Ilyin Sergey Borisovich. Translator Sergei Ilyin died

Some of our thoughts, although we consider them ours, are not ours - demons talk to us through them. According to the teaching of the Holy Fathers, evil thoughts are the germ of sin. For having accepted thoughts, a person begins to develop this grain of evil in his heart, and it develops into sin. Therefore, demonic thoughts must be reflected. There are three ways of waging mental warfare. The first way is to resist thoughts. An evil, angry or vengeful thought comes to us, but we understand that this is unworthy, and we begin to pray: “Lord, cut off this evil thought from me.” That is, we try to resist it with our minds. This method can be called the law of spiritual resistance.

However, thoughts may not be isolated, but fall upon a person like gusts of heavy wind. And it turns out to be quite difficult to resist each individually. We then become like a man who is trying to fight the waves in a stormy sea, steering his boat with an oar. When a person realizes that he cannot cope with this squall in this way, he can choose another path, which is precisely what the Holy Fathers advise as safer and more effective. The second way of waging mental warfare is to soar with your mind above your thoughts. This can be called the law of spiritual repression. We do not resist evil thoughts, but replace them with good ones. We wanted to take revenge on someone, to offend someone, to do something nasty, to be offended - and we, on the contrary, begin to pray for this person. Or we stick our minds to God, soar to Him, to our Creator and Creator, and begin to read the Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” At the same time, we seem to rise above the raging sea of ​​life, and the evil thoughts that could fight with us find themselves below. St. Isaac the Syrian says that not only prayer, but also reading Holy Scripture frees the Christian from this struggle with the squalls of evil thoughts. Therefore, it is not for nothing that the Holy Fathers tell us that we should devote great attention reading spiritual books, the New Testament, .

The third method of mental warfare is especially relevant for those who have already achieved some kind of spiritual perfection and are really struggling - it’s like immersion under these thoughts. If I may say so, the law of immersion. The Monk Silouan of Athos struggled for sixteen years with all kinds of evil thoughts, and demons came to him in his cell, and from exhaustion he no longer knew what to do. And the Lord gave him a revelation: “Keep your mind in hell and do not despair.” When a person descends with his mind into the depths of hell, reflects on future torment, that he will have to give an answer for everything he has done, when he reproaches himself, every minute, every second he is in a repentant state of mind - this saves him practically from all the snares that the devil spreads.

These are three ways to combat evil thoughts. The first and third are very difficult for a person inexperienced in mental warfare, but the second - prayer, reading the Holy Scriptures and soaring the mind to God - will help us and strengthen us in confrontation with those thoughts that the devil sends to destroy our souls.

When we find that some thought begins to fight us and some passion begins to manifest itself, we must remember the old patristic rule, which says: wedge is knocked out with wedge.

What does it mean? This means that when a specific evil thought occurs, there is no need to read any long prayer. Yes, the Jesus Prayer certainly helps the one praying, just like the Mother of God rule. But, as experience shows, it is extremely difficult to carefully read a long prayer when anger, hatred or other passion rises powerfully. What to do? To knock out a wedge with a wedge, that is, in response to any evil thought, turn to God with a short prayer that reflects specifically this thought. In the prayer book, among the prayers for bedtime, there are short prayers of John Chrysostom: Lord, do not lead me into misfortune, Lord, give me eternal life - twenty-four prayers in total, one for each hour of the day. The saint specially created these prayers in order to improve in mental warfare and use them to repel the enemy.

So each of you, when he sees, for example, an evil thought of irritation, can briefly pray: “Lord, deliver me from irritation.” Anger is approaching - he may ask: “Lord, deliver me from the approaching wrath.” And then ask Him to give a virtue opposite to an evil thought or an evil habit: “Lord, give me peace of soul,” “Lord, give me patience,” “Lord, give me endurance.” That is, ask God for help specifically for a good thought. If there was a thought of irritation: “Lord, give me peace of mind.” There was a thought of anger: “Lord, grant me forgiveness or generosity.” We must very clearly, with specific prayer, try to call upon God’s help.

This advice is taken from ascetic practice. And when a person does this, he gradually learns the skill of conducting spiritual warfare.

If you think that you will have time to meet the enemy face to face, you are deeply mistaken. As a rule, the devil wages warfare in an extremely vile manner. It takes a person by surprise when he doesn't expect it. In this case, let us do the same as shipmasters do. When a storm hits, they abandon other activities, batten down all the hatches and fight until the waves calm down. We should do the same. At that very moment when a barrage of thoughts or evil thoughts excites our soul and we feel that we are irritated and angry, that we are simply shaking - at this very moment we must understand that intense mobilization of all forces is necessary. Because we can offend someone for life, say some unworthy words, commit irreversible offenses. Therefore, at the moment of a spiritual storm, let us show maximum concentration and spiritual attention. Let's batten down all the hatches, leave everything and pray earnestly. In the book “Invisible Warfare” by Saint Nicodemus Agiorite there are examples of such prayers: “Lord, strive to help me,” “Lord, be my protection and help,” “Lord, resist my enemy,” “Lord, be me a Weapon and Shield.” . Every time a person opposes a barrage of thoughts with prayers, the enemy retreats - the fire comes from you and the enemy adversary really scorches, and you may be surprised to notice that literally instantly this barrage stops. Immediately, after a while, it overwhelms again, and we again, at this very moment, must resort to prayer: “Lord, help me,” “Lord, hurt the enemy adversary.” And again the fire of Divine grace will burn the enemy, giving us relief.

And how long will this last? And how much is given to whom? Some struggle for a few minutes, some for a few hours, and some, I know, for a month; There are storms that last for weeks, months. But as you know, the storm always passes and the clouds disappear and the sun comes out. The Lord will not give any of us a cross that is beyond our strength. Therefore, spiritual warfare will be proportionate to each of us.

So, when a cloud of evil thoughts comes, you need to immediately leave everything and resist the enemy with constant prayer, which will repel the enemy’s attack: “Lord, drive away from me these evil thoughts and wound the enemy adversary.” And fight until the attack stops.

HOLY FATHERS ABOUT THE FIGHT WITH THOUGHTS

Do not let any sinful (passionate) movement stop in your heart for one moment. For a moment you will have to pay for many hours of torment.
St. Righteous John of Kronstadt (1829-1908).

Thoughts will attack, drive them away: “But I don’t sympathize with you, we worship Your Cross, Master, and glorify Your holy Resurrection,” that’s all.
Holy Righteous Alexy Mechev (1859-1923).

In those in whom the fear of God does not precede everything, their thoughts are in confusion, like sheep without a shepherd; and to whom it descends or precedes, their thoughts remain in obedience and orderliness, like sheep in a sheepfold.
Presbyter Elijah Ekdik.

If through inattention we happen to be inflamed with evil lust, or anger, or envy, or hatred, or anything else that is hateful to God, let us not be surprised. But let us quickly restore ourselves to our former good mood, let us sober up and not slow down in this evil, for arbitrary slowdown in this brings unpardonable condemnation.
Venerable Theodore the Studite (†826).

Look what caused the fall. A fall rarely happens suddenly, but usually it begins quickly: with thoughts, slight sympathies and slowness in thoughts... more and more... until the lusts of sin... and after which the fall does not slow down... The main thing here is to never leave a trace of not only sympathy produced by thoughts, but also the very thought, so that disgust and disgust with sin remains in the soul.

...A crowd of tempting thoughts becomes more persistent if you allow them to slow down in the soul for some time, and even more so if you also enter into negotiations with them. But if they are pushed away the first time by strong tension of will, rejection and turning to God, then they will immediately withdraw and leave the atmosphere of the soul pure.

Make it a law for yourself, every time trouble happens, that is, an attack from the enemy in the form of a bad thought or feeling, not to be content with reflection and disagreement alone, but to add prayer to this until opposing feelings and thoughts form in the soul. And always end your battle with sin with this. It's like taking out a splinter...

Regarding evil thoughts, it is known that as soon as such a thought is noticed and resolutely turned away, then no matter how bad it may be, it is not imputed to the one who experiences it. Keep this in mind and be calm.

Make it a law with the Lord to always be with your mind in your heart, and not allow your thoughts to wander, but as soon as they leave, turn them back and force them to sit at home, in the cage of your heart, and talk with the sweetest Lord. Having established such a law, force yourself to fulfill it correctly - scold yourself for violations, impose fines on yourself and pray to the Lord to help you in this most important matter.
Saint Theophan, the Recluse of Vyshensky (1815-1894).

The power of these struggles is unbearable for us: no matter how smart we are in recognizing the motives of our thoughts, we will still be defeated and defeated by them. We will never escape these struggles, for the end of one struggle forces us to enter into another. And even if we succeed in this service, being cheerful and vigilant, we will still be free from the rust of passions and impurity of thoughts, even if we sometimes overcome them, we will never be completely cleansed.
Let us neglect this thought and this wandering for a moment, my brothers, and admit that we are weak in the face of these thoughts and demons; let us resort to the Lord and ascend a little higher - to where thoughts dry up and movements disappear, where memories fade and passions die away, where our nature becomes clearer and changes...

If someone does not contradict the thoughts secretly planted in us by the enemy, but cuts off conversation with them by praying to God, this serves as a sign that the mind of that person has received wisdom from grace...
Venerable Isaac the Syrian (VII century).

Be the gatekeeper of your heart so that strangers do not enter into it, constantly saying to the thoughts that come to you: whether you are ours or one of our peers.
Abba Stratigius, from "Fatherland".

A thought, like a thief, comes to you - and you open the door for him, bring him into the house, start a conversation with him, and then he robs you. Is it possible to start conversations with the enemy? Not only are conversations with him avoided, but the door is also tightly locked so that he does not enter.

A thought comes and you drive it away. This is not a fall. But then he comes, and you talk to him. This is a fall. Or it could be like this: here he comes, you accept him for a while, and then expel him. This is half the fall, since in this case you were damaged: after all, the devil has defiled your mind. That is, in the latter case, you are the same as saying to the devil who has come: “Good afternoon, how are you? Fine? Sit down, I'll treat you. A?! So are you the devil? Well, then leave!” But since you saw that it was the devil, why did you let him in? And now you have “treated” him, and therefore he will come again.
Elder Paisiy Svyatogorets (1924-1994).

You are used to talking to yourself and think about arguing with your thoughts, but they are reflected by the Jesus Prayer and silence in your thoughts.
Venerable Anthony of Optina (1795-1865).

Sometimes, without our consent, some bad thought and hated by us, like a robber, unexpectedly attacking us, forcibly keeps our mind within itself. However, know for sure that this thought also originated from ourselves; for either after baptism we gave ourselves over to such an evil thought, although we did not fulfill it with deeds, or, of our own free will, we hold within ourselves some seeds of evil, which is why the evil one is established in us; and having held us back with wicked seeds, he will not leave until we throw them away; the bad thought that dwells in us through doing evil will then be driven out when we bring to God works worthy of repentance.

Everyone, to the extent that he believes in the Lord about future blessings, despising human glory and pleasures, retains his thoughts, and is to that extent calmer than the one who loves pleasures.

If you want not to be bothered by evil thoughts, have spiritual humiliation and bodily sorrow, and this not in part, but at all times, in all places, and in all matters.
Venerable Mark the Ascetic (IV-V centuries)

None of the beginners will keep their mind and banish their thoughts, unless God himself holds him back and banishes his thoughts. Only the strong and highly successful in spiritual endeavors are able to hold their minds and drive away thoughts. But they do not drive them away by their own strength, but struggle with God in opposition to them, having clothed themselves with grace and His whole armor.
Venerable Gregory of Sinai (XIV century).

When thoughts attack and you are unable to fight, then say: “Lord, You see my weakness, I am unable to fight, help me!”

Try to despise them, praying the psalm word: God, attend to my help: Lord, strive for my help. Let those who seek my soul be ashamed and put to shame, let those who want (think) evil about me turn back and be ashamed (Ps. 69:2-3). When the enemies inspire praise and proud exaltation, then continue the next verse, saying: let the abis return ashamed of those who say to me: good, good (Ps. 69: 4). Also pronounce appropriately and at appropriate times from the 39th Psalm, which begins like this: having endured the Lord, and having heard and heard my prayer (Ps. 39:2) and so on according to election to the end... The main thing is to try to maintain faith and the hope of salvation that the Lord wants everyone to be saved and to come into the mind of truth.

A man was riding through the market, there was a crowd of people around him, talking, noise, and he kept on his horse: “But, but! But-but!” So, little by little, little by little, I drove through the entire bazaar. So you too, no matter what your thoughts say, do all your work - pray!”
Rev. Ambrose of Optina (1812-1891).

By glorifying God, thoughts of unbelief, cowardice, murmuring, blasphemy, and despair are driven away - holy, divine thoughts are introduced.
Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov) (1807-1867).

