The Devil in the Castle: St. Teresa of Avila, Spiritual Warfare, and the Progress of the Soul

by Dan Burke
The Devil in the Castle: St. Teresa of Avila, Spiritual Warfare, and the Progress of the Soul
Author: Dan Burke
Publisher: Sophia
Total Pages: 192
Release: 2021-10-26
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9781644134399
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We often think of demons appearing only in extravagant and extraordinary manifestations or working only through "bad" people. But the truth is more frightening than that. Most demonic activity takes place undetected, under the radar, and can even be hidden in our own prayer lives and in the churches where we attend Mass. Subtlety, illusion, and deceit are the preferred tactics of Satan's army of fallen angels, and they are waging an invisible battle for souls -- right now -- within and around us all. With St. Teresa of Avila's masterpiece The Interior Castle as his guide, bestselling author Dan Burke takes you on an illuminating journey through the seven levels of spiritual progress, explaining what God is accomplishing within your soul at each stage, as well as the finely tailored demonic strategies applied to throw you off your path. You'll learn how the devil is as active in your prayer life as you are, and how the saints were able to counter Satan as he adapted his schemes to correspond with where they were on their spiritual journeys. By discovering the myriad challenges St. Teresa faced and the remedies she employed to advance the spiritual progress of her soul, you'll know precisely what to expect as you progress in your current state to your final spiritual destination. You'll also learn: The marks of authentic contemplative encounter with God Why God uses dryness in prayer to advance the progress of our souls How to know if you're still in the "Purgative Way" How desolation can work for the good of the soul Why it's dangerous to assume that your decisions are correct if you feel at peace How to fight distraction in prayer The 11 ways to test the authenticity of charismatic gifts

Spiritual Warfare and the Discernment of Spirits

by Dan Burke
Spiritual Warfare and the Discernment of Spirits
Author: Dan Burke
Publisher: Sophia Institute Press
Total Pages: 88
Release: 2020-01-09
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1644132583
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Satan is always at work breeding sadness and anxiety while providing obstacles that prevent souls from making spiritual progress. In this concise yet powerful book, author Dan Burke presents the venerable, time-tested wisdom of Catholic mystics to help you understand the influence of the Enemy on your mind and heart, and the tactics you need to combat him. With St. Ignatius as his guide, Burke presents here an indispensable, authoritative manual for engaging in daily battle with the Adversary—combat that is both inevitable and winnable. Burke will help you recognize the ebbs and flows of consolation and desolation, and distinguish between the voices of God and of Satan. Best of all, you'll come to see the spiritual life not as a science to be learned, but as an intuitive art to be practiced as you move with increasing success from habitual sin to sanctity. The battle for our souls is unavoidable. The saints won theirs by learning how to be spiritual warriors and by recognizing that we become stronger through battle and grow weaker from avoidance. With this book as your guide, you'll grow in strength and contentment as you learn: How to take captive every negative thought and make it obedient to Christ St. Ignatius's revelations exposing how the Devil seeks to influence us The Paradigm of Ascent and the Five Steps to Sanctity The three ways you can discern “Good Spirits” from “Bad Spirits” The three principal causes of desolation—and what you must do when it afflicts your soul Proven methods for moving away from sin and toward self-giving love of God and neighbor.

The Interior Castle; Or, The Mansions

by Of Avila Saint Teresa
The Interior Castle; Or, The Mansions
Author: Of Avila Saint Teresa
Publisher: Sagwan Press
Total Pages: 318
Release: 2018-02-07
Genre:
ISBN: 9781376916362
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This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Navigating the Interior Life

by Dan Burke
Navigating the Interior Life
Author: Dan Burke
Publisher: Sophia Institute Press
Total Pages: 180
Release: 2019-07-25
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9781644130896
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Most of us have questions about spiritual direction. What is it? What if I cant find a spiritual director? These questions and more are well answered in Dan Burkes book. The Lord is clearly calling all Catholics into a deeper union with him. This book, in a style which is both inspiring and practical, provides some of the Churchs most important wisdom about how to respond to this call.

From Ash to Fire

by Carolyn Humphreys
From Ash to Fire
Author: Carolyn Humphreys
Publisher:
Total Pages: 168
Release: 1992
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN:
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From Ash to Fire is a contemporary reading of Teresa's Interior Castle, an all-time classic describing the soul's journey toward transforming union with God. Humphreys devotes one chapter to each of Teresa's "mansions", i.e., steps along the path to union with God in prayer. Using examples and anecdotes of today's life situations, Humphreys makes the text accessible and easily understood by laypersons and "non-professionals". The book is therefore an excellent introduction to Teresa's classic work.

Fire Within

by Thomas Dubay
Fire Within
Author: Thomas Dubay
Publisher: Ignatius Press
Total Pages: 378
Release: 1989
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0898702631
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An outstanding book on prayer and the spiritual life written by one of the best spiritual directors of our time. Dubay synthesizes the teachings on prayer of the two great Doctors of the Church--St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila--and the teaching of Sacred Scripture.

The Art of Spiritual Warfare

by Venatius Oforka
The Art of Spiritual Warfare
Author: Venatius Oforka
Publisher: Sophia Institute Press
Total Pages: 209
Release: 2018-06-21
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1622825187
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Since the beginning of time, a fierce spiritual battle has raged between the forces of good and evil. Today the spiritual entities of wickedness are winning, burdening countless souls in a world lacerated by evil. To claim victory, God is calling us to engage in spiritual warfare as the only way to save the world from the desolation that is sure to come. In these pages, theologian Venatius Oforka explains that we are part of a spiritual web through which God acts to save souls. No longer does God create out of nothing. Instead, He achieves His purposes through the prayers and actions we pour in. To win such a sophisticated war, Oforka introduces us to the supernatural weapons of war and how we can shape the events that affect our earthly and eternal destiny. From Father Oforka, you will learn: How the ministry of intercession can bring salvation to millions of hopeless soulsHow to frustrate the Devil’s evil schemesHow to free yourself from the encumbrances of the flesh so you can fully participate in spiritual warfareThe two basic actions Christians must undertake to survive evil daysThe profound advantage you have over Satan and his worksHow and why God needs intercessors to save soulsWhy God requires us to act before He steps inThe critical role of the angels and the saints in fighting evilThe importance of suffering in spiritual warfareWhy God needs our prayers to make His Kingdom come The Art of Spiritual Warfare is the one book you need to awaken our world from its spiritual hibernation and to exercise the awesome privilege of working with God in the realization of His Kingdom.

The Seven Spiritual Weapons

by Catherine of Bologna
The Seven Spiritual Weapons
Author: Catherine of Bologna
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
Total Pages: 103
Release: 2011-07-18
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1610974956
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St. Catherine of Bologna, much venerated in her own city, has been little known outside of her native region but interest in her is now increasing. The outline of her life is clear and her own work, The Seven Spiritual Weapons, tells a good deal about her inner experiences and early years in the cloister. The introduction to this translation situates her life in the history of Ferrara and Bologna and studies how the external history of the community impinged on Catherine's own religious experience and how it was interwoven with her successful struggle against depression.