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How can you strengthen your faith in God? What is faith in God in Orthodoxy? How to strengthen yourself in the Orthodox faith

Realizing cherished dreams and achieving the desired results from various spheres of life are the fundamental goals of most people striving to achieve social recognition and high social status. To succeed in well-planned tasks, you need to put in a lot of effort, not stopping at the already conquered peaks. In trying to overcome new obstacles, it is important to regularly improve, accumulating life experience and becoming.

Self-confidence is an inalienable personal quality, without which it is impossible to be realized in love relationship, hobbies and work. Success comes only to strong-willed people who are distinguished by strength of mind and body. The volume of everyday vocabulary, communication skills and intellectual abilities are the components of the moral character of a person, which commands respect from others. In order to earn the trust of the community, it is important to carry out noble deeds and be distinguished by compassionate behavior.

The main component of the coveted formula of happiness, which allows you to stand out in everyday life, is faith in yourself. How can this quality be developed and strengthened? How does it manifest itself? What challenges can you face in developing self-confidence? To learn how to live, you need to come to an inner agreement, achieving peace of mind and tranquility. We must not forget about reading and practical experience, with the help of which it is easier to prove in society that you are right.

The reasons for the lack of self-confidence

If you decide to develop faith in yourself, strengthening the already existing level of self-sufficiency, then it is recommended to initially get rid of. It is not uncommon for people to distrust their intuition due to internal disagreements accompanied by panic attacks. - these are the reasons for doubts that prevent you from developing self-confidence. The prerequisites for the occurrence of such phobias in people are accompanied mainly by the following factors:

Excessive custody of parents, who prevented the child from making decisions and making fateful deeds in childhood. The baby has formed stereotypes, because of which it seems impossible to achieve the assigned tasks without the help of loved ones. In this situation, it is important for the mother and father to let the child go to free "bread" in time, controlling his actions at a distance.
The reverse scenario is the absence of a mentor who, in his youth, could help the baby. A child who fell into harsh realities often suffered defeats in his own endeavors, therefore he lost faith in himself. Children's complexes are a weighty argument for a mature personality so as not to try to change the usual course of circumstances.
Indifference and humility, accompanied by unconditional agreement with the crowd, become the mainstay of development in a person of internal conflict. It is not typical for people who do not want to improve and defend their own point of view. Such a personal quality can be deservedly attributed to the strong-willed characteristics of a person, and in the above type, the desire to achieve cherished goals is not observed.
Unjustified and unreasonable fear of defeat is another reason for the manifestation of a person's lack of confidence in their own strengths. Some people prefer to watch the development of events from the outside, not trying to change the established situation to their advantage. Inaction is the main mistake that does not allow you to strengthen existing and acquire new personal qualities.
The feeling of premature victory and the manifestation of a relaxed state also become significant reasons that give rise to complexes in a person. Having lost concentration in advance, defeat is inevitable, so we are disappointed in our own strengths, abandoning attempts to achieve unattainable results.

A person who has got rid of internal complexes and fears becomes less vulnerable to everyday factors and replicas of others. Having lost phobias in advance, you don't have to worry about the outcome of the dialogue - the interlocutor has nothing to convict you of by proving it. It is possible to eliminate spiritual "ailments" from childhood with the help of introspection, considering the problem from different angles. Living in fear is an inappropriate solution that prevents people from achieving their cherished goals.

A person who decides to eradicate must tune in to long and painstaking work. Strengthening existing personal characteristics and developing new qualities is a laborious and energy-consuming process, without which the achievement of the cherished goal is not possible. To become a self-confident person, you need to adhere to the following recommendations identified by practicing psychologists:

Take a first look at yourself from the outside, rationally assessing your own strengths and weaknesses. Decide on the front for upcoming improvements in order to narrow the scope of the task and tune in to specific actions.
Accept your own problems and come to terms with personal "cons." This kind of work is needed to learn how to exist with other people in a competitive environment. The course of current events will change only over time, so it is inappropriate to count on a speedy development of events.
The next step is to develop motivation, accompanied by a search for significant factors. You will have to project the benefits of confident people distinctly. You have to realize how to change the habitual way of life after acquiring the long-awaited personality trait. Please be patient and tune in to the continued development of events.
Start your improvement by making a plan for the victories that are already on your track record. Remind yourself regularly of the difficulties you had to overcome to achieve your cherished goals. A positive emotional background, formed due to the constant figuring at the subconscious level of already conquered peaks, helps to cultivate self-confidence, not paying attention to external factors.
Decide on the closest environment, communicating exclusively with benevolent people who believe in you. The opinion of society directly affects the formation of phobias and fears, therefore, maintaining a relationship with is an unjustified risk that is recommended to be minimized.
Create a list of goals for the near future, tune in to the indispensable implementation of your plans. Do not deviate from the intended path, trying to find new solutions and non-standard moves to achieve the desired result. Do not push yourself into a box by setting clear deadlines for the implementation of tasks, so as not to be disappointed. Try to adequately assess your own strengths.

Do not compare personal achievements with the successes of other people who have already mastered the necessary set of internal qualities for this. Projecting your life onto someone else's fate is the wrong decision. Initially, you only know superficial factors, and without knowing the "underwater" currents, it is impossible to rationally evaluate the "victories" of a stranger. Do not make yourself an idol when guided by the scriptures from the Bible. By aligning with an idealized image, you will invariably fail.
Be sure to forgive yourself past failures and come to terms with the blows of fate that you have already taken. Do not aggravate the situation by adding to daily life bitterness of events that have already taken place.

Following the above guide to action results in a number of undeniable benefits. A person who has gained faith in himself has a lively and vivid speech, moderate, convincing gestures, a moderately developed sense of pride. A feature of the new image is the ability to oppose your own worldview to the opinions of people around you, arguing your position through weighty arguments and facts. If you do not find a problem in time, because of which it is not possible to achieve social recognition, then a person invariably arises. Making jokes about such a phenomenon is an unjustified risk, because spiritual disagreements take the form mental disorder... Due to the lack of confidence in his abilities in the mind of Billy Milligan, by the age of 20, more than 15 extraneous images appeared, which were characterized by various behavioral signs. Having regained the reins of control of body and mind, the patient was able to recover from a serious illness, restoring his own moral character.

Living in peace and harmony with oneself is an opportunity to enjoy the delights of everyday life, defining new tasks for the near future. Having developed self-confidence, a person a priori expects a positive outcome of current events. In this situation, it becomes possible to achieve cherished goals and conquer inaccessible peaks.

ANATHEMAS OF THE CHURCH AND THE MOST POPULAR MODERN DELUSION On the Week of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, the Church pronounces anathemas to those who adhere to all false doctrines. In the light of the proclaimed anathemas, one can also look at the most popular modern false teaching widespread among Christians - the false teaching that salvation is possible outside the Church of Christ. Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov), addressing one person convinced of the salvation of "good" heretics and Muslims, answered this: "The whole reason for your last bewilderment, as well as for all others, is a deep ignorance of Christianity!" ABOUT "GOOD PEOPLE" One of the points of this delusion is the idea that outside Orthodoxy there are many "good people" whom "God cannot send to hell of fire." The whole essence of this error is hidden in two things: 1) denying that the Atonement Sacrifice is assimilated only through Christ's Church, 2) in equating the good deeds of human nature with the work of the Atonement. So, it turns out that those who affirm the idea of ​​salvation outside the Church of "good people" believe that they will be justified by their "good deeds", thereby blaspheming the only means of our justification - the Atoning Sacrifice of Christ. Those who have this understanding fall under one of the proclaimed anathemas: "Those who do not accept the grace of redemption preached by the Gospel, as our only means of justification before God: anathema." This is what freethinking leads to, which is contrary to what the holy fathers of the Church taught. 1. The Church of God is the only organism through which it is possible to assimilate the fruits of Christ's atoning sacrifice. The Blood of Christ was shed for everyone, but one can only be part of it in the Body of Christ (the Church). Without life within the Church, this participation cannot be, no matter how “good” a person is. Christ directly said: "This is My Body, the hedgehog that is broken for you for the remission of sins, and drink of all of it: this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is also shed for you and for many things, which is shed for the remission of sins" (Matthew 26: 26-28 ). Since the Eucharist is not outside the Church, then the most salvific union with the Body and Blood of Christ. St. Macarius (Nevsky): "Despite the fact that the atoning sacrifice was brought by Christ the Savior for all people, its fruits can only be enjoyed by those who believe in Christ, belong to the Body created by Him - the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church who have entered into communion with Christ through the communion of His body and Blood. Orthodox Church , cannot enjoy the fruits of the atonement accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ "Therefore, a lie about salvation without the Church is a blasphemy against the sufferings of Christ and the devaluation of the Blood shed by the Lord. In this case, the Suffering of Christ on the Cross is equated with natural deeds for people. Here is what Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov) writes about this: “The Church has always recognized that there is only one means of salvation: the Redeemer! she recognized that the greatest virtues of the fallen nature descend into hell ... ... the good deeds of the fallen nature, from feelings, from blood, from impulses and tender sensations of the heart - are forbidden, rejected! And it is these kind deeds that you like in pagans and Mohammedans! For them, at least it was with the rejection of Christ, you want to give them salvation ... "ABOUT THOSE WHO HAVE NOT HEARED ABOUT CHRIST Another anathema from the Rite of the Triumph of Orthodoxy:" it happens without the Providence of God and on occasion: anathema. " Thus, the Providence of God for each person is rejected, because the Lord wants to save everyone and knocks on everyone (to someone through conscience, to someone through a miracle, to someone through the Word, to someone In addition, God knows that one or the other will not accept Him, therefore, for him, it will be less condemnation to be born in a country where there is no Orthodoxy, since the one who knew and accepted will be beaten more than the one who did not know. And this is also a manifestation of God's love and care. And to say that "they will be saved, because they could not hear about Christ", knowing Acit: - to reject the Lord's concern for everyone; - reject the fact that God is Almighty; - to reject that God provides for people (assuming that someone is born where you will not hear about God ...) - to reject that God acts and saves a person here, in earthly life. Here is another point why the false doctrine of salvation outside the Church in its essence falls under the anathema of the Church. ““ WE CANNOT APPROVE ... " Fathers. ”Not a single (!) Holy Father taught that outside the Church salvation is possible. The saints taught exactly the opposite (some quotes are given below). Therefore, to say "we do not know if it is possible to be saved without Orthodoxy ..." - and this is either ignorance or direct disregard for the words of the holy fathers of the Church, who unanimously reiterated that salvation is impossible without the Church of Christ. By the way, it is worth adding: some are trying to take the words of the saints out of context, reinterpreting them and adjusting them to justify the false teaching. For example, the words of St. Theophanes, sounding (if they sounded like that at all) something like this: "I don't know if Catholics will be saved, but I will not be saved without Orthodoxy." This quote is not his teaching, since it was said in certain circumstances (and indeed, it was only retold from someone's words). For example, someone who hears me condemning someone, and then says that I teach condemnation. But, if you look at what I write, it will be clear what I call condemnation - sin. Saint Theophan himself, in his creations, quite clearly expresses how he believes: "For WHAT SALVATION TO TAKE TO THE ONE WHO DOES NOT CONTAIN THE TRUE TEACHING OF FAITH AND CHURCH AND THINKS WRONGLY either about God, the world and man, or about our present state, corrupted, or about the method of our restoration, which is one ... But there are people who say: believe as you like, just live well and do not be afraid of anything - as if you can live well without having sound concepts about things communicated by