Battle of Prayer
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- Опубліковано 21 сер 2024
- Drawing from the wisdom of the saints, Fr. Mike explains why prayer should be in the center of our lives, while offering some helpful pointers on how to make that so, especially during distractions.
Fr. Mike is also a presenter in these faith formation programs from Ascension:
Belonging: Baptism in the Family of God (bit.ly/2rdOFy7)
Chosen: This is Your Catholic Faith (bit.ly/2r32vUK)
Altaration: The Mystery of the Mass Revealed (bit.ly/2rIYjfE)
YOU: Life, Love and the Theology of the Body (bit.ly/2nKLug5)
Get 18 of Fr. Mike’s best Ascension Presents videos in this exclusive DVD from Ascension:
Ascension Presents … Fr. Mike Schmitz (bit.ly/2sKUnJN)
Fr. Mike spoke at the Ascension Cafe during the World Meeting of Families. Watch him and other speakers get fired up over the gospel in the Ascension Cafe DVD (bit.ly/2sYtQaW).
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I wish we could all get a restraining order against Satan.
Here's the restraining order: God the Father humiliate the demons that seek to steal Thy glory by oppressing Thy creatures. In the Name of Jesus Christ, I bind every spirit that is not of the Holy Spirit and send you to the foot of the Cross to receive you sentence. Amen. (3x). St. Michael the Archangel... (3x). Hail Mary... (3x).
Desirable at the least, but the gangster he is wouldn't pay heed to that; we've got to guard ourselves against him.
If we could get a restraining order against Satan, then prayer would no longer be a battle.
The Rosary is your restraining order against Satan!
James 4:7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
That's the beauty of The Rosary beads - I can pray deeply for 45 minutes without thinking about what I'm going to make for supper!
Hats off to you Candy Clews, I pray a decade everyday but sometimes I have a hard time focusing.
P.S. If all else fails make a pizza for supper.
lol
I have drifted off while praying the rosary before. Like Fr. Mike said sometimes it seems to have been for a reason, but other times not so much. I've had a hard time focusing my attention for too long of a period of time my whole life, so I pretty much do what St. Therese says. That and I like to go back over the prayers I was drifted off during too. Like if I remember being on track at bead 5 and it dawned on my at 7, I go back to 5 again and concentrate on something powerful like His passion. I've jumped straight to the sorrowful mysteries before halfway through for this exact reason. Really helps me. Peace :)
Wow, you’re lucky. I’m not halfway through the first decade before my mind drifts off into fantasy land. Also, 45 mins?? Do you pray it twice, or are you just really slow?
I'm slow (I try to have the time to be. I'm retired so it's easier). I remember Mother Angelica saying how important it was to pray slowly and surely and often I follow her rosary online (helps you to keep on track too).
Incredible, I skipped my prayer time today and this new video pops up! I'm still trying to establish a routine ... and it seems so difficult sometimes, but whenever I see you talking about praying like this, it reminds me that whoever wants, find a way, and who does not want to, finds an excuse ... today I I will win this battle!
Try praying a decade of the Rosary each day, that is always spiritually rewarding.
I’m working on a routine myself. I missed yesterday and felt bad about it, but I think the important aspect is to persist. Keep going and do your best to prevail!
Happy All Saints Day!!!
Happy All Saints Day Monique!!!!
A way to ground myself for prayer is to pray kneeling by my bed, after waking up and before going to bed. That way, I avoid distraction almost 100% of the times. However, as Fr. Mike says, the issue can be actually doing it. I can get distracted by an early morning rush and forget to do it... but as soon as I remember, when home I kneel by my bed and pray, no matter what I was doing or the time of day. I pray the Our Father, and then talk to God about my life, thanking Him for His graces, asking for people who need prayer and help, asking Him to help me become the person He wants me to become. Keeping it this way "personal" is the way that I've found works best for me to keep distraction away. Thanks Fr. Mike!
Fr. Mike you are so good at explaining stuff. So thankful for you to God. May He always continue to bless you. 🙏
As someone that is looking to convert and learning about prayer, this has been a very powerful video for me. Thank you.
My youngest daughter hates the Church to the point she renounced her baptism. Of course you can write to the Church and do so that doesn't take away the indelible mark on her soul. She hates because she prefers her life style and drug addiction over His love and so she hates. Sometimes when I pray I think of her and how she gave up the battle for her soul. I won't give up because through faith I know God still loves her and so do I. But yes, that one thing can give me occasions to be distracted.
Truly sorry to hear about this.
Prayers to St. Monica should be especially efficacious considering your situation. I'm not sure if you know, but St.Monica had a son named Augustine who fell from the faith. Her persistent prayers over the years were responsible for his reversion back to the faith and he is now St. Augustine - one of the great saints of the Church. Goes to show that persevering in faith and love truly works miracles - those who honour God will be honoured by Him.
