Therefore, the catechumen must desire the Kingdom of God (God, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit), baptism with the Holy Spirit, and do everything for the fulfillment of this desire, knowing that everything necessary (essential) for the acquisition of the Holy Spirit we have (God – the Merciful Father-Love, we – at every moment in paradise, in the best conditions (according to our spiritual-mental-bodily state) for achieving salvation-healing. Therefore, there is no need to ask God for anything (the main thing is to give thanks for everything), and if you ask (and you can ask for anything – God is the Merciful Father), it is only to remind yourself that the Lord has already given, is giving, and will give everything! God is Love! Therefore, every person is at every moment in paradise conditions (so we should not worry about the external (God-Love will arrange everything in the best way), but about the internal – love, mercy, thanksgiving, meekness…), it remains in these blessed conditions to show mercy, love, humility, submission, to know and remember one’s weakness, not to forget that I am nothing and at all times need mercy and protection from all evil… So, without humility, there is no prayer, without mercy, there is no prayer, without thanksgiving, there is no prayer! Be vigilant, for those who compete unlawfully will not receive the crown, though they work hard: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ (with various prayers, rites, worships…) will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father in Heaven. Many will say to Me on that day: ‘Lord! Lord! Did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!’” (see Matt. 7:21-23). God does not need our words, praises, pompous rhetoric…, He expects deeds from us, the fulfillment of His commandments, His will. Therefore, the Lord commanded us only the petitionary prayer (give, teach, enlighten, guide, have mercy, forgive, save…). (And if you want to say “Glory to You, God!” – please, rejoice, say as much as you want! During certain spiritual struggles, trials (illnesses, troubles, losses, sorrows…) say these words of thanksgiving, praise (“Glory to You, God!” and similar) as often as possible to firmly establish your thoughts in the truth that “everything is good,” God loves me, I am now incomparably loved by God!). “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples. As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love” (John 15:8-10). “I have glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work that You gave Me to do” (John 17:4). Therefore, if you want to glorify God, thank God (we have proven that it is impossible to thank, one can only be grateful forever; and being grateful = loving in return, for the gift, the present – this is a declaration of love – see in part II), then do not practice words (“Lord! Lord!.. Glory to You!”), but ask God to help you love Him, that is, to know and fulfill the will of God, God’s commandments! For on the lips “Glory to You, God!”, “Thank You, God!”, and in the heart: blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, deceit, hypocrisy, carnal thoughts, indulgence to passions and desires, etc. Therefore, the Father is glorified (in us) only if we bring many fruits of the Holy Spirit by fervently fulfilling God’s commandments. The Father is glorified by the Holy Spirit in Christians (saints). To glorify God is to give God the opportunity to be glorified in us – to fill us with the Holy Spirit! “Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” So, only God glorifies, sanctifies, hallows, and only where there is humility, mercy, and thanksgiving. (We said that we do not say “thank you” to our relatives, loved ones for anything because we are grateful to them for everything. And if you thank for everything, then in such a case, you need to constantly mumble: “Thank you! Thank you!…”. Otherwise, it is not clear why you thank for one thing and not for another!? (And to other people, whom you rarely see or see once in your life – be sure, even if you love them, say “thank you”…). Therefore, to thank is not to say words, but to love; to thank God = to fulfill God’s will, and not to say: “Thank You, God!” and other meaningless words spoken by the proud Pharisee (see Luke 18:11). The Father does not need our words “Thank you,” “Glory to You,” but gratitude, which is expressed in obedience – humble fulfillment of the will of God, the commandments of the Loving Father, Who has given-gifted us everything: “All that is Mine is yours (of each created hypostasis) by Grace,” all that is God’s is ours, for us! Therefore, the Lord commanded us petitionary prayer to constantly grow in gratitude; and the one who asks grows because he asks for what he lacks!). We said that with God (the Loving Father) we can (and should) talk about everything, but we must be vigilant that our prayer is performed in the spirit of gratitude, mercy, and, most importantly, humility (a sense of one’s unworthiness (I am unworthy to be called the son of such a Father), weakness, nothingness)!