true faith. brethren, the composition of true life includes not one behavior, but also a sound way of thinking "(" Five Teachings on the Path to Salvation ") - here the saint directly says that there is no salvation without the content of the teaching of the Church. And he considered St. Theophanes of Catholics by the Church? Here is his answer: "Outside the Orthodox Church, there is no truth. She is the only faithful keeper of everything commanded by the Lord through the Holy Apostles, and therefore is the real Apostolic Church. Others have lost the Apostolic Church, and ... they decided to build such a church and built it, and gave it such a name. "(Thoughts for every day of the year. M., 1997. S. 7). "Christ is here, in our Orthodox Church, but in some other one there is no Him. And do not seek, you will not find" (Thoughts for every day of the year. P. 25) - these are the specific words of the saint, expressing his teaching. how much they contradict the Gospel teaching, the contents of the Church, the reasoning that is pleasing to the devil, because the false doctrine of salvation outside the Church DECESSES the Atoning Sacrifice of Christ, DECESSES His Most Pure Blood, DECALIZES His Body (Church), DECESSES His concern, DECALIZES His every person ... And for those who have accepted this false teaching, the Church ceases to be the only Ark of salvation ... As the holy martyr Onuphry (Gagalyuk) said: “What should we, the guards of the house of Israel, do to keep the sheep of Christ in the saving fence of the Orthodox Church? It is necessary to explain that there is no salvation outside the Church. Only those who were in Noah's ark survived the flood ... "FOR THE SUPPORTERS OF OSIPOV AND KOCHETKOV Another anathema is a reason to think carefully to those who believe not in the patristic doctrine, but to some modern preachers:" Those who avenge the immortality of the soul, the end of the century, Future Judgment and ETERNAL retribution for virtues in heaven, but condemnation for sins: anathema. "Priest Georgy Kochetkov says that the Church allegedly does not have an unequivocal opinion on the question" is the soul immortal? " By the supporters of Father George Kochetkov, I often have to discuss this matter, since I, as an Orthodox Christian, cannot in any way agree with the heresy that the souls of sinners disappear into oblivion, avoiding torment ... By the way, the disciples of Father G. Kochetkova are supporters of the false doctrine of salvation outside the Church, claiming that heretics are also "Christians" ... If I were members of the "Preobrazhensky Brotherhood," I would have thought well of the previous anathema. , under which those who reject the patristic teaching fall ... I would have thought, being a supporter of the most popular false teacher of our time - Professor Osipov. Three anathemas from this Order are against the professor's false teachings. For example, the professor teaches that the fathers supposedly have "two lines" regarding the understanding of the doctrine of eternal torment. It is clear that there were no "two lines" and there are no (this has long been sorted out many times - https://clck.ru/MPFtk), and the Church proclaims anathema to those who deny eternal condemnation for sinners. And it is no longer so important how to express this denial: to say that there are "two lines" or to lament "how so, God will allow the eternal suffering of many people." The most amazing thing is that Osipov's supporters (I have dozens of polemical conversations with them) say that, they say, "Osipov does not teach that way, you have not understood that way," and then they even begin to defend "not two lines," but that literal understanding Christ's words about eternal torment are erroneous. The professor did not hesitate to declare that Judas will be in Paradise, that Muslims and not only them can be saved ... So, the anathema about the denial of the grace of the Atonement as the only means to salvation also concerns Osipov and his followers. The Church has expressed everything very clearly. She solemnly proclaimed that for confessing such false teachings, a person exposes himself to excommunication from the body of the One Ecumenical Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Church, outside of which there is no salvation. As St. Nicholas of Japan wrote, “The Church reveals her love to those who depart from her with bitterness into outer darkness. After them she proclaims an anathema, hoping that they will come to their senses, fearing excommunication - not from the human community, but from the coming Kingdom of Glory ... ”THE SAINTS ABOUT THAT SALVATION IS POSSIBLE ONLY IN THE CHURCH carriers of the popular delusion): - Hieromartyr Cyprian of Carthage: "Outside of her<Церкви>there is no life: the house of God is one, and no one can be saved anywhere, as soon as in the Church "; - Blessed Augustine:" You can have honor, you can have the sacrament, you can answer "amen", you can keep the Gospel and preach faith in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and preach it, but nowhere but the Orthodox Catholic Church can salvation be found "; - St. John Chrysostom:" We know that salvation is the lot of the One Church only and that no one outside the Catholic Church and faith can take part in Christ or be saved ... we do not allow heresies to have the hope of salvation, but we put them completely outside this hope, since they do not have even the slightest communion with Christ "; - St. Athanasius the Great:" Whoever wants to be saved, first of all it is fitting for him to keep the Catholic faith , but if anyone who is whole and innocent does not observe it, except for any bewilderment, it will perish forever "; cue: "... Since it is impossible to please God without right faith, it is also impossible for anyone to be saved without the Holy Eastern Church of the wise and bright God-devoted teachings of her"; - St. Paisiy Velichkovsky: “I, for all my unworthiness, taking into account that you are looking for guidance from me, I can answer you the following: Gracious God accomplishes the salvation of Orthodox Christians by the Orthodox faith, good deeds and his grace. The Orthodox faith is that which is contained by the One, Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, and without this faith it is impossible for anyone to be saved ””; - Holy righteous John of Kronstadt: “The wicked will not see Your Glory, Christ, that is, nonbelievers, non-grafts, Catholics ..., Lutherans ... and reformists, Jews, Mohammedans, all Buddhists, all pagans "- Svschm. Hilarion (Troitsky): “I confess that the Church is one, and Catholics for me are not the Church, and therefore, not Christians, for there is no Christianity without the Church”; On the topic: Pride under imaginary compassion -

Notice, in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus said that everything is possible for the one who believes. Believe is a verb and requires action. If action was not necessary, Jesus would say, "Everything is possible for one who has faith."

Here are some steps on the path to unshakable faith:

1. Feed your faith.

Maintain your faith as your best friend, because it will support you in difficult times. Study the Bible, read it over and over until you discover truths that will lift you from your knees.

The Epistle to the Romans says: "And so faith is from hearing, and hearing is from the Word of God." Here it is said that you cannot only pray, ask and fast - it is important to listen and hear the Word.

1. Take an example from Christ

Mark the passages in the Bible where it says that Jesus believed in God without question. Motivate yourself, take an example. Who is the most striking example of "reinforced concrete" unshakable faith? That's right, Jesus Christ. Look often at the passages marked in the Bible that teach about His faith, and do your best to achieve the same in your own actions.

1. Be born again.

Yes, yes, that's right, again. Repent, find your new continuation in Christ. This way you will receive the power of faith and the spirit of God.
This means that when you are born again, you will have some part of the nature of God, as stated in the Scriptures. Let go of the last vestiges of pride and kneel before your King. When you exalt Him and realize His greatness, your faith grows rather into confidence.

1. Love your brother.

How can you love God, whom you have never seen in the flesh, if you do not love and in many respects condemn your acquaintance with whom you regularly meet ?!
Remember, God sees your heart. He will forgive you for unnecessary weakness, even a regular one, but such things kill your faith. Galatians says that faith works through love. Try to eradicate dislike for any person, help everyone you can. Then your faith will be strengthened and your spirit will rejoice. " By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for each other."- said Jesus.

6. Surround yourself with like-minded people.

Communication with God engenders agreement with those who believe in Him. “Where two or three agree with each other in my name to ask for any deed, whatever they ask will be for them from my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them. ”(Matthew 18:20). Surround yourself with believers - they will help you not to doubt your beliefs.

7. Ask God for faith.

Who else but He in the secret place will give you an answer on how to strengthen your faith? Who else but He will help you to believe in Him by manifesting a miracle in your life? God is a loving father with whom you can talk about any topic. Do not neglect fellowship with Him. He is waiting for you every time. Pray, open the Word, ask questions and get answers.

1. Be honest.

Build your faith by thinking and saying the same thing, and be honest with yourself, with God, and with people. God's word is already happening, but not necessarily for you, even if you really believe it. What you contemplate consists of and constitutes what you believe in:

“Be careful what you think about.
What you think determines what you do.
Be careful what you do with your options.
Actions determine your faith, personality, and character.
Be careful with your personality traits. They define who you are.
The content of your being determines who you are.
It's true: "We become what we think." (Proverbs.)

In an extremely difficult time, when God seems adamant and your faith is broken, God actually makes it stronger. Defeat the temptation to doubt Him, and you will learn a new facet of both yourself and God.

Anya writes: “Recently I became interested in God. I came to your site. I knew that I needed to repent before God, but first I wanted to know if God exists at all. I read all kinds of websites about creationism, historical facts, prophecies. I came to the conclusion that God still exists, but I never repented. I began to try to become good with my own efforts, but nothing worked out for me. I began to doubt God, for two days I prayed to God asking him to help me believe in Him, but it got worse. I'm desperate!!! Help me please".

Hello Anya!

Such a state, as you have now, happens to everyone. We all have to go through a desert of unbelief. Doubts will always be present in our life, and we should not be disappointed and stop in our search for God, it is worth continuing to search further. When we have doubts, it means that the truth is somewhere very close.

You are doing well that you pray to God and ask Him to strengthen your faith in Him. However, the Scripture also says the following: "So faith is from hearing, and hearing is from the word of God" (). In other words, Scripture tells us that it is the reading of God's Word that strengthens our faith. You can read various spiritual literature, but in no case should you leave your deep study of the Bible with prayer.

Jesus also said that: "The Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of everything that I have told you" (). When temptations come, our faith weakens, then the Holy Spirit reminds us of the necessary Scriptures, which give us answers to questions and thereby strengthens our faith.

The Scripture also says: "Behold, the arrogant soul will not rest, but the righteous will live by his faith" (). This text says, in fact, that any attempt to obtain salvation through good works is doomed to failure. Salvation is a gift from the Lord, and this gift must be received by faith every day in order for the process of our sanctification to take place. On the issue of accepting the gift of salvation by faith, I recommend that you definitely look at the following link:
http: //www.site/answers/r/28/307846

A sinful person cannot fully fulfill the holy Law of God. Paul shares his inner anguish, saying: “So I find the law that when I want to do good, evil is present with me. to the inner man I find pleasure in the law of God; but in my members I see another law, opposing the law of my mind and making me a captive to the law of sin that is in my members. Poor man I am! who will deliver me from this body of death? "(). Inside a sinful person there is a constant struggle, we either want to be obedient to God, then we want to resist Him, although with our minds we understand that the Lord is holy and wants all the best for us. for our good. And sin is like a disease that will torment us until the end of life, until the Second Coming of Christ, and we have to live with it now. We will receive complete healing only in eternity: "And God will wipe away every tear from our eyes them, and death will no longer be; neither crying, nor outcry, nor sickness will be gone, for the former has passed away "()

However, God offers us healing. We can, with the help of the Word of God, walk our earthly path much easier, the same Apostle Paul writes to his young disciple: "Pay attention to yourself and to the teaching; do this constantly: for by doing this, you will save yourself and those who listen to you" (). The Lord said to Joshua: "Do not let this book of the law depart from your mouth; but study in it day and night, in order to exactly do everything that is written in it: then you will be successful in your ways and will act wisely" ().
Consecration is an ongoing, everyday process. And just as we need our daily bread every day, that is, today the bread that we ate yesterday is not enough for us, so we ourselves need to eat the bread of life, the Word of God, every day.

Read also, for example, the Book of Ruth from the Old Testament, there is a good example of the manifestation of faith by Ruth, trust in the invisible God, regardless of any external visible adverse circumstances.
And may the Holy Spirit strengthen your faith through the Word of God!

Sincerely,
Vitaly

Read more on the topic "Miscellaneous":

Notice, in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus said that everything is possible for the one who believes. Believe is a verb and requires action. If action was not necessary, Jesus would say, "Everything is possible for one who has faith."

Here are some steps on the path to unshakable faith:

1. Feed your faith.

Maintain your faith as your best friend, because it will support you in difficult times. Study the Bible, read it over and over until you discover truths that will lift you from your knees.

