Wishes And Vanity

Ὁ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ σάρκα βουληθεὶς πολεμῆσαι, ἤ νικῆσαι ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ, εἰς μάτην τρέχει. Ἐαν γὰρ μὴ Κύριος καταλύσῃ οἶκον σαρκὸς, καὶ οἰκοδομήσῃ οἶκον ψυχῆς, εἰς μάτην ἠγρύπνησε, καὶ ἐνήστευσεν ὁ καταλύων. Ἅγιος Ἰωάννης τῆς Κλίμακος, Λόγος ΙΕ', ἡ Κλίμαξ Source: Migne PG 88.883b

He who wishes to fight against his flesh and conquer it by himself runs in vain. For unless the Lord destroys the house of the flesh and builds up the house of the soul, in vain he watches and fasts who would destroy it. Saint John Climacus, from Step 15, The Ladder