Having Trouble Sleeping

[William]

Well I'm having another bad night of sleep. I have for at least the last four to three years. Its been worse in the last two years or so I would say.

I'm also a bit of a night-owl you could say, just can't help it. However I also have trouble because I'm constantly fighting off wave of temptations and attacks every night that it makes it even harder to sleep and get my rest. I did start taking some "Sub-lingual Melatonin" recommended by Dr. Scott Johnson, however I decided to stop taking them because a brother brought it to my attention that is probably better not to take them. Also because our bodies already create Melatonin that we should not need more.

He also said it could be my diet as well. Right now I can't fix that problem and don't really have a lot of options, though I might here in the future the Lord willing.

I also have a lot on my mind at night, thinking about the Lord and scriptures, and a bunch of other stuff that comes in.

If anyone has an advice let me know, because I would really like to get this under control so I can serve the Lord even more effectually.

Thanks.

[Mark]

sometimes i get like that. Ive learned that a swig of nightquil goes a long way.

Could you explain this a little more?

I'm constantly fighting off wave of temptations and attacks every night .

[William]

sometimes i get like that. Ive learned that a swig of nightquil goes a long way.

Could you explain this a little more?

Yeah I try to stay away from like Nightquil and stuff, and would like to get a little more natural sleep if you know what I mean. I wouldn't mind like Natural Acohol or something, as it makes you sleeping, but we are also called to deny are selves and our flesh. So this is one of them things I would have to think and pray about. If drinking like just a tiny bit a day so it helped me rest better, than that might be ok, as long as it does not cause any of my brothers to stumble.

As for me fighting off temptations? What I mean is I seem to have thoughts like bombarded every night. For example: I'll just be laying there and then...all of a sudden maybe my mind will start to go towards like a lust thought or something. They seem to target me with one particular Temptation, or like almost try to force me you could say to do something or say something I don't want to do. So I have to resist, and often I have to quickly shrug it off and like say something else. Like if they try to get me to say something I don't want to, I'll say something like the Word pure, or whatever.

Here lately I have been telling them: "The Lord Rebuke thee Satan, or Devils, depart in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ". It does help, but they have been hard at work attacking me.

Its hard to explain whats happening really, you would have to be in my place to understand, I think its something unique to me, but maybe I'm wrong. Basically its kind of a thought warfare you could say.

[Mark]

im not saying become addicted to nightquil.  but it does help to drift off. I also suffer from drifting mind, you just start thinking of stuff and you cant quite.

[William]

Right, maybe once I get a change of scenery and maybe better diet I'll be able to sleep. One thing that really helps me is when I work, because it tires me out and I'm ready to sleep at the end of the day. So work would also be good, you could say I'm a little stir crazy here in my house 

Yeah that's kind of what happens, I get a bunch of thoughts I think about, plus the attacks as well. So it makes a very uncomfortable night. The Lord has helped me though and I do get to sleep some nights. Like today I fell asleep at 5:00 A.M. this morning and woke up about 9:00 or 10:00 A.M. so I'm very tired today. I should sleep well tonight I hope.

[Lisa]

Some advice for what its worth-the spiritual first because its the most important.
1. Peace is the flag that flies when the King is in residence. I used to struggle with fears and attack before i was delivered. Are you sure you are right with the King-Ask him to show you in the spirit if there is any sin that has taken your peace-do this first and wait upon him and be sensitive to the leading of the spirit.
2. If you are sure that it is not sin robbing you of your peace then consider this...Scripture psalm 119 vs 62At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments.  63I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.
Many of us have nights without sleep. I recall when i was first born again i was hearing from the Lord and awake often all night. I was very concerned and the Lord sent me a messenger (a missionary from Congo), who said to me-Lisa-your time to be with the Lord is 3am. Now if i have a night without sleep it doesnt bother me (unless i have lost my peace). One of my callings from Father is intercession and that frequently calls for nights without sleep-Get used to it, its part of the package. At times like now-ie post earthquakes, world upheaval, its classic to be called into the throne room of prayer. I am in fellowship with many who also have a prayer calling through the night (im just a baby in this though).
3.Demons attack at night-get a prayer partener who you can trust (im going to pray for you too). But meditate upon this-If you are elect of God, then you are sprinkled in the blood of his son (1 Peter 1 vs 2Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. )-That blood of sprinkling is simply not penetrable by demons full stop. I had a demon visiut me at nioght once and just pled the blood of the lamb and laughted at it in the spirit-It was powerless to come near. I hear you about the attack and temptation-thats normal-I want you to consider adding this prayer to your prayer both in the morning and at night...
 9After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
 10Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
 11Give us this day our daily bread.
 12And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
 13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Remember you have special armor to wear too and confess this each morning and each night (Ephesians 6).

Now for the boring worldly bit. More bullets sorry...
1. Dont be a night owl-put yourself to bed at around 11pm each night-you need to get your brain into training just cas you would train a puppy to go to the toilet on his walk.
2. Turn your light off and lie there-before you do that make sure you are NOT on the computor with the flashing lights, they make your brain think its day and stimulate it to be awake. Have at least 1 hour away from computor or TV -read a book and have a bath.
3. Be very careful about stimulants eg caffeine or tobacco. I stop drinking coffee at 1pm in the afternoon in order for it to get out of my system. Caffeine can turn up in all sorts eg headache pills and even bed time drinks.

Keep me informed how i can pray for you.

Lisax

[William]

Some advice for what its worth-the spiritual first because its the most important.
1. Peace is the flag that flies when the King is in residence. I used to struggle with fears and attack before i was delivered. Are you sure you are right with the King-Ask him to show you in the spirit if there is any sin that has taken your peace-do this first and wait upon him and be sensitive to the leading of the spirit.
2. If you are sure that it is not sin robbing you of your peace then consider this...Scripture psalm 119 vs 62At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments.  63I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.
Many of us have nights without sleep. I recall when i was first born again i was hearing from the Lord and awake often all night. I was very concerned and the Lord sent me a messenger (a missionary from Congo), who said to me-Lisa-your time to be with the Lord is 3am. Now if i have a night without sleep it doesnt bother me (unless i have lost my peace). One of my callings from Father is intercession and that frequently calls for nights without sleep-Get used to it, its part of the package. At times like now-ie post earthquakes, world upheaval, its classic to be called into the throne room of prayer. I am in fellowship with many who also have a prayer calling through the night (im just a baby in this though).
3.Demons attack at night-get a prayer partener who you can trust (im going to pray for you too). But meditate upon this-If you are elect of God, then you are sprinkled in the blood of his son (1 Peter 1 vs 2Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. )-That blood of sprinkling is simply not penetrable by demons full stop. I had a demon visiut me at nioght once and just pled the blood of the lamb and laughted at it in the spirit-It was powerless to come near. I hear you about the attack and temptation-thats normal-I want you to consider adding this prayer to your prayer both in the morning and at night...
 9After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
 10Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
 11Give us this day our daily bread.
 12And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
 13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Remember you have special armor to wear too and confess this each morning and each night (Ephesians 6).

Now for the boring worldly bit. More bullets sorry...
1. Dont be a night owl-put yourself to bed at around 11pm each night-you need to get your brain into training just cas you would train a puppy to go to the toilet on his walk.
2. Turn your light off and lie there-before you do that make sure you are NOT on the computor with the flashing lights, they make your brain think its day and stimulate it to be awake. Have at least 1 hour away from computor or TV -read a book and have a bath.
3. Be very careful about stimulants eg caffeine or tobacco. I stop drinking coffee at 1pm in the afternoon in order for it to get out of my system. Caffeine can turn up in all sorts eg headache pills and even bed time drinks.

Keep me informed how i can pray for you.

Lisax

I can't think of any sin that comes right to mind. I know the scripture "Sin is transgression of the Law" comes back to me. To remind me what sin is, as for any sin though that I have done. I can't think of any that comes to mind, but I do ask for forgiveness of my sins, or any sins in ignorance. Though were not under the law...it also says should we sin that grace should abound? God forbid. (Paraphrasing on those scriptures). One of the most important things I pray about is the Fear of God, and Humility. These are two things I try to include in my prayers every day. Now also I'm trying to include Zeal, because I really need some!

