Carnal Warfare - Elder Ephraim & Saint Joseph
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- Опубліковано 25 чер 2024
- Elder Ephraim writes, "Immediately say the [Jesus] prayer with pain of soul and at once you will be delivered from the warfare."
This recording includes the following two excerpts:
1) My Elder Joseph the Hesychast by Elder Ephraim of Arizona, p. 339-343
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2) Counsels from the Holy Mountain: Selected from the Letters and Homilies of Geronda Ephraim of Arizona, p. 165-169
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0:00 Intro
From “My Elder Joseph the Hesychast” by Elder Ephraim
0:26 Advice on Carnal Warfare
3:57 Chastity
6:10 Facing Carnal Warfare
From “Counsels from the Holy Mountain” by Elder Ephraim
10:04 Be patient--with the grace of God everything will pass
11:02 God knows how to deliver us from fornication
11:21 Carnal warfare stems from pride…so humble yourself
12:48 Be very careful with filthy fantasies
13:07 Do not lose heart, have courage
14:13 A letter from Athos, June 30, 1958
18:16 The weapons of demons and the weapons of Christ
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NOTE: A word regarding St. Joseph’s practice of fighting carnal warfare with a cane: A general principle of Orthodox life is that we imitate the saints. We look at the way they lived and seek to learn how to better love God and man by imitating their example. However, if we try to imitate each specific detail of the lives of one or more saints, then we are very prone to falling into prelest (spiritual deception), or worse. Our imitation must apply to our current spiritual state and be spiritually therapeutic for us now. The cancer patient and the man with a broken leg need very different treatment. When we see St. Joseph inflicting pain on himself with his cane, and even advising another monk suffering from carnal warfare to do the same, it would be exceedingly ignorant to quickly assume we should do the same. Certainly, both St. Joseph and the rest of us must apply the Lord’s command, “And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you” (Matt 5:30) but we must do so in the way that is best for us, according to our abilities. This is not done alone; it is done under the guidance of an experienced spiritual father. If you desire to imitate St. Joseph in the details of his life, first speak with an experienced spiritual father and humbly submit to his guidance.
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From "My Elder Joseph the Hesychast"
Elder Joseph: “My child, carnal warfare is not set aflame so much by excessive eating, drinking, wine, and sleep, as it is by judging others.”
Elder Ephraim: “Why, Geronda?”
“So that we learn that we all have the same nature, the same devil fights us, and that we are all liable of being judged. Would you like to hear something even more amazing?
“What, Geronda?”
“A person who does not judge his neighbor gives evidence that he is saved. Whoever does not judge will not be judged, as the Word of God verifies: ‘Judge not, that ye be not judged.’”
That is why he told us: “Has a judgmental thought about someone come to you? Don’t just sit there, debating with yourself whether that person is to blame or not. Justify everyone and take all the blame yourself. As soon as you start having negative thoughts about someone else, there is a danger that you will judge him. Just interrupt the thoughts and say to yourself: ‘What he is saying and doing is right. My ego is making me think evil about my brother, and so there’s no point trying to analyze it.’ If you don’t face the assaults of judgmental thoughts in this manner, whether you express them outwardly or cultivate them within you, you will have carnal warfare. And if you still don’t come to your senses then, then grace will abandon you, and you will fall. And if you do not repent after your fall and continue to judge others, your falls will have very serious consequences.”
From "Counsels from the Holy Mountain"
When you have carnal warfare, be very careful with filthy fantasies, which produce dirty thoughts. Stop and expel fantasies as soon as they come. Immediately say the [Jesus] prayer with pain of soul and at once you will be delivered from the warfare.
When God enlightens a person and he repents for his sins and walks with humility and caution, God does not let him be lost. Of course, his predispositions for his previous sins will become thorns and hindrances to him, but when he sees the waves rising menacingly, he should not despair, thinking that he will fall and be lost. On the contrary, he should hope in God with faith and struggle with humility under the spiritual guidance and training of his spiritual father, without fearing the violent storm that arose.
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Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ! - Розваги
AN IMPORTANT NOTE and TIMESTAMPS:
A word regarding St. Joseph’s practice of fighting carnal warfare with a cane:
A general principle of Orthodox life is that we imitate the saints. We look at the way they lived and seek to learn how to better love God and man by imitating their example. However, if we try to imitate each specific detail of the lives of one or more saints, then we are very prone to falling into prelest (spiritual deception), or worse. Our imitation must apply to our current spiritual state and be spiritually therapeutic for us now. The cancer patient and the man with a broken leg need very different treatment. When we see St. Joseph inflicting pain on himself with his cane, and even advising another monk suffering from carnal warfare to do the same, it would be exceedingly ignorant to quickly assume we should do the same. Certainly, both St. Joseph and the rest of us must apply the Lord’s command, “And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you” (Matt 5:30) but we must do so in the way that is best for us, according to our abilities. This is not done alone; it is done under the guidance of an experienced spiritual father. If you desire to imitate St. Joseph in the details of his life, first speak with an experienced spiritual father and humbly submit to his guidance.
0:00 Intro
From “My Elder Joseph the Hesychast” by Elder Ephraim
0:26 Advice on Carnal Warfare
3:57 Chastity
6:10 Facing Carnal Warfare
From “Counsels from the Holy Mountain” by Elder Ephraim
10:04 Be patient--with the grace of God everything will pass
11:02 God knows how to deliver us from fornication
11:21 Carnal warfare stems from pride…so humble yourself
12:48 Be very careful with filthy fantasies
13:07 Do not lose heart, have courage
14:13 A letter from Athos, June 30, 1958
18:16 The weapons of demons and the weapons of Christ
Thank you for that.
I needed that top part. Lord have mercy.
Jesus is Alpha and Omega.
I see you everywhere.💪☦️
It’s the guy! ☦️
Lord have mercy.
Thanks for reading this. St Joseph's words cut my soul in such a good way. The carnal passions run rampant today and I struggle with them constantly. Thank you again. May the Lord bless you in those that listen to these holy words. Lord have mercy.
I needed this
Hi. I have mental troubles. Have struggled for a few years with suicidal thoughts and came close to ending it. I gave into so many sins. And now my thoughts are so ugly I fear so much He will tell me He doesnt know me. Please pray for me. My name is Aura-Elena. May God bless you all.
Incredibly helpful and encouraging. Elder Ephraim and Holy St. Joseph, intercede for us!
Saint Joseph the Hesychast, pray for us!
Excellent thank you
Glory to God ❤
THANK you for this brother I love your videos, I am always excited to watch your videos. you may not know it, but you help many people and I am one of them, your videos help me to realize that I need to truly hate the passions, and All though I fall, i watch the one video you made that is 8 minutes about not falling into despair. Please keep making videos that talk about how to not give into the passions and fleshly desires, and also videos about how to not despair when one falls. thank you
Yes "Do not depair for your salvation" is a great video. I sent it to my friend struggling with drug addiction, myself struggling with self-abuse. We both fail, we all fail, yet if we desspair and never try again then and only then are we lost. Get up, repent honestly, and try again.
May God be Merciful to us. Amin
Amen
Thank you ! ☦☦☦
Thank you
☦️☦️☦️