Tag Archives: overcoming nightmares

Counting the Stars

Posted on March 7, 2023 by expressyourself4him

Astronomy is the scientific study of everything in outer space. The telescope provides amateurs and scientists with an investigative tool to explore astronomy. Since the cost of a telescope can be pricy, most human beings star gaze on clear nights. If you live in a large city, you won’t have the same experience as someone in the country. Nonetheless, when you’re young and carefree, you may find yourself one evening trying to count the stars visible in the night sky.

And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, This man shall not be your heir, but he who shall come from your own body shall be your heir. 5 And He brought him outside [his tent into the starlight] and said, Look now toward the heavens and count the stars—if you are able to number them. Then He said to him, So shall your descendants be, Genesis 15:4-5.

After a moment of doubt, struggling to believe that he would become the father of a great nation, the Word of the Lord comes to Abram. During this encounter, Abram is drawn outside of his tent, into the starlight of this countryside. While Moses does not provide a timeline of Abram’s moment with God, counting the stars appears to be a rhetorical question. Since Moses doesn’t mention Abram counting out loud, this reference is a foreshadowing of the future of Israel’s descendants.

And [God] said to Abram, Know positively that your descendants will be strangers dwelling as temporary residents in a land that is not theirs [Egypt], and they will be slaves there and will be afflicted and oppressed for 400 years. [Fulfilled in Exod. 12:40.] 14 But I will bring judgment on that nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with great possessions, Genesis 15:13-14.

Meanwhile, this encounter continues with a brief nightmare which fills Abram with fear and terror. God uses this dark image as a teachable moment, explaining to Abram what has to happened before the promise spoken in Genesis 12:1-3 is fulfilled. This portion of Scripture gets Moses’ attention as he was the man God chose to lead the Exodus out of Egypt. The next time you find yourself engaged by a vivid starlight, remember that God delivered for Abraham and continues to fulfill promises made in the Bible.

by Jay Mankus

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The First Nightmare

Posted on February 25, 2023 by expressyourself4him

My first nightmare as a child occurred after watching an episode of In Search Of with my father. This particular documentary starring Leonard Nimoy featured Bigfoot and Sasquatch encounters with interviews of eyewitnesses. While drifting off to sleep later that night, all of sudden I found myself running for my life. Bigfoot was chasing me around my neighbor’s backyard as a sprinted, gasping for air as I woke up, sweating from my first nightmare.

When the sun was setting, a deep sleep overcame Abram, and a horror (a terror, a shuddering fear) of great darkness assailed and oppressed him. 13 And [God] said to Abram, Know positively that your descendants will be strangers dwelling as temporary residents in a land that is not theirs [Egypt], and they will be slaves there and will be afflicted and oppressed for 400 years. [Fulfilled in Exod. 12:40,] Genesis 15:12-13.

The book of Genesis contains several firsts in the Bible. According to Moses, Abram has the first nightmare recorded in the Old Testament. As this nightmare was passed down orally from generation to generation, horror and terror are associated with the raw emotions Abram experienced in the passage above. As a great darkness assailed and oppressed Abram in his sleep, God comes to the rescue to explain the meaning of Abram’s first nightmare.

On the same day the Lord made a covenant (promise, pledge) with Abram, saying, To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates—Genesis 15:18

As an adult, I try not to read too much into my dreams. Yet, sometimes dreams serve as a warning to prevent you from doing something God doesn’t want you to do. However, this first nightmare is a foreshadowing of a future event which the author Moses experienced firsthand. Following 400 years of living as slaves in Egypt, God raised up Moses to free Israel from this dark period. The next time you find yourself shaking in your sleep, turn to the Lord in prayer so that you can escape the darkness of future nightmares.

by Jay Mankus

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Unmasking Nightmares

Posted on October 31, 2019 by expressyourself4him

As Halloween 2019 arrives, will the events of today result in nightmares tomorrow? Nightmares are triggered by anxiety, stress or trauma. These unpleasant dreams can range from reliving a scene from a recently watched horror movie to strong emotional unrest within your mind. The most severe nightmares are brought on by posttraumatic stress disorder. Engaging in military combat, coping with abuse or witnessing a death can make every night like a real life Nightmare on Elm Street.

Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully, 1 Peter 5:7.

At the beginning of chapter 5, a former disciple of Jesus addresses the sufferings individuals will experience on earth. Anyone who makes the decision to follow Jesus is at greater risk. For example, the person who wrote this letter was crucified up-side down for his faith. When anxieties, concerns and worries overwhelm your soul, Peter urges Christians to cast their cares at the feet of Christ. As nightmares begin to stir your mind into a tizzy, cry out to God in prayer to stop these brain tremors in their tracks.

Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour, 1 Peter 5:8.

Just when I thought it was safe, Peter drops a bombshell about a spiritual danger that exists. As a child, I loved to watch Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom. One of the episodes illustrated the passage above as lions recognized, separated and wore down weak animals who were surrounded and killed. This passage unmasks Satan’s schemes on earth. One of the ways people get worn down is through nightmares. When bodies don’t get enough sleep, minds are weakened, affecting how you function. If you want to fight back, the apostle Paul suggests using spiritual weapons to protect your mind, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5. As believers begin to put on the armor of God, Ephesians 6:12-18, minds will receive the protection you need to unmask nightmares as an attack from the evil one.

by Jay Mankus

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More than Just a Fright Night

Posted on October 23, 2019 by expressyourself4him

Every October television networks devote their programming to reruns of Halloween and horror themed movies. Meanwhile, local cities, communities and towns use haunted forests, houses and theme parks to prepare individuals for Halloween. The first purpose-built haunted attraction was the Orton and Spooner Ghost House located in Liphook, England. Since this establishment opened in 1915, nearly every region has developed their own Fright Land to scare the hell out of visitors.

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control, 2 Timothy 1:7.

Most brains have a memory capacity of about 2.5 petabytes. This is equivalent to 2.6 million gigabytes. To place this fact into its proper perspective, Blu-Ray discs hold roughly 50 gigabytes. This means that the human mind is comparable to a digital television able to store up to 3 million hours of television shows. While this potential is impressive, if minds absorb too many images of horror, pornography or other inappropriate content, this opens the door for unclean spirits to enter your life.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love, 1 John 4:18.

Human minds don’t need an internet connection to be reminded of the unpleasant experiences of their past. All your mind needs is a flashback, a song or some sort of trigger to unleash these haunting memories. Anyone who has ever been abused, raped or fallen prey to pornography have these nightmares seared into their minds. As individuals use horror flicks to get into the mood to celebrate Halloween, it only takes one unwholesome image to inflict a troubled soul. Therefore, as Halloween approaches, be on guard so that this one night of fright doesn’t turn into a lifetime of reliving nightmares.

by Jay Mankus

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The Cure to Nightmares

Posted on August 21, 2014 by expressyourself4him

Gone are the days of the Boogie Man living beneath your bed.  Hollywood has devised more sidious figments of your imagination such as Freddy Kruger, Michael Myers and Hannibal Lecter.  All it takes is a scary movie, darkness and isolation to invite nightmares into your dreams.  This is where fear turns an ordinary evening into a terrifying experience.

When you add fuel to this fire by indulging in graphic images on television, the degree only intensifies.  Although dreams come and go, anyone who opens the door to demonic activity, Ephesians 4:26-27, will need a spiritual remedy to set their mind free from nightly horror.  Thoughts such as,” its just an R-rated movie, what harm could possibly come from this,” will likely dig a hole that can haunt souls for years.

According to the Psalmist, there is a cure for nightmares.  Sleepless nights will come to an end as you begin to dwell in the shelter of God’s wings, Psalm 91:1.  This isn’t a casual relationship, coming and going as you please.  Rather, Psalm 91:2-4 suggests a devout faith, trusting in the Lord, not your own strength to overcome obstacles, snares and trials in life.  As your commitment level breeds spiritual disciplines, God promises to protect you from Satan’s flaming arrows in the day and conscience from fear at night, Psalm 91:5.  Applying these principles lead to sweet dreams once again.

by Jay Mankus

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