The Devil and Magic, St John Chrysostom

The Devil and Magic, St John Chrysostom

editing and publishing:
attendants of priestmonk Spyridon of St Spyridon, New Skiti, Mount Athos
copyright and distribution:
attendants of priestmonk Spyridon of St Spyridon, New Skiti, Mount Athos
Publishing: 2014
Size: 14x21
Pages: 176
soft cover

It essentially presents the game that the devil plays to mankind and how he deceives us. A book that every Christian should read by the spiritual wisdom of St Chrysostom and edited by the elder Benedikt and his attendants of Holly mount Athos.

CONTENTS

THE DEVIL GENERAL

TIME AND REASON FOR HIS FALL
THE INDIFFERENCE, ARROGANCE AND DESPERATION, REASON FOR HIS FALL
HIS ENVY
THEY ARE SUBORDINATE FORCES OF HEAVEN
THE EXISTENCE OF BATTALIONS OF DEMONS

HIS APPELLATION

RULER OF THE WORLD AND OF THIS AGE. HIS PLACE
OPPOSER AND DEVIL
"LION". HE IS POWERLESS BEFORE CHRISTIANS
THE ETERNAL TEMPTER
MANY-NAMED, DIVERSED, POLYMORHOUS AND EVIL BEAST
WHEN GOD ALLOWS HIS ATTACKS AGAINST US
EVIDENCE OF HIS WICKEDNESS
RECOGNIZING DEMONS
REASON FOR HIS EXISTENCE
THE BENEVOLENCE OF HIS EXISTENCE
IF WE ARE CAREFUL, HE BECOMES CAUSE FOR SPIRITUAL PROGRESS
OUR REWARDS FROM OUR BATTLES AGAINST HIM

HIS PLACE IN THE ORIGINAL SIN

MOTIVATED BY ENVY, HE USED THE SNAKE
THE BIG FRAUD
THE WICKEDNESS OF THE DEVIL
THE SLANDER OF GOD
THE BAIT OF EQUIDIVINITY
WHY THE SNAKE IS PUNISHED AND NOT THE DEVIL

HIS BATTLE AGAINST US

RECOGNIZING DEMONS
NOTHING AS FILTHY
ALWAYS A LIAR
HIS TRICKERY
HIS ARROWS
THE SUITABLE TIME FOR ATTACK
LET US BE ALERT
HE ALSO FIGHTS US WITH VIRTUES
HE DOSEN'T SUBDUE US WITH HIS AUTHORITY
HE FIGHTS US WITH EARTHLY THINGS
HE ALWAYS COPIES
HE CONFUSES AND OVERTURNS EVERYTHING
HE MAKES MANY ATTEMPTS
HE DOSEN'T ACT SUDDENLY, BUT IN PHASES
HE DOSEN'T KNOW IF HE WILL WIN
HE HUMBLES THE HUMAN
HIS HATRED FOR MANKIND
HE ALWAYS REJOICES AND WHEN HE IS HUMBLED
HE SUFFERS WHEN HE SEES A SOUL REMOVING ITSELF FROM SIN
HIS AIM IS POLYTHEISM AND IDOLATRY
HIS CUNNINGNESS
HIS UNDERHANDED METHODS
HE DOSEN'T LEAD TO REPENTANCE
HIS STRONGEST WEAPON: DESPERATION
JUDA'S CASE
HE CUTS OUR HOPES OF GOD
HE GIVES DARING TO SINNING
HE DOSEN'T PRESENT SINS CLEARLY
MOST OF ALL, HE DAMAGES US BY THE USE OF "THE TONGUE"
HE ALWAYS PERSECUTS THE PEOPLE OF GOD
HE MOSTLY FIGHTS AGAINST MONASTICS
HE PERSECUTS THE RIGHTEOUS
HE FEARS PRAYER
HIS UNDERHANDEDNESS AT TIME OF PRAYER
HE ATTACKS THOSE IN SECLUSION
IN THE END HE ATTACKS MORE VIOLENTLY
THE IRRECONCILABLE HATRED AND THE HARD WAR
GREAT IS THE GIFT, GREAT ALSO THE WAR
HE COVERS SIN WITH PLEASURE
THE EXAMPLE OF THE BIRDS
WHEN DOES HE YIELD
THE METHODS USED FOR HIS WAR ARE THE SAME USED FOR HIS DESTRUCTION
HE IS ACCUSED BY THE MARTYRS
HE WON THROUGH WOMAN, AND HE WAS DEFEATED BY A WOMAN

CONFRONTING HIM

THE CUNNING ENEMY
WE MUST BECOME KNOWLEDGEABLE OF AND AVOID HIS PLOTS
WE SHOULD BLOCKADE HIS ENTRANCE WITH PRAYER IMITATE THE ARCHER
IN ORDER TO AVOID HIS TRAPS, PROPER FAITH AND VIRTUOUS LIFESTYLE ARE NEEDED
BEWARE OF HIS TRAPS
HIS ENEMIES: THE ACTS OF LIGHT AND VIRTUE
HE DOSEN'T APPROACH WHENEVER THE LAW OF GOD EXISTS
WE SHOULD NOT DISREGARD THOSE THINGS OF SMALLER IMPORTANCE
WHEN HE CAUSES SOMETHING BAD, HE RENDERS BRILLIANT THOSE WHO ENDURE HIM
MANY THINGS HAPPEN BECAUSE OF OUR INDIFFERENCE
WHEN WE DO NOT GET HIT, HE RECEIVES THE BLOW
CHRIST'S COMMANDMENTS AND THOSE OF THE DEVIL
HIS CONCERN FOR OUR LOSS AND OUR CONCERN FOR THE SALVATION OF OUR BRETHREN
SIN IS WORSE THAN THE DEMON
IF THE LORD WERE NOT WITH US
THE WAR IS DIFFICULT
THE EXCUSE OF THE LAZY
REASON FOR BATTLE AGAINST THE DEVIL
IF LOVE EXISTS
HE FIGHTS FOR OUR FINAL DESTRUCTION
HIS ETERNAL ENEMIES
WHY GOD HASN'T DESTROYED HIM
IT IS NOT PROPER TO HAVE RESSIVE REASONING
THE DEVIL DOES HARM TO HIMSELF
HOW HE IS BENEFICIAL TO US
HE DOSEN'T CAUSE ALL THE EVIL
IF GOD DIDN'T ALLOW IT, ADAM WOULDN'T HAVE APPROACHED

THE TERMINATION OF HIS SERVANTS

THE END OF HIS SUBJECTS
IN THE END, THOSE WHO SERVE HIM BECOME RIDICULED

WHEN HE APPEARS BEFORE CHRIST

HIS EMBARRASSMENT BEFORE CHRIST
EVEN IF THE DEMONS TELL US SOMETHING USEFUL, WE SHOULD NOT LISTEN TO THEM
NEITHER OUT OF NECESSITY
HE IS CONFRONTED WITH TOLERANCE AND FORBEARANCE
HE USES HIS STRONGEST TRICKS IN THE END
METHODS TO CONFRONT HIS
AFTER THE VICTORY OVER HIM, THE ANGELS WILL WELCOME YOU
HE USES THE SAME WILES EVEN NOWADAYS
HE PROMISES MUCH
HE EVEN USES RELATIVES
HIS POSITION BEFORE CHRIST
HIS CUNNING PLAN FOR THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST
HOW HE WOULD HAVE USURPED THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD.

HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE APOSTLES

WHEN HE PRONOUNCES THE NAME OF GOD
WHY THE APOSTLES NEVER ACCEPT HIS WITNESSINGS
THE TRUTHS HE UTTERS ARE UNACCEPTABLE
HE SERVES THE APOSTLES IN THEIR MISSION
THE APOSTLES USED HIM AS AN EXECUTIONER
THEY DO NOT ACCUSE THE APOSTLES OR CHRIST

WHY HE DOSEN'T DISAPPEAR FROM OUR MIDST

THE SECURITY IN TIME OF WAR
WHY HE IS CALLED DEVIL
WHY HE IS CALLED THE CUNNING ONE
EVIDENCE FOR THE ABSURDITY OF THOUGHT:
a) CREATION
b) OUR MEMBERS
c) THE CROSS OF CHRIST
d) THE APOSTLES
e) OUR LORD'S PRESENCE
HOW HE BENEFITS US
NEVER FEAR

SECOND PART MAGIC

THE ABSURDITY OF THE ORACLES AND OF MAGIC
THE HOMICIDES
THROUGH HOLY BAPTISM, THE CHRISTIANS DENOUNCE SATAN
SATANICAL POMP AND ITS SYMBOLS
OUR HOPE IS CHRIST'S CROSS
"THE WOMAN IS A CHRISTIAN"
THE WORST SUPERSTITION
DEMONS DO NOT CURE
DEATH IS PREFERABLE
IS YOUR ILLNESS TOO STRESSFUL FOR YOU? REMEMBER JOB
REMEMBER THE PARALYTIC AND LAZARUS
WHEN GOD TESTS YOU, DO NOT TAKE RECOURSE IN HIS ENEMIES
EVEN IF THE FEVER IS ALLEVIATED, THE TORTURE OF THE CONSCIENCE IS UNBELIVABLE
THINK WELL OF THE FUTURE REWARD
REMEMBER HOW MUCH THE RIGHTEOUS SUFFERED
DO YOU DESIRE THE TRUE MARTYRDOM?
THE DEVIL IS A KILLER OF MEN
RELY ON FEAR OF GOD
THE SICK WHO DO NOT INVITE MAGICIANS, ARE CROWNED AS MARTYRS
THE SAME FOR THOSE WHO LOSE MONEY AND GLORIFY GOD
HOW A LOSS BECOMES BENEFICIAL
WHY THINGS FORETOLD BY ORACLES HAPPEN
IF THEY KNEW SOMETHING, THEY SHOULD HAVE FORETOLD OF THEIR FATE
EVIDENCE OF LITTL FAITH AND LACK OF FAITH
WILES OF THE DEVIL WHICH BRING DEATH TO THE SOUL
"I AM SO-AND-SO'S SOUL"

CONCLUSION