Tag Archives: Battling Demons

Acting On a Dream

Photo by Mike Horton.

Bible Passages

13 Why do you complain against Him that He does not give an account of all His doings? 14 Indeed God speaks once, or twice, yet no one notices it. 15 In a dream, a vision of the night, when sound sleep falls on men, while they slumber in their beds, 16 Then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction, 17 That He may turn man aside from his conduct, and keep man from pride; 18 He keeps back his soul from the pit, and his life from passing over into Sheol.

Job 33:13-18 (NASB1995)

“I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.”

John 16:33 (NABRE)

Devotion

I have a friend who is a struggling Vietnam veteran. He hasn’t had a good night’s sleep since he arrived in Vietnam. He was wounded, and pain flares up at times. He has also been a widower for only a few years. He misses his wife every day. He suffers inwardly much more than he lets on outwardly. He has told me several times that he lives in hell.

An ordained minister, he left the church after an incident in Vietnam. Fortunately, he never left his relationship with God. He is still very religious, and prays often. This has saved his life many times as he faces life’s difficulties.

Now retired, he makes and sells birdhouses, just to have something to occupy his mind and body. He does other woodworking projects from time to time, too. He makes beautiful furniture and decorative pieces. He is very creative and talented.

One day, he acquired a burled piece of wood he really liked, but had trouble figuring out what to make out of it. After it sat on a shelf several weeks, staring at him and begging him to make something with it, he asked God for help. That very night, he actually had a dream about it. God showed him exactly what he needed to do with that piece of wood.

With the help of an artist friend who painted the backdrop, he created the crucifixion scene pictured here. He added the crosses, but had trouble figuring out how to do the blood on Jesus’ cross. God whispered in his ear. Obedient, he grabbed a nail and pierced his own finger. He used his own blood as paint, letting it drip on the four places it was needed. He added the landscaping features and sealant. It looked just like the one in his dream.

Crucifixion scene in natural room lighting. Photo by Mike Horton.
Photo by Mike Horton.

He then brought it to his shop and put it on a display shelf. A couple of people asked him about it, but he could not part with it. A few days later, he decided to bring it home. He put it on a table in his living room, next to a scented lamp. He’d enjoy it when he passed by, but he didn’t really think much more about it than that.

Last night, he decided to light the lamp sitting next to it. Later, he left the room and turned the light off, forgetting to turn off the lamp. When he came back in the room, the cross grabbed his heart. Out loud, he exclaimed, “Whoa!” He got so excited, he took these pictures and sent them to me. Then he called. He just had to share the profound effect this had on him!

He actually got over 8 hours of sleep last night! A peaceful night’s sleep.

I believe God is using this to help him heal. By giving him a vision and a direction, God instilled in him an immediate love for that piece. Working on it gave him a new sense of purpose. His heart would not let him part with it. Now, having fully realized what he created, he is filled with a new sense of awe and wonder at God’s plan for his healing.

Side-by-side comparison of both photos.

I believe he’s going to be okay. It will take time, but he’s on the road to recovery. Obedience to God is vital to healing. Because he listened, he was rewarded with a new peace, which is beginning to settle in his soul.

Prayer Focus

War veterans

Prayer

Gracious God our Father, thank you for being there during our darkest moments, holding us tight and seeing us through to the dawn of a new day. Amen.

Final Thought

You will be amazed at what God can do when you obey.

Knowledge Is Power

Image by Yogurt on Unsplash.

Bible Passages

Read Ephesians 6:10-17.

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

James 1:12 (NASB1995)

Where the word of a king is, there is power …

Ecclesiastes 8:4 (NASB1995)

Devotion

We’ve all heard that knowledge is power. The more you know, the more you grow. Gather to yourself all the knowledge you can find. However, if you don’t share what you know, all that information is just useless junk taking up room in your head, collecting dust and making it difficult to put important, useful stuff in there. Choose wisely which tidbits of knowledge you keep. This wisdom will lead you to true power.

In school, you do battle in an exam. If you do your homework, you have a better chance of passing a test. It seems easy enough, but there are many distractions that take you away from your studies. Playing with friends is a big one. Doing chores or working to pay for your schooling is another. Make time for absorbing the knowledge you must have to pass a test. Showing your knowledge on a test proves to the test administrator that you have learned the assigned information. Even if it’s a small test or pop quiz, showing mastery of a topic allows you to continue learning at the next level.

In a debate, knowing all sides of a topic prepares you to fight a battle of wits with your opponents. When you know the topic, your argument can be rich in data points. By looking at all sides of the issue, you are armed against any attack. No matter how many opponents you face, you are ready to defend your point-of-view. By doing sufficient research and preparation, you will win the day.

At work, the best way to get ahead in the battle to the top is to know your job and do it well. If your company brings in something new (like a new process or piece of equipment), especially if it seems hard, volunteer to learn it. By choosing to do hard things, you will become essential to those who run the company. When they know who you are, you get their attention. By taking the hard tasks, you are bringing God’s blessings on your work. When it comes time for promotions, pay raises, or bonuses, you will be on their minds. You will be amazed at the rewards you will reap when you sow seeds into your workplace.

In life, you have to know a lot of things in order to do battle properly. You have to know how to keep up with your bills. You have to know if you have enough money for a taxi or rideshare or bus fare or gasoline to get where you are going, and know how to get there (or how to work your GPS app). There are a million things to keep track of at once. When a spouse and kids are added in the mix, those million things quickly become a billion things. Knowing how and when to juggle everything leads to a successful, stress-free life.

In your spiritual life, you ready yourself by studying the Bible. Everyone is different, and learning styles are unique to each person. Study in the manner best-suited to you. Be aware that some books are a little dry and difficult for beginners. There are pages of so-and-so begat doo-ma-flotchy or King Such-and-such did this, that, and the other thing. Don’t get bogged down in the details at first. Remember, Shakespeare and Hemingway are for the more experienced readers. It’s okay to bypass some things until you’re ready to tackle them.

God only cares that you are making the effort. He has put people, videos, books, social media, and so many other avenues, in your path for you. All you have to do is look. When your next battle comes, you will be much better prepared. Share the knowledge you gained from Bible study, and your victory for God will be much sweeter!

Prayer Focus

People who need greater Bible knowledge.

Prayer

Great and mighty God, I thank You for Your guidance in arming me with the exact Scriptures I will need for my next battle. I will study Your words and use them like a sword against my enemies. Mold me into a spiritual weapon, burnished in Your love. Arm me through Your grace and glory to win every battle, that I may glorify Your name and Your kingdom. Amen.

Final Thought

Arm yourself for the coming battle.