought life does not prepare us for the next life, the spiritual eternal life with Christ in His kingdom. This has been a problem ever since man succumbed to Satan’s tempting and became a sinner:
Genesis 6:5 - Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Scripture tells us that we are what we think:
Proverbs 23:7 – For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:
The way we think and what we think about, or imagine, defines who and what we really are, not what we show on the outside. Jesus gives us the warning about this very thing:
Matthew 5:27-28 – Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
In this verse, Jesus is telling us how things are in His kingdom. Such an intent or thought of the heart was just as good as doing it as far as He is concerned. If such a thought were committed in paradise, the act would have been accomplished just by the lustful gaze when pondered in the mind or in the heart (where intentions and desires are generated). It must be recognized that Jesus was speaking from His (kingdom’s) point of view, not ours. This is also the reason that so many people could not understand nor follow Him or His teachings: yes people were astonished and amazed at what He taught. They marveled, but didn’t embrace; just as it happens among people today.
1 Corinthians 2:11-14 – For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
The apostle Paul tells us that we need to change the way we think because our natural thought life does not conform to the Kingdom of God; our natural (fleshly) thought life is focused on this world and our own self interests and desires.
Romans 12:2-3 – And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Renewing our thought life is so important that it is repeatedly brought out by Paul in his writings to the churches.
Ephesians 4:22-24 – That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Colossians 3:10 – And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
It is in our thoughts that the enemy seeds his temptations and if we think on those things it is equivalent to watering those wicked seeds so that they grow until they produced the enemy’s desired effect on us – sin.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 – For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
How are you going to use your mind, your thoughts and your imaginations when you get to heaven? Perhaps now you see the reason for “renewed minds” and “renewed thinking”. Current selfish, lustful, worldly thoughts will not be tolerated in the kingdom. This is why we read Paul’s warning:
Galatians 5:19-21 – Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
How are the works of the flesh made manifest? …..by thoughts, (lusts and enticement, as we think on them.
James 1:14-15 – But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Such thinking produces the acts described above in which “they that do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” – Why? ….because of the evil thought patterns that are contrary to the kingdom of God!
God knows our thoughts and He is concerned about how we think:
Psalm 94:11 – The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.
Psalm 19:14 – Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
Jesus also knows our thoughts, whether they are honorable and pleasing to Him or dishonorable:
Matthew 9:4 – And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?
Jesus so loves us that he even directs us not to think on things that could generate fear and worry:
Matthew 6:25 – Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
He instructs us to think on His Kingdom – “Kingdom Thinking”!
Matthew 6:31-33 – Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Paul even directs us on what things we are to think on:
Philippians 4:8 – Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Remember, the way you think will determine the way you act; it will also reveal what you really are on the inside.
Proverbs 23:7 – For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:
So where do we begin to renew our thinking and thought life, ….when we get to heaven? NO! We are instructed to begin discipline (discipleship) here, now, in this life.
Ephesians 4:11-24 – And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
This is what true Christ-centered ministry is to do for us, to bring us to full maturity; into the fullness and likeness of Christ; prepared to rule and reign with Him in His Kingdom as kings and priests with him. It requires new thinking – KINGDOM THINKING, where - THE THOUGHT IS THE ACT – THE THOUGHT IS THE FACT!
Please recognize that the Kingdom of God is not a place or a location; it is a domain… where the king has dominion as the sovereign. Thus KINGDOM = the King’s DOMINION over His DOMAIN; His domain is that which is submitted and committed to Him as LORD! Whenever Jesus ministered by the grace of God to the people for healing He brought God’s domain to them saying, “the kingdom of God (or the domain of God) is nigh unto you”. This domain is entered into by FAITH in Jesus Christ and what He did.
Thank you Dr. Richard Eby for revealing this fact to us to help us prepare to rule and reign with Him in His Kingdom. It all starts with Jesus Christ, believing in His death on the cross for our sins, and His burial and Resurrection to bring eternal life to those who accept His truth.
[1] Details provided in “Didn’t You Read MY Book” published by Companion Press 1991 which documents the numerous miracles in Dr. Eby’s return to life after dying and being placed in the morgue, and how God kept him alive for days with no blood in his body as doctors were prevented from giving him blood since his death certificate was already signed.