Please also recommend yourself to the Blessed Mother through recitation of the daily rosary. She always comes through for those devoted to Her Sacred Heart.
When praying the rosary consistently, I've noticed a change in myself and my family for the good. I can't recommend this most powerful prayer enough (second only to the Holy Mass).
Praying for you and your daughter.
Any Catholic mother that doesn't know about the St Monica hasn't read her book of saints. Yes, the daily rosary is a wonder but it hasn't changed her heart. We keep in slight contact with her since she lives a couple of thousand miles away. I really believe she knows its all wrong but she will continue to take pills instead of using prayer to make it better. All I have is hope that she will one day have the gift of understanding and a return of faith. I think there is a seed still left ...prayers have worked miracles before I just hope it happens in my lifetime. Thank you for the prayers much appreciated.
Hello! I know this is years since you have posted this comment, but my heart just broke reading this. I hope she is doing better now but if not, I will pray for her.
similar
I hope your daughter is better now, and that you've grown to accept that she doesn't have to believe in God just because you do, she's her own person.
@@brookegordon2058 Everyone indeed has the free will to believe in Jesus or not. However, many have experienced His love & have been freed fm the chains of their addictions. We, being broken humans, need Jesus & His graces to be whole again.
You are soooo a gift from God to us Fr. Mike! Thanks for what you do!!!
It's an outright war at times! One thing that helped me greatly in obtaining a regular prayer life was to stop judging how I felt during prayer and just accept that what God gives in terms of "feelings" and even concentration is up to Him. Sometimes it's basically being distracted the whole time and constantly going back to the prayer, others it's like the floodgates of grace from Heaven opened, but it's really not up to us to decide when is what. I think we have to show up to take the daily bread without concerning ourselves what will be given, sometimes it's caviar and wine other times its water and crumbs but we have to trust that it's always the right food at the right time. I don't know, seeing it like this made me see even the times when prayer feels "dry" from another perspective, it gains another "flavor" so to speak.
👏💯💯💯❤✌
Praise the Lord Jesus Christ for the sake of His Sorrowful Passion
Have Mercy on us and on the whole world
Amen
Gently, back to the “Lord” always;). 🙏🏻🤟🏻🥰
I'm so glad I came across this because while I've been reading the Bible, watching Fr. Mike's videos, and listening to sleep music at night that speaks of scripture, prayer has been downright intimidating and even terrifying to me. Sometimes when I try to pray, I think of Fr. Mike as my focal point and that he's cheering me on, and that helps me to focus.
This has been such a struggle for me in particular in the past two months, and I have been asking the Lord for guidance about regular prayer-and BOOM! here it is. I asked-I received. Thanks Father Mike.
Thanks, Father Mikey. Hugs galore💕
It is really true Father that we always find battle in prayer just like any other intimate relationship does. We just need to bring our awareness to prayer and bring everything to Him. It is not about what you expect to happen in prayer but how you find God in everything in prayer.
Truly amazing and inspirational. Thank you, Fr. Mike.
Thank you Fr. Mike !
I’ve been wanting to pray daily and this was my new year resolution to strengthen my faith but I have been so distracted and lazy. This video was so inspirational for me to work on my prayer life!
Please pray for me!
Father .I love going in to prayer .I also pray for others .short story .Im a hairdresser .My boss it felt to me she didnt like me .She put me on probation once for 6 weeks .This was the first american shop i worked at .I been with the company for yrs already .I was raised in beautyshops .Owned by the same person .Living close to DC .I worked with evry type of person under the sun except americans .My first american shop .I did not know that you dont touch people .Before when I was at a shop .I would walk down the isle and touch my girls to say hello .It was custom .So i got in trouble for giving someone a hug .I prayrd every day for my boss for 2 and ahalf yrs .when a opening came up to a shop closer .I asked to be moved my boss said give me five weeks.I did and then i showed up to my new job .My new boss said that my old boss said i wasnt comming ..So she liked me all along .she didnt want me to leave .crazy how god Works .I stayed at the new shop 7 yrs .loved it
Thank you Fr. Mike. Love this analysis and encouragement. Love from Boston.
a muslim kid saw me praying and said prayer to him makes him feel accomplished
You know the day after Easter i have no idea what came over me but I decided to pick up the Bible and read the old and New Testament non stop in 11 days. It woke me up and made me conscience
Great video Father Mike! I’m not a member of the Catholic faith but this was helpful and interesting I just bought id let you know your words reach and bless those who may not be of Catholic faith and tradition.
Almost as though a saint is out to getcha? 😁 I'll save a seat for you at Mass.
