What if being “heavenly minded” is the key to being powerfully effective on earth? It’s an interesting thought when considering how to be useful to God and impactful in life. The phrase “heavenly minded” is often misunderstood and can seem intimidating to some, who believe that focusing too much on spiritual matters might make one less effective or valuable in this world. However, there is no verse in the Bible that states, “If you’re too heavenly minded, you won’t be any earthly good.”
The truth is that when you are heavenly minded, like Jesus, you will accomplish greater works for the glory of God, in accordance with His will for your life. As stated in John 14:12 (NKJV): “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.”
Why Should we be Heavenly-Minded?
Matthew 6:31–34 (NKJV) 31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
In the world, we are often preoccupied with our earthly concerns, which tend to dominate our thoughts, priorities, and pursuits in life. God understands and acknowledges our physical needs, and encourages us not to worry. Jesus does not deny the necessity of food, shelter, or clothing; rather, he reframes these needs as additions to our lives, not the central and eternal aim. Anxiety limits our vision to mere survival, whereas the kingdom of God expands it to include purpose. God desires us to pursue and live for something greater, urging us to prioritize our pursuits, focusing first on two essential and lasting aims in our lives:
Firstly, we must seek God’s reign and rulership in our lives. This means allowing Him to direct our thoughts, feelings, speech, actions, and decisions — not just acknowledging His reign in heaven and on earth. Through our faith in Jesus Christ, we have access to the Kingdom of God by grace. The Bible states in Matthew 6:33 that our first pursuit and priority in life should be to seek the kingdom of God. In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus emphasizes that we should address our prayers to God as our Father in heaven, where He resides and reigns from His throne. Jesus highlights that God’s kingdom should come and His will be done, not just in heaven but on earth as it is in heaven (see Matthew 6:9–10). Seeking the Kingdom of God also involves sharing the gospel, as God desires everyone to be saved and gain access to His kingdom. This is why soul-winning is so essential. The Bible states that he who wins souls is wise (see Proverbs 11:30), and Jesus commands us to go into the world, share the gospel, baptize, and make disciples — all for the purpose of people having entry into the kingdom of God. Heaven is where God’s throne is located, where His will, judgments, and decisions are exercised. The throne of God symbolizes His kingship and judgment. By seeking the Kingdom of God, we are fundamentally seeking a relationship with God Himself as a person, His principles and precepts established from heaven, His plans and purposes enacted from heaven, His power flowing from heaven, and ultimately His place of residence, where He carries out His work on earth, is also where only those who believe in His Son Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour and Lord will be with Him.
Secondly, we must also seek God’s righteousness. To reside in God’s kingdom in heaven, we are called and commanded to reflect His attributes of righteousness. We are not merely going to heaven to live in God’s presence; we must also embody the qualities of holiness associated with God’s nature and character. As Psalm 85:11 declares, righteousness will look down from heaven. Paul further emphasizes that the Kingdom of God we should seek first in our pursuits is also righteousness, along with peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (see Romans 14:17). As we allow God to be Lord and ruler over our lives, the outcome of our transformed lives through His Spirit is righteousness, which Jesus instructs us to seek.
When we prioritize seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness — taking care of the Father’s business, just as young Jesus did in His early years — we can expect all other things to be added to us by God’s grace and provision. As believers, our true citizenship resides in the Kingdom of Heaven (see Philippians 3:20). This defines our space and status, our place and position, our residence and rights, our membership and belonging, and our spiritual birthplace. The kingdom of heaven is where our glory originates — not on this earth (see 2 Corinthians 4:17). It is also where our eternity exists (see 2 Corinthians 4:18). When we keep our focus on heavenly matters, God will cause all things to work together for our good. This assurance gives us comfort, affirming that God cares about our earthly needs and pursuits, as well as we seek His kingdom and righteousness as our first priority.
What Does it Mean to Be Heavenly-Minded?
