In order to fight our enemy which is Satan and his demonic hordes, we need to be able to recognise him as he is, rather than what we assume he is. We also need to understand that the battle has been won by Jesus and so it is to Jesus, our Lady, the Angels and the Saints that we need to rely on and not ourselves.
This is why in order to become a strong spiritual warrior we need to admit our weaknesses and allow Jesus to heal and strengthen us through prayer and participation of the Sacraments. For remember though God forgives a soul through the Sacrament of Penance, and upon receiving Absolution God also forgets our transgressions, Satan is not so forgiving!
So even though thoughts of previous sins may intrude to make one feel guilty or fall into scrupulosity, remember that is one of the weapons that Satan uses to make you falter before you begin. If you have repented sincerely of your previous transgressions and have atoned with your penances then do not allow this absolved sin hold you prisoner, especially as Jesus has set you free!
It is wise to remember that Satan is the great accuser who never wastes a moment to weaken those who love God with a sincere and zealous passion, and his weapons are always underhanded and full of venomous malice. When thoughts of previous sins occur to accuse you, then turn to prayer and seek the guidance of our Lord, our Lady, and all our Heavenly Helpers, remember there is a Holy Army in Heaven who are there to assist you. Also do not allow pride to gain a foothold and lead you into thinking you can fight our foe which is Satan single handed, the simple truth is you cannot!
In order to recognise our enemy we need to understand that at times, evil can approach us with a smile, which hides the malicious intent, and as we become seduced by tales of woe and catastrophe, we then succumb to the tale rather than the Truth! This can lead us into following a single individual rather than the Divine Creator! For like the children who have embraced the Light which is God, we have the opposite of the children who have embraced the dark and allow the father of lies to use them in order to seduce and fool the soul who seeks to help but instead hinders its own spiritual journey.
Rather than speak the Truth these children of the dark spin stories of woe and heartache in order to fool even the most compassionate of souls so that they no longer focus on God but instead allow their hearts to be led astray by the manipulator of emotions. When this happens we no longer worship God but instead we begin to worship and follow the person, who then becomes an emotional dictator as they order who they can fraternise with and who they cannot!
This is why it is essential to maintain a deep and strong prayer life and to pray for the gift of discernment and to rely solely on God through Scripture and the Teachings of our Church. And as we discern the evil even if it comes with a smile, rather than follow the spilling of emotionalism we instead remind the person that our focus is centred on God alone and for that person to seek God for themselves.
We cannot allow an emotional extortionist to cloud our view of God's revealed Truth, in that if a person is still weeping over past hurts which have occurred years ago, then why have they not sought out God in prayer for their own inner healing? Could it be that they are using their purported pain to gain the sympathy of the unsuspecting soul who then compassionates with them.
It is always best to look at Jesus, our Lady and the Saints and to discern from their example if the person seeking an audience is truly concerned for others or are embarking solely on a mission to make themselves the focus of attention at any price. And if the unsuspecting soul then believes the lies and distortions they then make this manipulative person their focus which will lead to disappointment as no one can take the place of God.
If a person brings up a painful past and hurtful situations remind them gently to take their pain and hurt to God in order to be healed from such anguish, a person who truly does long for this healing will find it. But it is the manipulator who will not seek this freedom from the tyranny of their own memories, for they have become addicted to the pain and the attention it gives them when they remind one and all how badly they have 'suffered', usually at the hands of another, never themselves!
Beware the enemy who seeks to seduce with a smile and a sad story, for they seek not their own healing, but to gain your attention at the expense of God. Remind these tortured souls with their sad stories that God is only a prayer away, and if they persist even after many years of regaling one and all with their litany of woe, they seek not God's attention but self attention!
Upon reminding such an attention seeker of God's Healing Grace, through the Word and the Sacraments of the Church, if they then refuse to partake of this healing the onus is on them and not on you! Do not allow these manipulators access to your heart for they are like thieves in the night who are bent upon destroying and stealing your peace of heart, for if you focus on them and their perceived 'hurts', they will then turn the screw and begin to play with your emotions by manipulation and aggression.
In the end remember our Lord and Saviour paid the price for us as He took our place and a sword pierced His Heart, which poured forth Living Water...We do not have to pass a litmus test for God's Forgiveness, it was paid in full by The Son!
Peace of Christ to ALL
Copyright © 2006 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.
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