Spiritual Warfare
My Life In Christ by Father John of Kronstadt
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My Life in Christ - Saint John of Kronstadt Part 2
. •271"This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, •and Jesus Christ who thou has sent."—St. John xvii. 3. •"MAY the living water of the Holy Spirit fill my heart, • and may rivers of living water flow from my heart to the glory of God, and for the salvation of God's people." •To the Glory of the Holy Trinity. Amen. •Lord! I am—a miracle of Thy goodness, wisdom, and omnipotence, inasmuch as I was brought by Thee from non-existence into existence;
inasmuch as I am preserved until now by Thee in this existence;
inasmuch as by the mercy, bounties, and love to mankind of Thine Only begotten Son,
I shall inherit eternal life, provided I am faithful unto Thee;
inasmuch as by the mysterious act of Thine, offering Thyself through Thy Son as a sacrifice,
I am restored from the terrible fall, I am redeemed from eternal destruction,
I glorify Thy goodness, Thine infinite power, Thy wisdom!
Saint John of Kronstadt - part 2 a
My heart ought to cling to God alone. "It is good for me to hold me fast by God ";669 but—
what blindness and perversion! it clings to earthly delights: to food, drink, carnal pleasures; to money, to this dross, to dress, to this corruption, to perishable colors,
to patterns, to fashions, that charm the eyes, to luxuriously furnished rooms, etc. How strange it is! I, a Christian, a heavenly man, am occupied with everything earthly, and care but little for heavenly things. I am transplanted in Christ into heaven, but meanwhile I cling with all my heart to earth, and apparently would never desire to be in heaven, but would prefer to always remain on earth, although earthly things, notwithstanding their delights, oppress and torment me; although I see that everything earthly is uncertain, corruptible, and soon passes away; although I know and feel that nothing earthly can satisfy my spirit, can appease and 272rejoice my heart, which is constantly disturbed and grieved by earthly vanity. How long, therefore, shall I, a heavenly man, remain earthly? How long shall I, the child of God, be flesh, notwithstanding that I was born in holy baptism, "not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God"670 How long will it be before I turn wholly to God? Lord! draw my heart to Thee by Thy Holy Spirit. Lord! turn my heart away from earthly vanities. Lord! without Thee I can do nothing.