Heaven is God’s sacred realm, where He reigns as king, executes judgment, administers justice, issues decrees, and carries out other divine functions that impact both the heavens and the earth — His two creations.
Firstly, being heavenly-minded means you are seeking the things that are above, which relates to your mission in life (see Colossians 3:1–4). Heaven is where Christ is seated at the right hand of God, providing us with compelling reasons to focus on our mission in life and prioritize the things above.
Secondly, being heavenly-minded involves setting your mind on those things above, which reflects your mindset in life. This does not mean ignoring our earthly needs and responsibilities — God is aware of them and acknowledges their importance — but rather emphasizes the need to prioritize our lives correctly meaningful and lasting.
How Can We Cultivate Heavenly-Mindedness?
Matthew 6:8–13 (NKJV) Him. 9 In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer serves as a practical guide to the priorities in our lives, dividing them into two main categories: heavenly-focused and earthly-focused.
As we examine the Lord’s Prayer, we see how Jesus emphasizes the importance of God’s person, name, kingdom, and will before addressing our earthly needs. This reordering does not overlook our needs for food, housing, or safety; rather, it positions them within God’s broader purpose, ensuring they are provided for without dominating our lives.
Many of us tend to reverse this order, rushing to make our prayer requests while neglecting our relationship with God as our Father, whose name we ought to honour. Our ultimate destination is heaven, where our Father resides, reigns, and rules from. In asking for His kingdom to come, we acknowledge His position as King and Ruler. Jesus encourages us to surrender and submit to God’s plan by allowing God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Aligning our lives with God’s will involves embracing His mandate of salvation and the personal missions He gives to each of us.
The model of the Lord’s Prayer from Matthew 6:8–10 highlights a heavenly-minded perspective.
Once we focus on our Father’s business, our earthly concerns — which God acknowledges as necessary — will be taken care of through His grace and provision. It is only after this that we should start asking for earthly needs, beginning with our physical survival needs, as expressed in “give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). The principles of human relationships include the practice of forgiveness (“and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” — Matthew 6:12), seeking God’s prevention from temptation (“And do not lead us into temptation” — Matthew 6:13), and God’s protection from the devil (“but deliver us from the evil one” — Matthew 6:13 ). The Lord’s Prayer concludes with us returning to a heavenly focus on God’s eternal kingship, power, and glory — forever. Amen (Matthew 6:13)
This pattern shapes our ambitions, desires, plans, investments, energy, time, pursuits, and disciplines our attention, ensuring that our needs remain aligned with God’s larger plan and specific purpose for each of us.
Summary
Our treasure is found in Christ, and our daily choices should reflect that: we should prioritize His presence each day as He abides in us and we abide in Him, rather than anxiety and fear about earthly matters. We should focus on the eternal impact on earth while also staying busy serving God and adding value and influence to our communities, families, and workplaces until He returns to take us home to the Father’s heavenly kingdom, a palace prepared for us. We must also remember that God’s word is settled in heaven (see Psalms 119:89). Our prayers are addressed to God in heaven and are answered from heaven (see Psalms 20:6). As believers, we are to be heavenly-minded, focusing on spiritual life, seeking transformation into Christlikeness in character, advancing the kingdom mandate, and awaiting the return of our Lord.
Remember, being heavenly-minded does not mean ignoring our earthly needs and responsibilities. Instead, it is about aligning our priorities with God’s will. By placing God in His rightful position of supremacy and prominence above everyone and everything, and by making our lives revolve around Him, we will experience true fulfillment and divine provision. God will ensure our well-being and welfare, granting us an abundant life here on earth. We are also His workmanship, created for good works to carry out in the world. Being heavenly-minded is not about escaping reality; rather, it signifies prioritizing God’s kingdom, righteousness, and will first, while trusting our earthly needs and responsibilities to God’s loving, good, gracious, powerful, and faithful hands.
Contributor by Brahim Kallon
