The Great Commission commands us to go out and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What happens when the ministry requires us to minister at the gates of hell and rescue souls? How should Christians minister in hostile environments? What does this ministry look like if we use the model of John 4? Are all Christians cut out for this? I will go through some of my old training in the next several episodes of Tales of Glory—some invaluable training in going into hostile Christian territory and minister.
I
frequently discuss why we shouldn’t go outside our domain of authority
and talk to angels, or try to put ourselves in the throne room of
heaven. Do you know why? The modern church's view of angelology and
demonology is wrong. It is not what Elijah, Ezekiel, and the saints
believed. Where did the Apostle Paul get his language and context from
Ephesians 6:12? It is not a choir of angels. They’re not even angels. An
angel is specifically a messenger sent by God for a task. These bad
guys in Ephesians 6:12 are divine spiritual beings - not messengers.
Did you know that demons are not fallen angels? Get the book! Highly
recommended for the Tales of Glory audience!
Get a copy of THE book you need in your training library for spiritual warfare!
A Field Guide to Spiritual Warfare - the power to PULL the IMPOSSIBLE from the HEAVENLY REALM
was written by Michael Norton while he was a street minister on San
Francisco's Night Strike Homeless ministry under Bob Johnson. Michael
documents what he experienced and how the Holy Spirit trained him to
move in the Holy Spirit's empowerment during spiritual encounters. This
book is a must-read for anyone serious about entering into spiritual
warfare ministry. This book has been used as training material for
spiritual warfare for Teen Challenge and Cleansing Streams.
Back cover information on A Field Guide to Spiritual Warfare.
A Field Guide to Advanced Spiritual Warfare - Deliverance, Exorcism, and the Healing Effects of Ritual Abuse was
written by Michael in 2017, seven years after his first manuscript, A
Field Guide to Spiritual Warfare. This book delves deeper into the
question of the difference between deliverance and exorcism. Michael
reveals information on identifying and working with Satanic Ritual Abuse
and his work with numerous survivors. Another powerful book to pick up
for spiritual warfare training and counselors wanting to know about
handling these darker cases of fracturing and demonic possession.
YouTube Playlists to the M16 Ministries Training Series on Spiritual Warfare
What does it look like to contend for healing? How do you dig in and fight for a miracle where all other avenues, medical resources, and church pastoral care have been exhausted? How do we bring hope into hopelessness? What does the prayer life of a minister praying the impossible look like? Welcome to another fireside chat. Pour your favorite beverage, pull up a chair to the fire pit, break out the smores, and talk about praying for miracles in healing.
I
frequently discuss why we shouldn’t go outside our domain of authority
and talk to angels, or try to put ourselves in the throne room of
heaven. Do you know why? The modern church's view of angelology and
demonology is wrong. It is not what Elijah, Ezekiel, and the saints
believed. Where did the Apostle Paul get his language and context from
Ephesians 6:12? It is not a choir of angels. They’re not even angels. An
angel is specifically a messenger sent by God for a task. These bad
guys in Ephesians 6:12 are divine spiritual beings - not messengers.
Did you know that demons are not fallen angels? Get the book! Highly
recommended for the Tales of Glory audience!
Get a copy of THE book you need in your training library for spiritual warfare!
A Field Guide to Spiritual Warfare - the power to PULL the IMPOSSIBLE from the HEAVENLY REALM
was written by Michael Norton while he was a street minister on San
Francisco's Night Strike Homeless ministry under Bob Johnson. Michael
documents what he experienced and how the Holy Spirit trained him to
move in the Holy Spirit's empowerment during spiritual encounters. This
book is a must-read for anyone serious about entering into spiritual
warfare ministry. This book has been used as training material for
spiritual warfare for Teen Challenge and Cleansing Streams.
Back cover information on A Field Guide to Spiritual Warfare.
