Sleep Paralysis

The thread on panic attacks prompted me to begin a thread on hypnopompic paralysis - otherwise known as sleep paralysis, or 'paralyze dreams.'What is sleep paralysis?"The isolated sleep paralysis event occurs most often at sleep onset. An individual, even though aware and maintains that he is awake, is atonic, and has great difficulty moving. This atonic state is similar to the atonia experienced during REM sleep. This experience also may produce great anxiety and fear, while the individual struggles to 'wake up'Individuals who experience sleep paralysis often report concurrent hypnagogic (that drowsiness that precedes sleep) hallucinations. A commonly reported hallucination is the feeling of a presence or entity in the room in which the individual sleeps. At times this presence may seem threatening and evil giving rise to the folklore belief of the 'night-mare,' the 'old hag,' and the 'incubi.' "Personally, I used to experience these things all the time. Before I knew the Lord I would have these 'paralyze dreams' once or twice a night. As a young man, I became so used to having these, that I found if I could just move one limb I could 'get out of it.' When I was married, my wife learned that when I became rigid as a board, and my whole body began to tremble violently - it meant that I was having a paralysis dream, and she would shake me till I was free from it.After a couple of years though, she stopped bothering. At first I think it freaked her out so much that she was willing to shake me awake every night - but after a few years, she got used to it, and stopped waking me up altogether.When I came to the Lord, the phenomenon abrubtly stopped. I still got them once in a while, but not every night. I could go months without an instance - and when they did come, I was not afraid. In this altered state, I was often set upon by voices or images. Having been brought up in a mix of superstition and catholicism - I didn't know the Lord, but I did know about evil. I supposed (and still do) that whatever I was experiencing was of the devil or of his minions.I say, I believe it is of the devil, because it stopped almost entirely when I became a Christian (considering it had been a nightly occurance for decades prior to that), and because when they happen now, I simply call on the name of the Lord, and the voices or images blow themselves out - sometimes in a rage, sometimes in a whisper - I don't care which, but they always leave, and when I am 'realeased' I can praise the Lord.Am I the only one who has ever experienced this on the board?

"The isolated sleep paralysis event occurs most often at sleep onset. An individual, even though aware and maintains that he is awake, is atonic, and has great difficulty moving. This atonic state is similar to the atonia experienced during REM sleep. This experience also may produce great anxiety and fear, while the individual struggles to 'wake up'Dann,This is interesting. I was talking to my son, who is a doctor, just last week about something quite similar. I get these physical symptoms every once in a while but with very little of the weirder stuff. He mentioned this as a possibility and also 'sleep apnea' which I understand may have some physical similarities.Another difference is that I almost always know that I am dreaming. Throwing myself out of bed always succeeds in waking me up! :-P I've sent my son your email. I'll keep you posted ! ;-) meanwhile this article might interest you. Sleep Paralysis

Yeah the weird stuff is, well,... weird.The common factor seems to be lucidity - that is, it would be misleading to describe the state as 'sleep' since the individual is lucid.Whatever the case, there is much on the internet about it.Dan

Am I the only one who has ever experienced this on the board?Hi Dann,I thought I was reading my own experiences reading of yours. My wife would shake me also. It happened so much and for so long that I learned how to wake myself up by breathing very deeply. This would alert those around me as they saw me doing this. The only thing I could ever control in this 'state' was my breathing. It happened to me all my life since I was about 17. About 7 years ago they almost stopped completely. It was weird because there was a guy I worked with that was a good friend that also suffered from it. It stopped with him at the exact same time. It has happened maybe 10 more times in 7 years and they have been very violent episodes. It is definately a demonic attack- but I believe it is set off by a physical problem. It is as though the enemy knows we are in that state and takes advantage. Thank God my wife still knows to wake me up if she hears it and will shake me real hard. As Bro. Ron said I also knew it was a 'dream state.' I knew everything that was going on to me at the time. I could also sense that it was coming on when I went to bed and would ask the wife to stay up until I was good and asleep and 'watch me.' God Bless,-Robert

Rob:Like yourself, I developed a way to wake myself up. First I learned to open my eyes - if I could just... force... one... lid... open!Then I learned to chatter my teeth - I laugh to think of it - but I was able to lay there wide eyed - chattering my teeth.Eventually I learned to turn my head - but it was so violent to any onlooker - imagine a wide eyed, teeth chattering, man thrashing about on the bed, head turned violently to the left - now to the right - again and again. I am smiling as I write this knowing how ridiculous our odd it must sound to any who hasn't experienced it.I never tried breathing differently - my efforts were always to 'break through' the paralysis.Thanks for sharing!Dan

Is this at all related to night terrors? My son who just turned 9 has had these off and on. Especially when he is sick and has a fever or is worn out. He awakes in the middle of the night dreaming ,but his eyes are wide open. He can look right at me (actually it looks like he is looking through me). He is always seeing something happening that I can't see and it scares him badly. He can be sitting up and I can even get him out of bed, but he still is in the dream. I try and try to wake him up and I pray over him, but it takes a long time to wake him up out of it. He used to not have any memory of them the next morning, but lately he has remembered that he had a bad dream. It is frightening to us as well, to see him and his facial expressions knowing that he is frightened by something that we can't see.His most recent ones have been about spinning or going very fast out of control. And now when he moves really fast in a turning or spinning motion, he says that he feels like the dream is coming back. In the night terrror he said he felt like everything was moving a lightening speed and he couldn't stop it.Anyone know about these?In Him, Chanin

