Give it to God and Go to Sleep

You’re wide-awake in the middle of the night-3 a.m. and you begin to toss and turn and your mind slowly begins bouncing all over. You struggle to lay still. You throw the blankets off. You yank them back up. You flop left to right. You can’t find the switch to turn your brain off. All of a sudden, you hear:

Satan: “I can see you’re trying to get a peaceful night of rest so that you can be recharged for tomorrow.”

Me: Throws my pillow over my head so I can’t hear him.

Satan: “Let me help you. Here’s a selection of troublesome things in your life to keep your mind busy until you fall asleep.”

He begins to throw darts my way.

He whispers: “You can’t. You’re not enough.”

Throw back at him: I am doing what God is leading me to do. I am living my life the way God is leading me. In all my ways I am submitting to Him, and He will make my paths straight. Prov. 3:6

He whispers: “God won’t forgive you.”

Throw back him: God understands my weaknesses and when I fail. My repentance leads to my salvation and leaves me with NO regret. 2 Cor. 7:10 For when I fall 7 times, I will rise again but the wicked stumble. Prov. 24:16

He whispers: “God doesn’t really love you.”

Throw back at him: He loves me enough to die on the cross for me. John 3:16 His love for me is better than life. Psalm 63:3

Dart after dart is being hurled at you with a sting of fire. Don’t listen to the lies of Satan when He comes to you in the dark of night. Throw your own darts back which are sharper than any of his. Throw the darts of the word of God back in his face! We have the Word of God which is the sword of the spirit. Our sword is sharper than any of his darts. After your midnight mind battles with him, fill your mind with meditating on His Word. Remind yourself of His promises, pray, recite scripture in your mind or out loud.

True rest doesn’t come from a perfect, solid 8 hour of sleep but in a faithful God we can trust with everything. “He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches over Israel will never slumber nor sleep.”Psalm 121:4

When we can’t sleep because we are filled with the lies of the enemy, it makes us look weak and unable to handle what he throws our way in the darkness. He prods and pokes us and heckles us till we can’t find rest. Hurl your own darts back at him. Your darts are bigger and sharper. Shoot and roll! Roll over with your eyes closed and be done with him! “When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.” Prov. 3:24.

(By no means is this blog to say if you can’t sleep, its because you are battling the enemies lies. Everybody has their own reasons for not sleeping. Insomnia is a serious struggle. This is just what happens to me personally sometimes. People with insomnia have a whole different struggle and symptoms. They, too, have the option to use praying and scripture as a means of rest.)