One of the many reasons that I’m confident in my belief that Jesus is Lord is that I know from personal experience that there’s power in the name of Jesus. This is my personal story about a demonic attack.
I was sound asleep in my bed one night when I was suddenly aware that I couldn’t breathe. It felt like something was pressing down on me from my chest to my torso. It felt like an even pressure that was weighing so heavily upon me that I couldn’t inhale. In fact, it felt like all of the air had been pressed out of my lungs.
Here’s the weird thing. Actually, there are several weird things. Even though the pressure was enough to keep me from taking a breath, I didn’t feel any pain at all. But stranger than that is that although I was wide awake by this time, I wasn’t able to lift my head or even open my eyes. And even though I felt no pressure on my legs, arms, or hands, I wasn’t able to move them at all. I couldn’t even move a finger. I felt completely and totally helpless.
Just as I was starting to feel like I was getting close to blacking out, I prayed a short and silent prayer “Help me Jesus” over and over a few times. Nothing changed. Then with the last of my strength, I managed to somehow move my lips just enough to whisper “Help me, Jesus”. Then suddenly, the pressure was completely gone and I instantly shot up into a sitting position in bed while taking in a deep gasping breath. All of my mobility instantly returned and I could now open my eyes.
My sudden jolt into a sitting position woke my wife who had been sleeping next to me. Startled, she asked me what was wrong. Embarrassed, exhausted, and not wanting to alarm her, I said “nothing honey, go back to sleep” and I left the room for a few minutes but not before praying for God’s protection over me and my household.
She did go back to sleep but kept asking me about this for several days afterward. I continued to deny anything happened because I was still embarrassed by it. You might be thinking to yourself, why would I be embarrassed? Well, I don’t know why this happened to me but I have two theories.
The first possibility is that I was being attacked because of my ministry. I had been writing my Christian blog, outlining a book about end-time prophecy and sharing the gospel with friends and family for some time. Satan may have wanted to end my life or try to scare me from continuing to serve the kingdom of God. Of course, this wouldn’t have embarrassed me, which leads me to my second theory.
The second possibility is that even though I was trying hard to live a righteous life and do good works for the kingdom of God, I was still hanging on to a sin that I had been addicted to for decades. I had been repeatedly asking God to take the desire away and free me from repeating the same sin. It’s possible that God allowed this attack in order to get me on the straight and narrow. Well, if that’s the case, I’m happy to report that it worked. I’ve been free of that sin for over a year now.
One of the ways that we know we are God's children is that he disciplines his children.
You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the Lord your God chastens you. “Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him.
Deuteronomy 8:5-6
And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:I like the way Pastor Jerry Mitchell of Crossroads Bible Church refers to God’s discipline. I’ve heard him say on occasion “God took me to the woodshed”. For those of you who don’t get that reference, it means that he experienced an uncomfortable correction from God that he wouldn’t soon forget.
“My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
For whom the Lord loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.”
Hebrews 12:5-6
God Bless,
Daniel
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