A Field Guide to Advanced Spiritual Warfare - Deliverance, Exorcism, and the Healing Effects of Ritual Abuse was
written by Michael in 2017, seven years after his first manuscript, A
Field Guide to Spiritual Warfare. This book delves deeper into the
question of the difference between deliverance and exorcism. Michael
reveals information on identifying and working with Satanic Ritual Abuse
and his work with numerous survivors. Another powerful book to pick up
for spiritual warfare training and counselors wanting to know about
handling these darker cases of fracturing and demonic possession.
YouTube Playlists to the M16 Ministries Training Series on Spiritual Warfare
That's a wrap for Tales of Glory episode 75. I hope you enjoyed my incite on moving in the supernatural and contending for miracles in the impossible. Till next time! God Bless!!
Mike is away on assignment and away from the M16 Research Center Library. So it's time for another fireside chat to discuss demons, spirits, and stuff! Some Q&A over common questions I get from my classes and meeting with ministers. We'll cover all sorts of spiritual stuff, demons, the Nephilim, and other things Mike's mind rabbit trails into. Pour your favorite beverage, break out the smores, sit outside by your bug zapper, and enjoy an evening of spiritual warfare edification. Let's get rolling on the fireside chat.
Demons - spirits of the Nephilim wiped out during the deluge in Genesis 6. (low-level demons) use deliverance prayer posture.
Satanic/fallen angels - wicked divine spiritual (Watchers) beings that rebelled against God (high level spirits out of our realm of authority). Use petitioning prayer posture - heavenly realms.
I
frequently discuss why we shouldn’t go outside our domain of authority
and talk to angels, or try to put ourselves in the throne room of
heaven. Do you know why? The modern church's view of angelology and
demonology is wrong. It is not what Elijah, Ezekiel, and the saints
believed. Where did the Apostle Paul get his language and context from
Ephesians 6:12? It is not a choir of angels. They’re not even angels. An
angel is specifically a messenger sent by God for a task. These bad
guys in Ephesians 6:12 are divine spiritual beings - not messengers.
Did you know that demons are not fallen angels? Get the book! Highly
recommended for the Tales of Glory audience!
Get a copy of THE book you need in your training library for spiritual warfare!
A Field Guide to Spiritual Warfare - the power to PULL the IMPOSSIBLE from the HEAVENLY REALM
was written by Michael Norton while he was a street minister on San
Francisco's Night Strike Homeless ministry under Bob Johnson. Michael
documents what he experienced and how the Holy Spirit trained him to
move in the Holy Spirit's empowerment during spiritual encounters. This
book is a must-read for anyone serious about entering into spiritual
warfare ministry. This book has been used as training material for
spiritual warfare for Teen Challenge and Cleansing Streams.
Back cover information on A Field Guide to Spiritual Warfare.
A Field Guide to Advanced Spiritual Warfare - Deliverance, Exorcism, and the Healing Effects of Ritual Abuse was
written by Michael in 2017, seven years after his first manuscript, A
Field Guide to Spiritual Warfare. This book delves deeper into the
question of the difference between deliverance and exorcism. Michael
reveals information on identifying and working with Satanic Ritual Abuse
and his work with numerous survivors. Another powerful book to pick up
for spiritual warfare training and counselors wanting to know about
handling these darker cases of fracturing and demonic possession.
YouTube Playlists to the M16 Ministries Training Series on Spiritual Warfare
Well, that's a wrap for episode 74. I knew I should have tossed my Mac mini into the backpack with my old Macbook Air for this roadtrip. Editing on the old 1.8 GHz machine is doable but a chore. It chugs away on FCP and GarageBand. But we made it, and the podcast is up. I hope you enjoyed the fireside chat. The next episode is the big #75! Let's see where the Holy Spirit leads us! Till Next Time! God Bless
Hearing God, the class is back in session under the spiritual direction of the master teacher of prayer, Saint Teresa of Avila. We return to learning about hearing from God (locutions) and get invaluable instruction on verifying that we are hearing from God. Episode 73 of Tales of Glory is packed with spiritual advice on advancing in your interior prayer life. Let's dive back into the deep end of the spiritual pool of prayer - in the fourth waters!
