Pray - Pray Simply - Pray Now

St. Isaac the Syrian tells us,

"Before the war begins, seek after your ally; before you fall ill, seek out your physician; and before grievous things come upon you, pray, and in the time of your tribulations you will find Him, and He will listen to you."

The war has begun. It began with the fall of Satan who does not offer us medicine, but rather seeks to divide us from our Creator and His salvation.

The words and whispers of Satan in our minds seek to keep us from God. They only draw us closer to the passions of this world. The only seek to bind us to our addictions, not matter what they might be...drugs, alcohol, money, sex. But we are called to die to the world. So we pray.

Some have little faith. But we must hold to the fact that faith will give wings to prayer. And it is just a small degree of faith which will be built by the holy Spirit into a blazing fire. God will warm us and set aside the cold of Satan. Remember the words St. Marcarius of Optina told us,

" God is a fire that warms and kindles the heart and the inward parts. Hence, if we feel in our hearts the cold which comes from the devil is cold - let us call on the Lord. He will come and warm our hearts with prefect love, not only for Him but also for our neighbors, and the cold if him who hates the good will flee before the heat of His countenance."

If we are sick, we go to the doctor. Remember, the Church is a hospital. The Church has the God given medicine to cure our sickness. Prayer! So pray and pray unceasingly.

Pray simply.

In this video Bishop Christodoulos of the Holy Metropolis Greek Orthodox Church discusses the purpose of Orthodox Christian prayer.