May God surround, embrace, and bless you.
once again fr mike - a message i need, when i need it - God Bless you & your work!
Same here
Happy All Saints Day.
Thank you Father, you cleared up a lot of things that were in my mind.
That's very helpful. Thank you Fr. Mike 🙏
I prayed today to improve my prayer because I'm really struggling with distractions lately.. and then you upload this! Just to let you know that the Lord is quite literally talking to me through you, and it's not the first time this happens. Thank you so much for taking the time to prepare these videos for us! And happy All Saints Day!
It was St. Teresa Avila who wrote about distractions in prayer. I love many if her writings. Thank you for reminding me of her.
St. Teresa of Avila is the BEST!
Blesses be Father Mike to us all.👴
A routine helps me but also being careful to not just cross things off my list either. I like to thank God first thing in the morning, during the morning prayer start with the Divine Mercy Chaplet, attend Mass, and pray/meditate about the Stations of the Cross. The Chaplet, Stations and Rosary are all on UA-cam and do not take much time but are so fruitful!
At 3:00 the Divine Mercy Prayer. At night, the Rosary. I am more flexible about when to watch inspirational videos like this and the emails I receive that help guide me. I do not pray enough though. I plan to attend Adoration more. I also want to read more about Mother Angelica. Her classics on EWTN are so very helpful. I am a sinner, forgive me Lord.
November 4, 2022
I needed to hear this, thank you Father!
The battle of prayer is a perilous journey for any Christian. Catholic/Orthodox. Almost every day I try to make an effort to pray daily. Especially when I pray the Divine office, the rosary, the Chaplet of Saint Michael, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. With God’s help, anything is possible. So no, I shouldn’t put the power of prayer as a option but rather a big priority. As for Father Mike, thank you for uploading this video.
This is an excellent video. I have anger and sorrow. Thankyou so much you have helped me slot.
This is what I was looking for thanks Father.
When I saw this title, I immediately started shouting “YASSS FR. MIKE!!!!! YASSSSSS WE ARE ALL IN THIS BATTLE TOGETHER!!!! AMENNNN!! HALLELUJAH JESUS!!”
👍👍🙌🙌🙌🙌🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Prayer is the strongest weapon there is!!!!
He's such a great priest my day goes from bad to great after i come visit his YT channel god bless you Fr. Mike i will pray for you as well
Years ago I found out that one of the best times to pray is when I am in the process of sinning. You can say I learnt the tactic of the devil. If he distracts me while I try to be closer to God in prayer, then, when I find myself moving closer to him, I ask God to distract me from the devil. Before I used to think that doing so made me a hypocrite, praying while I sin. But it soon became clear that this is exactly what God wanted. Since then, I am distracted much less when I pray, and sin much less.
Yeahhhh Fr Mike video!!
God is so good
I always noticed I pray better and with great focus when I went on long runs when I was in the Marine Corps.
I was honestly thinking about how I hadn't truly prayed in a while and was debating whether or not I should do that right now or not.... then the notification came up on my phone... God is always working for us.
I was literally praying about this like 20 minutes before watching this. Wow. Thank you Holy Spirit & God bless you Father Mike!!
Prayer is a gift of grace. Thank you Heavenly Father for your love and mercy. I can’t live without you Jesus
It drives me out of my mind. I do not understand it. I want to pray I need to pray. I think I have cleared the blackboard at least three times in five minutes. I think I’m finally at that place. And some random thought that I haven’t thought about in years and years and years Popped into my head and it has nothing to do with why I am there. I know that you always tell us that you’re praying for us and I sure hope you are and if you could throw one in there for clearing the cobwebs out of my old brain, I’d really appreciate it. I am return and honor to pray for you, and for the wisdom in the guidance that you seek, thanks Father Mike
Thank you father for opening my eyes to prayers.
God bless you!
I absolutely love your videos. I'm a varily new Catholic of only 5 years and sometimes the homily or certain topics are hard to follow. Your videos have a modern day feel to them and make it easy to understand. Thank you for providing them!
You know Fr. Mike prayer is really a battle. There are so many things i learned but what I realized is that everything happens for a reason and that reason has a purpose.
God bless u 🙏
Thank you , Father Mike! God bless you
GOD BLESS U FATHER
Dealing with this while praying the Rosary, every time! Thank you for making it simple. A battle I can win. Yay. Praise God and God Bless you ALL.
Fr Mike, thanks much for all those times you pass on to us a lot of what you must have heard the Lord teaching you through the gift of prayer. We are blessed thst you share with us its fruits.
Let us all keep praying. 'Tis our hotline to God and armor in battle.
You are an excellent priest. You have truly been called by God. My heart is broken. If everyone would pray then the world would not be broken.
