Real War, Real Power

I know we don't get good news every day, but here is some truly good news that I am beginning to discover and wanted to share with y'all: it's the power of freedom in Christ.


Prayer is the oil of the Christians armor (Mark Bubeck on Ephesians 6).


Do you ever feel like you are falling or about to fall or have fallen and you can feel God's Spirit lift you back up again? That's how feel. I feel like I tripped, I was being flung forward, and I was taken advantage of, deceived, by the Enemy. I knew something was wrong with me... spiritually wrong. Whatever it was that was wrong was affecting my whole self, but especially my spirit. I felt that I couldn't hold on to God. I would find Him just long enough to loose Him again like a person looking at a "Where's Waldo" book. I believed I was in the center of God's will for my life... maybe.

I faithfully talked to God when I got in my car and forgot only rarely, and the same with my "bedtime prayers," that said as I fell asleep: 'Thank you God for this day and thank you for pottery class and thank... you...." and trail off into La La Land.

Remembering to "talk to God" became more and more difficult and I started forgetting more and more and one night last week...

I hadn't been feeling very well on Monday or Tuesday last week, I thought it was because I'd had my wisdom teeth out the week before and school was starting to pile up (these may have been part of the reason, but not the whole reason). On Tuesday night I was exhausted from my boring job, which I don't like, and felt like I had nothing to look forward to the next day. I fell asleep and I don't remember if I prayed or not.

I dreamt that night that I was attacked. A young girl (maybe 12-13 years-old) grabbed me around the throat, I was terrified of her. I screamed at her, "Get out of her, I command you in the name of Jesus Christ!" Instantly, the girl let go of me, sat down in the seat and began looking out the window. I leaned toward her, still terrified, but curious because I noticed something odd about her. "Are you blind?" She turned sadly toward me her blank, glossed eyes staring in my direction.

My eyes opened and I saw the darkness in my room. At 3:00AM one would expect it to be dark, but it wasn't that kind of darkness, the room felt heavy. I didn't want to move any muscles, but I felt myself blinking and heard my frightened breathing. I began to pray, not sure of what to say, but certain that prayer was necessary. I knew also that I had been really attacked and there is still no doubt in my mind that whatever happened in that dream was for real and for a purpose. The Holy Spirit impressed on me the need to read my Bible, I didn't want to move let alone turn the on light, sit, and read, but it seemed most necessary. I started reading aloud Psalm 27,

"The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread? When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh,
My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.
Though a host encamp against me, heart will not fear; though war arise against me,
In spite of this I shall be confident.... ....Teach me Your way, O LORD, And lead me in a level path Because of my foes. Do not deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries, For false witnesses have risen against me, And such as breathe out violence. I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD." (This is only part of it, but I read the whole thing, it is a beatiful and powerful scripture).

About half an hour later I was able to fall asleep, but I still didn't have complete peace. All of Wednesday morning I felt chased around by these little evil pictures, almost every time I blinked, of the girl in my dream. I was also exhausted from two bad nights of sleep in a row. I knew, though, that Evil had declared war on me and that I had to win in the name of Jesus Christ which I claimed as my own name.

Wednesdays I spend with at church and was glad because I knew that when I saw believers I could tell them what happened and they should (and did) pray for me. After lunch a godly friend asked me, "How are you?" and I think she meant in relation to my teeth, but I had this need to tell anyone who I thought could pray for me about my dream, so that's what I did. She said, "Oh, I have something for you, but I can't get to it right now." I knew what she had (though I didn't know exactly what it was) would be important for my fight.
She gave me a pamphlet called "Spiritual Warfare Prayers" by Mark I. Bubeck. I prayed the prayer called "Prayer to Remove Demonic Harassment." The prayer itself isn't online, but there are similar ones. http://www.icbcinc.com/prayer_patterns.html is one website where you can learn more about taking hold of your authority in Christ and using it to make holes in the enemies kingdom.

I prayed the previously mentioned prayer and a couple of others and one for children, similar to one my dad used to pray with us girls,
"In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I commit _______'s mind, will, emotions and body into the protecting power of the Lord Jesus Christ and the sealing ministry of the Holy Spirit while he/she sleeps. I bind and forbid any powers of darkness to tamper with any part of _______'s person on the conscious, subconscious, or unconscious level. Heavenly Father, assign Your holy angels to watch over ________'s person and room to insure that no powers of darkness may intrude in any way while __________ sleeps. Amen."
I put my name and my family's names in the blanks.

On Thursday morning I woke up feeling better than I can remember feeling ever, upon awaking. Same feeling on Friday morning, Saturday morning, Sunday morning and this morning. :D I felt that I wasn't alone in my fight, but it is still necessary to fight. I hope the feeling that it is necessary to fight never wears off.

I am now reading "Victory Over the Darkness" by Neil T. Anderson which is a study on scriptural ideas of "Who I am in Christ" and the power that we have in the war against evil because of Jesus Christ, but more on that later. For now, I'm still learning and have a lot to learn, but I know that the LORD will teach me for He says, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you." Psalm 32:8 (plus a myriad of others that talk about God giving counsel, wisdom, help, etc.).
If you are a believer in Christ, you are in this battle with me. It may not show up the same way, but it's there. Don't be deceived:

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!! YOU HAVE SAME POWER THAT JESUS HAS, FOR HE HAS GIVEN YOU ALL POWER AND AUTHORITY!!