When an evil thought arises in you and wants to plunge you into sin, then answer in the likeness of the martyrs: “Christ redeemed me for Himself, I am Christ’s, I must serve Christ with faith and righteousness.”
Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk (1724-1783).

Only by staying awake, holding your external senses (sight, hearing, touch) and, if possible, incessantly invoking the name of God can you overcome all enemy attacks and prevent yourself from committing great sin. It is necessary in the name of Jesus Christ to kill the sinful thoughts and feelings that arise from our sinful, corrupted nature and from the influences of demons, before they grow and take root.
Hegumen Nikon (Vorobiev) (1894-1963).

Sometimes demons inspire thoughts in you, and again encourage you to pray to overcome them or contradict them, and voluntarily retreat from you, so that, being deceived, you think that you have begun to overcome your thoughts and frighten the demons.

Dispel evil thoughts with other thoughts.
Venerable Nile of Sinai (IV-V centuries).

And even if we plunge into bad thoughts, we will not become discouraged, but rather hasten to clean water repentance and self-reproach, and the Merciful Lord will forgive.

Reading the Jesus Prayer for thoughts is the only remedy against them.
Reverend Anatoly Optinsky (Zertsalov) (1824-1894).

When thoughts bother you, or confuse you, or worry you, you don’t need to enter into a conversation with them, but simply say: “God’s will be done!” It's very calming.
Venerable Barsanuphius of Optina (1845-1913).

Archpriest Sergius Filimonov

Cutting off bad thoughts is necessary condition struggle with passions.

Passion is not born in a person’s soul right away. The Holy Fathers say that it begins with a preposition, or attacks. In Slavic be amazed- means to encounter something.

The pretext arises in a person’s mind from the impressions of what he saw, for some other reason, or as an image imposed by the enemy - the devil. But the excuse comes against the will of a person, without his permission and participation. A person himself is free to accept the pretext in his heart or reject it. If the pretext is accepted, it is already thought about and made its own. Fathers call it also combination or an interview with thoughts.

The third stage is inclination to thought, or addition, when the will has so fallen under the influence of a sinful thought, has become so close to it that a person is ready to move on to action. The sin is already half committed in thoughts. As the Lord says in the Gospel: “From the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, blasphemy” (Matthew 15:19), thus showing where sin begins - “with an evil thought” about it. And the Apostle James writes: “But lust, having conceived, gives birth to sin, and committed sin gives birth to death” (James 1: 15).

A sinful thought that has settled in the soul and heart will definitely someday turn into action. A person who allows himself immodest glances, who does not protect his sight and hearing from seductive pictures, who has unclean, lewd thoughts in his mind, cannot remain chaste.

“Can anyone take fire into his bosom so that his dress does not burn out? Can anyone walk on burning coals without having their feet burned?” - asks the wise Solomon (Proverbs 6: 27-28).

Therefore, those who want to lead a spiritual life should remember that evil thoughts must be killed in the bud, “breaking their babies against a stone” (see: Ps. 136: 9). But the germ of a thought exists (as was already said above) adjective- something that does not belong to us at all, but, like some malicious insect, trying to fly into the slightly open window of our consciousness.

I once read in a book on psychology that our thoughts are not at all “our property” and the creation of our mind. What we think is the result of many reasons and circumstances: upbringing, living conditions, the time in which we live, the country in which we were born, etc. For example, if we were born in a different country, at a different time, or had a different upbringing, we would think differently. Thus, what we think is not exactly our thoughts; they can arise for us for many reasons beyond our control. (It should also be added that Orthodox people know well that bad, sinful thoughts can come from one more source, and this source is well known.) Of course, these comments about thoughts concern only thoughts that have not taken root in the consciousness; if a person accepts a thought and begins to think about it, he already becomes close to it, it becomes his own.