I can see some folks being afraid to go to bed tonight if we keep this thread going! ;-) I have enough hits on all this symptoms to say 'yes, that's it' and enough misses to say 'no, that's not me'.Here's something to tuck you up with...How do Thy mercies close me round!For ever be Thy name adored!I blush in all things to abound;The servant is above his Lord.Inured to poverty and pain.A suffering life my Master led;The Son of God, the Son of Man,He had not where to lay His head.But, lo! A place He hath preparedFor me, whom watchful angels keep;Nay, He Himself becomes my Guard,He smoothes my bed, and gives me sleep.Jesus protects; my fears, be gone!What can the Rock of Ages move?Safe in Thy arms I lay me down,Thy everlasting arms of love!While Thou are intimately nigh,Who, who shall violate my rest?Sin, earth and hell I now defy;I lean upon my Saviour’s breast.I rest beneath the Almighty’s shade;My griefs expire, my troubles cease;Thou, Lord, on whom my soul is stayed,Wilt keep me still in perfect peace.Me for Thine own Thou lov’st to takeIn time and in eternity;Thou never, never wilt forsakeA helpless worm that trusts in Thee.Charles Wesley.

Ah, just received a note from my son, the doctor...Dad,If these hypnopompic symptoms are strongly associated with sleeping on your back, then obstructive sleep apnoea is likely to be the cause and that is well worth a visit to the GP. The initial advice will always be to lose weight...Sleep apnoea has adverse effects on the heart long-term and so it is well worth getting it sorted out...This is interesting in that 'sleep apnoea' can, apparently, be a cause of hypnopompic symtoms...

This is not a joke, i was just watching our local news about 2 minutes ago and they were doing a spot on sleep apnea. The lady interviewed was very overweight and they showed from her tests (going to the sleep clinic and seeing how many times she stopped breathing for a second or so) that she stopped breathing over 100 times a night. She then had to wear a breathing mask at night. The risks of sleep apnea are :higher risk of stroke and heart attack, not to mention sleepiness during the day- and more weight gain because you feel hungry and unsatisfied becasue of the lack of good sleep.Anyway, she was ordered to lose weight. That was 130 pounds ago. She only had to wear the mask for 2 months because after she lost some weight she could breath much better. It has something to do with the circumference of the neck. The bigger it is, the harder to breathe at night.Just thought that was weird that we got that "news' at the same time.In Him, Chanin

I had an incident of this happening to me just last week. I was afraid to talk about it here on SI, but I believe I was "attacked" by some demonic entity as I slept. I am 46 and it has never happened before.I was up at around 4 am praying in my living room and became very cold. I decided to go downstairs to my daughter's bedroom and get in her bed because she wasn't home that night. I intended to continue praying and just get in the bed to warm myself. As I entered the room, I felt a presence, but I ignored it and began to pray. I must have gotten warm and fell asleep. It felt like something pinned me to the bed. I was trying to say the name of Jesus, but all I could do was say some garbled "EE-Uh". It felt like something lifted me off the bed, like I levetated or something for just a few seconds. Finally I was able to wake up. I quickly exited the room and went back upstairs to settle myself down. As I have prayed about this, I believe it was definetly a demonic attack. I have been seeking God more than ever in my life. I believe the enemy is simple trying to turn me back. Once I was able to function after the attack, I went back downstairs and took authority over it and commanded it to leave. I've never had this happen before. Don't know if it's the same thing you all are talking about here, or not. Love, Dian.

I quickly exited the room and went back upstairs to settle myself down. As I have prayed about this, I believe it was definetly a demonic attack. I have been seeking God more than ever in my life. I believe the enemy is simple trying to turn me back. Hi Dian,If we can't discuss real issues why are we here? This is reality. Sounds like it is the same or near to it. I have found that it happens at times when I really seek the Lord in prayer and worship. I don't understand it though I have discussed the topic at some length with a dear Christian brother who is both an apologist and a sleep specialist. He runs sleep clinics around the Midwest. One thing he said to me years ago is that most people have only one or maybe two episodes in their lifetime of sleep paralysis. I said, "It happens to me all the time." He described the dynamics of sleep (which I have long forgotten) and I concluded that it is some sort of sleeping disorder that the enemy uses to attack us. In the time of Jesus there were demons that would throw people into the fire and cause them to dwell in cemetaries unable to bind them with chains; granted this is a lot different in that the New Testament issues were that of demon possession, yet I know that if they could do that they could attack me when I was stuck half asleep and half awake. I also have tried to rebuke and the words would come out in slow motion. People have heard me speaking in my sleep like this and said it was real faint- like a whisper. I once was laying in the living room floor with a house full of people when it happened and was yelling in my 'dream' "Wake me up!... Wake me up!..." I finally got awake and asked those near me why they did not wake me up? They said, we heard you whispering- but we thought you were just playing around. If I feel like I am going to have a bad night I pray for God's protection and then ask my wife to watch me until I am asleep. I really think we ought to pray for one another in this thing. I'll be doing that today.God Bless,-Robert

Before I was saved I would experience something similar but probably not the same thing. My jaw would lock up and I could not open it and my neck would tighten up. I felt like I could not move. It was really frightening because my jaw would close up tighter and tighter and I would just have to wait until it ended. It seemed to be related to an overwhelming fear that consumed me.Does this sound similar to what ya'll are talking about?

