While he was still living in the imperial palace, Abba Arsenius prayed to God in these words, “Lord lead me in the way of salvation.” And a voice came to him saying, “Arsenius: flee from men and you will be saved.”
Having withdrawn to the solitary life he made the same prayer again and he heard a voice saying to him, “Arsenius: flee, be silent, pray ceaselessly, for these are the sources of sinlessness.”
It happened that when Abba Arsenius was sitting in his cell one day that he was harassed by demons. His servants, on their return, stood outside his cell and heard him praying to God in these words, “O God, do not leave me. I have done nothing good in your sight, but according to your goodness, let me now make a beginning of good.