Listen to the Podcast on Anchor.fm
Watch the Podcast on Spotify
Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts
Watch the Podcast on Youtube
Watch the Podcast on Rumble
Show Notes
-coming soon-
Till Next Time
Any questions feel free to ask in the comments below. There is also
the Facebook page, A Field Guide to Spiritual Warfare. Come check us out
there and leave comments or ask questions. If you like the podcast, let
a friend know. Next episode, we will examine the Sixth Mansion Chapter 4 or whatever the Holy Spirit wants to do or discuss in Episode 74.
In Tales of Glory Episode 72, we dive back into mystical theology with Saint Teresa of Avila's Interior Castle - Sixth Mansion chapter 3. Saint Teresa explains to us the three ways our soul hears internally. How do we learn to hear from God and know it's God's voice speaking to us? What do we do when we get bad spiritual direction from leaders who don't understand the supernatural? We cover this and more in this episode of Tales of Glory.
14. And certainly the affliction to be borne is great, and caution is
necessary, particularly in the case of women,—for our weakness is great,—and
much evil may be the result of telling them very distinctly that the devil is
busy with them; yea, rather, the matter should be very carefully considered,
and they should be removed out of reach of the dangers that may arise. They
should be advised to keep things secret; and it is necessary, also, that their
secret should be kept. I am speaking of this as one to whom it has been a sore
trouble; for some of those with whom I spoke of my prayer did not keep my
secret, but, making inquiries one of another, for a good purpose, did me much
harm; for they made things known which might well have remained secret, because
not intended for every one and it seemed as if I had made them public myself.
13. Locutions that come from Satan not only do not leave any
good effects behind, but do leave evil effects. This has happened to me; but
not more than two or three times. Our Lord warned me at once that they came
from Satan. Over and above the great aridity which remains in the soul after
these evil locutions, there is also a certain disquiet, such as I have had on
many other occasions, when, by our Lord's permission, I fell into great
temptations and travail of soul in diverse ways; and though I am in trouble
often enough, as I shall show hereafter,366 yet this disquiet is such that I know
not whence it comes; only the soul seems to resist, is troubled and distressed,
without knowing why; for the words of Satan are good, and not evil. I am
thinking whether this may not be so because one spirit is conscious of the
presence of another.
18. Nevertheless, Satan has many devices; and so there is
nothing more certain than that it is safer to be afraid, and always on our
guard, under a learned director, from whom nothing is concealed. If we do this,
no harm can befall us, though much has befallen me through the excessive fears
which possessed some people. For instance, it happened so once to me, when many
persons in whom I had great confidence, and with good reason, had assembled
together,—five or six in number, I think,—and all very great servants of God.
It is true, my relations were with one of them only; but by his orders made my
state known to the others. They had many conferences together about my
necessities; for they had great affection for me, and were afraid I was under a
delusion. I, too, was very much afraid whenever I was not occupied in prayer;
but when I prayed, and our Lord bestowedHis graces upon me, I was instantly reassured. My confessor told me they
were all of opinion that I was deceived by Satan; that I must communicate less
frequently, and contrive to distract myself in such a way as to be
less alone.
6. Whenever our Lord commanded me to do one thing in prayer,
and if my confessor forbade it, our Lord Himself told me to obey my confessor.
His Majesty afterwards would change the mind of that confessor, so that he
would have me do what he had forbidden before. When we were deprived of many
books written in Spanish, and forbidden to read them,—I felt it deeply, for
some of these books were a great comfort to me, and I could not read them in
Latin,—our Lord said to me, "Be not troubled; I will give thee a living
book." I could not understand why this was said to me, for at that time I
had never had a vision.[8]383
But, a very few days afterwards, I understood it well enough; for I had so much
to think of, and such reasons for self-recollection in what I saw before me and
our Lord dealt so lovingly with me, in teaching me in so many ways, that I had
little or no need whatever of books. His Majesty has been to me a veritable
Book, in which I saw all truth. Blessed be such a Book, which leaves behind an
impression of what is read therein, and in such a way that it cannot
be forgotten!
