When Nightmares Haunt You

by Jan Smith

When nightmares haunt you night after night, here’s the bad news: Satan — or one of his demons — is stealing the peace that Jesus has given to you. Here’s the good news: God is waiting to help you get it back!

You will not fear the terror of the night… (Psalm 91:5a)

The following quote is part of a message from a reader:

“…I am going through hard times which I find hard to overcome. I have a problem with sleeping: when I sleep, its full of nightmares…”

That short message describes the place where many people are. I’ve been there myself. So what we all need is a pathway from there to the place described in Scriptures listed below.

Here’s What You Need To Know:

The Source Of Your Nightmares

You are being harassed, tormented, lied to, and otherwise manipulated by an evil spirit sent by Satan. He (Satan) and his demons want you to live in fear and chaos. They will stop at nothing to accomplish their goal: the domination — perhaps the outright possession — of you and your soul.

Knowledge Is Power:

It’s so much easier to get through a difficult trial when you at least know the cause and the story behind the source. Why are there demonic beings? Why are they so intent on making my life miserable?

Can’t we all just… get along?

The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. (Psalm 121:7)

10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you… (Psalm 91:10a)

I’ll show you more about these spiritual forces of evil later on, but I just wanted to identify the culprit right up front.

Next:

Promises God Has Made To YOU

I want to reassure you from God’s Word by showing you just a few of the things that God wanted you to know about Him and what He will do for you. These Scripture are all messages from God to you.

God has not abandoned you. He is right there with you, standing by to help you. I know that because:

God’s Word Contains Many Promises

Many of His promises speak to that dreaded feeling of being overcome by what Psalm 91:5 calls “the terror of the night”. As you read the verses included here, I urge you to ponder them with these these thoughts in your mind:

  • If a promise is in the God’s Word, it’s available to ME!
  • Because it’s available, I want it! I NEED it!
  • Show me how I can obtain the promise.

Here are just a few of the many promises regarding sleeping peacefully:

24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet. (Proverbs 3:24)

And:

4 I sought the Lord, and He answered me, He delivered me from all my fears. (Psalm 34:4)

This doesn’t necessarily mean that all your problems will go away. What it DOES promise is that the fear associated with your adversities will go away Rather God will restrain the “spirit of fear” that has been tormenting you.

Also:

2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. (Isaiah 43:2)

The terms “pass through the waters” and “walk through fire” are expressions referring to the various kinds of suffering we all go through in life. Sometimes you get soaked; other times you get singed. But you’ll notice it says “through” the waters and “through” the fire. The trial doesn’t last forever. God joins you in the trial, and takes you through it.

Why God Allows Your Struggle
I urge you to read the following related articles.
The quote from Isaiah 43 directly above figures very prominently in my own faith journey.
I’ve written my own story in a series of articles (see links below) that describe the misery I went through before i knew anything about using Bible principles to help with everyday problems. But then: what a difference. Wait until you see how God came to my aid in the exact moment when I really needed Him

GOOD NEWS: God will do the same thing for you!

But I Know What You’re Thinking

You read that Scripture above (and probably the ones below) and you are saying, “That does not describe my life right now!”

And you may be right — TODAY!

BUT: you can be set free from that torment.

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. (Isaiah 26:3)

There are two clues in that verse:

Do you see them?

  • …whose mind is stayed on You
  • …because he trusts in You
Let me ask you:

Where in your being do you experience the awareness of fear, worry, doubt, nightmares — or for that matter: love, joy, peace and contentment?

All of your feelings and emotions happening in your mind, right?

So then:

If only you had a way to block out all wicked things like fear, worry, panic, etc., then you could sleep peacefully every night, right?

20 My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not your mother’s teaching. 21Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck.
22 When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you.
23 For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life (Proverbs 6:20~23)

What Does It Mean?

In verses 20 and 21, God is telling us that His helpful benefits will be ours ONLY when we do things His way.

Just as a soldier in battle with no bullets in his rifle is a “dead man walking”, in the same way “Christians” with none of God’s Word hidden in their hearts are easy prey for the spiritual forces of evil.

  • keep your father’s commandment — live according to the principles your father taught you as a child.
  • forsake not your mother’s teaching — don’t overlook what your mother has taught you
  • Bind them on your heart always — internalize the words and the principles they taught you
  • tie them around your neck — a poetic reference to keeping God’s Word in your mind and taking it to heart.
When you do that, look at the benefits!
  • When you walk, they will lead you — God’s Word will give you discernment for life choices.
  • when you lie down, they will watch over you — (See note below)
  • when you awake, they will talk with you. — Passges from God’s Word come to mind throughout the day. When that is happening, tell me: “how can the devil get his lies in?” He cannot!

