How to Say 'No' to Nightmares
If you are sick and tired of having nightmares, this message is for you. You don’t have to take it anymore. You really don’t! If you know someone who is sick and tired of nightmares in their life, please send these instructions to them as well. It will be the best gift you could give them. This is your prescription for a peaceful night’s sleep.
A friend and I were leading our weekly Bible study at the jail a couple days ago. We were thrilled to hear a praise report from one of the young inmates. He was smiling from ear to ear the moment he sat down. He had shared with us the week before that he was having nightmares every night. He told us this week that those nightmares have now left him and he has started to have pleasant dreams.
When I heard of his plight a week ago, I told him about the remedy I have shared with various people over the years. In fact, my friend who was there with me even experienced this remedy personally when I told him about it a couple years ago. He too had been having nightmares for years, but then he applied what I told him and it worked in his life as well. What is this magical cure?
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Be assured that it is not magic. God does not operate in magic. He operates in spiritual power. Magic is for demons. Power comes from God. There is nothing in the universe more powerful than the blood of Jesus which was shed on the cross 2000 years ago. The amazing thing about Christ’s blood is that it never loses its power. It is the power of His blood that set both my friend and this inmate free from horrible nightmares. Martin Luther was of the opinion that nightmares come from demons. I think he was probably correct.
You may be familiar with the old hymn, "There is Power in the Blood." Here is the refrain: “There is power, power, wonder working-power in the blood of the Lamb; There is power, power, wonder-working power in the precious blood of the Lamb." That power is available to anyone who will call upon the name of the Lord.
In Exodus 12, the Israelites were instructed how to protect their children when the Lord was about to bring judgment upon Egypt. The Israelites were to put the blood of the lamb on the doorframes of their houses. God told the people, “I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.” (Exodus 12:12,13)
The blood of that animal for the Israelites represented “the blood of the Lamb” in the Person of Jesus Christ. John the Baptist announced the Messiah with these words: “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) His blood has the supernatural power to forgive sins and to set the captives free. The blood of Jesus is powerful and effective in the realm of thoughts, behavior, addictions, and even in the realm of your subconscious and your dreams.
Here is how you can apply Jesus’ blood to your sleep. When you go to bed at night, you can pray something like this out loud: “Lord Jesus, guard my mind and my dreams with your blood. Protect me from any nightmares this night. I apply the blood of Jesus to my sleep tonight. Send your holy angels to watch over me. I trust in your blood Jesus to forgive my sins and to guard my mind. In Jesus’ name. Amen.” Believe it and receive it. Try it and apply it. God wants you to experience a great night’s sleep!
While hell is like a volcano, a nightmare is like a pan of boiling water. It is a small glimpse on a much lower scale of what eternity in hell is going to be like for all who go there. You can give your nightmares to Jesus just like you can give your soul to Jesus. Ask Him to apply His blood to the "doorframe" of your mind when you sleep. Most importantly, be sure to ask Him to apply His blood to the "doorframe" of your soul to forgive your sins. Your soul contains the most important "doorframe" in your life. Whether you realize it or not, you desperately need His blood to wash away your sins. Nothing else can do it. The way to say “No” to nightmares and "No" to spending eternity in hell is to say “Yes” to the blood of Christ.
In St. John’s revelation of heaven he tells us: “Then one of the elders asked me, ‘These in white robes – who are they, and where did they come from?’ I answered, ‘Sir, you know.’ And he said, ‘These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.’” (Revelation 7:13,14) It's just like another old hymn says: "What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus." The Bible says, "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace." (Ephesians 1:7)
On Judgment Day, you will either be wearing a white robe or you will be spiritually naked before your Creator. The whiteness of the robe does not represent your goodness, but rather, the righteousness of Christ. This “righteousness from God” which St. Paul describes in the book of Romans is the only thing that can cover us and make us acceptable to God. That is why the blood of Jesus is absolutely essential. Without it, a person will stand before the Judge and get sentenced to hell to pay for his sins. As Charles Spurgeon said, "Morality will keep you out of jail, but only the blood of Jesus will keep you out of hell."
Here is one more thing to remember when it comes to nightmares. Be careful what movies and images you allow into your mind. Some scary movies today seem to be inspired by demons. Christians are inspired by the Holy Spirit to produce things that are wholesome. On the dark side, demons inspire some people to produce movies that open the door to demonic fear and nightmares for those who mentally devour such trash.
I preached a message years ago where I referred to a “dreamcatcher” that some people place above their bed or the bed of their child. It is unwise to use this native American object to try to catch "bad dreams." A Christian woman told me later that her daughter had been having nightmares every night for years. They had a “dreamcatcher” above the child's bed. After hearing the message, they removed the “dreamcatcher” and the nightmares instantly stopped. Jesus will be your real Dreamcatcher if you ask Him.
While we are saying “No” to nightmares and to hell, we as Christians also want to say “No” everyday to sinful behavior and ungodly desires. “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” (Titus 2:11-13)
The grace of God is absolutely not a license to go out and freely sin. A Christian never learns that practice from the grace of God, but only from his own sinful cravings. Deliberate sin is not compatible with the life of Christian discipleship. It only opens up doors for the devil to get a stronghold in the believer's life.
The Christian life does not just advance automatically. Likewise, a peaceful night’s rest is not automatic. It involves the active participation of the believer saying “No” to those things that are not from God. The minute we stop saying “No” to those things, we are headed for trouble. Memorizing Scripture passages is another excellent way to keep your mind and heart filled with good thoughts. There is much power in the Word of God to defeat temptations, demons and nightmares!
So whether you are a Christian or a seeker, this is your prescription plain and simple. Apply the blood. Guard your mind. Think about those things that are pure and honorable. Say “no” to nightmares and “no” to wicked living and “no” to hell. You don’t have to go to hell. You don’t have to give in to your sinful desires. You don’t have to suffer from nightmares. The choice is up to you. Are you finally ready to apply the blood of Jesus to your life through faith?
If so, you will be able to have the kind of glowing smile on your face that I saw on the face of that inmate this week. And you will be able to say with the Psalmist: “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” (Psalm 4:8) Sweet dreams!