17. On other occasions, if our Lord spoke to me but one word, saying only,
"Be not distressed, have no fear,"—as I said before,456—I
was made whole at once; or, if I saw a vision, I was as if I had never been
amiss. I rejoiced in God, and made my complaint to Him, because He permitted me
to undergo such afflictions; yet the recompense was great; for almost always,
afterwards, His mercies descended upon me in great abundance. The soul seemed
to come forth as gold out of the crucible, most refined, and made glorious to
behold, our Lord dwelling within it. These trials afterwards are light, though
they once seemed to be unendurable; and the soul longs to undergo them again,
if that be more pleasing to our Lord. And though trials and persecutions
increase, yet, if we bear them without offending our Lord, rejoicing in
suffering for His sake, it will be all the greater gain: I, however, do not
bear them as they ought to be borne, but rather in a most imperfect way. At
other times, my trials came upon me—they come still—in another form; and then
it seems to me as if the very possibility of thinking a good thought, 267 or desiring the accomplishment of it, were utterly taken
from me: both soul and body are altogether useless and a heavy burden. However,
when I am in this state, I do not suffer from the other temptations and
disquietudes, but only from a certain loathing of I know not what, and my soul
finds pleasure in nothing.
244Life,
ch. xxv. 22; xxxiii. 10. Rel. vii. 22. St. John of the Cross, Ascent of Mount
Carmel, bk. ii. ch. xxxi. 1.
Life, ch. xxv. 22
22. O my Lord, how true a friend art Thou! how powerful! Thou showest Thy
power when Thou wilt; and Thou dost will it always, if only we will it also.
Let the whole creation praise Thee, O Thou Lord of the world! Oh, that a voice
might go forth over all the earth, proclaiming Thy faithfulness to those who
love Thee! All things fail; but Thou, Lord of all, never failest! They who love
Thee, oh, how little they have to suffer! oh, how gently, how tenderly, how
sweetly Thou, O my Lord, dealest with them! Oh, that no one had ever been
occupied with any other love than Thine! It seems as if Thou didst subject
those who love Thee to a severe trial: but it is in order that they may learn,
in the depths of that trial, the depths of Thy love. O my God, oh, that I had
understanding and learning, and a new language, in order to magnify Thy works,
according to the knowledge of them which my soul possesses! Everything fails
me, O my Lord; but if Thou wilt not abandon me, I will never fail Thee. Let all
the learned rise up against me,—let the wholecreation persecute me,—let the evil spirits torment me,—but do Thou, O
Lord, fail me not; for I know by experience now the blessedness of that
deliverance which Thou dost effect for those who trust only in Thee. In this
distress,—for then I had never had a single vision,—these Thy words alone were
enough to remove it, and give me perfect peace: "Be not afraid, my
daughter: it is I; and I will not abandon thee. Fear not."
Life, xxxiii. 10.
10. One day, when in great distress, because I thought my confessor did not
trust me, our Lord said to me, Be not troubled; this suffering will soon be
over. I was very much delighted, thinking I should die shortly; and I was very
happy whenever I recalled those words to remembrance. Afterwards I saw clearly
that they referred to the coming of the rector of whom I am speaking, for never
again had I any reason to be distressed. The rector that came never interfered
with the father-minister who was my confessor. On the contrary, he told him to
console me,—that there was nothing to be afraid of,—and not to direct me along
a road so narrow, but to leave the operations of the Spirit of God alone; for
now and then it seemed as if these great impetuosities of the spirit took away
the very breath of the soul.
