MOSCOW 2010

WHOEVER IS DEFEATED BY SOMEONE IS HIS SLAVE

Collected from the works of the Holy Fathers and ascetics of piety

THE GRACE-FILLED WORD OF THE RUSSIAN ELDER

Archpriest Valentin Mordasov

INVISIBLE WARFARE WITH THE ENEMY OF SALVATION

With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia

This edition uses a text that was blessed during the lifetime of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II

Heavy captivity, cruel slavery

In vain does another think: "Once I sin, I will sin more

I won't." You, perhaps, would not repeat a sin on your own, but sin will require you to obey yourself. The word of the Lord is true: he who commits sin is

a slave of sin (John 8:34). Slave — hear what he says

Lord?! As long as you don't sin, you're a free person

and sin has no power over you, but as soon as you have sinned, you have become a slave to sin.

But here is where the danger is great: as long as you do not sin, sin seems to be such an empty deed, a toy, a pastime, and a person thinks: "If you sin, it is not a great misfortune. But this is only for the time being: succumb only to this evil seducer, sin once, and you have already taken the bait of him: sin will draw you to itself even more strongly, and

you yourself will not notice how, repeating the sin, you will get into the

to him into heavy bondage, into cruel slavery...

Oh, what a painful slavery it is! Now sin beckons you with its pleasantness, and then it will command you

Thou art like a sovereign; now he flatters, then he will pull you forcibly, and you will not be able to resist

him! And we, sinners, sometimes think: "It's only worth

if we will, we will cease to sin, and we will become saints!" But "look," says St. Tikhon, "at the unfortunate drunkards: how

they, having sobered up, weep, weep, curse themselves, seeing their misfortune and the destruction of their souls, but the opportunity presents itself — and they again grab a glass; And how often many of them end their lives in this miserable, truly weeping state! We see that

thieves and covetous people, neither shame, nor human fear, nor

the fear of God cannot restrain them from evil deeds: they would rather endure everything and perish than part with their disastrous habit."

And how many times is the miserable libertine, who has exhausted

he cursed himself in a disgusting vice, cursed his