The power of demons lies in thought, in suggestion – they are the authors of many of the thoughts we believe to be our own.

In our effort to make room for the Lord in our lives to holiness, we become aware that the opposition does not come only from us, from our nature enslaved by the pleasures of sin. We discover and feel the opposition of the spirits of darkness. Outside of this effort, it will be difficult for a person to recognize that demons are not “metaphors”! This is how we find out, and we need to be vigilant, knowing that they are intelligent persons, and not blind forces of nature or “negative energies” coming from nowhere, and that their power lies in thought, in suggestion. They are the authors of many of the thoughts that we believe to be ours.

Here, we need to realize that three types of thoughts pass through our minds and can work. Thoughts from God, which are extremely delicate, creative, thoughts of repentance, of love, of mercy… Thoughts from dark spirits: destructive, of hatred, of envy, of rivalry, of fear, of lust… These come into our minds suddenly, like lightning, and are accompanied by anxiety.

And our thoughts, the thoughts that our mind “gives birth to”. Because our mind does not have ready-made, prefabricated thoughts in it, but gives birth to them every moment, depending on our experiences, the demands of nature, and those around us. In my village, there was a saying: “Look what this man’s mind has given birth to!”. It is a saying that confirms this theological truth about how we think.

Monk Siluana Vlad