Video summary
Rule fourteen of spiritual warfare teaches that the enemy operates like a military commander who surveys his surroundings to identify and attack the weakest point in one's defenses, much as ancient armies would fill in valleys or scale cliffs to breach an impossible fortress. The devil does not strike randomly but instead prowls around our lives day and night, studying our theological virtues, moral character, and cardinal strengths until he finds a specific vulnerability where we are most susceptible to falling away from eternal salvation. This concept is illustrated by the historical siege of Masada, where Roman forces spent years filling in dirt between mountains to create an approachable path against a seemingly unassailable rock pillar; similarly, spiritual enemies patiently observe our lives, waiting for moments when we are hungry, angry, lonely, tired, or bored before launching their assault on those specific weak gates.
The discussion highlights that these weaknesses often stem from deep-seated wounds rather than simple moral failings, as seen in the personal example of a mother wound that created an internal void filled by serial relationships and misguided attempts to find love. Everyone carries some form of trauma, whether classified as "little T" for minor incidents or "big T" for severe events like abuse or abandonment, which can remain open doorways if not properly healed through God's grace and therapeutic work. When these wounds are left untreated, they provide the enemy with a strategic entry point to exploit human frailty; however, simply acknowledging that one is wounded does not excuse sin but rather clarifies where spiritual vigilance must be doubled down upon to prevent exploitation by forces that know every detail of our history from conception onward.
To counteract these attacks, the transcript emphasizes several essential antidotes including self-knowledge gained through deep introspection and prayerful examination of root sins such as pride, vanity, and sensuality found in early Christian writings like the Epistles of John. Daily mental prayer that focuses on loving God with total attention rather than checking off tasks serves to strengthen the soul's defenses, while frequent participation in the sacraments of Confession and Eucharist acts as a necessary shield against habitual mortal sin. Furthermore, living within an authentic Catholic community provides crucial accountability and encouragement, distinguishing between superficial groups where members merely pat each other on the back and true charisms that demand high standards and mutual support to help individuals overcome their specific struggles with anger, irritability, or distraction in the digital age.
Ultimately, spiritual warfare is presented as a relentless conflict requiring active measures rather than passive hope, grounded in the belief that while an enemy demon may be assigned to each person at conception, God provides superior grace through community and sacramental life to crush Satan under our feet. The goal is not merely to avoid sin but to cultivate virtues like joyfulness and gentleness by understanding one's unique battle plan and working diligently against identified weaknesses before they can lead to disaster. By recognizing that anger itself can be a god-given energy for justice when properly directed, individuals learn to analyze their reactions immediately rather than letting them control them, ensuring that the peace of Christ remains sovereign over even the most difficult emotional challenges faced in daily life.
Read the full video transcript
What was your weak point that he got in
and attacked you on?
>> I mean, a lot of my sins came from a
mother wound. So, a lot of my action,
serial relationships, and things like
that were a a result of me attempting to
find love, what I thought love was,
which was not actually what love was,
cuz I didn't have a proper
understanding,
>> trying to fill the void.
The greatest trick the [music] devil
ever pulled was convincing the world he
didn't exist.
>> I didn't know this was a fight. That's
why you're losing.
>> Today we are [music] beginning either to
domesticate the devil or else to deny
him. He is [music] most powerful when he
is denied.
>> Welcome to the devil's in the details.
The devil may be in the details but God
is on the throne.
>> Amen. Today we are covering rule 14 of
spiritual warfare and discernment of
spirits. And it was it's funny I'm
reading I was kind of reading this
before we started and uh we might get to
it. The paragraph on the second page of
the chapter
>> is really really good. Um so I do want
to read that for everyone in case they
haven't read it. But um before we get
there before I jump ahead
>> let's talk about rule 14.
>> Yeah. So this is the last rule of the
first rules there. And and if we hadn't
told you, I think we had, there are two
sets of rules, and you really can't
practice the second set until you've
lived the first for a while because it's
just too confusing. Um, so we're
finishing this. We'll see where we go
from here. I am wanting to write a book
on the second rules called spiritual
warfare and deeper discernment. I have
started it, but I'm, you know, as usual,
I've got two or three books started and
two or three books. No. So I get that
habit from you then because the same
way.
