Renewal in Christ: Athanasius on the Christian Life

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Renewal in Christ: Athanasius on the Christian Life

young man, and he who boasted himself against flesh and blood was being put to flight by a man in the flesh. For the Lord was working with Antony—the Lord who for our sake took flesh and gave the body victory over the devil, so that all who truly fight can say, “though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me” (1 Cor 15:10). §6 – Ongoing Struggle against the Devil At last, when the dragon still could not overthrow Antony but saw himself thrust out of his heart, gnashing his teeth as it is written, and as it were beside himself, he appeared to Antony like a dark figure, taking a visible shape in accordance with the color of his mind. And cringing to him, as it were, he attacked him with thoughts no longer, for cunning as he was, he had been defeated, but at last spoke in a human voice and said, “Many I deceived, many I cast down; but now attacking you and your labors as I had many others, I proved weak.” When Antony asked, “Who are you who speaks with me?” he answered with a lamentable voice, “I am the friend of whoredom, and have taken upon me incitements which lead to it against the young. I am called the spirit of lust. How many have I deceived who wished to live soberly, how many are the pure whom by my incitements I have overpersuaded! I am he on account of whom also the prophet reproves those who have fallen, saying, ‘For a spirit of whoredom has led them astray’ (Hos 4:12). For by me they have been tripped up. I am he who has so often troubled you and has so often been overthrown by you.” But Antony, having given thanks to the Lord, with good courage said to him, “You are very despicable then, for you are dark-hearted and weak as a child. From now on I shall have no trouble from you: ‘The Lord is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph