How do the demons strive to deceive the faithful to bow down before them?

The answer

In the Paradise of the Fathers, we read, “Abba Hôr said, ‘I know a certain man in this desert … there came to this man in a lying vision devils who were in the forms of horses and chariots of fire and numerous horsemen, as if they had come from a king, and they said to him, “You have become perfect in everything, O man, but now, bow down and worship me, and I will take you up [to heaven] like Elijah.” Then the monk said in his mind, “I worship the King and Redeemer every day, and if this creature were [a king] he would not ask me to worship him now.” And when he had said to him what was in his mind, “I have a King, and I worship Him always, and you are not a king,” immediately the Devil removed himself and was no more to be found.’ Now Abba Hôr told us these things because he wished to conceal his own rules and manner of life … but the fathers who were always with him told us that it was Abba Hôr himself who had seen these things.”³⁴

Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty