When I was 15, I felt an evil presence in my bedroom at night that scared me and I prayed for God to post an angel at the door and window of my bedroom. I felt silly asking that, telling myself I was too old to be afraid of the dark, but it gave me peace so I was able to sleep. It was fine after that, and a few weeks later I was at a youth group meeting where the youth pastor’s wife related a story about going to a party when she was younger and when she walked in, there was a Ouija board being used. She was the only Christian there and the second she walked in, the planchette stopped and wouldn’t move again. This was naturally followed by questions about the demonic, to which our youth pastor told us the demons around today are the same ones that were around in Jesus’ day, that they remember him and how they cower even at the sound of his name. A couple of nights later, I woke up during the night, suspended in midair. Although I could see nothing unusual, I could feel evil surrounding me. After my initial panic, I calmed down when I remembered what my youth pastor had said about invoking the name of Jesus Christ, and the power he has over the demons. When I remembered that I banished the evil presence with Authority. I will never forget the holy power that flowed through me (not from me, but through me) as the words left my mouth. Immediately the power suspending me left and I was slowly lowered to the floor, where I then collapsed on my bed. I closed my eyes as I collapsed and when I reopened them, my first thought was what a crazy dream that had been. Until I noticed I was in the position I had fallen onto my bed, on top of the covers. I was suddenly overcome by exhaustion and crawled back under the covers to go to sleep. As I closed my eyes I saw a large hand coming toward my face, and a loose white sleeve beyond the hand, but I didn’t register what I had seen until my eyes were closed. I immediately opened them again and although I couldn’t physically see anything now, I felt the hand stroking my hair and sensed the angel that the hand belonged to sitting on the edge of my bed as he tended me. Sensing another presence, I looked toward my window and in my mind’s eye, I saw another angel, facing away from me and looking out the window. Feeling completely at peace, I fell asleep. It wasn’t until morning that I remembered my “silly” prayer for God to post an angel at my window and door (which was right beside the head of my bed where the first angel sat).

I’ve heard people refer to this as sleep paralysis, but that doesn’t explain why I would have “woke up” in the same position I “imagined” myself falling into. Besides, I HAVE experienced sleep paralysis – many times – and this was not it. Each time I’ve experienced sleep paralysis, it lasted a few seconds, I was conscious of my surroundings, I just couldn’t move for the first few seconds after waking. This experience lasted several minutes, I’m now 30 and I’ve never had another like it, although I do still experience sleep paralysis on occasion. I know what I experienced, I felt the power of the God of the universe flow through me (I can’t even begin to describe how humbling that was), and no mortal will tell me he knows better than I what I experienced. This experience is also why I am teaching my children from a young age about Satan (in an age-appropriate way of course – none of them are old enough for this story yet, but they will all hear it from me one day) and that God will always be far more powerful than him. Satan doesn’t wait to attack people until their country declares them an adult. In fact, my husband had a similar experience as an adolescent. Our children will  be taught how to defend themselves in the spiritual warfare that goes on around them. To teach them a spiritual realm does not exist would be irresponsible and dangerous, as that would leave them completely vulnerable. I know dabbling in the occult can open a person up for demonic influence, even possession, but I never did that and had zero interest in it. I think I was targeted because I was growing closer to God. But God knew what would happen, and when I asked for those angels to guard me, he obliged and sent his angels to me until he knew I would possess the knowledge necessary in defeating the evil presence. I think that night he removed his angels so he could work through me to accomplish this, and then returned them to care for me afterward. What an awesome God!

Liz