WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT?

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.
Philippians 4:8

Research has shown that across a wide array of events, people tend to focus more on the negative. 

We tend to pay more attention to negative events than positive ones.  It’s human nature for some reason.  Negative emotions generally involve more thinking, and, therefore, the information is processed more thoroughly than positive ones.   Thus, we tend to ruminate more about unpleasant events and use stronger words to describe them than happy ones.

Bad emotions, bad parents, and bad feedback have more impact than good ones. Losing money, feeling abandoned by a companion or someone you thought was a friend, or receiving criticism will have a greater impact and leave a memory that dominates more than winning money, making a new friend, or receiving praise.

A study was done by interviewing children and adults up to the age of 50 years old. This study found that the majority of what was focused on and recalled were the negative memories and events each person had experienced during their life, even among those who claimed their childhood was relatively pleasant and happy.

It’s an age old problem since the beginning of time since the fall of man. 

Adam and Eve had 2 boys after their sin and exile from the Garden of Eden.

Cain was a tiller of the ground (meaning he was a farmer).
While Abel was a keeper of the sheep (a shepherd).

These boys learned to be productive and work hard as they grew.  They also learned to give back to the Lord a portion of what He had blessed them with.

When it came time to bring their offering and give it to the Lord, Cain brought a portion of the food from his garden. 

Abel brought the first-borns out of his flock and also of the fat from the animals to offer back unto the Lord.

The Lord was pleased with Abel’s offering but He was not pleased with Cain’s. 

It is unknown for sure why…speculation could be that Cain did not bring of the firstfruits of his garden…perhaps, the first fruits and vegetables were not as luscious and as tasty looking as a later round of crop?  Or perhaps they had been taught what was acceptable to present to the Lord and what was unacceptable yet Cain chose to give what he thought was best and not what the Lord thought was best?  Whatever the reason, Cain did not take the Lord’s correction very well.  I don’t believe God was being mean but rather trying to teach Cain just as a parent would teach their child.

He even tried to reason with Cain after he became upset.

Genesis 4:6-7
And the Lord said unto Cain,
why art thou wroth?
And why is they countenance fallen?
(in other words – why are you angry and upset?)

If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?
And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door….

Basically, God was instructing Cain not to be angry and upset but do what is right and pleasing before God next time.

Have you ever had to correct your child for something they did wrong?

You try to instruct them that their action was not acceptable and you expect a better response the next time.  But rather than being humble and saying they’re sorry, they get angry with you because you had to get on to them.  That’s what Cain was doing but not to his parents (which is bad enough, but toward the One who created him.)

Cain kept thinking of that one negative experience when he had been scolded by God until it began to cause him hate his brother, Abel.  Abel did nothing wrong and didn’t do anything directly to Cain, but Cain couldn’t stand it that God had smiled on Abel while frowning at him.

He let those negative thoughts eat away at him until one day he killed his own brother.  (Gen 4:8)  Then when God (knowing what had happened) asked Cain where Abel was, Cain lied and said he didn’t know and wasn’t his brother’s keeper.

Those negative thoughts drove Cain to murder and lie which brought a curse on him. 

There’s a battlefield in the mind!

The devil knows it and plays on that battlefield.  That’s where he tries to gain ground and conquer territory in each of our lives.

He’ll try to get a person to focus on the negative….

• The devil will make you think they’re talking bad about you (even if they’re not)
• Or he’ll make you think that they don’t like you (and that could be the furthest from the truth…remember the devil is a liar)
• The devil will try to get you to think about the negative in others 
• ….he’ll try to get you to gossip and talk bad about others
• ….he’ll try to get you aggravated with someone or to dislike them
• ***have you ever had an imaginary argument with someone (or perhaps even in a dream) and it gets to the point that it gets you upset and angry with them…and that conversation NEVER took place, except in your mind?!  Battlefield of the mind!
• Perhaps you’re historical and find yourself retelling negative events that happened not just that day, not yesterday, but 10, 20, or 30+ years ago? There’s a battlefield!
• Or maybe someone cuts you off in traffic and aggravates you.  You stew about it the rest of the day and find yourself retelling what almost took place over and over to anyone who will listen 
• Or someone takes up the entire aisle at the store when you’re in a hurry and you find yourself still stewing about it hours later.

The list could go on and on.  And the list will differ concerning what negative thoughts a person battles depending upon what the devil sees is that person’s weakness.

No wonder Paul admonished us in 2 Corinthians 10:5 to….

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.

Those imaginations are our thoughts – whether real or merely perceived (thought to be real when they’re not).  We have to cast down those thoughts that are negative because it does not lead us to more godliness.  On the contrary, it can lead to strife, anger, and irritation.

It takes disciplining your mind to change your thinking from negative to positive.

You have to take those thoughts CAPTIVE – in other words, when the negative thoughts come, cast them out of your mind and make yourself think about things that are pleasing to God.  That’s how you bring EVERY thought in to the obedience of Christ.

We have to train our mind to…..

Think on things that are TRUE

• Some of the thoughts that pop into our head are not necessarily true.
• If you don’t know it as fact, then cast it out.  The devil is using it to stir up strife and get you upset.
• If you do know for sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that it’s true, still let it go and cast it down if it’s causing negative feelings.

           
**Think on things that are HONEST
            This word actually means to talk about things that are honorable or
            respectable. (G4586)

**Think on things that are JUST
             Things that are holy, righteous, upright

**Think on things that are PURE
           clean, pure from carnality

**Think on things that are LOVELY
           acceptable, pleasing to God

**Think on things that are of GOOD REPORT
           well spoken of, reputable, sounding well

**Think on things that are VIRTUOUS
          modest and pure, of moral excellence in thought, feeling, and action

**Think on things that are PRAISE
           things that are commendable and give God glory

It’s not easy especially when our human nature has caused us to focus on and remember the negative most of our life.  We have to take those negative thoughts captive, cast them out and think on the above mentioned things.

THINK ON THESE THINGS.  (Philippians 4:8)