Psychologists advise separating bad thoughts from good ones and filing a “divorce” with the bad ones, that is, not letting them into your consciousness, not considering them yours, but good thoughts, on the contrary, “woo” and make friends with them in every possible way, replacing bad, gloomy, aggressive thoughts with bright, kind, positive ones. I liked this idea very much, but how surprised I was when I read very similar advice from St. Theophan the Recluse: “It is a great mistake, and a universal mistake, to consider everything that arises in us as blood property, for which we must stand as if for ourselves. Everything sinful has come to us, therefore it must always be separated from ourselves, otherwise we will have a traitor within ourselves. Whoever wants to fight with himself must divide himself into himself and the enemy hidden within him. Having separated from yourself a certain vicious movement and recognized it as an enemy, then convey this consciousness and feeling, revive hostility towards it in your heart. This is the most salutary means of driving away sin. Every sinful movement is retained in the soul through the feeling of a certain pleasantries From him; therefore, when hostility towards him is aroused, it, deprived of all support, disappears by itself.”

Indeed, sin and defilement cannot be part of the soul, they are not characteristic, not akin to man; we were created pure, bright, purified by the waters of holy baptism. Here lies a child, just baptized; he is pure, he is like an angel of God, and “everything sinful has come to us,” it comes only later. And only by accepting it into ourselves, agreeing with it, do we ourselves settle sin in our soul. And then it’s oh so difficult to kick him out.

Shield of Faith

We must install a kind of filter in our consciousness, decide which thoughts are desirable for us, and which cannot be allowed to be fired by a cannon. Act like parents who can block children’s access to certain sites or TV channels. Another analogy can be given. When the doorbell rings, we don’t immediately open it without asking: “Who’s there?”? No, we first look through the peephole and only after making sure that it is a person we know is calling, do we let him into the apartment.

You don’t need to be afraid of thoughts, but you don’t need to talk to them either.

I once confessed to an experienced priest that I was tormented by sinful thoughts, and he gave me the following advice: “Perceive thoughts as something external that has nothing to do with you. Thought can control the thoughts that come to us, but it is in our will whether to accept it or not.” Let's say a person is sitting in a house; windows and doors are closed; there is a storm, a blizzard, bad weather outside the windows, but they do not harm him until he opens the window. But as soon as you open it, the bad weather will rush inside, and it will become uncomfortable and cold. The same is true for thoughts: they are inevitable, but they should not enter the soul and defile it.

It is very important not only to get rid of sinful thoughts and not allow them into your soul, but also to fill it with other thoughts - spiritual, bright, kind. After all, there is a law: nature does not tolerate emptiness. And spiritual nature too. Remember the parable of how an unclean spirit comes out of a person and, driven out, walks through deserted places, then returns and, finding its place unoccupied, brings seven of its worst demons. A holy place, as they say, is never empty.

Saint Theophan advises, after expelling evil thoughts, to place a kind of shield at the very entrance to the soul and not let them back in: “And for this purpose, hasten to restore in the soul beliefs opposite to those on which the disturbing thought is based.”

We have already said that to every passion there is an opposite virtue. Likewise, every sinful thought can be contrasted with an opposing, virtuous one. For example, a prodigal - chaste, pure; angry - benevolent; the thought of condemnation - the thought of justification, pity for one's neighbor, etc.

In conclusion, I will give one more piece of advice from Saint Theophan: to begin the fight against thoughts with prayer to the Lord, the saints and the Guardian Angel. So that we attribute the successes of spiritual warfare not to our own efforts, but only to the help of God.

You need to find your main passion and fight it both actively and in thoughts. This fight will never stop. “But it’s getting easier and easier... or it will become more and more convenient to overcome it. And experience will increase; so it won’t be difficult to notice and reflect.”

(To be continued.)

“The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but strong by God to the destruction of strongholds: with them we cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and we bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Cor. 10, 4-5)

“Almost all of us believe that thoughts are something simple and natural, and therefore we naively entrust ourselves to them. However, one should neither trust nor accept them. There should be absolutely no thoughts in the mind and heart, neither evil nor good, for this place belongs only to the grace of God. So we must keep it clean, and not only from thoughts, but also from the slightest fugitive soaring. This, however, we cannot achieve otherwise than when, out of much curiosity, we love Christ and entrust ourselves to Him in everything without the slightest hesitation! And so we naturally humble ourselves. And after we humble ourselves, it is natural to restore within us Divine grace, which is given only to the humble.

If our thought is established in faith, no one can change it... We will have good thoughts when we see everything clean. pure heart and pure good thoughts bring mental health. A bad thought hinders Divine grace.

Those who have good thoughts and think and see good...

At the beginning of spiritual life, the ascetic drives away bad thoughts through spiritual teaching, unceasing prayer and diligent struggle. Then only good thoughts come. Later, good thoughts stop, and a certain emptiness is felt, and then Divine enlightenment comes to a person.” (Athos Elder Paisios)

“Evil thoughts are a bait with the help of which demons seek to attract our attention so that we enter into a conversation with them: then they will easily penetrate the heart, and it will be difficult to drive them out of there. You need to immediately cut off your thoughts and not pay any attention to demonic suggestions. If we cut ourselves some slack and engage in conversation, the last word must certainly remain with us.” (Archimandrite Sergius (Shevich))

“When a brother has a bad thought, we need to try to correct him with kindness and humility. This is our duty. Unfortunately, today many people and even clergy do not fight their corrupted thoughts. They either agree with those who think badly, or even worse, they spoil their thoughts.

My job is to correct thoughts, and we all must do this work...” (Athos Elder Paisios)

To the question: “Is it possible to get rid of thoughts?” - Elder Grigory (Davydov) answered: “Can you catch a bird in the sky?” - "No". - “Shouldn’t we let her build a nest in a tree?” - "Can". - “It’s the same with thoughts. The main thing is not to let them build a nest in our hearts."

“Watch your thoughts, because for those who agree with lustful thoughts and delight in them, there is no hope of salvation; on the contrary, those who do not agree with them, but resist with all possible effort, praying against them, receive crowns from God.” (Elder of Glinsk Schema-Archimandrite Andronik)

“All sin begins with sinful thoughts.” (Elder of Glinsk Schema-Archimandrite John (Maslov))

“...Purity of thoughts and purity of feelings are not difficult to acquire through solitude, reading, and exercise in prayer; but purity of heart is acquired through many deaths; it is the removal of passions. Try to retire for a while, try to renounce all care and concern, give yourself over to prayer, and you will see how your troubled thoughts will subside, how your unsettled feelings will calm down, you will begin to pray in a peaceful and attentive mood. But there, in the chest, there is an incomprehensible heaviness that presses and presses. Without any impulses, without any desires, but it lies like a stone on the heart, producing darkness and tightness, which stands like a wall between the soul and the Lord. This wall can only be destroyed by the grace of God, with our decisive struggle against passions according to the commandments of God. But for us, living in the darkness of passions, we need contrite prayer, with faith in the Lord who saves.” (Abbess Arsenia (Sebryakov))

“Thoughts of arrogance come, and it is impossible for them not to come. But they must be countered with thoughts of humility. As you do, remembering your sins and various shortcomings. Continue to do so and always remember that all our earthly life must take place in the fight against evil. In addition to considering your shortcomings, you can also humbly philosophize: “I have nothing good... My body is not mine, it was created by God in my mother’s womb. The soul was given to me from the Lord. Therefore, all mental and physical abilities are gifts of God. And my property is only my countless sins, with which I have daily angered and anger the Merciful Lord. What should I be vain and proud of after this? Nothing." And with such reflections, prayerfully ask for mercy from the Lord. In all sinful endeavors there is only one remedy - sincere repentance and humility.” (Reverend Joseph of Optina)

“If selfish thoughts come, remember your sins.” (Elder Jerome of Aegina)

Archimandrite Sergius (Shevich) said that passions are always born, manifested and developed on the basis of thoughts (mental ideas and images). Therefore, the fight against passions must be based on the fight against thoughts. Thoughts arise as temptations emanating from demons and are “suggestions” aimed at making a person sin or developing passions in him. The fight against thoughts must begin with cutting off thoughts, with a complete refusal to give in to suggestions, with indifference to them.

Archimandrite Sergius advised us to immediately cut off thoughts at the first time they arise, since a thought is a flaring flame, which, if it is not extinguished immediately, grows and turns into a fire, before which we quickly find ourselves helpless. When constantly cut off and ignored, thoughts lose their power. If before they were inside us, since they found food for themselves in us and could develop, now they are becoming more and more external and alien to us, and therefore their power over us decreases time after time.

Repeated cutting off of thoughts and inattention to them, according to the ascetic, lead to the withering away of passions in us, since passions are deprived of that by which they could arise, develop and manifest themselves in us...

“...Passion is a spiritual phenomenon and is closely related to the action of demons; to defeat them it is necessary high power grace, which is acquired only by repentance, humility and prayer. As soon as a bad thought arises, you should immediately repent and ask God for forgiveness. Thoughts must immediately be resisted with the Jesus Prayer, which is the best weapon for fighting and defeating them for gradual cleansing of all passions...

Prayer - the only way victory over temptations... The fight against thoughts - the basis of the fight against passions - becomes especially intense during prayer, when the action of thoughts manifests itself stronger and more obviously than during our daily activities... With the help of prayer and reading the Holy Scriptures, one must learn to distinguish thoughts - this ability will allow us, in all circumstances of our life, to accept good thoughts and reject bad ones, so that they cannot turn into words or deeds... If we remain in sin, then we lose the ability to distinguish thoughts and see our own sins and passions.” . (Archimandrite Sergius (Shevich))

“Everyone who sincerely desires to work for the Lord for the salvation of his soul must first of all fast and pray, and then humility and obedience - this is where the fullness of Christian virtues lies and flows. Fasting and prayer constitute the safest defense against enemy attacks...

Whenever we are attacked by confusion of thoughts or any other excuses of the enemy, we must immediately use this medicine, that is, we must fast on ourselves, and the slander of the enemy will dissipate. Great power is hidden in fasting, and great deeds are accomplished through it...” (Reverend Barnabas (Elder of Radonezh))

“The holy saints fought against the thoughts and other machinations of the enemy, how cunning the enemy is, how he is transformed into Angels, and into people, and into animals, and so on. and in every possible way seeks our destruction.

Means of struggle: 1) forcefully reject (with anger) the thoughts and suggestions of the enemy... 2) call on the Lord Savior for help, always recognizing your weakness and sinfulness. Constant attention to oneself, a reluctance to talk and look at sinful, even empty thoughts and pictures, and calling on the name of Jesus Christ with all the heart can elevate a person to a high level of the spiritual ladder. Many have learned the heartfelt Jesus Prayer this way.” (Hegumen Nikon (Vorobiev))

Teachings of St. Ambrose of Optina to spouses and parents St. Ambrose of Optina

Fighting thoughts

Fighting thoughts

You describe what enemy temptations you experienced: first, melancholy and fear; then grief to the point of frenzy that she did not find her brother; then a thought of arrogance that has reached the level of dispassion; then again insatiable love for family and again the thought of arrogance with arrogance that without God’s help, with your own strength, you can resist; and when she rejected this thought with disgust, she immediately heard the enemy’s praise, that is, the proud and vain thought began to suggest that you had already become like the saints.

After that, you felt some kind of peace, and although a secret voice warned you that under this silence lies the seduction of the enemy; but it began to seem to you more and more that you had arrived at the level of perfection and that the nature of your soul was as white as snow; and when I remembered that, according to the word of Peter of Damascus, the soul that comes to prosperity sees its sins like the sand of the sea, and when, in bewilderment, I began to pray to the Lord and the Queen of Heaven to enlighten you about what kind of power is acting in you, then I saw that this power is in the form of an ugly disheveled man lying on the lectern.

Now you yourself see that all this contradictory confusion is the action of an enemy who fights with both his gums and his back, now with melancholy and fear, now with arrogance and arrogance; and when his suggestions are rejected, he whispers again: “He has done better, he has done better, he has conquered, he has become great.”

It seemed to you that you had really arrived at the level of perfection, but you yourself write that your head is empty, your soul is like a plundered temple, that you have difficulty getting used to oral prayer, and that you have never fulfilled the rosary rule, because as soon as you take it up, it starts break you a lot. Where did your perfection come from?

We see that there is an obvious contradiction here, which, first of all, can be healed by sincere repentance and sincere confession “to whom it should be.”

Venerable John Climacus says that the unopenable spiritual father thoughts turn into deeds... and that, on the contrary, the opened ulcers do not extend to higher ones, but... are healed.

From our own experience we see that man is extremely weak and powerless in spiritual struggle without the help of God. In this struggle, says St. Mark the Ascetic, we have one Helper, mysterious, hidden in us since the time of Baptism - Christ, Who is invincible. He will help us in this struggle if we not only call on Him for help, but fulfill, according to our strength, His life-giving commandments. Throw yourself into the arms of His great mercy.

Also, constantly resort to our intercessor, the Ever-Virgin Mary; sing often the church song: “We are not imams of other help, we are not imams of other hope, do You, Lady, help us, we rely on You and we boast in You, for we are Your servants, let us not be ashamed.”