>> Okay. Well, I'm under con what? I have
to be careful when I sign a contract
because I have to be like, "Okay, yeah,
I'm doing this." Just finished though.
>> Spiritual warfare. I mean, turned in to
an editor, spiritual warfare and
discernment of spirits for the young at
heart,
>> young mind at heart. Uh that's aimed at
like high late high school to college,
you know. So, for those listening, you
heard it here first. There's going to be
a new version.
>> Yeah.
>> This year, thankfully, uh later in the
year. So, um we'll uh we'll let folks
know if they if they want to get and
actually
>> I don't know. Do you have like an email
for this show where people can send in
if they want to
>> questions at my but I mean if you if if
folks are excited about that book?
>> Yeah.
>> Just sign up for the emails at
spiritualdirection.com because it all
goes through there.
>> True. But what I was thinking is is I
don't know how much overlap there is on
audience. the I can just make this offer
now and I don't know when this show airs
but uh if you're watching this and you
are have been really helped by it as an
adult and you have young adults or you
know high school age upper end of high
school and you want to be a part of the
launch team what that means is you'll
get an [clears throat] early PDF copy of
the book, you'll get named in the book.
Uh, and what we ask is you become a part
of the prayer team. You once the book's
available on Amazon, you buy one from
Amazon and then you write a review. And
the reason buy one is one, you're you're
incentive to give it away. You can buy
one from, you know, Sophia if you want
to, but uh then [clears throat] there's
multiple copies, give it away, give one
or two away, and then when you write the
review,
>> it's a verified It's a verified review
cuz they get kind of pick well I mean
obvious for good reason. They get picky
about those. They don't want people
spamming.
>> Um so if you want to be a part of that
questions at my.com and you need to put
in the subject line spiritual warfare
and discernment of spirits for the young
dudes do that launch team. Spiritual
warfare and the discernment of spirits
young launch team
>> if you want to shorten it. S w a d o
>> young swatos. Young
>> launch team.
>> Yeah, probably an easier way to do it.
>> All right. Well, there's your offer
there.
>> All right. Rule 14.
>> Yeah.
>> Likewise, he conducts himself as a
leader intent upon conquering and
robbing what he desires. For just as a
captain and a leader of an army in the
field, pitching his camp and exploring
the fortifications and defenses of a
stronghold, attacks it at its weakest
point. In the same way, the enemy of
human nature, roving about, looks in
turn at all our theological, cardinal,
and moral virtues. and where he finds us
weakest and most in need for our eternal
salvation there he attacks us and
attempts to take us.
>> So it's a pretty simple idea. I remember
when I was in Israel for the first time
which was a long time ago. I went to
Msada and it's this huge it's this huge
I don't know what you call it pillar of
rock in the middle of the desert. Um and
uh King Herod built a palace on it and
there's a sistern so they they don't get
much water but they end they built this
big way of capturing the water and it
but it's I [clears throat] don't know if
it's uh
>> Didn't we go out there on when I went on
this?
>> You did not go to Msada. You never saw
Msada.
>> Okay. Okay.
>> But when you look down from Msada, you
can see the the Romans were uh had an
encampment.
the the remains of the encampment are
still there. And obviously this is more
than a thousand years old. And why they
were camped down there is they were try
going after the Jews who were rebelling
and who were hiding out in Msada. And
because of the, you know, how
treacherous it is because it is, you
know, I don't know, I'm assuming
thousands of feet. It's spooky. I will
tell you as someone who's not all that
afraid of heights to be up there. And um
so it's a very difficult thing to
assault because it doesn't have any any
uh you know just cliffs and you can I
mean you can literally throw rocks at
people you know and knock them off the
the narrow trails on and or whatever
arrows and whatever people had. And so
they camped there
in order to figure out a way to assault
this impossible to assault uh structure.
The way they figured out to do it was
there was another hill kind of separate
from it with a cliff and they just
started to fill in the dirt and they
filled in the dirt. They filled in the
dirt and then they assaulted it and when
they got in all the Jews had committed
suicide because they didn't want to be
taken by the
>> That's crazy. I didn't I don't I feel
like I've I've heard that story before,
but it's a little insane to consider the
Romans. You know, it reminded me of the
when we built the island here at the
retreat center and Kyle is
>> driving a thousand truckloads of dirt,
but they didn't have dump trucks back
then,
>> right? [laughter] So they're coming by
hand and they're filling up between
these two mountains.
