Avoid
sinful thoughts, cut off your dreaming and every image that may be
embarrassing, because the "omniscient" satan is trying to take you
away from your God and Creator. And when
together with certain thoughts he places blame on a person, then the grace of
the Holy Spirit leaves just like a bee flies away from toxic smoke, and the
soul remains without grace, without joy, full of depression and sadness. But
when we oppose this type of evil dreaming, when we get rid of it and repel it
right away, by immediately taking up our spiritual sword with zeal and true
faith which is the holy Jesus prayer, then we instantly see how the thief (evil
thoughts) runs away, giving victory to reason, which is strengthened by the
grace and mercy of God.
The cunning enemy can not bare the
sight of the holy Angel, the guardian of our soul, who is always next to us. He
tries to remove him so that we are left without a "bodyguard" and then
engulf us like a terrible storm, so that the snake in the depths of hell could
devour us. He knows that the Angel repels only unchaste thoughts, and raises a
cloud of shameful thoughts and dreams, in order to defile the mind, heart and
body. But when an ascetic knows about his anger, he immediately takes up the
spiritual weapon in Christ and destroys his evil schemes.
My child, be careful with dreaming. All
sins take root from dreaming. Therefore, be alert and as soon as a dream takes
shape or you start wondering about a certain actions, regardless of what it is,
expel what you thought, heard or have seen with anger towards the sin and
prayer from your mind. Pray a short but powerful prayer. Pray to the Mother of
God in your mind to help you. Trust God and you will be rewarded with a
victory.
You were full of pride, and so the
devil began to wage a war against you. Now humble yourself, reprimand yourself
and God will help you, seeing your humility.
The same way you run away from a snake
ready to bite you or a burning fire, even more so, run away from evil dreams
that come from the devil.
I say, be careful, with shameful
dreaming. Great spiritual men fell and perished because of them.
By Elder
Ephraim (Moraitis)
Translated by The Catalog of Good Deeds
CONVERSATION