"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things." (Philippians 4:8)
Here the apostle Paul gives us a list that we should focus our thoughts on. Why? because what we think about ultimately affects what we do. Therefore, we must guard against any thoughts that are impure, spiritually harmful, or that cause us to worry. This means refusing to take our minds into any mental gymnastics of, "What if".
Remember the description of Satan in Genesis; “Now the Serpent was more Cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, ‘Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”(Genesis 3:1) This is exactly how he works today. He still comes with subtlety, snake-like, slithering in when you least expect it and trying to create doubt and confusion in our thoughts. This is why we need to keep our guard up at all times, keeping our minds from being pulled away from God's truth by being ready to do battle against the evil one.
The Truth
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places." Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand." (Ephesians 6:12)