>> Uhhuh. Right. No, it's it's crazy.
>> And the Jews watching it the whole time
thinking this is coming,
>> right? Well, and of course
>> they could have also waited them out.
They could have waited them out because
they had water, but they didn't have
continuous supplies of food, but they
they're just brutal, right? So there's
still some remains of the wild, you
know, the the way they the way they got
up there. But the the thing that this
just reminds me of the devil, you know,
so he camps out in in essence and he's
just constantly watching and trying to
figure out, okay, I can't get up this
way. Can't get up that way. If I get up
this way, okay, okay, there's three ways
up. This one is the most treacherous.
Not doing that. They'll see us coming
this one. You know, just that kind of
scheming is why I never forgot in
connection with rule 14.
>> Yeah.
>> But you know, and of course this echoes
what St. Peter said, you know, devil
prowls about like a roaring lion
>> seeking whom he may devour. So what does
it look like in a practical sense? And I
was thinking about going back to your
story.
Maybe I can even talk about some of my
own, you know, issues, but
you know, you were baptized. you you
converted to call Catholicism.
Do you mind or do you know are you aware
of of answering the question where did
he what was your weak point that he got
in and attacked you on?
>> That's a really good question. Um
I mean a lot of my sins
came from a mother wound.
Uh, so a lot of my action, serial
relationships and things like that were
a a result of me attempting to find
love, what I thought love was, which was
not actually what love was because I
didn't have a proper understanding
>> trying to fill the void.
>> Right. Now, Stephanie is your stepmom.
You call her your mom,
>> right? Right.
>> But you're talking about biological mom.
Yeah. Situation. um [clears throat]
because of the wounds that were done
then. Uh cuz obviously I conver if I I
mean a lot of the timeline is still kind
of foggy at certain points, but if I
recall correctly, y'all ended up getting
custody of me and I converted later. Is
that right?
>> Yeah, cuz you we you you ended up in a
police station.
>> Yeah.
>> And then we found out that she didn't
have you in school.
>> Yeah.
>> And by the way, her her name has changed
and all this and nobody we don't
>> and we're not bad.
>> We don't despair it. you know, she she
suffered a lot in her life.
>> It's it's there has to you have to
recognize what was done so that you can
understand why,
>> you know, certain behaviors persisted
and existed. You know, that's why I've
been going to therapy for as long as I
have, multiple different times, multiple
different therapists, and thank a
rockstar one right now, super faithful.
>> But, um, yeah, so I think that that was
probably one of the primary means of the
enemy kind of getting in.
>> Yeah. is just and I think that and you
know to back up I think that's true for
a lot of people. I think you know
there's the outright sin that we commit
whether you know it's it's uh pride
gluttony lust name it these tendencies
that we have as well as you know these
wounds you know everyone's wounded
everyone who's listening you're wounded
in one way or another you know maybe as
we we kind of we're trying to figure out
language I I've noticed that we do this
here at the retreat center
>> where we talk about these things because
a lot of this language has been co-opted
by kind of bad actors in the
psychological space.
>> So I like using little T trauma and big
T trauma.
>> Yeah.
>> So everyone you may have little T
trauma. You may have big T trauma
>> but there that is if if not treated
meaning if not given to God and worked
through with God
for whatever reason God permitted that
to happen then that's going to be an
open doorway for the enemy in one way or
another whether how you view the world
or how you interact with stuff. So all
that to say, I think my big tea trauma
uh was a major opening.
>> Yeah.
>> And so yeah, cuz we got custody of you
and then of course we're going to the
Catholic church.
>> Yeah.
>> And when we were when the whole family
was together with your mom, we were
going to Protestant churches
>> and you went through this process of you
and I having these conversations and
you're like, I don't get this or I don't
get that.
>> Yeah. Well, we Anglican at one point.
>> Yes. Yeah, I was an Anglican seminarian,
but then you decided to convert. I don't
know if you did it for me or for you.
>> No, it it was well when I tell my story,
this is part of it. It made at that time
still does, but the primary um cause for
my conversion was purely uh
intellectual.
>> It made sense to you.
>> Yeah. When you explained apostolic
succession and I was looking into that
stuff, I was like, how does anyone not?
this is like thi
>> this is all I need to know
>> right uh yeah good
>> so that's but it was you know and we've
talked about this before the head heart
language is or knowledge is different so
but it was that's why
>> but as you were converting so we kind of
found this out retrospectively
ro we had a great guy named Robert who's
a a air force guy who uh who helped my
sponsor
>> your sponsor a super smart guy helped
you through stuff But as you were
converting,
you were either sexually active or
overly physically active.
>> Yeah. I don't remember at the time. I
mean, probably.
>> Yeah.
>> Um I don't remember specifically. And
it's interesting because I, you know,
I've I've talked about this before and
I've thought about it and I think that I
mean, Robert was awesome and I think
it's just an unfortunate either I think
it comes down to two things. either my
sin was so attached or deep that if they
talked about those things, I just didn't
hear it.
>> Yeah.
>> Which is possible. Or they just didn't
talk about those things.
>> Yeah. Well, and I wasn't in the classes
with you. I don't But we did do some
theology of the body work at home.
Regardless, in the end, what wrecked
your marriage in in big part was
and well, I I don't want to say it. I
mean, you've been public about it. So,
you describe what?
>> It was impropriy. I mean, I never uh
they it was an emotional affair is what
they
>> Yeah. Okay. So, you never had a sexual
one, but
>> but you went to a treatment center for
sexual addiction. Why was that? What was
the
>> I Well, I hit rock bottom. Are you
asking what the center was or what the
cause was?
>> Well, I'm asking I'm just trying to hone
down on this issue.
>> Yeah.
>> And how you got taken out? So, I you
know what? Actually, we don't have to go
there. Here's the bottom line.
What got you was that you were, you
know, you had other virtues.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> I you you were
a good son and you know, up to that
point
>> given what you had to deal with, right?
>> You know, your mom was I don't know how
you would describe your relationship
with your mom, but I think you've been
open that it did a lot of damage to you
um for various reasons. So
the issue you had was a open door on the
sexual side.
>> Mhm.
>> Rel sexual relational.
>> Yeah.
>> It was p interestingly enough it was
primarily relational but the self
inebriation was sexual.
>> I got you.
>> Does that make sense?
>> Okay. You just nailed it for me. But in
the end
then you had a rel a serious
relationship and a marriage. But that
started out with it was
the enemy had a entree into your heart
cuz you weren't fully converted.
>> You were just kind of you were culture
well you're better than cultural
Catholic but not much better. Would is
that fair?
>> Yeah. I think you're being generous. I
mean I I I'm pretty harsh on my past
self because
>> Yeah. But but I remember if I could
argue with you and I'm sorry to cut you
off but I already did. So
>> is you know like you you would I would
you we would be together at one point
and you'd say I had a really bad day
>> and you wanted to go to church.
>> Yeah. No, there was always a um man,
it's making me emotional thinking about
it. um
was always a draw on my heart.
uh which I think was a grace and a
blessing
because I don't want to credit it to
myself because I was such a wreck in so
many ways and offending God so deeply in
so many ways and yet he was always there
you know come to me
>> and I felt it you know cuz it's like
yeah I had a bad day I want to go to I
want to go to church I'm just going to
sit in church
>> yeah and I remember you even sitting and
weeping and we didn't know what was
going on but I was grateful that that
You wanted to go there to deal with your
darkness. Yeah. So you had So you had
better than a cultural Catholic sense,
but you had this big huge open door. We
probably used it on this show before. I
if I've overdone it, I apologize, but
maybe you haven't heard it. Is we used
to live in Bessemer, Alabama, which has
the it's always in the top 10 list for
the violent crimes and under 100,000
population.
and and having habitual sin like you had
is like living in Bessemer, Alabama with
no front door and nice things all in the
house for everybody to see.
>> Yeah.
>> Which you're just going to get pillaged
and you got pillaged. The enemy said,
"Hey, here's this girl for you."
>> And he knew and you know, we don't need
to, you know, obviously despair and none
of that, but that a very wounded person
otherwise it wouldn't have been
attracted to you anyway. Yeah. Yeah.