Contrast proud and arrogant thoughts of perfection with extreme humility before God and people, making it plain to yourself that you have not yet learned oral prayer and do not follow the cell rule. Where did perfection suddenly come from?

The machinations of the enemy against you are not diminished, but only changed into other forms. The insidious enemy manages to either lift you to heaven or bring you down to the abyss. But may the All-Good Lord abolish his machinations through the intercession and intercession of His Most Pure Mother and all the saints who have pleased Him.

For a long time you have been wishing for sorrow and trampling and humiliation from people in the distant famous place, which is addressed your heart thanks to false thoughts. But instead, you are allowed to endure annoyances and temptations from demons in the very place where you live.

I think that this happened to you because you acted contrary to what was said in the Lord’s Prayer, in which, firstly, we pray like this: “Thy will be done,” and then at the end: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from sly." I don’t know if you understood the meaning of these words?

Saint Isaac the Syrian... explains them this way. Visible sorrows from people, from circumstances and from illnesses of the body must be endured and endured with humility and gratitude, submitting to the all-holy will of God. One should pray to the Lord about spiritual temptations: “so as not to be subjected to them.”

“Let us pray,” says the saint, “not to enter into temptation about faith. Let us pray that in the opinion of your mind you will not enter into temptation with the demon of blasphemy and pride. Let us pray not, by God’s permission, to enter into the obvious temptation of the devil, for the sake of evil thoughts, which you have thought in your mind, for the sake of which you were allowed (into this temptation). Let us pray to the Angel of your chastity not to depart from you, so that you will not fight the burning battle of sin, and be separated from it (that is, from the Angel).

Pray not to enter into the temptation of irritation with anyone or into the temptation of double-mindedness and doubt, which leads the soul to great difficulty.

Prepare to with all your soul prepare to withstand (sorrowful) bodily temptations, and with all your strengths pass through them, and fill your eyes with tears, so that the Angel who protects you will not depart from you. Apart from these temptations, the Providence of God is not visible, and it is impossible to acquire boldness towards God, and it is impossible to learn the wisdom of the spirit, and it is impossible to establish the divine desire in your soul.”

And the saint also adds: “And again let us pray not to enter into the obvious temptation of the devil because of your arrogance, but to love God for you, so that His power may prosper you, and through you He will defeat His enemies, so that your love for God may be tempted, and His power will be glorified in your patience. To him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen".

According to Saint Isaac the Syrian, consider your position and disposition, and spiritual structure, and bring to mind that when Anthony the Great in a vision saw the networks of the enemy spread out everywhere and exclaimed with surprise and horror: “Who can pass and escape all these networks? “, then I heard the divine answer: “Humility will avoid them, and they will not touch it.”

Give up the deceptive thought that you will humble yourself in a distant place and endure all trampling and humiliation; but rather, humble yourself at the present time and in the present place where we live, and consider yourself mentally under the feet of everyone, that is, consider yourself worthy of all trampling, humiliation, and annoyance.<…>

You write that you again have a desire to move to Arzamas. Consider this desire as a temptation from the enemy, since it is instilled in you as if with violence. If it were or will be the will of God, then it could work out by itself. The Lord God has a lot of all kinds of means. According to the will of the enemy, in no case should one act under any plausible pretexts.<…>

At times you become very weak to the point of cowardice, and sometimes even to despair. Know that there are two main machinations of the enemy: to fight a Christian either with arrogance and conceit, or with cowardice and despair.

Saint Climacus writes that one skilled ascetic repelled the enemy’s intrigues with their own weapons. When they brought him to despair, he said to himself and to his enemies: “How did you not so long ago praise me and make me proud?!” - and through this he reflected the evil intent of the enemy. If the enemies again switched to the other side and began to praise and give reasons for arrogance and conceit, then the elder answered: “How come you brought me to despair not so long ago, because this contradicts one another?!”

And thus this ascetic, with the help of God, repelled the machinations of the enemy with their own weapons, using one against the other in good time.

Also, sometimes you have the thought of courageously rebelling against your enemies, and you ask: is this fair? The opposite of this, cowardice, shows what is unjust. It is not our place to rebel against evil enemies, but rather, with humility, always resort to the help and intercession of the Divine, calling on the Lord Himself and His Most Pure Mother for help, as Saint Climacus advises: “In the name of Jesus, repel the warriors.”