With the week of the presidential election passing, we are still united to the Elected One—Jesus Christ! We have been brought into a kingdom of peace not by our choice. “God has united you with Christ Jesus,” the scriptures declare (1 Cor. 1:30 NLT).  Jesus, our King, told us: “You didn’t choose me; I choose you.” We are one with the Father as Jesus is one with the Father through His Holy Spirit. No one can snatch us out of His hand!

Let’s think about this kingdom and what it means for us today.

Jesus told us, “The kingdom doesn’t come with observation. The kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21 NKJV).

Remember, He also said, “The light of the body is the eye: therefore when your eye is single, your whole body also is full of light; but when your eye is evil, your body also is full of darkness” (Luke 11:34).

If your eye be single. What does that mean? Are we focused within or without? Are outside circumstances dominating our lives through fear or anxiety, controlling our thoughts, dictating our imaginations? Is it not freeing to understand that we have been endowed with the right to choose? God says, “Choose life.” We are not victims to our thoughts! We are in control of what we think upon.

Ask yourself: Are these thoughts I’m having life-giving or not?

Our emotions are indicators of our thoughts. When we imagine peace on earth—the whole earth being filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord—what does that look like in your mind’s eye? What does that feel like? Breath deep and let that thought fill your imagination…

Now let’s also take a look at the word “evil” for a moment. If your eye be evil, you whole body is full of darkness. The Greek word behind evil is poneros, which is derived from ponos—meaning laborious trouble, pain, and toil. In the New American Standard version, you’ll find the word translated as “wicked.” Wicked is where we get the term “wicker,” meaning twisted. All these words describe living life from a lower or fallen mindset—out of forgetting who we are—sons of our heavenly Father.

Your mind and heart are wonderful gifts. Bringing them into synchrony and creating  hope-filled pictures in your mind is how you begin to reign in life through Christ. You, as a king, priest, and prophet actually have the ability to create in this way. You are made in the image and likeness of God. Elohim—the plural noun for “God”—begat elohim—gods! Jesus said this in John 10:34 when he quoted Psalm 82:6: “Ye are gods.” You are elohim!

When we eat from the wrong tree—the tree of the knowledge of good and evil—we are living from the dictates of the outer world. This is the realm of human reasoning and vain imaginations, which produces death and darkness within. How freeing it is to know we are created with the ability to choose differently? We create our own reality in the outer world by what we choose to focus on, mediate upon, and think about. Thoughts become things. By allowing our emotions to feel joy, peace, love, gratitude, we can condition our hearts to live where God created us to live. The emotions we allow our hearts to feel, like a magnet, are what is drawn to us. This is how we eat from the Tree of Life!

Jesus is our Prince of Peace within. We are one with Him. Agreeing with this as information really doesn’t do anything to our hearts. We must feast on this reality! We are created to experience the reality of who we are. We are the salt of the earth, the light of the world! How our world needs us to be awake to who we really are—the sons and daughters of God!

Our lives are not dictated by our outer world unless we allow them to be. We are not victims; we are “little elohim!” We get to choose what we plant in the garden of our hearts by what we sow there with our thoughts. So, think on good things—whatsoever things are good, lovely, a good report, if there be any virtue, anything worthy of praise, think on these things. God is a God of peace! Allow your heart and mind to indulge in the peace of God that passes all understanding.

Jesus has given us the keys of the kingdom and has revealed to us who we are and how to live as sons of our heavenly Father. This should override any fear or worry that arises during a tumultuous political season. Can you think of a time when Jesus indicated to his disciples that they should fear the government? He did give them a heads up to get their buns out of Jerusalem when they saw the armies of Rome coming to decimate the city (Luke 21:20). But other than that, his focus was teaching us to live from within.

Where we focus our attention—our single eye—is key. Going within and guarding our minds and hearts are truly the keys to the kingdom. This is good news to me personally, because for years I saw myself as a victim to fear. Not anymore! We reign in this life!

Isn’t it an awesome revelation to know we have the freedom to choose what we dwell upon? (I know I said this three times, but hey, we don’t always get it the first time, so no extra charge!)

What thoughts, images, and subsequent emotions dominate our minds will take root and will produce a harvest in our lives, circumstances, and relationships. Choose life y’all! 

Our God reigns and so do we!