The answer
St. Macarius endured much in his war against the devil and his forces, and he shares his practical experience with us. He realized that the soul that is supported by her heavenly Bridegroom and led by His Holy Spirit has the power to shatter the devil, demolish his fortresses, and ruin all his plans. In his homilies, he helps us to understand this, pointing out that if the devil were stronger than the human soul, the just God would not blame us when we are defeated.
St. Macarius says, “If you say that the opposing power is too strong, and that evil has complete sovereignty over man, you make God unrighteous when He condemns mankind for submitting to Satan, because Satan is so strong, and wields a power which compels submission. ‘You make Satan greater and stronger than the soul, and then command me, “Do not submit.” It is as though a young man should wrestle with a little child, and the child, when he is worsted, is condemned for getting worsted. This is a great injustice!’”709
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty
Notes
709 St. Macarius the Great, Fifty Spiritual Homilies of St. Macarius the Egyptian, trans., A. J. Mason (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1921) Sermon 3.6: p. 19, amended.