Spiritual Warfare
Demons, temptation, despair, and how the fight actually works.
Why did everything get worse after I became a catechumen?
I really don't like the way spiritual warfare is often presented on the internet, because it places too much emphasis on what the devil is doing.
Is it a bad sign if my life is too peaceful?
The holy fathers tell us that if our life is too peaceful, not our soul but our life, it is a bad sign. It shows the devil is no longer warring against us.
How does the devil know exactly how to tempt me?
The enemy is the devil, the fallen angel Lucifer, who rebelled against God in his arrogance, not wanting to serve mankind but wanting to serve himself.
Can the devil force me to sin?
No. The devil cannot handcuff us. The devil can only make suggestions. If a demon presents a lustful thought or image to our mind, or begins to whisper to us, this does not mean we are...
How do I stop spiraling into anxious what-if thoughts?
One of the devil's tools is what I call the thoughtnado. You have a tornado, but you also have a thoughtnado: you go from one thought to the next thought to the next, and they begin to...
Why do I have imaginary arguments in my head?
This is conversation with the imagination. People get into a disagreement, say with their boss, and they don't like the way it goes.
How does the devil use partial truths to deceive you?
This is one of my favorites: the truth cookie. The truth cookie is a chocolate chip cookie, and every chocolate chip represents a little bit of truth.
How do I know when the devil is behind my thoughts?
Number one, you have to diagnose it. When you feel anger, agitation, discomfort, or pride in your soul, when you're not feeling peaceful and you feel uneasy, unrest, uncertainty, know...
What is the best weapon against bad thoughts?
The number one weapon of all spiritual warfare is the Jesus prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me. Our minds have a certain energy.
Why do I feel too ashamed to confess after falling into sexual sin?
The holy fathers tell us that with sexual sins in particular, the devil tells people before the sin: God is so merciful, he'll forgive you, God will have mercy on you.
How do I deal with intrusive thoughts?
The easiest way to deal with intrusive thoughts is simply: Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me. Make the sign of the cross. If the thoughts keep coming, we keep praying. That's it.
How do I tell the difference between my own thoughts and the demons?
If you're using your mind, that's normal. I'm trying to solve an equation, I'm trying to figure something out about buying a new home: then you're using your mind.
How do I stop tempting thoughts before they take over?
If you get up in the morning, focus on what you're doing, say your prayers, and eat what's laid out for you, you're going to go on with your day fasting, maybe with a thought here or...
Why did my life get harder after becoming a Christian?
A lot of you think that when you become a Christian your life will become easy and peaceful, and that is simply not the case.
Is intense spiritual warfare a sign I'm doing something right?
Yes. So many times people come to confession and say, Father, this has been the hardest season of my life, the most intense battle I've ever been in, and yet I have never prayed so...
Can the devil's attacks actually make me a better Christian?
The great irony is that the devil in his pride can't help but reveal himself in his warfare, and the warfare strengthens people's belief and their resolve.
Why do Orthodox Christians talk so much about guarding your thoughts?
Do I really need two more Oreo cookies after I just ate four of them? The answer to that is yes. But for some people, the answer should be no.
Why do I face more spiritual struggle as an Orthodox Christian than my Protestant friends seem to?
One of the Greek elders was asked: Elder, why do the Protestant missionaries seem so peaceful? We Orthodox really struggle to find peace.
Why does sin never satisfy the way I expect it to?
The devil is like a Ponzi scheme. He's always selling you a higher rate of return on your investment.
Why does the spiritual life feel like I'm drowning?
Somebody said to me recently, it's like I get my head above water, take a couple gasps of air, and then the demons pile on my shoulders and push me under again.
Why does God let the demons keep attacking me?
Sometimes going under the waves lasts a day, sometimes long periods where we're battling for enough spiritual oxygen. But it creates endurance in us.
How do demons know exactly what tempts me?
The demons have been studying mankind since the beginning, preying on the weaknesses of each personality.
How do I cut off bad thoughts before they take over?
In Orthodoxy we talk about constant prayer, specifically the Jesus Prayer, Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, as a way of cutting off thoughts.
What if my negative thoughts just feel like who I am?
The problem with those thoughts is that they resonate with your personality and become enmeshed with it. It's easy to reject a lustful thought, because obviously it's sinful.
Would I be strong enough to keep my faith through the end times?
There is a story in the lives of the saints of a deacon and a priest who were in a quarrel, and the authorities came to take the priest to be martyred.
Why won't God show me how my life is going to work out?
So many times people do not realize that even though Christ is the creator of the universe, all knowing, surpassing all human wisdom, in the Gospels we find these trinkets of...
How do I stop worrying about tomorrow?
Last but not least, one of the most important verses in the entire Bible, Matthew 6:34: take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of...
Should Christians pay attention to dreams?
By and large, the holy fathers tell us to just ignore dreams. If you have a dream, the general rule of thumb is that all dreams are basically supposed to be ignored.