Apr 18 Tue
12 Weapons to defeat the devil
Some asked for weapons to fight the devil. Christian life is not –primarily– a battle against the devil; rather, it is seeking Christ, finding him, loving him, remaining with him.
1. Christian life must be centered in Jesus, in loving and serving him; joining him in the Eucharist frequently. Consequently, we must fight the devil and reject every temptation. Temptation is anything (good or evil in itself) which separates us from fulfilling God’s Will. The provocations of the devil are considerably more intense than those coming from our fallen nature or the blindness of our twisted will. The devil may attack us, but not defeat us. He is like a chained dog; we must not get too close to him. This battle strengthens the soul. Christ will not allow us to be tempted beyond our capabilities.
2. Love the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, the Mass. There, it is not an angel but Jesus with all his power who comes to crush the enemy. Cultivate the visits to the Lord in the tabernacle.
3. Humility; imitate Jesus’ meekness. Pride is the mark of the devil.
4. Prayer (both mental and vocal) becomes a firm rock against the attacks of the enemy.
5. Ask for help from your guardian angel in the moment of temptation.
6. Penance. The hardest blow against the devil is when we heal our sins with sacrifices and the sacrament of confession.
7. Vigilance and sobriety, guard your internal and external senses. Avoid all occasions of sin.
8. Fight sadness and discouragement. The remembrance of your price (Christ died for you) is the antidote against despair. The devil wants us to forget all about the price that Jesus paid to make us His friends, and members of His mystical body, the Church. We are unbeatable not because we are without sin, or because we have nothing to be accused of, but because the Blood of Jesus is the endless source of our hope.
9. Foster joy in the struggle with child-like spirit. The devil’s aim is not so much a dramatic about-face in our spiritual life as the more subtle surrender of a defeated soul. Having grown weary of struggle and failure, and convinced that progress is unrealistic, a practical discouragement sets in—the fault most inimical to the childlike spirit. The resilience that leaves a fall behind and runs along is replaced by a disheartened “Why bother?”
10. Apostolate (go out of yourself to give a hand to a friend), practice acts of service with self-giving, and alms.
11. Using the sacramentals with devotion: nothing scares the devil more than holy water, the scapular…
12. As Eve was seduced by the devil, our Mother Mary obeyed God and is ready to help you. “So, your strength is fast failing you? Why don't you say it to your Mother, 'comforter of the afflicted, help of Christians... our hope, queen of apostles’?” St Josemaría.
Together with Mary, who crushed the head of the serpent, pray also to St Joseph, the terror of the devils.