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What Is Spiritual Warfare? A review of Saint John Of Kronstadt's "My Life In Christ" – Roosh Valizadeh     (www.rooshv.com)
submitted by carnold03 to books 11 months ago (+3/-1)
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https://www.rooshv.com/what-is-spiritual-warfare

Saint John Of Kronstadt is a highly esteemed Russian saint and miracle worker who died in the early 20th century. He was a chosen vessel that healed scores of people while foretelling the intense tribulation of the Russian Revolution. His spiritual diary, "My Life In Christ", is among the top three Orthodox books I’ve read. Every page is full of dense spiritual wisdom that beautifully harmonizes with what the Orthodox Church teaches. This is the first of four articles highlighting the best of Saint John’s lessons, starting with a description of spiritual warfare and why it’s so important to engage as a soldier of Christ.

Those who are trying to lead a spiritual life have to wage a most subtle and difficult warfare in their thoughts every moment of their life. This is spiritual warfare. They must be entirely awake, every moment, ready to notice every evil thought entering their souls from the evil one and to repel them. Such people must have hearts always burning with faith, humility, and love; otherwise, the cunning devil will quickly invade them, leading to lessening of faith or complete loss of faith. Then every possible evil will inhabit their hearts, evil that will not easily wash away even with tears. Do not, therefore, allow your heart to become cold, especially during prayer, and avoid stony insensibility in every way possible.

[…]

…the devil and his evil spirits, as simple beings—though far from perfect in their simplicity, and very limited—act on the soul quickly, instantaneously, as suddenly as lightning or thought. A momentary feeling of attachment to earthly things, or a momentary inclination of the heart to sin, a momentary doubt in the truth, and Satan penetrates into the heart, producing in a moment a violent passion in it. Afterward, according to the measure of our sympathy with the passion, he takes possession of us and drags us where he pleases as his prisoners, bound hand and foot. If we resist him, he strives to foil our efforts to strive for heartfelt faith and pious thoughts and feelings by darkening our mind and heart. In order to vanquish and drive him from your heart, you must produce perfect faith in the Lord Jesus Christ in your heart and remember that the enemy is active within you, that your thoughts or the inclinations of your heart and will are sinful, ungodly.

[…]

[The devil] destroys us using our own mind, which should lead us to the eternal, living God! With our own ladles he draws for us the deadly water of worldly, vain wisdom, and gives us and other men to drink of it, instead of the living water of the Word of God! And we drink and drink, never suspecting that is it the water of death.

[…]

You can see that [Satan] is in you, but often you cannot rid yourself of him, because he usually takes care to close all the exits from your heart through unbelief, hard-heartedness, and other passions of his inspiration. “Your labor is in vain, fallen angel, I am the servant of my Lord Jesus Christ. You, who exalt yourself in your arrogance, lower yourself by thus violently struggling with me, weak as I am.” Speak thus inwardly to the evil spirit, who lies like a heavy load on your heart and compels you to all kinds of evil. These words are like fiery whips to the proud spirit, and he, shamed by your firmness and spiritual wisdom, will flee from you.

[…]

However slothful and weak your flesh may be, however inclined to sleep you may be, conquer yourself. Do not spare yourself for God’s sake; renounce yourself; let your gift to God be perfect. Give God your heart.

Article continues here: https://www.rooshv.com/what-is-spiritual-warfare
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I Lived Most Of My Life Under Demonic Influence – Roosh Valizadeh     (www.rooshv.com)
submitted by carnold03 to Catholicism 11 months ago (+2/-2)
1 comments last comment...
https://www.rooshv.com/i-lived-most-of-my-life-under-demonic-influence

Secular people think being under heavy demonic influence looks like something out of a Hollywood movie. You develop a guttural croak, stick out your tongue at inappropriate moments, and even develop a limp that signifies you are not well. Or you’ll do things that are obviously evil, such as punch little children in the face and torture backyard animals. The reality is far more subtle. Demons can be in total control over your life, directing your every move, and you will still be deceived that you’re a “good person” who is in charge. The word demon may not even enter your mind.

You’re under demonic influence if you commit evil deeds yet are unable to recognize them as evil. Usually it starts when you commit minor transgressions as an adolescent, often starting with masturbation. You choose to ignore your conscience telling you that masturbation is wrong because you want to feel good in the moment and follow your own will. Over time, your conscience atrophies as you continue to disobey it, allowing you to commit greater evils as an adult until your conscience becomes so damaged that you are easily able to convince yourself that the evil acts you commit are actually good or virtuous.

An example of a great evil I committed in the past was taking the virginity of a few women. In my defense, I did not have to trick them that I wanted a long-term relationship or marriage, and chances are they used me to begin a promiscuous lifestyle, but that is still no excuse. I was the vehicle that Satan used to remove their bodily purity, something they will never be able to give to another man.

Transcript continues here: https://www.rooshv.com/i-lived-most-of-my-life-under-demonic-influence
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I Lived Most Of My Life Under Demonic Influence – Roosh Valizadeh     (www.rooshv.com)
submitted by carnold03 to Christian 11 months ago (+3/-2)
1 comments last comment...
https://www.rooshv.com/i-lived-most-of-my-life-under-demonic-influence

Secular people think being under heavy demonic influence looks like something out of a Hollywood movie. You develop a guttural croak, stick out your tongue at inappropriate moments, and even develop a limp that signifies you are not well. Or you’ll do things that are obviously evil, such as punch little children in the face and torture backyard animals. The reality is far more subtle. Demons can be in total control over your life, directing your every move, and you will still be deceived that you’re a “good person” who is in charge. The word demon may not even enter your mind.

You’re under demonic influence if you commit evil deeds yet are unable to recognize them as evil. Usually it starts when you commit minor transgressions as an adolescent, often starting with masturbation. You choose to ignore your conscience telling you that masturbation is wrong because you want to feel good in the moment and follow your own will. Over time, your conscience atrophies as you continue to disobey it, allowing you to commit greater evils as an adult until your conscience becomes so damaged that you are easily able to convince yourself that the evil acts you commit are actually good or virtuous.

An example of a great evil I committed in the past was taking the virginity of a few women. In my defense, I did not have to trick them that I wanted a long-term relationship or marriage, and chances are they used me to begin a promiscuous lifestyle, but that is still no excuse. I was the vehicle that Satan used to remove their bodily purity, something they will never be able to give to another man.

Transcript continues here: https://www.rooshv.com/i-lived-most-of-my-life-under-demonic-influence
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The Prison Notes Of Polish Catholic Stefan Cardinal Wyszynski     (www.rooshv.com)
submitted by carnold03 to books 2.4 years ago (+2/-1)
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https://www.rooshv.com/the-prison-notes-of-polish-catholic-stefan-cardinal-wyszynski

Stefan Wyszynski was a Catholic bishop in Poland who was imprisoned by the Polish communists after World War 2 for resisting the agenda to destroy the Church and turn Poland into an atheist state. Thanks in part to his efforts, the Catholic Church of Poland actually grew during communism as Poles sought out meaning not provided by the empty materialism of communism. Bishop Wyszynski is seen today as a Polish hero who stood by his faith and his people. A Freedom Within: The Prison Notes of Stefan Cardinal Wyszynski is a memoir of his experience as a prisoner.

Dealing with unjust authority

> If a citizen does not demand his rights, he is no longer a citizen. He becomes a slave.

> […]

> …any form of government, no matter how ruthless, will slowly cool and wane as it runs up against difficulties that the bureaucrat cannot resolve without cooperation from the people. Somehow the people must be taken into account.

> […]

> It is significant to note how little contemporary men learn from history. Mighty empires fell more quickly as they increased the intensity of their violence.

> We can take examples from ancient history: weaker countries often managed to survive longer than states ruling with slavish tyranny. Recent examples could also be cited (Hitler’s state). The ruler seeks peace, and so do the citizens. Let the ruler leave the citizens in peace, and he will achieve peace himself and be able to maintain peacefully all he possesses. The ruler fears revenge against his violence. Police states are violent states. In conditions such as these, only a priest can find a way to defend the citizens.

> […]

> They proposed that I select a monastery in which to stay, a new mutually acceptable place, to promise not to leave the premises, to abstain from any declarations and statements, to counteract any petitions and manifestations. I declined to answer.

> My place is in the cathedrals of Gniezno and Warsaw. I can discuss only that. I cannot cooperate in deliberations newly depriving me of my freedom; that would only make me a voluntary prisoner. The voluntary surrender of freedom is an expression of a citizen’s moral ruin. If today I refused to defend my right to freedom, I would not be able to defend the freedom of my country if the need should arise. Only a free citizen is able to defend his freedom. A citizen oppressed in his own country cannot hope to defend it.

Full review can be found here: https://www.rooshv.com/the-prison-notes-of-polish-catholic-stefan-cardinal-wyszynski
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Blacklisted From The Economy – Roosh Valizadeh     (www.rooshv.com)
submitted by doginventer to Christianity 2.7 years ago (+3/-1)
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