I think I told you once that as a child I was plagued with bad dreams. Well, I had a bad dream last night however, now there is a difference. What once were dreams filled with monsters and boogie men have now turned to situations and circumstances that would seek to destroy my peace and rob me of the ones I love. They seem more real and at times harder to deal with BUT…the exciting part is that now I use God’s Word in my dreams to dispel any sense of fear and danger!
In fact, I’ve really started using these night time situations to gauge my stand in the Word. Jesus said to his disciples, “In this world you will have tribulation, but we of good cheer I have overcome the world”. My dreams let me see how I would react to a situation – do I run and hide and let fear overtake me or do I stand firm, established on God’s word and remain at peace?
In II Timothy 1:7 we have a promise that all of us can hold on too.
“The Spirit God gave us does not make us afraid. His Spirit is a source of power and love and self-control.” II Timothy 1:7 ERV
King David said in Psalm 4:8
“When I go to bed, I sleep in peace, because, Lord, you keep me safe.” ERV
If God isn’t the one who sends fear but power and we are confident that the Lord keeps us safe then we can sleep in peace. So what to do with those bad dreams that creep in –
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,” II Corinthians 3:3-5 NKJV
Use your dreams as spiritual training ground. Make them line up with God’s word! The spirit man is always awake and alert – although the physical man needs rest the spirit of man is ready to fight if we keep him energized with God’s Word.
Take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Every thought – not just the waking thoughts but every thought. Let the Word of God bring you to victory – speak it out with your mouth, let it control your heart and your actions.
The Apostle Paul says that we are to stand in the full armor of God in Ephesians 6. Part of the armor is the helmet of salvation – the helmet protects the head, the head is where these disobedient thoughts come from. So the helmet of salvation protects our minds from thoughts that don’t line up with God’s word. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God – the way we get saved is by hearing God’s word, the way we have our mind renewed is by hearing God’s word.
“Accept God’s salvation as your helmet. And take the sword of the Spirit—that sword is the teaching of God. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times. Pray with all kinds of prayers, and ask for everything you need. To do this you must always be ready. Never give up. Always pray for all of God’s people.” Ephesians 6:17-18 ERV
So whether you’re awake or asleep live in a constant state of prayer – prayer is communicating with the Father. Talk to Him about the things in your life and about things that are in the lives of those you love and then things that are going on around the world with people you don’t know.
Take every thought captive as you do fear will be gone and you will be filled with love, power and a sound mind.