7. One day, when I was very earnestly commending the matter
to God, our Lord told me that I must by no means give up my purpose of founding
the monastery in poverty; it was His will, and the will of His Father: He would
help me. I was in a trance; and the effects were such, that I could have no
doubt it came from God. On another occasion, He said to me that endowments bred
confusion, with other things in praise of poverty; and assured me that
whosoever served Him would never be in want of the necessary means of living:
and this want, as I have said,517
I never feared myself. Our Lord changed the dispositions also of the
licentiate,—I am speaking of the Dominican friar,518—who,
as I said, wrote to me that I should not found the monastery without an
endowment. Now, I was in the greatest joy at hearing this; and having these
opinions in my favour, it seemed to me nothing less than the possession of all
the wealth of the world, when I had resolved to live in poverty for the love
of God.
23. It seems to me that, in the state I was in then, many hours would have
been necessary to calm me, and that no one could have done it. Yet I found
myself, through these words alone, tranquil and strong, courageous and
confident, at rest and enlightened; in a moment, my soul seemed changed, and I
felt I could maintain against all the world that my prayer was the work of God.
Oh, how good is God! how good is our Lord, and how powerful! He gives not
counsel only, but relief as well. His words are deeds. O my God! as He
strengthens our faith, love grows. So it is, in truth; for I used frequently to
recollect how our Lord, when the tempest arose, commanded the winds to be still
over the sea.371
So I said to myself: Who is He, that all my faculties should thus obey Him? Who
is He, that gives light in such darkness in a moment; who softens a heart that
seemed to be made of stone; who gives the waters of sweet tears, where for a
long time great dryness seems to have prevailed; who inspires these desires;
who bestows this courage? What have I been thinking of? what am I afraid of?
what is it? I desire to serve this my Lord; I aim at nothing else but His
pleasure; I seek no joy, no rest, no other good than that of doing His will. I
was so confident that I had no other desire, that I could safely
assert it.
24. Seeing, then, that our Lord is so powerful,—as I see and know He is,—and
that the evil spirits are His slaves, of which there can be no doubt, because
it is of faith,—and I a servant of this our Lord and King,—what harm can Satan
do unto me? Why have I not strength enough to fight against all hell? I took up
the cross in my hand,—I was changed in a moment into another person, and it
seemed as if God had really given me courage enough not to be afraid of
encountering all the evil spirits. It seemed to me that I could, with the
cross, easily defeat them altogether. So I cried out, Come on, all of you; I am
the servant of our Lord: I should like to see what you can do against me.
25. And certainly they seemed to be afraid of me, for I was left in peace: I
feared them so little, that the terrors, which until now oppressed me, quitted
me altogether; and though I saw them occasionally,—I shall speak of this by and
by,372—I
was never again afraid of them—on the contrary, they seemed to be afraid of me.373
I found myself endowed with a certain authority over them, given me by the Lord
of all, so that I cared no more for them than for flies. They seem to be such
cowards; for their strength fails them at the sight of any one who despises
them. These enemies have not the courage to assail any but those whom they see
ready to give in to them, or when God permits them to do so, for the greater
good of His servants, whom they may try and torment.
3. I should like to explain the delusions which may happen
here, though he who has had much experience will run little or no risk, I
think; but the experience must be great. I should like to explain also how
those locutions which come from the Good Spirit differ from those which come
from an evil spirit; and, further, how they may be but an apprehension of the
understanding,—for that is possible,—or even words which the mind addressed to
itself. I do not know if it be so but even this very day I thought it possible.
I know by experience in many ways, when these locutions come from God. I have
been told things two or three years beforehand, which have all come to pass;
and in none of them have I been hitherto deceived. There are also other things
in which the Spirit of God may be clearly traced, as I shall relate by
and by.
