Nightmares

Have you ever been spiritually attacked in your dreams, or while sleeping? I think the mind is probably in a pretty vulnerable state while you're unconscious, and unfortunately the enemy can choose to strike you when you are asleep.

I know this, because it has happened to me. I've had a few instances of nightmares that I knew were spiritual attacks over the past few years, and each have led me to ask the Father to protect me during my sleep, to "command his angels to watch over" me (Ps 91), and it usually helps me rest better and the nightmares stop.

But, maybe the enemy just waits until I get complacent again, or maybe he has other reasons, because my first two nights back in Hong Kong, I had the most terrifying nightmares, worse than any I've had in the past (p.s.: please don't think I'm crazy).

The first night I was back in Hong Kong, I was absolutely exhausted from the flight, and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. Later in the night, however, I was aware of a demon-type thing in the corner of my room, sitting and watching me. Then my door flew open, and banged so loudly I did a double take at the door and realized it was still closed (it was at this point I know I was awake ... I don't remember exactly when I went from dream to awake, though). I was sure the door had flung open and that something was in my room. I also could hardly breathe.. I kept gasping and wheezing, and knew I needed to pray, but I couldn't get any words out. Finally, I got out a wobbly, "hello" and then started to ask the Father to protect me, to calm me, to give me peace. I didn't want to fall back asleep yet, because I was afraid of what would happen, but I was so tired, so I went back to sleep.

The next night was even worse. I was laying on my back, and I felt pressure on my chest and then I really felt like I saw something really dark over me, that retreated to that same corner of my room. Again, I'm not sure at what point I was awake. I lay there, unable to breathe like the night before. I was trying so hard to say something, to start praying against whatever it was, but I couldn’t get words out. So I tried to calm myself and laid there just trying not to focus on how terrifying it was. I finally was able to start talking, but it was difficult to speak. I started praying out loud for a long time until I was calm again and I felt safe again. But I was still so freaked out I got up and was reading for another hour because I just didn’t want to turn the lights off and go back to sleep.

I am 26-years-old, and afraid to turn off the lights. I can't begin to describe just how terrifying those two nightmares were, and how very real they both were. After conferring with Maz, who has had similar experiences, on Saturday night I took the time to pray over my bedroom, and I even wrote out some verses and stuck them on the wall over my bed, and also in that corner I was seeing the darkness in. I still had some anxiety about turning off the lights, feeling as if I was entering enemy territory, but the night proved uneventful, PTL. Again, last night I did the same thing, prayed over my room, and had another uneventful night. I am hoping it will get less scary to turn off the lights at night, and that I will start to rest better because, though the past two nights have been uneventful, I have been a bit on edge and haven't rested as deeply as I would hope. If you think to pray for me, I would greatly appreciate it. I know this may sound a little weird to those of you who have never experienced such encounters, but believe me, it was absolutely terrifying and I hope never to experience such closeness to the enemy again. I know they cannot hurt me, but they can certainly scare me, but I am confident in His ability to protect me, and that He is above all things and I have the power, just through His name, to conquer the darkness.

Soo.. I hope that didn't sound too weird. It's easy to blog about things that I might not normally talk about with people en masse. But I also hope it's taught you something extra about the very real warfare we are all engaged in.