>> Very wounded person and then you s then
you joined your woundedness together and
it was a disaster.
>> Yeah.
>> Um so that's just like the worst
example. Okay. Now, so that was years
ago. Now let's bring it to today.
And I think about if I if I was on and I
had thought about this before the show.
So, I don't even know if I could come up
with, you know, like what where do I
have to be careful? I think, you know, I
have to be careful in a couple of
places. One is
uh efficiency.
>> Mhm. [clears throat]
>> With those that are closest to me. And
and so the closer a person is to me, so
I mean particularly Jordan, Stephanie,
the more I I I grew up this way, the
more
utilitarian I can be. And it's just not
good.
>> Yeah. It's funny. I was explaining this
to somebody recently because they they
kind of had a question and
uh an experience. They didn't really
know how to take it. And I had to say,
you got to understand, you know, and I'm
not saying this is a good thing. I'm not
saying it's an excuse. You know, we we
kind the Burks kind of assume that if
you're in the inner circle, then you
know that we love you and we don't have
to say it all the time,
>> right?
>> You know, it's like I'm not saying
that's a good thing. I'm not saying it's
a bad thing. Yeah. That's just how this
circle works.
>> Yeah. I mean, my dad my dad didn't tell
me he love me till my middle brother,
who was sort of like the prodigy of the
family, attempted suicide,
>> you know, so and that was pretty late in
the game.
>> Yeah.
>> And I he was pretty shook up by cuz
everyone thought this kid's going to be
the golden boy, the middle one, I won't
say his name. And uh and so that Yeah.
So I never heard that from my dad though
though though he's a good man. God rest
his soul died as a Catholic. He
converted before he died. But so that
efficiency is one of my weaknesses and I
have to be very careful uh which is a
task orientation.
>> Mhm.
>> Um
I think the other area is um
physiological issues.
So you know as we sit here I'm suffering
and I'm better than I've ever been in my
life. I am stronger. I'm, you know, I
work out
Monday through Saturday pretty much. And
this morning worked very hard on the
treadmill
and very hard in weightlifting. You
know, both um did personal records in a
bunch of categories and weightlifting,
but I don't feel good.
>> Yeah.
>> And so, but even before this show,
I have to be super disciplined. uh like
I have to be very ordered about all the
things I have on my plate and it has to
be just dead clear this is the next
thing otherwise I go into a fog and then
I can go okay I'm just going to you know
watch a YouTube video or something like
that which which is
>> it's it's funny because I'm I'm
purchasing the latest light phone
and it has a little more capability than
the previous version and I am dead
serious about getting off of
the smartphone except in very specific
instances because even though I have all
my notifications turned off
um it is still just too much of a draw
to kind of you you get in this fog where
I'm not feeling great and and it and
then it's like okay I'm going to look
I'm going to watch now what do I watch
>> Catholic stuff yeah
>> you I don't do porn I don't do anything
like that
>> but those are my things that the enemy
knows
He can get me to waste a bunch of time
or get distracted on things that are not
primary to my mission
and he can do harm to relationships. So,
by the way, both are in my rule of life.
So, it it's not like so I know they're
there and I have specific things I'm
doing against them both for Lent and
just in normal in my life. What do you
think your things the enemy can push on?
I mean, it's not like he, you know, not
like we're revealing anything he doesn't
already know, by the way. Well, it's
interesting, you know, when I when it
switched from, you know, uh, pornography
and all of that nonsense.
Um, I remember when it happened, the
switch, and I was like, whoa, I'm
dealing with anger. I have an I have an
anger issue, you know, not like I'm not
lashing out at anybody. Yeah.
>> It's not like I'm necessarily quick to
anger unless it comes to electronics and
then I'm very quick to anger.
>> Uh, but you can you have an irritability
thing,
>> but I do. Yeah. So, so, but it was
interesting at that point.
>> I don't [clears throat] know where you
got that, by the way. It was interesting
at that time when I noticed the switch
>> and and thinking, "Oh, this is new. This
is something this is something new." And
and thankfully now it is just an
irritability thing. I don't I don't tend
to get um very angry anymore. And even
if I do, it's purely internal. And I've
never lashed out. I've never had that
issue. I've never had that side of
anger. Um,
but if I do get towards that, you know,
on a scale of one to one to 10, if I'm
at like a six,
I don't think I've ever gone higher than
that. And I'm analyzing now as I say it
to make sure that that's true.