10. There is no reason, therefore, why I should dwell longer
on this matter. It is a wonder to me that any experienced person, unless he
deliberately chooses to do so, can fall into delusions. It has often happened
to me, when I had doubts, to distrust what I had heard, and to think that it
was all imagination,—but this I did afterwards: for at the moment that is
impossible,—and at a later time to see the whole fulfilled; for our Lord makes
the words dwell in the memory so that they cannot be forgotten. Now, that which
comes forth from our understanding is, as it were, the first movement of
thought, which passes away and is forgotten; but the divine locution is a work
done; and though some of it may be forgotten, and time have lapsed, yet is not
so wholly forgotten that the memory loses all traces of what was once
spoken,—unless, indeed, after very long time, or unless the locution were words
of grace or of instruction. But as to prophetic words, they are never 210 forgotten, in my opinion; at least, I have never forgotten
any,—and yet my memory is weak.
10. There is no reason, therefore, why I should dwell longer
on this matter. It is a wonder to me that any experienced person, unless he
deliberately chooses to do so, can fall into delusions. It has often happened
to me, when I had doubts, to distrust what I had heard, and to think that it
was all imagination,—but this I did afterwards: for at the moment that is
impossible,—and at a later time to see the whole fulfilled; for our Lord makes
the words dwell in the memory so that they cannot be forgotten. Now, that which
comes forth from our understanding is, as it were, the first movement of
thought, which passes away and is forgotten; but the divine locution is a work
done; and though some of it may be forgotten, and time have lapsed, yet is not
so wholly forgotten that the memory loses all traces of what was once
spoken,—unless, indeed, after very long time, or unless the locution were words
of grace or of instruction. But as to prophetic words, they are never 210 forgotten, in my opinion; at least, I have never forgotten
any,—and yet my memory is weak.
Till Next Time
Any questions feel free to ask in the comments below. There is also the Facebook page, A Field Guide to Spiritual Warfare. Come check us out there and leave comments or ask questions. If you like the podcast, let a friend know. Next episode, we will complete the Sixth Mansion Chapter 3 (part 2).
Tales of Glory Episode 71 - Here we are in Exodus 12, where Pharaoh finally releases the Israelites
and allows them to worship the one true God, Yahweh. However, before
this happens, the tenth and final plague occurs before the Pharaoh
agrees to let the Israelites leave - the death of the firstborn sons. Why did Yahweh wipe out Egypt's firstborn sons? Was it revenge? Judgment on the evil regional spirits? Or a little of both? Did any of the Egyptians leave with the Hebrews on their exodus?
Listen to the Podcast on Anchor.fm
Watch the Podcast on Spotify
Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts
Watch the Podcast on Youtube
Watch the Podcast on Rumble
Show Notes
Logos Software screen capture of Bithiah. 1 Chronicles 4:17-18
Till Next Time
Thank you once again for tuning into another episode of Tales of Glory. I hope you enjoyed the information from Exodus 12. The critical walk away from Exodus regarding spiritual warfare is to TRUST Jesus. He will get you out of your situation if you let Him help you. Therefore, you must learn to know and trust Him. That's how spiritual battles are fought and won!!!
If you enjoyed this content and feel like blessing the ministry to produce more, feel free to tap the M16 Ministries be a joyful giver button on the reight hand side of this blog.
In Tales of Glory Episode 70, we dive back into mystical theology with
Saint Teresa of Avila's Interior Castle - Sixth Mansion chapter 2. Where
Teresa explains to us the mystical prayer of the Wound of Love, in her
romancing poetic way, she describes how the soul becomes lovesick when
Jesus enters our soul and then pulls away. The Holy Spirit works on the
soul at deeper levels to prepare it for union with the indwelling Jesus.
18. During the days that this lasted, I went about as if beside myself. I wished to see, or speak with, no one, but only to cherish my pain, which was to me a greater bliss than all created things could give me.
