Demonic attacks during prayer. What the Fathers teach us about fighting against them.

Summary

This video script offers spiritual guidance on combating evil thoughts during prayer. The speaker, drawing from the wisdom of the Desert Fathers and Saint John of the Ladder, emphasizes the importance of ignoring these distractions and focusing on God. By asking oneself if a thought is desired or one's own, and then redirecting attention to God, one can avoid engaging with the evil one, thus starving the thoughts of substance and allowing them to dissipate. The message encourages reliance on ancient spiritual teachings over modern advice, suggesting that recognizing these attacks is a sign of being on the right path towards spiritual growth.

Takeaways

• 🙏 Ignoring evil thoughts is the primary strategy to combat them during prayer, as advised by the Desert Fathers and Saint John of the Ladder.
• 🤔 When confronted with negative thoughts or images, ask yourself if you want them and if they are truly yours to determine their origin and your desire for them.
• 🛡 Evil lacks substance unless it is given life by our acceptance of it; thus, not engaging with it prevents it from taking hold.
• 🧘‍♂️ Maintaining focus on God during prayer is crucial to avoid being distracted by the evil one's attempts to divert your attention.
• 🔄 The purpose of the evil one's distractions is to prevent us from developing into the image of God that we are created to reflect.
• 🎭 The devil uses our weaknesses and past experiences to create a 'spiritual theatre' to distract us from our communion with God.
• 🕊️ Prayer should be about God, not about battling the evil one; any time spent fighting imagined battles is time taken away from focusing on God.
• 🌟 The Desert Fathers likened evil thoughts to flies buzzing around for attention; noticing them is a sign that our prayer has weakened.
• ⏳ Over time, by consistently ignoring evil thoughts and refocusing on God, these thoughts will naturally diminish and lose their power.
• 💬 The speaker emphasizes the importance of following the teachings of the Holy Fathers over modern advice, especially in spiritual matters.
• 🏆 The speaker encourages taking comfort and courage from the fact that spiritual attacks are signs we are on the right path, following in the footsteps of the Saints.

Q & A

What is the main advice given by the speaker for dealing with evil thoughts during prayer?

The main advice given by the speaker is to ignore the evil thoughts completely and to focus on engaging with God instead.

What are the two questions the speaker suggests asking oneself when encountering an evil thought or image during prayer?

The two questions are: 'Do I want this?' and 'Is this mine?' These questions help to determine if the thought or image is something the individual desires or if it originates from within themselves.

According to the speaker, why should one not engage with evil thoughts even if it feels like a righteous battle?

Engaging with evil thoughts, even in what feels like a righteous battle, can lead to distraction from prayer and communion with God, which is the true purpose of the attack by the evil one.

What does the speaker compare evil thoughts to when trying to distract us during prayer?

The speaker compares evil thoughts to flies buzzing around, trying to catch our attention and distract us from prayer.

Why does the speaker emphasize that evil in itself does not have substance?

The speaker emphasizes this to explain that evil only gains substance and existence when a person unites their will with that thought, thus giving it being and reality.

What is the purpose of the evil one's attacks during prayer according to the script?

The purpose of the evil one's attacks is to distract individuals from facing God in prayer and to refocus their attention onto the evil one instead.

What does the speaker suggest is the best way to fight against the evil one's attacks?

The best way to fight against the evil one's attacks, as suggested by the speaker, is to remind oneself that they stand before God and to refocus attention on God, completely ignoring the attacks.

Why does the speaker recommend the advice of the Desert Fathers over modern wisdom?

The speaker recommends the advice of the Desert Fathers because they have firsthand experience fighting the evil one in a way that modern people may never experience, and their wisdom has been tested and proven over time.

What image does the speaker use to illustrate the futility of engaging with the evil one during prayer?

The speaker uses the image of physically beating the devil with a stick during prayer, explaining that doing so would actually be a defeat, not a victory, as it distracts from focusing on God.

What does the speaker suggest is the outcome of ignoring the evil one's attacks during prayer?

The speaker suggests that by ignoring the evil one's attacks and refocusing on God, the attacks will eventually diminish in frequency and intensity because the evil one does not want to aid in better prayer.

How does the speaker describe the spiritual journey of individuals in relation to prayer and facing God?

The speaker describes the spiritual journey as a development process where individuals, like fetuses in a womb, grow and evolve to reflect the image of God, which is their natural state and calling.