>> You did as a cop.
>> Oh, sure. Yeah. Different different
context.
>> Yeah.
>> But, um, now even if I get up to like a
six, which I don't think I've ever gone
higher than that, it is purely internal
and it's not controlling me. It's it it
I immediately go into analyzing mode,
which is what's going on. Why do I feel
this way? Is this rational? Let me talk
to somebody.
They can tell me if I'm crazy,
[clears throat]
>> you know, I need to how do I need to
correct this?
>> And then most of the time it's just me
being mad that I'm mad, you know, which
is the bitter irony of that situation.
>> I'm just frustrated that I'm frustrated
over something silly. And I have to
remind myself, especially recently,
remind myself, okay, God's I think you
said it and it struck me and I know it
because I I recommended the book, but
God's permitting this. And if I get mad,
then I'm mad at God, right? He's
permitting this. [clears throat]
>> So, yeah. So, that's but that's still my
biggest thing, I think, is is just
dealing with that irritability. And it's
and it's not, you know, and to be
totally fair to myself cuz we are our
own worst enemies and beat ourselves up
worse than anyone on the planet ever
could.
It's all rational. You know, it's what
do I have to do for the foundation at
the same time? How do I juggle these
contractors and these things that have
to be done for the retreat center at the
same time? How do I maintain personal
relationships at the same time? how do
I, you know, do all so it's all rational
good stuff and okay this happened so now
I'm delayed on this project by who knows
how long or so and so won't call me back
how do we get this thing fixed you know
oh a pipe burst you know how do we can
we get in touch with somebody you know
what I mean
>> so I I offer that for people because I
think that a lot of folks
>> take anger and it's just oh it's bad and
I think it is good to recog Oh, I know
it's good to recognize sometimes. No,
anger is a recognition of an injustice
of some sort. It's an indicator.
>> Yeah.
>> And it's okay. You just can't let it
control you.
>> Yeah. Well, and and I will say a lot of
people, you talk about the gifts of the
Holy Spirit. Uh I always ask, is there
any place in the Bible where the person
is filled with the Holy Spirit and
they're angry? Are you aware, by the
way?
I you know
I'm going to go out on a limb if I if
I'm wrong. People can laugh at me in the
comments. I could have sworn there's at
least two cases.
>> There's only one that I'm aware.
>> Okay. One
>> Old Testament.
>> Yeah.
>> You want you know
>> I don't remember what it is.
>> It's Saul, King Saul and and the prophet
>> and and uh yeah. So yeah, it says he was
filled with the Holy Spirit and he was
angry. H
>> uh it may have been um I don't know if
if uh when uh Isaiah was deal was it
Isaiah? No. Um who's dealing with the
prophets of Bal?
>> Oh um Elijah.
>> Elijah and the prophets of Bal. I I
don't know if there was any energy there
but anyway
>> I I love his taunting. I I don't know if
he [laughter] was angry because he had
some really funny taunts the entire
time.
>> Right. So um [clears throat]
in scripture of course the New Testament
says be angry and do not sin which
presumes the reality presumes that it's
possible to be angry to sin and angry
not to sin.
>> And I always my favorite definition of
anger is the god-given energy to do the
right thing.
>> Yeah. It's it's like I said recognition
of injustice.
>> Yeah. So, so those so all of the reason
I'm just processing through this in
front of the world and admitting things
uh is that this is how the devil works
is that he he already knows these things
about you and me and and and he's
constantly watching and trying to find
opportunities
to exploit these areas and which is why
I'm working so hard on the opposite
virtues in my rule of life or my plan of
love which I do an examination against
every day. Am I joyful, gentle, you
know?
>> Yeah,
>> that sort of thing.
>> Well, and it's people need to know it's
a commonly held belief. This isn't a
dogma. This isn't you you'd be you'd
find it hard to even find it written
down in most places unless you have a
library like ours where we have text
that's has been out of print for who
knows how long. But it's a commonly held
belief that just as we are given a
guardian angel at the moment of
conception
>> that the enemy
basically um
>> assigns
>> assigns a demon to you
>> at the moment of your conception.