I'm starting to pray before I go to bed. I'm using the Hail Mary prayer and Our Father prayer. Also, Im starting to read the bible I'm only in the beginning but its very interesting and I'm regretting not starting earlier, Finally I'm starting to see a real difference my negative thoughts are going away the temptation to sin is slowly going away and I feel like each day I'm doing this I'm closer to Jesus. Thank you, Father Mike, for the guidance. God bless you!
This is exactly what I needed. Thank you so much.
PRAY FOR THE HOLY SOULS IN PURGATORY!!!
Father Mike you always seem to answer my questions at a given time. Keep being you. Blessing I bestow upon you.xx UK.xxx much love and adoration.xx
Many thanks Father Mike! God Bless!
Beautiful and perfect message
Thank you. God bless you. Trying to pray and sorrow interrupts...tending to that now.
I have ADD and ADHD...the Rosary is an awesome weapon to aid in prayer!
So very true...thanks Fr. Mike! God bless you, brother! 🙏
I needed this 🙏
Well said! Love it ✝️💙
GOD bless you Fr Mike, and happy all Saints day
Thank you!! That is very important to me .
Where did that line "the battle is against ourselves and the wiles of the tempter who will do everything he can to prevent us from having union with God"?
I ask because that is so freaking accurate. wow, right there. That is such a great rephrasing of Ephexians 6:12.
Also something I do for my prayer time is to have a list to pray over. What you mentioned though about having something weighing on your heart, from the Spirit, you are totally right. It really can be what He wants to hear about and work on your heart with. Great video.
Thank you Fr Mike., Amen...........................all th way from Johannesburg, South Africa
........every breath should be a prayer...the Almighty is waiting......we can never pray too much....
Great Video Fr Mike! This is always something I struggle with. A very helpful video.
Amen father!
AMEN! So absolutely true Father. If we don't MAKE a set time for prayer each and every day our life will definitely be lacking. Thank You for explaining about the necessity of prayer!
I like this lighting better.
Great content as always father 👍🏻
Thank you father. Your lecture has solved my puzzles since when I was a kid when praying the roseray. When I was a kid,I always tried to escape from the prayer because I was always distracted ...
Amen! Thanks Father Mike!
Thank you for each and every video. They are short, crisp and power packed. May God help you to reach out to the whole world with your great message.
Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!! Such an easy solution to the difficult problem of distraction.
Thank you Father Mike
This was a very helpful video Fr. Mike. I think everyone struggles with this issue in such a busy world. Talking to God about the specific distraction is brilliant! That personal relationship is what makes our faith be set ablaze.
I love your videos Mike!
It is essential and when you give those situations that keep coming up to Jesus he transforms them. Matt. 11 For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” May the saints, friends of Jesus, inspire in us the courage to live holy lives.
I absolutely loved this video
Thank you Father Mike. I needed that
Thank you Father. I couldn't get past a 2nd mystery of the Rosary this morning without just wanting to stop due to my mind wondering to some problems at work. At the same time I felt guilt for not finishing it. I will be attempting to bring my problem into my prayer. It makes complete sense. Here I go. Prayer is a battle.
Clicked on this video by accident but it was so relevant to my current situation.
Fr. Mike, just want to say you always have such wisdom and insight.
I needed this. Thank you Father Mike!
This is exactly what I needed and it has helped me to see the importance of prayer ... most of all how it's God that initiates the prayer and how it is not a option that it is one of the most fundamental things needed, to grow closer to Christ!
Thank you for the video! This is insightful, encouraging, and provides tactical steps to get the most out of prayer (and also how to have grace with myself when I need to reorient). I appreciate the time you put into these!
Always amazing and enlightening! Thank you Fr.Mike!
These videos are such valuable tools in my spiritual growth. I am old and wish I had had something like this when I was younger doing the prayer battle alone. Now I understand.
So glad God sent me to this channel, it's been very helpful. Thanks be to God.
I can't even tell you how much I needed this message! Thank you, Fr. Mike!
Thank you Fr. Mike! See you at SLS!
I prayed everyday and i always get distraced many times during this.I do slowly calm myself and back on track!
Thank you Father Mike.i always thought something is wrong with why this thing happened all the time whn i pray.Lately,i am doing good so far!!Means Satan can't get my attention no matter what he trying to do.🙏🙏
That was very helpful, especially dealing with a distraction that’s bothering you - & praying about that instead, in order to deal with it. Thank you for posting.
A few months ago I decided to set my alarm on my phone to remind me throughout the day to pray. It's been working out pretty well.
Thank you for sharing
Thanks for sharing this I was wondering why praying was so hard for me I thought it was just me I kept praying God would deliver me from prarlessnes I thought God was mad at me thank you father Mike for setting me straight
Thank you