1. Let us now go back to the subject. This quiet and recollection of the soul makes itself in great measure felt in the satisfaction and peace, attended with very great joy and repose of the faculties, and most sweet delight, wherein the soul is established. It thinks, because it has not gone beyond it, that there is nothing further to wish for, but that its abode might be there, and it would willingly say so with St. Peter. It dares not move nor stir, because it thinks that this blessing it has received must then escape out of its hands; now and then, it could wish it did not even breathe.210 The 112 poor little soul is not aware that, as of itself it could do nothing to draw down this blessing on itself, it is still less able to retain it a moment longer than our Lord wills it should remain.
17. I saw in his hand a long spear of gold, and at the iron's point there seemed to be a little fire. He appeared to me to be thrusting it at times into my heart,439 and to pierce my very entrails; when he drew it out, he seemed to draw them out also, and to leave me all on fire with a great love of God. The pain was so great, that it made me moan; and yet so surpassing was the sweetness of this excessive pain, that I could not wish to be rid of it. The soul is satisfied now with nothing less than God. The pain is not bodily, but spiritual; though the body has its share in it, even a large one. It is a caressing of love so sweet which now takes place between the soul and God, that I pray God of His goodness to make him experience it who may think that I am lying.440
18. During the days that this lasted, I went about as if beside myself. I wished to see, or speak with, no one, but only to cherish my pain, which was to me a greater bliss than all created things could give me.
6. The prayer of quiet, then, is a little spark of the true love of Himself, which our Lord begins to enkindle in the soul; and His will is, that the soul should understand what this love is by the joy it brings. This quiet and recollection and little spark, if it is the work of the Spirit of God, and not a sweetness supplied by Satan, or brought about by ourselves, produces great results. A person of experience, however, cannot possibly fail to understand at once that it is not a thing that can be acquired, were it not that our nature is so greedy of sweetness, that it seeks for it in every way. But it becomes cold very soon; for, however much we try to make the fire burn, in order to obtain this sweetness, it does not appear that we do anything else but throw water on it, to put it out. This spark, then, given of God, however slight it may be, causes a great crackling; and if men do not quench it by their faults, it is the beginning of the great fire, which sends forth—I shall speak of it in the proper place—the flames of that most vehement love of God which His Majesty will have perfect souls to possess.
4. How this, which we call union, is effected, and what it is, I cannot tell. Mystical theology explains it, and I do not know the terms of that science; nor can I understand what the mind is, nor how it differs from the soul or the spirit either: all three seem to me but one; though I do know that the soul sometimes leaps forth out of itself, like a fire that is burning and is become a flame; and occasionally this fire increases violently—the flame ascends high above the fire; but it is not therefore a different thing: it is still the same flame of the same fire. Your learning, my fathers, will enable you to understand the matter; I can go no further.
9. Oh, if we were utterly detached,—if we never placed our happiness in anything of this world,—how the pain, caused by living always away from God, would temper the fear of death with the desire of enjoying the true life! Sometimes I consider, if a person like myself—because our Lord has given this light to me, whose love is so cold, and whose true rest is so uncertain, for I have not deserved it by my works—frequently feels her banishment so much, what the feelings of the Saints must have been. What must St. Paul and the Magdalene, and others like them, have suffered, in whom the fire of the love of God has grown so strong? Their life must have been a continual martyrdom. It seems to me that they who bring me any comfort, and whose conversation is any relief, are those persons in whom I find these desires—I mean, desires with acts. I say with acts, for there are people who think themselves detached, and who say so of themselves,—and it must be so, for their vocation demands it, as well as the many years that are passed since some of them began to walk in the way of perfection,—but my soul distinguishes clearly, and afar off, between those who are detached in words, and those who make good those words by deeds. The little progress of the former, and the great progress of the latter, make it plain. This is a matter which a person of any experience can see into most clearly.
Till Next Time
Whew! That was a long one! Saint Teresa has been a long time overdue here on Tales of Glory. We covered her mystical prayer of the Wound of Love. If you have any questions, please ask in the comments section below or visit our Facebook page - A Field Guide to Spiritual Warfare!