The Epistle to the Romans says: "And so faith is from hearing, and hearing is from the Word of God." Here it is said that you cannot only pray, ask and fast - it is important to listen and hear the Word.

1. Take an example from Christ

Mark the passages in the Bible where it says that Jesus believed in God without question. Motivate yourself, take an example. Who is the most striking example of "reinforced concrete" unshakable faith? That's right, Jesus Christ. Look often at the passages marked in the Bible that teach about His faith, and do your best to achieve the same in your own actions.

1. Be born again.

Yes, yes, that's right, again. Repent, find your new continuation in Christ. This way you will receive the power of faith and the spirit of God.
This means that when you are born again, you will have some part of the nature of God, as stated in the Scriptures. Let go of the last vestiges of pride and kneel before your King. When you exalt Him and realize His greatness, your faith grows rather into confidence.

1. Love your brother.

How can you love God, whom you have never seen in the flesh, if you do not love and in many respects condemn your acquaintance with whom you regularly meet ?!
Remember, God sees your heart. He will forgive you for unnecessary weakness, even a regular one, but such things kill your faith. Galatians says that faith works through love. Try to eradicate dislike for any person, help everyone you can. Then your faith will be strengthened and your spirit will rejoice. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another,” Jesus said.

6. Surround yourself with like-minded people.

Communication with God engenders agreement with those who believe in Him. “Where two or three agree with each other in my name to ask for any deed, whatever they ask will be for them from my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them. ”(Matthew 18:20). Surround yourself with believers - they will help you not to doubt your beliefs.

7. Ask God for faith.

Who else but He in the secret place will give you an answer on how to strengthen your faith? Who else but He will help you to believe in Him by manifesting a miracle in your life? God is a loving father with whom you can talk about any topic. Do not neglect fellowship with Him. He is waiting for you every time. Pray, open the Word, ask questions and get answers.

1. Be honest.

Build your faith by thinking and saying the same thing, and be honest with yourself, with God, and with people. God's word is already happening, but not necessarily for you, even if you really believe it. What you contemplate consists of and constitutes what you believe in:

“Be careful what you think about.
What you think determines what you do.
Be careful what you do with your options.
Actions determine your faith, personality, and character.
Be careful with your personality traits. They define who you are.
The content of your being determines who you are.
It's true: "We become what we think." (Proverbs.)

In an extremely difficult time, when God seems adamant and your faith is broken, God actually makes it stronger. Defeat the temptation to doubt Him, and you will learn a new facet of both yourself and God.

Faith is like a plant

Faith, like a fragile plant, needs a strengthening effect. If we tremble with our Faith and nurture it, then the time will come when we can reap its sweet fruits. Alma compared the word of the Lord to a seed when he taught people about faith, saying, “And now, if you make room for the seed to be planted in your heart, now, if it is a real seed, or a good seed, if you don’t reject it by its unbelief, resisting the Spirit of the Lord, then, behold, it will begin to grow in your chest; and when you feel these movements of growth, you will begin to say to yourself: It must be a good seed, or it is a good word, for it begins to expand my soul; yes, it begins to enlighten my understanding; yes, it becomes sweet to me ”(Alma 32:28). If this is the right word, then it will start to grow and, as Alma says, we will feel it. And when we feel or see growth, it becomes much easier to believe. However, Alma wants us to remember that this is not yet perfect knowledge. I think it's safe to say that no one can gain the fullness of knowledge in this life. But by testing our faith and making efforts to nurture it, we can get closer to it. Faith will grow as we look after her.

Faith of the ancients

At different times, people have had their own problems. However, the same faith has helped people from different times to overcome their trials. Paul, continuing his teaching on faith, gives many examples of how faith at all times has helped people cope with their difficulties. He talks about how Noah showed faith and received a revelation, about how Sarah, being at an advanced age, thanks to faith, was able to conceive a son, talks about Abraham, who was ready to sacrifice his son to the Lord. Every time faith was accompanied by a miracle.

Before performing a miracle and helping, the Lord made sure that people have faith. In the letter of Mark we read a story about a woman to whom Christ said: "your faith has saved you." Not having full knowledge about how the process of miraculous healing is possible, we must at least have faith in the mighty hand of the Lord, because by doing so we open the heart and soul for the healing of the body. Everything is the will of the Lord, and in order to understand and accept this, faith is also needed. The belief that no matter what, everything will be for our good if we commit ourselves to His will.

Faith in deeds

James spoke of faith: “So faith, if it has no works, is dead by itself. But someone will say: "you have faith, but I have works": show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith from my works. " Living faith is faith that consists of action. We are made up of our actions, they define our image. Faith in the heart of a person motivates him to action. Once we take action, confidence comes. And with it it is easier to move forward. This applies to both spiritual faith in God and in Jesus Christ, and faith in your own strength. The Lord expects us to follow him in our work. By doing good to people, we not only purify our souls, but also bring the light of Christ into the world.

Sometimes we do not understand all the commandments or commands of the Lord, and then it is more difficult to see how they can help in life. But if we remember that Heavenly Father loves us, and that His only job is to “bring about our life and our immortality” (Moses 1:39), then we can have faith that He will not give us the instructions that will to the detriment. And even if we do not understand now how this or that principle of His teaching can bless us, we can experience this principle on ourselves. Sometimes such a step into the unknown is a manifestation of faith. As we take a step of faith, trusting in a wise Father, we will gain confidence in Him, and our testimony will grow with each new step.

Living faith strengthens the spirit. It helps us move forward and “do many good things of our own free will” (Doctrine and Covenants 58: 26-27). When it is difficult for us to go forward and want to give up or just stop, it is important to remember that it is much more difficult to shoot down a moving target. The enemy is awake and waiting for the time when we will stop. When we stop seeing the goal.

The Lord is a God of miracles, He can work a miracle because of our faith in Him, or He can simply help our unbelief. He shows us His love every day, through micro miracles. And if we tune ourselves in order to see them, oh, how happy we can become.