>> And that what does that imply? There's a
demon
>> that is following you
>> knows you
>> from the moment that you were born knows
everything about you. They are far more
intelligent than we are and they use
that, you know, they know every single
weakness. That's why I love I mean I can
just read it now
>> but this that paragraph
>> that you have in here. [clears throat]
The enemy pitches his camp to prepare
for his assault on you. He watches you
day and night without rest for he needs
no rest. He learns your sins, your
weaknesses, your proclivities, and your
inclinations with respect to the
structure of the fortress around your
soul and the gates of the entry. These
are the virtues or lack thereof in your
life. He sends out scout demons to test
every gate. They push on them to see if
they are strong or weak. If they're
weak, the demons take note. Then they go
back and make an assessment with the
lead demon. They determine your weakest
gate. Prepare for an assault when you're
hungry, angry, lonely, tired, bored, I
would add.
>> But it's it goes back to the Council of
Trent when we read in I think the
introduction episode of when
[clears throat] we started this thing.
>> You know, the the they are relentless.
The war with him is endless, you know,
and if you're not taking it seriously
and if you're not recognizing that there
is [clears throat] someone who is
assigned to me to make sure that I fall,
that is their job to to do that and they
are really good at it. you have no
excuse to not, you know, work as hard as
you can to to counteract it and to give
yourself grace when things mess up
because that's still a grace from God
and an opportunity to learn so you can
improve and gain virtue. But there has
to be an active measure in place.
>> So [clears throat] let's wrap the series
up with like antidotes, okay?
>> The most important antidotes. So, one,
you got to have self-nowledge, and
that's just you can't snap your finger,
and you can't go to a psychologist to
get that. You they can help, right?
>> But you have to have it at a
foundational level. So,
strongly recommend you get my book,
Navigating the Interior Life, that gives
you a beginners's guide to a self
assessment on root sins according to the
Joanine, you know, tripartate pillars of
sin. It's it's it's not it it's an
entrylevel,
you know, it's it's uh pride, vanity,
and sensuality. And it comes from the
epistles of John. Now, the the church
later developed the seven, you know,
deadly sins, if you will. And um but you
if you've never done it before, you're
going to have enough trouble just with
the three. So, start with the three with
navigating the interior life. There's a
whole section that helps you to process
through that
>> later go to Kevin Vost's uh book the
seven deadly sins
>> and it and then you know probably
minimum of a year after you tried from
navigating the interior life and you
start battling give yourself a year you
won't
>> Kevin's book is very good uh but it'll
be overwhelming you know for those who
have never done this work so that daily
mental prayer
>> if you're not spending time with Jesus
is not give me prayer, not fix this,
give me that. It's the kind of prayer
that is is the illustration used by the
saints and doctors are it's it's prayer
that has that is best mirrored by the
holy marital embrace of husband and
wife. Because when you're with your
wife, when I'm with my wife or you're
whoever, you're not like checking off
to-do lists. if you're not doing
anything but focused on loving your
spouse.
So that's mental prayer. I wrote a book
called Into the Deep. One up you behind
Jordan
>> on [clears throat] into the deep teaches
you how to do that. There's a film
series. There's a film series on into
the deep that's free spiritual warfare
or spiritual direction.com
>> pray
>> pray I think uh pray or prayer one of
the two. There's a film series on this
book that shows it's a retreat context.
Stephanie was part of that. She did a
great job on the rule seven and
renunciations to kind of you know get
this into a small group. Um so daily
examine
>> I was going to say
>> against your root sin and your new
strategy to overcome that daily mental
prayer. Um, and I think those are the of
course sound sacramental participation.
You got to be going to the Eucharist or
Eucharist as frequently as possible,
especially if you struggle with habitual
mortal sin.
>> Confession as frequently as possible.
>> What did I say?
>> Eucharist.
>> Both.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. No. Yeah. I mean, if you're if you
have mortal sin, habitual mortal sin,
you need to go as often as you need to
go. And it's, you know, as often as it
happens
in order to get past that. Otherwise,
you're just, you know, if you're not
availing yourself of the sacraments,
like I said, you have no front door
>> in downtown Bessemer.