Dear saints....This is mighty incredible to me. I saw this the other day and was practically floored by it."You too?"I thought it was just my own bizzaree self. This has been happening over the years somewhat infrequently, both before and after coming into the Light.It almost sounds if there is a couple of different things going on here but both Robert and Dian especially....whew, the similarities...One of the blessings of not cleaning out old email is being able to find things. Dian, I thank you for sharing what happened to you, it has prompted me not to be afraid to put this up. The following is an email I sent to Greg last year as well as Ed and think Chanin as well. Didn't want to just take excerpts from it or clean it up and all the verbage came forth as I typed it within seconds of "waking up", it's raw but...~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hey brother Here's an attachment from this mornings violent, bizarre dealings...You, Chanin, Ed likely would be the only ones that I would likely share this with...Told the wife and...no reaction... I don't know what to make of it or if I even should, but the words are true Mike--------------What just happened Lord? Moments ago 6:30 A.M. Wed 6/9/04...On my face before You in prayer, struggling, wrestling with You that you would bestow back upon me, Your Holy Spirit as it has been so strongly felt in these past weeks. I would not let go, no, not until You blessed me, I was knocking and knocking, would not give up..scriptures running through my mind...Jesus words to keep on asking...'command ye Me', Isaiah..."The kingdom of Heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force" I resolved not to move until You Lord restored me, everything open and naked before You...everything..and my spirit was sorely distressed, but I would not give up, would wrestle like Jacob and pester like the Syrophoenician woman...Yet, was still praying for others, for Lisa that this stronghold would be broken, for Chanin that restoration would come between her and her mother, for Ed and Greg.. about Chris Clark, dead and ? where is he now?...deep heavings of spirit, groanings without words, the spirit groans..thoughts of the greatness of our God, the powers that be are as nothing, the futility of mere men and even the hosts of hell are limited in their scope by Gods soverign decree...for Revival...Then, on my face I feel into a sleep, into a dream...was working in a warehouse of sorts, tile place maybe, two other guys..trying to find the right angle on something 22 and 1/2 degrees bevel, they went to check on something, was alone, trying to read the gauge, but it was obscure, couldn't see, went outside, everything was gray, dark gray, couldn't see to read it, kept walking toward the light away from the buildings, but it was evading me...still struggling to see...one of the guys walked by, could sense his presence, but I couldn't see him, couldn't see anything...eye's wide open, but it couldn't see...Suddenly I became aware that I was here on my face..and I FELT a force pulling on me, down, down, down...FELT this...aware that I was in this state...had to pull out somehow, then an opposite force pulling me back up I FELT this..it was through me, it was lifting me up....then the pull back downward...It was the devil pullling me...tried to say 'Jesus' and it was muffled, like a hand over my mouth...was trying to cry it out, may have said it outloud...this happened, this is not a dream, because I was aware of it, totally...It was a wrestling for my soul...Jesus save me...and I felt you physically pull me up as if by the shoulders, a lifting, felt You pulling me back...had to break this...Jesus...and it stopped, my eyes were open....What just happened? got up rushed to my computer and typed these very words....Great God in Heaven, this happened...I physically felt this...as if ...how do I explain it?What just happened? I don't understand...My God! The power that was going through me...I had no control over it...stunned, what to make of this? Lord? Who will believe this? Father you know me, this happened Lord..a dream partially yes, but this tug of war I FELT Lord, I was stationary I think in my physical body but I could feel the pull and the lift as if I was a foot or two feet off the ground, and it was You Lord it was You or an angel? I could feel You HOLDING me 'out of the body' like Paul said...I think I understand what he meant by "whether in the body or out of the body I do not know- God knows"Certainly it was in the spiritual realm but I physically felt this...though it was out of the body...how to explain...Lord I knew that You would not leave me, it was not a lack of faith...it was so violent this force, completely out of my control to do anything about it, but only to speak Your Name. But I called on you..my God it tried to stop me from saying Your name! From saying Jesus!I don't understand it...I am not afraid now...what mighty battle just transpired...O give me wisdom Father, I am not given to delussions, my discernment is not towards vain imaginations...This happened. Lord You pulled back up...what happened there? What am I to learn of this? And the faces...I saw something..trying to frighten me, eyes, vauge, something evil and also eyes that were true..this while the contention over my body...thought that it was trying to drag me down to death, not sure, not to hell, no I don't think so...my God this was real...not afraid to die...but my time had not yet come...had no control over what was happening to me...right now I am neither afraid, nor full of peace..just stunned...flat emotionally..quiet in spirit...pondering the meaning of this..Show me Lord...perhaps there is nothing more to know..it just happened.Thank you Lord for saving me, for pulling me back..I understand it not.This has happened before Lord, but not like this. Where I have been aware of the fact that I am dreaming and wan't to wake up but can't break out of it, a force holding me in the dream... the need to break out of it and wake up, to break free from the dream or vision whatever it is...But Lord this was different in that it not only wanted to hold me there but take me down...It has taken me an hour to write this? But I havent or it seems it has been but a few minutes and I am wide awake now! It is 7:37 a.m. I am going to watch the Keith Daniel video now, perhaps...had watched a little earlier up to the 7:05 mark...just documenting. I don't particulary care what anyone thinks because this happened there is no escaping that, every word here is true. Alright I just looked down again at my bible and wasn't sure of this and had looked back through the time and the scriptures, correlating the two time lines...won't make this say what it is not meant to be. But my eyes feel back to the bold type in the study section...John 6:30 "What sign will You perform" and the correlating 7:37..."On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and CRIED OUT*, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink." (* "cried out" is highlighted in my bible)Another note, prior to all this, the point I had gotten to in the video was of him reading Eph 6:10 :Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; Eph 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; Had stopped right in the middle of brother Keith reading this, as it was early and felt that I needed to be in prayer first before watching this...going to start from the begining... keep coming back to add and clarify as I am watching this...as the thoughts come back to what transpired, not to embellish, that would be a lie. No...9:00 a.m. 24 minutes through the video...poof...everything goes down, computer, office...get up ask Lisa if the power went out in the bedroom, no...Just in here...hmmm, Jesses monitor blew up yesterday...hmmm, back to the video

In Hong Kong and elsewhere in China, similar phenomena are usually attributed to demons by people (not just Christians). In our slang, this is sometimes called "crushed/pressed by a demon/ghost." (Actually, I just read Clueless's post, I think the best way of translating this Chinese expression is, "pinned down by demon")In my culture, it is generally thought that people who suffer this have more contact with the (dark) spiritual realm. I know two brothers who are twins who were "dedicated" to the evil spirits in a temple as mediums, and they often experience this during their sleep -- while they were conscious, they could not move and sometimes found breathing to be difficult.After they accepted Christ, the phenomenon stopped. It had maybe come back to haunt them once or twice, but once they prayed, they are fine. I was there on one occasion when he yelled in his sleep that he could not move his limbs. When a brother and I laid our hands on him and were about to pray, all of a sudden he seemed to be released.I was never sure whether this is a medical condition or something of demonic origin. But the experience seemed real to me -- once I said "Lord Jesus..." my friend seemed to be immediately relieved.So, to conclude, some of the symptoms described have long been known to Chinese people and quite often these symptoms were described as evil spirits "pinning down" or "pulling up" the sufferers, causing them to be immobilized while they are fully conscious in their beds. Are evil spirits the real cause? I don't know. But whatever's causing it, it's not healthy.

Psa 4:8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety. Pro 3:24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. Here are some scriptures. I pray they comfort you. I belive these are some promises of God that I pray will be yours.

Hi everyone, i bumped into this topic via google. The last two days i've had two horrible sleep paralysis episodes, which confused me very much.Many years ago, before i became a christian, i was involved in the occult. I don't want to tell any details, but this was when the sleep paralysis started. I woke up at night, unable to move, and frequently saw dark spirits circling around my room. This happened more and more often, and after a while they sometimes removed me out of my body, and threw me across the room. Or at least, that was what i experienced. After a few years, after trying a lot of things to get rid of the sleep paralysis i tried to get rid of them by calling Jesus' name. It worked, they disappeared immediately. Not long after this, i became a christian, and got baptized. The spirits disappeared. I threw away all my new age books, tarot cards, crystals, etcetera. Every now and then the sleep paralysis came back, but not as often as before i invited Christ into my life.The last two nights i got the paralysis again, and it's very confusing. This is why i started googling about it again. I don't really see what's causing it. Is it the demons again? I really prayed to be free of the demons, i confessed all my sins (the occult stuff) and threw away most of my stuff. A few days ago i threw away some books from the Jehova Witnesses i still had in my closet. Maybe this is why they returned. Does actions like this make Satan angry? Does anyone recognize this?Two days ago i woke up at night, and saw a young woman dressed in black (they're always black, or dressed in black). I was very afraid. But she was afraid too, 'cause she looked at me and said: "Please, don't wake up, no, don't wake up, please!"She was obviously afraid that i would wake up. Meanwhile i was trying to wake up, 'cause i was very afraid that she might kill me. After a long struggle i could move my arm and touched her hand (she wore a black glove). When i touched her, she backed off and disappeared through my rooms door. I was able to move again. Somehow praying is very difficult at those moments.Last night it happened again, only this time it wasn't a woman, but a very tall dark spirit standing next to my bed. He seemed to destroy the lamp that stand next to my bed, but after i woke up there was nothing really broken.Two days in a row. That hasn't happened in years! Why? I have to say that i also have an anxiety disorder (social fobia), probably caused by something that has happened in my youth (i can't remember what exactly happened, but it probably got to do with my parents hitting me). I'm confused really. Sometimes i fear that i'm getting insane or something, when experiencing all this. I also fear that i might not be totally free of the occult influence.. but i must be free for i - and many others - prayed for this lots of times. I'm not sure why i replied to this topic. This is the first time i see a christian topic about it, that might be the reason. Maybe i just seek some proof that i'm not getting insane. Ah, one more thing. I often experience a headache the day after sleep paralysis, in the back of my head, near the neck area. Is this recognizable?That's about it for now. Thanks for 'listening'.. And let's put our trust in the Lord.

Hi Ahra,Hope while you are here you get to check out some of the messages, there is a lot to draw from.Wish I had an easy answer for you but you can at least take comfort in knowing that you are not alone as well as knowing Him who is Sovereign over all principalities and powers.I often experience a headache the day after sleep paralysis, in the back of my head, near the neck area. Is this recognizable?Wondering if this might not be from the straining to "snap out" of the dream state? The times that I had experienced this before very much recall trying to lift my head but it was as if it was pinned down or weighed a thousand pounds, impossible to lift.Something else along these lines is within the dreams themselves, where I can barely walk or talk, this would be different than trying to wake up, where I am 'conscious', but still the laboring to move the limbs, lift the eye's or even speak... Strange things.Do hope that none of these things frighten us inappropriately but that they would cause us to press in to the Lord in prayer and abiding in Him at all times, awake or asleep, the latter being something we might give more attention to before we doze off. I think your own words suffice:And let's put our trust in the Lord

Greetings!Sleep paralysis is definitely a demonic attack. Ever since I was a small child I remember finding myself paralized for minutes at a time. It's something I got used to, but it began to frighten me when I heard someone refer to it as "the witch riding your back." They said someone was able to solve the problem by sleeping with a bible under their pillow. I tried it, but it never worked for me.My paralysis problem continued on through college. During my senior year I got involved with New Age, and with my New Age "understanding" of Jesus, thought I had a relationship with Him and was safe. Boy was I wrong. About two years later while taking a nap, I felt something tugging at my ankles. Thinking it was a "higher spiritual being," I yielded and a demon jumped on my back, digging his sharp claws into my neck. I fought with him in my paralyzed state for what seemed like an hour trying to get him off. When I called on the name of Jesus all he did was mock me. Finally I stopped struggling and the situation ended. My fighting him only made him stronger. What I learned years later after coming to the Lord is that knowing the name of Jesus is not the same as knowing Him. The demon knew that I didn't really know Him, therefore I had no authority over him.As a believer, the attacks come much less frequent. But when they do, I rebuke the presence in the name of Jesus and that is that. It's not always easy, though. I often have to stand strong and battle, but I do not waiver in my faith and the name of Jesus always causes them to back off. What I've found though is that the reason for these attacks on believers is not always because of sin, but because of the immense calling on our lives. They want us to abandon our faith, so they come against us with all they've got, and they don't back down until they know we firmly believe in the name we're using. We must know that no matter how vigorous their attack, we must stand strong in our faith and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that because of our relationship with Jesus we have the victory.Today I had an unusual experience that resembled the experience of those with sleep apnea. I am convinced that some of those of us witnessing sleep apnea symptoms are really going through a demonic attack. As long as we are conscious of this we can counter the attack by calling on Jesus, even mentally if that's all we can do, instead of giving in to fear, which incapacitates us. Evil wants to steal the Word from us. In sleep paralysis we can still utter the Name. With sleep apnea, there is no breath, therefore the Name cannot be verbalized. Let us remember that as disciples of Christ, the Word lives within us, and in moments of crisis, if we yell it out within our innermost being, we can take control of any adverse situation.Victory is ours...in Jesus' name!!!

I used to have attacks in my early twenties, I used a lot of drugs at the time and I'm sure that opened me up to them. The first one I had I saw two shadow figures climb through my second story bedroom window. The worst one I had was in broad daylight, I was pinned down as if someone was sitting on my chest and holding my wrists, and I felt someone get right in my face and say "I've got you right were I want you". Sleep apnea? NOT!After I came to the Lord (after He came to me) I got caught up in a very legalistic church, and was still attacked from time to time. After I quit trying to obey God through my own good works and started to live by Grace the attacks stopped, I haven't had one in over 10 years.I think our striving for righteousness in and of ourselves, opens us up for attack as surely as drugs or the occult. Letting God through Jesus Christ be my righteousness was in my expierence an immediate victory over demonic forces.

Before I was converted I experienced these frequently. I was interested in the occult, but was pretty heavy into martial arts. Though I would read Scripture and pray, I was also living quite the sinful life (alcohol, pornography, etc). I remember many times feeling that presence of someone or something in the room. On one occasion I remember being pounded on, though I can't remember if it was part of the dream or if I was actually struck.I have been woken up during the past three years as a Christian, though I have felt that it is God trying to speak to me. If there has been an occasion where I woke up and couldn't move since my salvation, I can't remember it. I did have a nightmare related to the video games I was playing for hours on end. And I remember one morning feeling as though I was under demonic attack while waking up, and that it was coming from someone, but I also felt that God's Spirit was abounding around me at the same time, protected me, but allowing me to see what was attempting to come against me.I also got rid of a lot of occult related things a while back. New age, or anything related. It is strange that some things seem to have a grip on me, and I need to get rid of them, while other things of the occult I am free to take interest in for the glory of God (studying spiritual warfare)....I actually stopped typing and just threw some video games in the trash. Anything with graphic violence. I feel much better now. Wasn't easy, though. I was huge into playing the first person shooters over the internet up until about 8 or 9 months ago.My dog woke me up tonight, so maybe that was God's way of saying I needed to get rid of those games once and for all.I can't remember who wrote it, but someone spoke about their jaw tensing up and being unable to move it. While this has not happened to me, my sister described that experience to me years ago, actually called me on the phone at work, and did not want me to get off the phone while I was working. She said her whole upper torso was immobile, though, and sort of hunched over, while driving if I remember correctly. I really didn't know what to say. Sounded like a demonic attack, though I wouldn't have said that at the time, necessarily.Two things demons don't like coming out of the mouth of a Christian: 1) the name of Jesus, and 2) the blood of Jesus. Lay aside those sins that so easily beset you and crush those demons in the name of the Lord. They want you to ignore them so don't do that. Stand up and be counted for His name's sake.

About two years later while taking a nap, I felt something tugging at my ankles.

This thread had been dormant for awhile and actually happened on it again looking for something else. But this happened once again last night, the same as the above out take and that uncanny physical ... pressure ... of being held down, it was more than one and even the realization that I knew what what was happening, that I was in a dream state or was sleeping would be better because the 'dream' aspect was not even ... recognizable. It's vague but my response was something of the sort "Get off of me! ... Jesus!" And the strain of effort to push my way up and out of sleep, that force that holds you back and wishes to keep you in the state of sleep ... Just bizarre. Once I was 'out' I almost expected to see someone on top of me and another still yanking at the ankles. I was well cognizant of what had happened and lied there awhile praying, pondering my wife's face. Wondering and praying that this might be only my battle and not hers ... Was still quite sleepy and had to fight off the drift back but before doing so had the confidence that the Lord would allow whatever was necessary, not that this be necessarily taken away or thwarted but that His presence and strength be there come what may.

[i]For we wrestle not ...

(against flesh and blood)

... but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.[/i] Eph 6:12

I've suffered from sleep paralysis on and off all my life. I first remember experiencing it when I was like 8 or 9 years old. You're about to fall to sleep when suddenly your mind awakens and you are totally cognizant of where you are, how you are laying, everything - only, you can't move. You can hardly breathe. You can barely move a limb. Pressure builds upon your chest, like a weight, and you try to to move your lips to make a sound. No air is able to come from your lungs. Everything is paralyzed, and the sensation you experience is one of intense growing terror.

Sound familiar?

It almost invariably occurs while you're on your back, drifing off to sleep. Sometimes, right before the paralysis sets in, you may experience something dark "leap" on your chest. The Scandinavians call this "being ridden by the witch" in their folklore. Othertimes, you may experience an unseen, dark force slowly pulling the blanket off your body. Extreme terror is always present...which may soon escalate into pure panic if you can't "shake out of it" soon.

This is actually a fairly common sleeping disorder, affecting men more than women for some strange reason. Ungodly, unsaved people experience it just as much as saved people; the same symptoms, the same moving of the blanket, the "leap" on the chest, the helpless terror. Apparently, when the body drifts into certain degrees of pre-sleep, muscle relaxation levels are altered. Just like your computer, the body has a "sleep mode" where the part of the brain controlling muscle response goes on standby. Your consciousness, however, is governed by another section of the brain, and if, for some reason, your consciousness is aroused before the muscle response can go off standby, you get the feeling of helpless detachment, or what doctors call sleep "paralysis".

Sorry to take away the all mysticism and sepultchural undertones. Although, I have always been curious about that strange "leap". Has anyone here experienced it? If not, you probably will, now that you've read about it! The mind is a tricky little rascal.

Brother Paul 8-)

Sound familiar?

Hi brother,

You're about to fall to sleep

Wondering about that, all the times this has occurred have been in regular sleep from what I can recall. A lot of the other parts are indeed quite similar... There is a couple of other replies in here that also mention what I would describe as almost a complete lethargy ... Walking for instance. It is in the 'dream' state but it is as if one is laboring in supper slow motion or the equivalent of trying to walk upstream in a moving river.

Apparently, when the body drifts into certain degrees of pre-sleep, muscle relaxation levels are altered.

Although, I have always been curious about that strange "leap". Has anyone here experienced it?

Strange stuff!

Hi Mike,

Well, for me, this paralysis mostly occurs when I'm drifting off. It's occured during regular sleep (like in the middle of the night), but those times have been far and few. Also, it seems to come in waves. I can go for, say, a year or two without experiencing it, and then have a whole week intersperced by bouts of paralysis. Very strange. I think it may be somehow linked to stress or fatigue.

I remember talking to my brother-in-law, who has also experienced this, and he claims it is a demonic attack. He tells me that when he says "Jesus" it all stops and he can wake up. But I also know that some unsaved people use sleep paralysis as a platform to astral project. When it happens to me, I just cooly identify it for the physiological abnormality that it is and it quickly goes away. This can burst bubbles as some people like to think these occurences are due to them being super-spiritual and Satan tormenting them as a result. But it happens to atheists, gnostics, buddhists, taoists, muslims, mormons, you name it.

As far as the "slow motion" thing goes, that usually happens in dreams, where I'm either trying to fight or flee. I've dreamt I've been in boxing matches where the punches are...reaaaalll...slllllllowww. Know what I mean? This, though, is different from what I've been describing with sleep paralysis. In sleep paralysis, my thoughts are lucid: I [i]know[/i] what's going on. I know I'm in bed, and I know that my mind is awake and alert. I just can't shake off the paralysis.

He tells me that when he says "Jesus" it all stops and he can wake up.

Which is quite similar of my own experience. However, as you mentioned this has happened before in a variety of times, when I was much younger, "before" the Lord's true conversion though I always had something of a [i]desire[/i] after God even young, ah, don't want to muddle this too much.

But I also know that some unsaved people use sleep paralysis as a platform to astral project. Scary stuff.

Yikes! Agree. That's the thing, whatever is going on it certainly has a spiritual element about it even with the physiological. I know often as Christians we can jump to all kinds of conclusions and overt examinations and would likely be the first to raise a caution .. but still...

Actually your mention of tying some of this to stress or fatigue is interesting. Even the more overt spiritual attacks without fail come in these times ... am pretty well convinced these forces are cowards ultimately, not to be trifled with yet nor will they trifle when the Lord is present and showing Himself strong.

This happened to me about 4 years ago. I would wake in the middle of the night scared to death, literally. I would squint in the dark looking in the corner and seeing this 'thing' that was laughing at me, I didn't hear anything, just saw it laughing. I couldn't get back to sleep.

Yes, had some very realistic experiences of demons laughing at me though I was in a drug induced state at the time ...

Around this time, I even recorded myself sleeping. Freaky and creepy at the same time, but one encouraging thing that I heard myself say in my sleep was, "I love you Jesus".

However, as you mentioned this has happened before in a variety of times, when I was much younger

Yes, this was when I first began experiencing it. And also in college when I was full of sin and hellbound. It used to terrify me...until I discovered the physiological reasoning behind it. Now, when it happens, I just think "Oh, it's just my mind" and it just goes away. I've heard different things about it, though. Apart from the popular demonic attack theory, some New Agers say that the feeling of paralysis is due to consciously waking up before your soul has made its way back to your body.

Want to hear an interesting story? When I was living in Moscow, I came home to my apartment one day and there was a strange man standing in the lobby of the first floor. As I walked to the elevator, I suddenly felt a sensation of pure hatred hit me squarely on the back. I turned around in shock and looked back to the lobby where he was standing and glaring at me. Later on, I told my girlfriend what had happened and she asked me to describe the man. I did, and she nodded, knowing who he was. As it turned out, this guy was a powerful Russian witch who had mastered astral projection.

Apparently, something terrible happened a few years ago, and his spirit got trapped on a different plane. She knew all the details because this guy was also a spiritual healer - a 'Tselitel', as they say in Russian - that her mother once hired to wave candles over her bad back. Evidentally, he took a liking to her daughter, so when he found out her daughter was dating me, he projected his evil hatred at me in the lobby. I was not serving the Lord then, and the experience absolutely throttled me. I had never experienced anything like this back in the States, and even now, years later and soundly saved, I remember the incident clearly.

I said all that to say this: there is a very real sinister "power" that drifts and dwells in the mystical realms of sleep. The occurences of sleep paralysis and lucid dreams can be used as doorways into this wicked world, and none of it is of God. But Jesus has dominion over every plane of existence and over any and every shark that swims these mysterious and dark waters of the subconscious.

I said all that to say this: there is a very real sinister "power" that drifts and dwells in the mystical realms of sleep. The occurences of sleep paralysis and lucid dreams can be used as doorways into this wicked world, and none of it is of God. But Jesus has dominion over every plane of existence and over any and every shark that swims these mysterious and dark waters of the subconscious.

Amen. Well said brother. That is a remarkable experience, once sat in a small group with a missionary who related something similar dealing with a witch doctor ... Can't recall the details exactly just that he felt something hit him as soon as he had walked into this guy's area. He was very easily believable as a man with great character and a firm grasp of the scriptures. Not only that but how he downplayed the whole incident to concentrate on Holiness, which incidentally was even more interesting being that the whole discussion was on spiritual warfare.

Yes, many of these things have a natural explanation, but that doesn't mean they aren't due to demonic attack as well!

Hi Sister!

My wife and I had a discussion along these very lines yesterday morning, while getting ready for church. Science today seems to have an explanation for just about everything; we know all about myelin sheaths, abnormal chromosomal cell mitosis, the growth of malignant neoplasms, blood diseases, the heredital etiology of certain mental illnesses, etc. But where science and religion are irreconciliable is when a person believes that supernatural powers can be the cause of, say, myelin sheaths eroding, leaving doctors [i]only then[/i] with the observable diagnosis of MS or whatever else they determine it is. Science observes the sheath erosion, but can only speculate as to how and why it began to malfunction. Medical science can only reduce structure so far - to base molecular chemistry levels - but after that, they're forced to venture into unchartered metaphysical waters. Science will not and can not do that. I happen to believe these mysterious waters are actually shark-infested and can impose influence upon the physical if God so permits. And this is where religion and science part ways.

I want you to know that I belive in demonology, and the Satanic manipulation of the spiritual manifesting in the physical. The pinnacle example of this being classic demonic possession! Jesus Christ, like you said, showed us that the powers of hell can indeed inflict various physical infirmities and take physiological and mental control of a human host. I'm just not sure I believe that [i]all[/i] sickness and disease have an identical demonic etiology. Liver disease can be caused by excessive drinking, lung cancer by smoking, HIV acquired by a promiscuious lifestyle. Heavy eating before bedtime can influence dream patterns; stress has been linked to acne outbreaks. You also have the hereditary factor, abnormal genotypes - which can be caused by a host of extraneous factors such as radiation exposure, chemical inhalation, etc. Of course, we can break this down further and venture again into what caused an altering of a person's biochemical balance. What gives chemicals their influence - what is the [i]property behind chemical properties[/i]. What causes the electrons of nitrogen and potassium to behave the way they do, causing at times abberations in covalent bonding?

Why do men experience "sleep paralysis" and harldy any women? It's fascinating! I'm not saying it [i]can't[/i] be demonic, because everything we experience, I believe, is case sensitive. I just think we just shouldn't go looking for little demons every time a person sneezes or has a nightmare or a baby is born with autism. Though Jesus and Peter and Paul healed sickness, it wasn't always demons they were rebuking - most of the time it was the "sickness" itself!

I feel sometimes we give demons too much credit!

Brother Paul

Here's an interesting article I found on the net regarding sleep paralysis. It's interesting that most cultures describe it in their own language as a kind of paranormal "pressing." Only Finland seems to attribute it to sleep sensory effects. It seems that men and women experience this disorder in equal proportion; though I found that a recent study showed more men are found suffering from narcolepsy, as opposed to women suffering from insominia - and narcolepsy is somehow linked to sleep paralysis. In any case, this should be pretty interesting for those that have experienced this:

The primary symptom of sleep paralysis is partial or complete skeletal muscle paralysis during the hypnopompic or hypnagogic states. In other words, it is the sense of being aware that one is unable to move or speak while falling asleep or waking up. Sleep paralysis may also be accompanied by hypnagogic hallucinations.

These hallucinations can be auditory, tactile, and/or visual. If a polysomnograph is taken, at least one of the following will be shown: skeletal muscle tone suppression, REM sleep at sleep onset, or dissociated REM sleep. The sleep paralysis persists anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes before the person is able to either return to REM sleep or to become fully awake.

Possible causes

Sleep paralysis occurs during REM sleep in order to prevent the body from manifesting movements made in the subject's dreams. Little is known about the physiology of sleep paralysis. However, some have suggested that it may be linked to post-synaptic inhibition of motor neurons in the pons region of the brain. In particular, low levels of melatonin may stop the depolarization current in the nerves, which prevents the stimulation of the muscles, to prevent the body from enacting the dreamt activity (e.g. preventing a sleeper from flailing his legs when dreaming about running).

Many people who commonly enter sleep paralysis also suffer from narcolepsy. However, various studies suggest that many or most people will experience sleep paralysis at least once or twice in their lives.

Some reports read that various factors increase the likelihood of both paralysis and hallucinations. These include:

Sleeping in a supine position (facing upwards)
Irregular sleeping schedules; naps, sleeping in, sleep deprivation
Increased stress
Sudden environmental/lifestyle changes
A lucid dream that immediately precedes the episode. Also conscious induction of sleep paralysis is a common technique to enter a state of lucid dreams.
Artificial sleeping aids, ADD medications and/or antihistamines

Cultural references

In Chinese folk culture, sleep paralysis is referred as "gǔi yà chúang" or,literally: "Ghost press bed" - The belief is that a spirit or ghost is sitting or lying on top of the sleeping individual, causing the sleep paralysis. This is thought to be a minor body possession by the forces from the dead, and usually doesn't cause any harm to the victim.