Faith on the path of life

To summarize, we can say that faith is the fuel by which we move forward in all aspects of our life. Whether it's goals in school, work, callings in the Church, personal spiritual growth, or relationships with loved ones. In everything, we must believe that everything will definitely turn out the way it should. Building relationships with both God and people requires faith. Belief that the action you perform will lead to good. Faith in people and their kindness. As Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, in dealing with people we say we love, we should “doubt the bad and hope for the good.” If this principle applies to the people we love, then our relationship with God can also be based on him. Believing that the Lord wants only the best for us, we can confidently face the storms of life and go forward with the belief that God Almighty will not leave us and will always support us if we keep a living faith in our hearts.

A SELECTION - interesting and IMPORTANT Orthodox materials from the book - HOW TO FIND STRONG FAITH IN GOD On the Orthodox Site - Logos Word. Go to the Site - follow the links, they are LOCATED - below. 1. THE MYSTERY OF PRAYER - "OUR FATHER". HOW IT IS NECESSARY - RIGHT TO PRAY. You must ALWAYS ASK FOR HELP - THE GUARDIAN ANGEL! http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all_1/user_2315_1/topic_11744/ 2. WHY - OUR CHILDREN KILL AND LOSE. MARKED BY THE DEVIL. http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all_1/user_2315_1/topic_12655/ 3. Judgment without GRACE - to the one who has not done mercy! Harsh law - Retribution on earth! Everything returns to us in this life. POWER - CROSS AND SIGN OF THE CROSS. Sin brings Misfortune. http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all/topic_11980/ 4. SECRETS - THE WILL OF GOD. GOD'S TRANSPORT - ABOUT PEOPLE. PEOPLE - DO NOT KNOW - HOW GOD CARES about them - BECAUSE THEY EXPERIENCE - for the FUTURE. SIN BRINGS - UNHAPPINESS TO PEOPLE. IMPORTANT! HOW DO SPIRITUAL LAWS WORK. THOUGHTS - HUMAN. http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all_1/user_2315_1/topic_14486/ 5. MIRACLES OF HEALING FROM THE WATER OF THE Baptism. IMPORTANCE - CONSOLIDATION - HOUSES. HOW TO GET RID OF WITCHERY. THE GREAT POWER IS THE CROSS. http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all_1/user_2315_3/topic_10956/ 6. SECRET - UNCLEAN POWER. AS A DEVOL - DECEPTED PEOPLE THAT HIS - NO. FOR WHAT THE DEMANDS ARE INCLUDED IN PEOPLE. SPEAKER - DAMAGE. AMAZING STORIES - FROM LIFE. http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all_1/user_2315_1/topic_12239/ 7. WISE TEACHINGS OF THE ELDER - SCHIAMANDRIT IANNIKI. IMPORTANT - FOR ALL ORTHODOX. http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all_1/user_2315_3/topic_11036/ 8. IMPORTANT! THE WAY OF TRUE - REPENTANCE. SINS AGAINST GOD. HOW TO LEARN - IT IS CORRECT TO PRAY. Prayer - have mercy on the Lord. http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all/topic_12394/ 9. IMPORTANT !!! HOW - WE LIVE. Sermon - BEFORE THE ROCE OF EXPULSION - EVIL SPIRITS FROM MAN. TEACHINGS OF HIEROSCHIMONACH SAMPSON. TEACHINGS OF THE IGUMEN FATHER GURIY. TEACHINGS OF STARTS GAVRIIL URGEBADZE. http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all_1/user_2315_2/topic_12603_4/#comments 10. CHURCH - HOUSE OF GOD. The TEMPLE is a PLACE OF MAN - WITH GOD. Many SORRY are sent to EVERYONE - WHO SPEAKS - in the TEMPLE. IMPORTANT. CHURCH and EMPTINESS. http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all/topic_12341/ 11. THE WISE TEACHINGS OF THE HOLY ELDER GABRIEL URGEBADZE AND THE ELDER ARMANDRIT FATHER GURI. SPIRITUAL LAWS. THE DIABOL'S NETWORKS - ON THE LIFE WAY OF A MAN. http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all_1/user_2315_3/topic_11186/ VERY IMPORTANT! EXPERIENCE OF CONSTRUCTION OF CONFESSION - ACCORDING TO 10 COMMANDMENTS. GRATITUDE IS THE BIGGEST SIN. THE SIN OF LARKNESS - BEFORE THE SACRAMENT AND ICONS. THERE IS NO KIND IN MAN - NO HUMILITY. http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all/topic_14574/ 12. THE GREAT SECRET OF ORTHODOXY. http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all_1/user_1316_2/topic_6466/ 13. IMPORTANCE AND NECESSITY - FAST. FORGIVEN - RESURRECTION. THE ROPE IS A MAN'S REVOLUTION AGAINST GOD. WHAT IS SIN? http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all_1/user_2315_2/topic_11393/ 13. MIRACLES - FOR CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS. SIN PORTS - HUMAN GENES. DELIVERY - FROM THE MOUSE. CASE - IN PRISON. http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all_1/user_2315_4/topic_10854/ 14. MAN'S APPEAL TO ALL GIRLS. ABOUT MEN'S BLOOD. ON ANOTHER'S UNHAPPINESS - YOU WILL NOT BUILD YOUR HAPPINESS. HOW PARENTS DESTROY FAMILIES - THEIR CHILDREN. http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all_1/user_2315_4/topic_10818/ 15. SACRAMENT - WEDDINGS. LONELINESS - MEN AND WOMEN. FAMILY - WITHOUT LOVE. MONEY AND THEIR IMPACT ON WOMEN. FAMILY FIGHTERS. HOW TO SAVE - BY FAMILY. http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all/topic_13260/ 16. WHEN CHILDREN DO NOT HEAR US. NAUGHTY CHILDREN. CAPRICES - CHILDREN. ORTHODOX - EDUCATION - CHILDREN. TIPS - ONE MOTHER. http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all_1/user_2315_1/topic_13353/ 17. FATHER - HIS MOST IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE FAMILY. LIKE PARENTS - CURSING THEIR CHILDREN. WORDS: SWORD - CURSES OR POWER - BLESSINGS. http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all_1/user_1543_1/topic_7593/ 18. Important! Church and emptiness. Stranger's candid stories about the Jesus Prayer. Strength is prayer. http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all_1/user_2315_5/topic_10780/ 19. HOW PEOPLE FALL - INTO CHARM. GRATITUDE IS A GRAVE SIN. http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all_1/user_2315_1/topic_11917/ 20. IMPORTANT! TREATMENT OF DISEASES - FOLK MEANS. THE BEST AND EFFECTIVE RECIPES. ADDED - NEW MATERIALS. BOOK - HOW HELP - GOD'S MEDICINES. http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all_1/user_2315_1/topic_12145/ 21. WHY ARE THERE SO MANY PSYCHES AROUND? IMPORTANT!!! TO ALL - TO TEACHERS and ALL - TO PARENTS! PROBLEMS - SCHOOL EDUCATION. http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all_1/user_2315_1/topic_13481/ 22. MIRACLES - NICHOLAS UGODNIKA. THE HELP OF NIKOLAI SLEEPER - IN OUR TIME. MIRACLE IN THE WAR. MIRACLES IN THE CHRISTMAS OF CHRIST. THE BEST AND INTERESTING - STORIES OF MIRACLES. http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all_1/user_2315_5/topic_10727/ 23. THE IMPORTANCE OF CONFESSION IS IN THE LIFE OF A MAN. STORIES ABOUT THE POWER OF PRAYERS. THE WISE TEACHINGS OF THE HOLY ELDERS. LEGEND - ABOUT SILENT PRAYER. ABOUT - COMFORT, REST AND HUMILITY. FAST - TREATS. http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all_1/user_2315_2/topic_11249/ 24. PAID MEDICINE IS A BUSINESS - ON THE DISEASES AND SUFFERING OF PEOPLE. RECOGNITION OF A GYNECOLOGIST - HOW KILL CHILDREN - FOR NURSING. AMBULANCE - CANCELED - CAPITALISM IS NOT PROFITABLE. http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all_1/user_2315_3/topic_10905/ 25. SPECIAL IMPORTANCE - MONARCHIES. THE MOST DILIED TSAR IN RUSSIA IS IVAN THE GROZNY. IMPORTANCE - BUILDINGS IN RUSSIA - ORTHODOX STATE. In the eyes of God, there is no better power than the power of the Orthodox Tsar. - Venerable Seraphim of Sarov. http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all_1/user_2315_1/topic_11576/ 26. IF THE PATRIARCH KIRILL IS MONK. THEN WHY DOES HIM WEALTH? WHO DOES IT WORK FOR - PATRIARCH KIRILL? THIS was HIDDEN from us. http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all/topic_13824/ 27. CAUTION - BECAUSE! NEW KIND - ICON ART. NEW - STUFF - OVER ORTHODOXY. FOOTWEAR - with CROSSES on the SOLE. http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all_1/user_2315_1/topic_11789/ 28. JUST BAPTIZED - OR ORTHODOX ?! THE ELDER OF PAISII - IF THE METROPOLITANTS ARE SILENT, WHO WILL SPEAK THE TRUTH? http://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all_1/user_2315_4/topic_10755/ I am placing a link to the NEW - LAST - supplemented Version of the book - HOW TO FIND - STRONG FAITH IN GOD. September 2016 Book - Edited and ADDED - New IMPORTANT material DOWNLOAD - BOOK - HOW TO GET STRONG FAITH IN GOD https://cloud.mail.ru/public/CrPi/tRULeMf6d September 2016 Today - EXPENSIVE medicines, but in hospitals it is better NOT TO HIT. 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The rule of faith

Hieromonk Nikon (Parimanchuk)

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

On the holiday of the great, merciful, speedy in helping those in need and offended, but also the formidable judge of our conscience, the great miracle worker and St. which grace and mercy, and through which the Lord Himself visits us with spiritual comfort.

In the church service on the day of this celebration, there are words that briefly but succinctly speak of the saint: "Saint Nicholas, by your name is taco and your life."

What do these words mean? Let's think about them.

The name Nicholas is Greek and means "the conquering people".

There have been many so-called great generals in history with loud and even beautiful names, including Alexander the Great, and Richard the Lionheart, and Karl of Sweden, and Napoleon. Their names are surrounded by an aura of almost reverential reverence, although some of them came with weapons and death to our land. In fact, many of them were only vain and restless destroyers of other people's lives and destroyers of someone else's world. But even they, having defeated the enemies and conquered the peoples by force of arms, could not be calm within their possessions, fearing the discontent of the vanquished.

And how did the saint conquer the nations and confirm this victory? The only thing that every Christian can and should attract to himself is the moral strength of his life, based on the fulfillment of the gospel law.

And the good shepherd brought in the years of his earthly life (and he lived in the 4th century) and now continues to lead to the Heavenly Master not forced slaves, but new and new children of the Light, the children of God. As a true good shepherd, he introduces them into the boundaries of a new fatherland - Heaven, instructing them in the Christian way of living, teaching us to overcome the evil of sin with the good of Christian law.

“Obey your instructors and be submissive, for they are vigilant about your souls, as if they are obliged to give an account” (Heb. 13:17), - calls the Apostle Paul with the words of his message to all Christians. And today is the day of one of our mentors, who, even after his death, gives Christ the Savior an account of his children - caring for us, and not just praying, but, as the Church sings, “crying out to the Lord for us” (Slavnik stichera in verse), Christians today.

Why is the holy Pleasant for us the rule of faith? Because the law of his God was in his heart (see: Psalm 37:31), and the saint, guided by this law, did not consult the books of rules and regulations, but walked the path that was shown to him by the loving heart of the bishop of God.