>> Yeah.
>> And you you're going to get plundered
and pillaged. Um so, daily mental
prayer, examine, understanding your root
sin,
regular sacramental participation.
[clears throat] That's your the
beginning of your journey. If you are
wanting more help, I I would say I have
to have community. I think we're wired
for community. We live in community
here. God be praised. Um [clears throat]
>> can I say something on that?
>> Yeah.
>> So, you know, uh one of our co-workers
just a couple days ago crashed and
flipped his car, rolled his car, car on
fire. He's fine. Praise be to God. Uh,
and it just so happened that I had
canceled a trip to another filming that
we heard.
>> You were supposed to be with me in PA.
Yeah.
>> And, uh, it was really evident why
because I helped him.
>> You were the one.
>> Yeah. You took care of, got him to the
hospital, you know, got him home.
>> We live in a rural area. People are
wondering, well, why wasn't it an
ambulance?
>> Yeah,
>> because we live
>> and the and the fire department did come
check him out. I wasn't I used to be a
cop. I'm not an idiot. I know I know how
to do that stuff. Um,
uh, I've been driving around the past
couple days because his mom was out of
town as well.
>> Yeah, she was with me on the filming.
>> Uh, anyway, point is in the midst of all
of that, I kept thinking, man, I don't
know how people live on their own. I
don't I cannot fathom.
>> Mhm.
>> He would have been stuck.
>> Yeah.
>> He would have been completely stuck.
[clears throat]
>> Mhm.
>> You know, and it's what a blessing that
we have community in that way. Now,
that's a very tangible physical way, but
what you're talking about is also
>> spiritual. No, I I was talking with
Father Bonafice 6 this weekend, and we
did a two-part film series on devotional
journey into the mass, Chris Garson's
great book that we commissioned and
Father Bonafice, the hidden power of
silence in the mass. We did two film
series on that. I was talking with
Father Bonafice and, you know, I said,
you know,
I don't have enough motivation to care
for myself.
And so the you know like I think
everybody needs to be in community by
the way but my reason is
>> is that my love for others
and helping them to the Lord and I know
that there's some defect in this
is more motivating than self-care if
that makes sense.
>> And so why do I write the books that I
write you know to help others because I
don't like to write.
>> Yeah.
>> You know there are certain things about
what we do that I like. this I like a
lot you know
>> but um anyway community is super
important and if you are not part of a
Catholic faithful Catholic community and
I don't mean a club you know there are
there's a difference between a club and
a what we call a carrorism so you know
and this can happen in any spirituality
in the church where you get a bunch of
lay people around and to feel good about
themselves there's no high bar there's
no requirements they just read the
spiritual uality and kind of pat each
other on the back. I I guess that's
good.
>> Um I'm not interested in that kind of
shallow stuff.
>> What I need is accountability. I need
people watching me all the time, you
know, and just knowing that I need
encouragement. I need to give
encouragement. I need, you know, a lot
of this sort of thing. So, um, if you're
not a part of a community or you're a
part of what you think might be a club
instead of a carism, check out
apostova.org.
Api,
v i ae.org.
apostova.org.
About 4,000 members worldwide. We have
priests, religious, and lady. I think we
have like 27 priests or something in the
>> in literally worldwide.
>> Yeah, it is.
>> New Zealand, Australia.
>> Yeah. Croatia.
>> Croatia. Yeah. Japan.
>> Yeah.
>> Um, so no matter where you are, but
anyway, I pray this series was a
blessing to you. Pick up the book if you
haven't yet. There's also some insights
in the back of the book that basically
summarize what's next, which we were
telling you what's what's next. And we
pray that uh you find the freedom the
Lord uh died to give you.
>> Yep. And the shows, just in case that
sounds like a a series finale, it I
guess it technically is a series finale,
but the the podcast will continue. Yeah,
that's right.
>> So, if you have any questions about any
of this, feel free to send it in. Um, we
did get some great feedback from a
Protestant who listens to the show who
was finding it super helpful, which was
really encouraging.
>> Questions at my Avala, right?
>> Yeah. I wish I could remember the name
and shout them out. But, uh, until next
time, Romans 16:20, the God of peace
will soon crush Satan under your feet.
The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
Amen.
>> Amen.