Pacesetters Bible School: Bible Questions

Question 16: Nightmares I have had several questions from Christians who have had nightmares, some of which appeared to them to be demonic. Those who asked want to know who is speaking, and what to do about such dreams. Some have been reading books about hell while others have been studying about demons. What should Christians do in these circumstances?

A: Sometimes as Christians we can be tempted to read good things, but at the wrong time. We can be tempted to focus on things that God says very little about, rather than on the things God concentrates on. We need to read with discernment, looking for the things that are going to do us good. Some attention on hell can be a good thing if a person's resolve is weak. But for someone who is fearful, reading about hell can simply increase the fear. Some read about casting out demons in the Bible and are encouraged by God's power. Others are terrified at the very thought of demons.

Let's ask ourselves some questions:

• How much time does the Bible spend talking about hell?
• How much time does the Bible spend talking about demons and demonology?

The answer to both these questions is: Very little! In fact, I have often been reminded in discussing spiritual warfare that the Bible doesn't tell us much. I have been told that I need to read other books, more modern books about deliverance from evil spirits. But somehow when I read those books they do not resonate with the Spirit in scripture. So I keep coming back to the scriptures.

What do the scriptures say about hell? While hell is real in scripture, the focus is on those who are redeemed and on the opportunities God gives to prevent people from going there. There is no great discussion of the details of life in hell-all those come from other writers. Even in Revelation, where so much is said of the destruction of evil, the first part of the book is spent on repeated calls for repentance and then judgments which nonetheless leave the door of opportunity open. Then once a small time has been spent discussing the lake of fire, we turn to the new earth and the life of the redeemed.

Salvation does not come from fear, but from undeserved love-called grace.

What do we need to know about hell except these two things:

• We don't want to go there!
• We don't have to go there!

Look at the description:

(1) And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more, (2) and I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, descending from heaven from God, prepared as a bride decked out for her husband. (3) And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, God's tent is with humanity, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them, their God, (4) and he will wipe away each tear from their eyes, and death will no longer exist, nor mourning nor crying, nor will there be pain any more, because the first things have passed away."

(5) And the one who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I am making everything new." And he said, "Write it down! For these words and faithful and true." (6) And he said to me, "It's done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end." -- Revelation 21:1-6

Here's the focus: God will wipe away all of the things we fear. There is no need for fear. There is no need to spend our time concentrating on hell. We should be prepared to witness to God's love, yes. We should take note of the fact that there is a way that leads to death. But the reason we pay attention to that is because we don't have to take that road!

What about the demons? Don't we have to fear them?

Again, the complete focus of scripture is on God's power over everything-his exclusive sovereignty. Once the one who is "the beginning and the end" has spoken, there is nothing more whatsoever that needs to be said.

(28) But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the rule of God has come over you! - Matthew 12:28

Jesus had his focus on the coming of God's kingdom. When God's kingdom arrived, the demons had to go! In Luke 10:17-20 we notice that the disciples are excited about casting out demons. But Jesus is excited because their names are written in heaven.

This means again that the key belief of Christians should be the power of God over everything evil and demonic. Again, there is no reason to live in fear. There is no need to spend our time concentrating on the details of the demons and what they do. We acknowledge that there is evil. We know it's there, just as Jesus did. But we respond to it just as Jesus did-by the Spirit of God, rejecting and driving it away by faith. I see nowhere in the gospels where Jesus spent time focusing on the demons.

So the two key components of fear for Christians-hell and demons-are not the things we should concentrate on. They are, in fact, the very things that Jesus has given us the victory over. We should concentrate on the victory, and more importantly on the person who is victorious!

I want to quote here from a message my wife recently wrote to someone else who was having difficulty with frightening dreams.

_____, you are a righteous woman of God. One of the things that I had to do was tell satan in NO UNCERTAIN TERMS that he could harass me all he wanted BUT I was NOT turning back! My eyes were on Jesus and my hand was on the plow (Luke 9:62) and THAT was NOT going to change! When James became ill in 1999.well I won't tell you that my resolve has been easy. It hasn't. I NEEDED the Body of Christ to pray with me and stand with me. If you feel under attack, read and reread the promises of God. Ask your pastor and your brothers and sisters in Christ to pray for you and with you. PRESS IN! So many times we are on the 1 yard line - SO CLOSE to the victory! - and we try to make the touchdown by ourselves. Christianity is a TEAM life. There are no 'lone rangers' or 'renegades'.

Praying for you and hoping to hear more from you and what God is doing in your life. Keep looking UP!

Here are the keys:

1. Focus on God, his power, his goodness and his redemption
2. Pray regularly and listen for what God will say to you
3. Get together with others and let them pray for you and encourage you
4. Be involved in praise, worship and study of the Word

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