Therefore, his name is firmly connected with the name of the city of Myra (St. Nicholas the Wonderworker reigned there), consonant with the word "myrrh" - which refers to the divine oil of mercy and grace that heals our sick souls.

We all know a case from his life, how the saint saved both an impoverished father and his three daughters from a sinful fall by giving them “three gold knots, hiding,” as it is sung in the akathist to the saint. This is the 5th ikos.

One had to live one life with one's verbal flock, one had, as the holy Apostle Paul wrote, to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep (see: Rom. 12:15) in order to know their grief.

Let's digress for a moment from the seemingly blissful at first glance narrative of life and imagine ourselves in the place of the saint. What would we do? Have they not rushed to denounce the faint-hearted who fell into poverty? Wouldn't you sympathetically tell and retell in detail to others about the "temptation" that befell them, as we like to say?

And what does the Miracle Worker do when he learns about the need of one of the souls entrusted to him? He did not, as a spiritual leader and as a bishop having power over their souls, denounce them for their readiness to commit sin, but in the simplicity of holiness performed the work of mercy, gave this mercy itself, as a gift from God, as the most necessary thing.

This was the fulfillment of the law of love and compassion for a neighbor who was deprived even of his loved ones, for his neighbor, rejected by the world. Therefore, the Church praises the saint, calling him “the layman of the keeper” (“Slavnik” on “Lord, I cried out”).

Or here is an incident from the life, about which it is sung in the kontakion to the saint: "And thou didst save the innocent from death." Nicholas the Wonderworker reigned at the beginning of the 4th century, when the authority of the Orthodox bishop was not yet so great in the eyes of the city authorities. Recently, the persecution of Christians had just ended, and among the administrators, newly minted Christians, there were many zealous pagans in the past, with prejudice and mistrust towards the leaders of church communities, whose spiritual authority much later they began to use, and not always honestly, for the benefits of state administration.

The bishop does not send his servant to the office of the governor of the region with a petition for clemency, but, not fearing the wrath of those in power, he himself comes to the terrible, shameful, unclean place of execution and, not fearing possible gross violence, with his right hand removes the executioner's sword from the condemned.

So he “God, venerable, the Gospel (truly) fulfilled”, imitating Christ the Savior Himself, Who, as the Apostle Luke wrote, “sent neither an angel nor an intercessor, but He Himself came to seek and save the lost one” (Luke 19: 10 ).

And we ourselves know how often a hardened heart, rooted in passions and vices, softens, only calls on the name of the Wonderworker.

We also know that the saint can be formidable and terrible for those who desecrate the faith, piety, who oppose the will of God - from the heretic Arius to the unreasonable girl from Samara, who in frivolous reverence took in her hands the icon of the saint at the New Year's holiday in 1955.

In church prayers, Nicholas the Wonderworker is called great, because not only are the miracles performed through his prayers great, but a great many human souls through him came to faith, attracted by his prayers and mercy. And this unaccountable striving for our God, for His saints is faith.

That is why the words of the Gospel are read at the service of the saint: “And all the people sought to touch Him, because power proceeded from Him and healed everyone” (Luke 6: 19).

These are the words of the Sermon on the Mount, the heart of the gospel covenant, the moral law given to us by Christ the Savior. The Lord spoke with these words to His listeners, among whom were the apostles - they spread these words all over the world. And today Saint Nicholas, as the bishop of God and as the organizer of the Church, as a partaker of Christ, as if he himself addresses us, who have come to him on the feast to share in the church the joy of church celebration. As his children he preaches the gospel to us:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for yours is the kingdom of God."

We are the poor in spirit, poor in soul, sinners, but who do not want to admit this to ourselves. And if when we call ourselves sinners, then how unbearably sick and unjustly offensive we will be these reproaches heard from others.

If we are sick with this, then we will not be ashamed to turn to repentance, to go to a doctor, before whom we are not ashamed to show our chronic illnesses, our poverty, such as St. Nicholas.

"Blessed are those who hunger" for righteousness and truth, not their own, but God's. Those who strive in this life of sorrows, losses, illnesses, homelessness to a single source - God, in order to be satiated with the grace of God and the joy of perfect love.

And on the day of our sorrows, like the prophet David once did, we seek God, and ask for His help, and in prayer standing before him and his saints we are not deceived in the hope of the prayerful help of the holy assistant Nicholas.

"Blessed are you when people hate you and when they excommunicate you, and they revile you, and bear your name as dishonorable for the Son of Man."

“If only one of you does not suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or a villain, or as an encroachment on someone else's; but if as a Christian, then do not be ashamed, but glorify God for such a fate ”(1 Pet. 4: 15-16).

How often doubts, lack of faith, despondency, despair come to us in our sinful life, and we forget the mercy and grace of God. And in this night of spiritual darkness and despair, as once the king and prophet David prayed: "Remember Thy Name in the night, O Lord, and we keep Thy law," and we, praying to the Lord and calling on the holy saint of God to help us, are the immutability of God's providence for the world, for its wonderful, incomprehensible mind, but so understood by the heart, accompanying us on the paths of life.

Let us imitate the holy Pleasant at least a little.

If we don’t have gold, we don’t even have enough money to give to those in need, then we will give them our sympathy, we will not multiply their sorrows. Let us not rush to condemn them, let us ask them, and not ourselves, for more mercy.

If we do not have administrative power over others, then we will rule over ourselves, we will not be angry, irritable, envious, hostile, biased and ungrateful. Let us be respectful both to the elders, to the younger, and to our peers. Let us not be exalted over our neighbors whom we annoy every day.

If, as we think, we have zeal in the faith, then we will be jealous and zealous towards ourselves, while we will be condescending towards others, we will be obedient, modest, impartial and unhypocritical. Let us keep the peace of God both in our souls and in the souls of our brothers and sisters who are walking with us on the road of salvation.

Let us remember those truly great and holy our helpers and companions, given to us by the Lord, among whom the name of the great miracle worker Nicholas shines as a bright guiding star. Saint Father Nicholas, great Wonderworker, pray to God for us! Amen.