prelest

[MoNiCa4316]

:wave: I recently came across this quote in an Orthodox article:


There are many examples in the Lives of the Saints where monastics and ascetics, many of whom went on to achieve genuine holiness, fell into delusion, entertaining demons in the form of angels, and even "Christ" Himself, receiving "revelations," seeing "light" in their cells and hearing "the Lord" speaking to them. Sometimes "Christ" granted them gifts of "prophecy' and astonishing powers. St Diadochus of Photiki warned against accepting the deceit of the evil one under the form of light or some fiery form, and St Symeon the New Theologian warned of evil spirits who cause many and various deceptions in the air.


I was wondering, does anyone know how they figured out that it wasn't really from God?

[icxn]

Those who did, asked their SF. Those who did not - and therefor fell into this vice - lacked the virtue of asking and humbly accepting their's SF counsel.

[-Kyriaki-]

Also, my SF told me that many of these Saints asked the apparition to make the Sign of the Cross - if they were from God, they did it happily and all was well. If they were from the evil one, they ran away (to put it mildly).

[buzuxi02]

What you posted is an extreme form. Prelest is spiritual burnout. Forums such as these are an excellent example of how some can fall into a minor form of prelest. Debating in general theology (or elsewhere) till your finally burnt out for example, how many of us had to take time off from CF for spiritual reasons? And thats why many of us will take some time off from forums during Lent.

[ArmyMatt]

a monastic once told me to make my cross big and bow low, this scares the demons away. nuns rule

[prodromos]

The humble immediately assume that they are not worthy of such spiritual visitations, and thus assume they are from the evil one. Thus they are protected from harm if they are of satanic origin and are blessed for their humility if not.
The prideful imagine they are worthy and thus easily fall into Satan's trap unless they are rescued through the prayers of their SF.

John