“When you lie down, they will watch over you”

This Is What You’re Looking For, Right?

Do you really want to be free from nightmares? Do you long to be free from fear and panic, and all other negative thoughts and emotions that the enemy is jamming into your mind?

God is giving you the strategy: He’s saying in so many words, “when you’re serious enough (or desperate enough) to obey Me by putting My Word into your mind and heart, I promise to keep My Word. I will watch over you as you sleep.”

But I know what you’re thinking:

You’ve seen the Scriptures. You’ve read the promises. But…

You’re thinking, “HOW! How can I activate those promises in my life?”

The Answer Is…

Partnering With God
Things you can begin doing TODAY:

FIRST THING:

Begin The Process Of Internalizing God’s Word

Someone has counted 3,900 SCRIPTURE PASSAGES that command us to know God’s Word.

Clearly, this is a top priority with God.

Why? Because, the more we know of His Word, the more we KNOW HIM. And the more of God’s Word you know, the more of Him you know! We’re talking about building a personal relationship between you and God. And THAT’S what He wants!

Every verse began as a thought in the infinite mind of God in eternity past.

What a privilege we have to posses them.

I have already written many articles relating to memorizing God’s Word: what to do, how to do it, and some of the many benefits of doing it. I urge you to Click Here for a page with links to all of my Scripture Memory articles. Don’t let the devil talk you out of it. Do it NOW!

SECOND THING:

Begin To “Walk By Faith”

For example, Jesus said this:

Let not your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. (John 14:1)

We have a choice. When our hearts are troubled, it’s because we have chosen — either for lack of knowledge or by deliberate disobedience, or because the “storm” is so fierce — NOT to respond as people who believe that what His Word says is true. When we do that, we are “letting our hearts be troubled”.

Example From The Bible:

The Apostle Peter ACTUALLY WALKED ON WATER — UNTIL he began to focus on the storm instead of on Jesus

28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” (Matthew 14:28~30)

As long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he was able to walk on the water. But when he turned his attention away from Jesus and began to focus on the raging storm, Peter began to sink!

What Does It Mean?
  • Peter chose to believe; he took a courageous step of faith
  • Peter stepped out of the boat onto the water — and let go of the boat!
  • God enabled Peter to do what Peter could never do on his own.
  • Fear and doubt (from the devil?) began to take root in Peter, and he began to sink.
  • BUT…In Peter’s moment of unbelief; Jesus was right there to help him!
Bible Principles: Theory Or Reality?

Bible principles are just theory; mere “head knowledge” — until God calls you to take a genuine step of faith!

The test — the step of faith — will go against common sense. It will contradict your previous experience. It may even turn others against you. The step of faith may make you look like a fool.

Most of all, the step of faith will appear to be absolutely impossible! Why? Because if you could see a way to accomplish the thing by natural means (ie., without God’s help) it wouldn’t require faith in God. Above all, He wants you to attempt something for Him that IS impossible — without His help. Then He will be glorified when He brings the thing about through you.

And in the end, the step of faith will reveal whether you are a genuine follower of Jesus — or merely a “church-attender”.

Connecting with God

I just want to show you a few things that Jesus Himself said about getting into His Word so He could get His Word into you. I invite you to read these quotes carefully, and ask, “Jesus, show me what You want me to do. I want to know You, not just know about you.”

15 If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. (John 14:15~17)

21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love Me does not keep My words. And the Word that you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me. (John 14:21~24)

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:27)

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)

Is Jesus not offering a way for you to have Himself, the Holy Spirit, and the Father, all spiritually resident within you? And if you’ve got all that going on… what’s the devil gonna do again??

But Jesus also said this:

48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. (John 12:48)

6 And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. (Deuteronomy 6:6)

11 I have hidden Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against You. (Psalm 119:11)

By The Way…

If the thought of spending time getting God’s Word into your mind and heart causes a feeling of reluctance to come into your mind, those thoughts and feelings are being put into you by the devil. One of his main goals is to keep you out of the Bible AND to keep the Bible out of you!

Here is a link to excerpts from a series of articles I have written on the subject of getting God’s Word into your mind. Click Here to open the page of excerpts in a separate window.

THIRD THING:

Begin To Praise God

No need for me to say much about praising God here, because I have already written an article entitled, “Praise God! He Loves That”.

Click Here to open this article in a separate window.

Below are links to several more articles that deal with the topic of the battle that rages in our minds. It sure helped me to write them. I know they will help you as well.

27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27)

33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

- Jan

 
 
 

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  • Christie Bettie 05/20/2017, 10:14 AM

    Thank you for this great post you just lifted my spirit

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