Step 20 Staying Alert
On bodily vigil and how to use it to attain spiritual vigil and how to practise it.
As we labor to ascend to God (understanding that prayer is both the way of and the end of the ascent) we must prepare ourselves for the test of prayer. The first battle is getting to the place and time of prayer. This is what St. John talked about in Step 19: overcoming sleep, getting out of bed (or staying out of bed) and actually forcing ourselves to attend to the time of prayer. In Step 20 he talks about the next part of our struggle in prayer - alertness.
Pray To Stay Alert = We keep alert in prayer, and on guard against the deception of sin. "Alert" means to be ready, watching so that a calamitous tragedy doesn't overtake us.
Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints Ephesians 6:18
To keep alert in prayer, we must have an attitude of thanksgiving. Any other attitude won't result in alertness against sin.
Pray diligently. Stay alert, with your eyes wide open in gratitude (thanksgiving) Colossians 4:2
Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping 1 Peter 5:8
We are admonished to be alert because our enemy is at the door, stalking us as we make our way through life.
But stay awake (alert) at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man Luke 21:36
Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. Mark 13:33
Alertness is exercising my physical and spiritual senses to recognize the dangers that could diminish the resources entrusted to me.
“So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled” I Thessalonians 5:6
Some stand before earthly kings without weapons and without armour, others hold staffs of office, and some have shields, and some swords. The former are vastly superior to the latter, for they are usually personal relations of the king and members of the royal household. So it is with earthly kings.
Now let us see how we stand before God our King, when we stand at our prayers in the evening, or during the day and night. For some at their evening all-night vigil lift up their hands in prayer as if they were incorporeal and stripped of all care. Others stand at that time singing psalms. Others are more occupied in reading. And some out of weakness courageously resist sleep by working with their hands. Others try to feel the horror of the thought of death, hoping thus to obtain contrition. And of all these, the first and last are in all-night vigil for the love of God; the second do what befits a monk; while the third go the lowest way. Yet God accepts and values the offerings of each according to their intention and power.
The question then, is what is the intention and power of our prayer?
The "praying always" that Jesus commands in Luke 21:36 affects every part of our Christian lives. It is the tool that God gives us to be in constant contact with Him so that we can truly bring every thought into captivity, under the control of God 2 Corinthians 10:5. We are encouraged to make bold use of this tool for our every need Hebrews 4:16. We need to explore some of the important implications that striving to pray always—praying at all times—has on this life to which God has called us.
In Luke 21:36, Christ also commands us to "watch." The underlying Greek word stresses the need to be alert or on guard. This fits with a major requirement of Christian life, that we are to be alert to those things about ourselves that will disqualify us from entering God's Kingdom….
A vigilant eye makes the mind pure; but much sleep binds the soul.
A vigilant monk is a foe to fornication but a sleepy one mates with it.
Vigilance, vigilant - the action or state of keeping careful watch for possible danger or difficulties. It is being alertly watchful.
Vigil is a quenching of lust, deliverance from dream phantoms, a tearful eye, a softened heart, the guarding of thoughts, the dissolving of food, the subduing of passions, the taming of spirits, the bridling of the tongue, the banishment of phantasies.
Vigil - a period of keeping awake during the time usually spent asleep, esp. to keep watch or pray. Note: (in the Christian Church) the eve of a festival or holy day as an occasion of religious observance, surveilence.
A monk who denies himself sleep is a fisher of thoughts, and in the stillness of the night he can easily observe and catch them.
Alertness begins when we approach the time of prayer. “The bell rings for prayer. The monk who loves God says, `Bravo! Bravo!’ The lazy monk says, `Alas. Alas.’ (or “What a nuisance!”). Mealtime reveals the gluttonous, prayer time the lovers of God. The former dance and the latter frown when the table is made ready.”
We should not be surprised if we “don’t feel like praying.” This is part of our fallenness, our own sinful condition, the disorientation of our internal selves. There are many times when the desire for prayer is almost nonexistent. We must rouse ourselves to prayer.
Alertness is doing battle with our laziness and our lack of interest in prayer. Alertness is motivating ourselves to attend to the things of God rather than the things of this world. There is great wisdom in the fact that the Church teaches us to begin our prayer with the following verse from the Psalms:
Come, let us worship and fall down before God our King….. Psalm 95:6
Alertness is self-talk; it is self-motivation. It is the triumph of the spirit over the body, of the will for God over the will for self.
Long sleep produces forgetfulness, but vigil purifies the memory.
The farmer’s wealth is gathered on the threshing floor and in the wine-press, but the wealth and knowledge of monks is gathered during the evenings and the night hours while standing at prayer and engaged in spiritual activity.
Long sleep is an unjust comrade; it robs the lazy of half their life, and even more.
Alertness continues as we pray. “The inexperienced monk is wide awake when talking to his friends but half asleep at prayer.” We learn from this that the labor of prayer is a labor with the thoughts. We are far too “lazy” and “undisciplined” when it comes to our minds. Instead of directing our thoughts and controlling them we allow them to run free, here and there, wherever they wish to go. So, during prayer, we find ourselves often thinking about all kinds of other things. How many times have we come to the end of a prayer only to realize that we have no idea what we just said? How many times in the middle of liturgy do we catch ourselves reviewing yesterday’s events and planning for the rest of the day?
Alertness is the struggle to control our minds and center them on the one thing that is needful. It is the attempt to center our mind in our hearts, to eliminate not simply the bad thoughts but even the good thoughts which distract us from the pursuit of God.
The lazy monk is famous and skilled at talking; but when reading is about to begin, he cannot keep his eyes open. At the sound of the trumpet the dead will rise, and when idle talk is afoot those who were asleep come to themselves.