I remember before I was truly saved and Born again I was really Zealous, but some things happened before I was saved, that helped to bring me to God. Though it kind of destroyed my Zeal, so now I need to get more zealous again. I really liked having the zeal I had and serving the Lord like that, Now I'm just not on fire as I wish I would be. Also I'm unequally yoked together with my mother here as well...I got confirmation on that from two brethren, so that's one thing that could have something to do with it to. I'll be heading out Thursday to live with a brother who invited me to come and live with his family, so I'm thankful for that.

I can see what you mean in that maybe I'm supposed to stay up, and I guess  could use the time for prayer, study, and reading the Word. Maybe its the flesh warring against the Spirit too...That would be nice to have a prayer partner. Though there's no one in my area, plus I'm leaving from my state anyhow...so I guess everything will get set and happens as it happens.

Yeah they seem to love to attack me more at night than the day...I can really see that. They also like to attack me in my dreams even...and that really is hard to defend. All you can do on that is pray. I have one question though about what you said to add to my prayer, do you mean to say that exact thing? or just what it contains. Like should I repeat that over and over? or do you mean just place those things in my prayers in my own words?

If in my own words, than yes I do try to praise and give thanks, and have started to a lot more just within the last week or so. I do pray for deliverance from Temptations, and try to include everything that you posted pretty much, but there are a few things I could add that would help greatly I'm sure.

-

Also yeah no coffe or smoking here...thank the Lord. I could get off the computer much more early though. That would help. Thank you for the scriptures and edifying. Oh and Lisa you live in Britian correct? I saw that there were protests over there and thought I'd ask how you are. Hope your doing ok, though I'm sure your protected by the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and a multitude of Angels round about you. 

[Lisa]

Re praying about sin-My experience...I used to confess but it was in the flesh-Like stuff i knew i had done wrong. And i never got the fruit of the spirit. Then the Spirit opened my eyes to the fact that a few (not many) Christians i saw were living this truly amazing life in the spirit. And as soon as i saw it i had to have it too(i guess it was sort of coventous in a way) but i just realised that there was a mountain there to climb and i became very aggressive in a way that it should be mine (at this point i had lived around 15 years as a Christian but never really lived in the spirit). So i committed my life to him, and just asked him to show me what was stopping me from having the fruit (peace was my failing but well they were all not there if you but knew it). He started by showing me my marriage and how i was falling short of His standard (judging my husband, pity parties about doing the dishes, irrational outbursts-the list went on and on and each time i was shown my failing, i just had to confess that i was powerless to change myself and needed his help and blood).It didnt stop there though-it went into virtually every part of my life slowly....but you know it was worth it (even the way i drove the car and my attitude towards the cat were put under the Holy spirit magnifying glass !!). See im not really a very nice person at all-But i do know someone that can take all the junk out and replace it with something much more wonderful....

Yeah- i live in Wales. There demos were in London, i saw it on the Tv-its pretty quiet around where i live-and yes im well protected-although lets say the enemy likes to take a few pot shots and im in a pretty big battle at present. A story for another day huh!
L

[Lisa]

Sorry forgot the other part of your question-Regarding prayers-I would kind of  (this is me you dont have to copy), always have a quiet time in scripture before putting out my light. During this time i will read scripture and nearly all the time the Lord has answered a question we spoke about over the last 24 hours or there is scriptural support for the current battle (i have a problem within the family at present and the scripture was spot on that i had this evening). Often during this time my prayer partener will have texted mje a scripture (we text each other as the Lord has led during the day) so i check out the scriptures that she has sent too. If there is a prayer i will read it out (like the Lords prayer i suggested)-But teally my quiet time is semi a long conversation with Father and praying for things that others have asked for prayer over-sort of controlled by the Holy spirit a bit. Sorry this sounds a bit waffly. So no i dont recite it-more lift the prayer up as part of a long conversation in which there will be prayer promises and stuff.
L