Pay close attention here….
The tyrant sleep is a crafty friend; when we are full of food it often leaves us; but in hunger and thirst it attacks us vigorously.
It suggests that we should do handwork during our prayers; for it cannot otherwise foil the prayers of the vigilant.
It first enters into conflict with beginners in order to make them negligent from the very outset or to prepare the way for the demon of fornication.
What is the “demon of fornication?” What is its characteristics? How does it destroy the soul of man?
THE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE DEMON OF FORNICATION AND ITS AFTER EFFECT
It is the characteristic of fornicators to quarrel, fight, tell lies, cause trouble and steal. He walks in darkness, in the rain, in the sun, in the forest against all hazard of the weather. He could be devoured by the wild beast. He is in great pestilence, tribulation, affliction, poverty; his soul is in hell fire. This is why many wealthy people complain that they have no peace and rest of mind. Because they fornicate, their souls are not at rest, they are in hell fire. They fight in their dreams. Fornication is harmful both to the spirit and flesh. He is therefore a lost being. This spirit is also known as spiritual rape.. Raping in the spirit of “Jezebel.”
Not until we are freed from this should we beg to be excused common worship, for often shame keeps us from dozing. The hound is the enemy of the hares, and the demon of vainglory is the enemy of sleep.
When the day is over, the vendor sits down and counts his profits, but the ascetic does so when the psalm-singing is over.
When prayer is finished wait soberly, and you will see that swarms of demons, as if challenged by us, try to invade us after prayer with absurd phantasies (spiritual rape). Sit and watch; you will see those who are in the habit of snatching away the first fruits of the soul.
Even though in a short outline… How do we recognize the spirit of Jezebel? What are some characteristics? A Jezebel spirit seeks control through manipulation. It has a deep hatred of true spiritual authority, and uses emotional pressure, witchcraft and obsessive sensuality in its pursuit of power. It uses subtle persuasion to gain influence and get close to those in control. It then uses this position to gradually dominate.
In the Hebrew, the name Jezebel means literally "without cohabitation". She will not live or "cohabit" with those she cannot dominate and control. She will have no equals. Control is what Jezebel wants more than anything. Even when Jezebel appears to be submissive, it is usually out of a carefully wrought plan to gain influence.
Although it may be common to refer to Jezebel as "she", we obviously must conclude that as a spirit, Jezebel is gender neutral. Jezebel certainly has as many male slaves as female. However, since Jezebel initially tends to establish control without the actual use of physical force, she is more easily associated with classic feminine persuasion techniques.
Jezebel likes to appear close to leaders, and use their influence. She likes to use the power and influence of others to accomplish her goals and control her environment. In 1 Kings 21:8 we read " Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and nobles of the city." This is typical of Jezebel. She prefers to remain concealed in the background, while she manipulates situations and leaders.
Jezebel is often associated with pleasure, especially sexual pleasure. She will use any form of sensuality at her disposal to gain influence and control. Jezebel uses sensuality, but make no mistake, Jezebel is seeking CONTROL. Lusts are merely tools used to weaken others in order for her to accomplish her goal of control. In many cases sex is not involved at all.
Jezebel’s greatest enemy is true spiritual authority. As Jezebel opposed Elijah and Herodias opposed John the Baptist, so Jezebel today opposes righteous authority. In her heart, she despises all moral authority. .
It may happen that continuous meditation on passages of the Psalms is prolonged into the hour of sleep. And it may happen that the demons put these passages into our mind in order to lead us to pride. I would not have mentioned the third case, had not someone forced me to do so. The soul which has spent all day unceasingly engaged with the word of the Lord will love to be occupied with it in sleep too. For this second grace is in a special sense a reward for the first and helps us to avoid falls and phantasies.
This is not easy. In our beginning attempts we will fail many more times than we succeed, but we must keep up the struggle. For, as St. John promises: “This is the twentieth step. He who has climbed it has received light in his heart.”
The two character qualities of Attentiveness and Alertness are so intertwined but each so important. Attentiveness is showing the worth of a person or task by giving my undivided concentration. How important to focus on what is in front of you! However, alertness is a balancing quality; while focusing on a person or task, you must also be aware of what is taking place around you. How does alertness while we are going through life, give new meaning to the importance of always wearing the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20). Note that “alertness with perseverance” is required in verse 18.
Although we are to remain always alert, the Bible gives us some special areas requiring alertness :
- Ephesians 6:10-18, Alert and ready as a soldier of Christ. Notice that our alertness is tied to our prayers.
- John 4:34-38, Alert to the harvest of souls ready for the Kingdom
- I Peter 5:8 Alert to Satan’s schemes and plans to destroy you.
- I Timothy 4:16, Alert to yourself and your teaching – how does our life and our doctrine affect each other?
- I Peter 3:15-16, Alert to opportunities to share your faith and the hope you have in Christ.
Often alertness is an awareness of danger. “Beware” is often used on signs to warn others of danger. It comes from words that mean be wary – be alert, watchful, careful of, on guard.
Judges 13:2-5 Beware of lowering standards God has given you for your children.
II Kings 6:8-10 Beware of disobeying the voice of God through His Word or His prophets.
Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets who come looking good but are really ferocious
Matthew 10:17 Beware of men who will seek to accuse you in courts
Luke 12:13-15 Beware of greed; why is that such a danger?
Acts 13:38-41 Beware of missing what God is doing in the world and in your life.
Philippians 3:2-4 Beware of confidence in outward rituals. Where is our confidence to be?
Colossians 2:8-10 Beware of deceptive philosophies. How can we distinguish them?
II Peter 3:17-18 Beware of being persuaded by lawless men. What is the outcome of that? How do we prevent it?
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