In Japan, sleep paralysis is referred to as "kanashibari" - Literally "bound or fastened in metal."

In Thailand, this condition is said to be caused by a spirit or "pee um" which sits or lie atop of the victim causing him or her to be immobile. The spirit causes no harm to the victim and is said to only be playing pranks.

In Scandanavian mythology, sleep paralysis was caused by a Mara - a kind of malignant female wraith who can also cause nightmares. She appears as early as in the Norse Ynglinga saga, but the belief itself is probably even older. "Mara" is the Old Norse, Swedish and Icelandic name, "mare" is Norwegian and Danish.

In Newfoundland, as a visit from the "old hag."

In Mexico, as "subida del muerto" - the dead climbing on top).

In Greek, as mora (in Greek: μώρα), the name has a Slavic root.

In German as Hexendrücken (witch pressing).

In Turkish, as karabasan (literally: "dark presser": kara: "dark/black":, basan: "pusher, presser". Most Turkish people believe that it's a metaphysical incident, and especially religious people believe that it's a jini that causes the uncomfort; so generally some kind of prayer is advised).

In Hazaragi, as Shazia Zer Kado (pressing ink).

In the Southern United States, people have described it as "The witch riding your back".

In the Western United States, the Sleep Paralysis is commonly called "Scissor Lock".

In Korea, it is referred as "Gawinullim," literally in English: "To be pressed by Gawi." The meaning of Gawi is clear, generally known to mean "spirits" or "demons." Another word in Korean "Gawi" is a homonym that means "scissors". Such occurrences are usually referenced as "scissor lock" in English.

In Indonesia, Javanese people call it tindihan, spelled traditionally as "tindhihen" (To be laid upon). Also in Sundanese, people call it ereup-ereup. In the Philippines, Sleep paralysis is often associated with Bangungot.

In Malaysia, known as "kena himpap", meaning being pressed down.

In Vietnam, sleep paralysis is known as "ma đè", meaning a ghost or spirit lying on top of or pressing down on the person.

In the West Indies, being "ridden by a duppy".

In medieval times of Europe, attacks of sleep paralysis may have given rise to the belief in mara, incubi, succubi, other demons and witchcraft. People in England believed that witches or hags rode on men's chests as they slept, and the feeling of being unable to breathe was attributed to a hag. This is why people who have had very little sleep may be described as looking "hag-ridden".

In traditional Russian belief symptoms reminiscent of sleep paralysis were attributed to the anger of domovoi, the home spirit, punishing people for bad husbandship or betrayal.

According to traditional Hmong beliefs, various states of sleep paralysis are thought to be the processes in which an evil spirit or demon sits down on a person usually in retaliation to wrongdoings. Some Hmong have deemed it as the process of getting 'squashed'.

Traditional Islamic cultures would usually interpret this as an encounter with a Jinn (or "djinn"); a race of beings, similar to humans which inhabit the earth. The word "jinn" literally means anything which has the connotation of concealment, invisibility, seclusion and remoteness, and is one of the two beings (the other being Human) addressed directly in the Quran. In Islamic text, and scholarship, Jinns are considered beings, which like humans are accountable for their deeds and thus have free will. They are considered to have life and death, society, culture and religion.

In Laotian culture, it is called "pee um" translated as "ghost silencing you". The ghost or spirit is thought to visit you in the night, hold your arms and legs down, and even cover your mouth up so that no sound would come out when you scream.

In Finnish a nightmare is called painajainen, but literally it means "pressing" and is thought to be originating from sleep paralysis sensory effects.

In Hungarian folk culture sleep paralysis is called "lidércnyomás" ("lidérc pressing") and can be attributed to a number of supernatural entities like "lidérc", "boszorkány" (witch), "tündér" (fairy) or "ördögszerető".[3] The word "boszorkány" itself stems from the turkish root "basz-", meaning "to press".[4]
New-age practitioners have argued that sleep paralysis might be the point of separation of the "dream body" from the physical body and out-of-body travel then begins.

Scientists believe that many supposed occurrences of alien abduction, out-of-body travel, and other seemingly paranormal events may actually be due to misinterpreting the sensory effects of sleep paralysis.

I was aksed by a moderator to copy my post into this thread. I may expound on it later, but since posting it I received much information and feel settled concerning it now...

-------------- Original Post

I have sought an answer in the scriptures but am uncertain, does the enemy have power to influence the dreams of true believers? Or should a believer assume that the evil dream is a product of the flesh only?

In the past four months I have experienced a series of seemingly demonic nightmares which seemed to crescendo last night.

I have prayed frequently about them. The passage between instances has become about a month at a time. But last night I had two such nightmares in three hours.

Each time I feel just as coherent and awake as when not sleeping at all. I am also fully aware of the sesation of being in the presence of a demonic power, as it is always the same: a form like a man but composed of and emminating darkness and hate which is visible and felt. The power is directed upon me and flows with the force and fluidity of a waterfall. Though deeply concerned, I have never feared that I was outside of Christ's protection. Then within the dream I pray to Christ and it ends just as quickly. I find myself lying on my bed concerned but not fearful.

I am at a loss to be certain now if this is actually the enemy or rather a powerful resistance of the flesh, or even a business of my spirit? I always assumed it to be of the enemy but the fact that the experience has persisted and that I have not heard of such things discussed by Christians who seem grounded in the word has raised concerns and mild confusion.

I know that Christ was taken probably in a vision to the top of a mountain to view all the kingdoms of the world in a moment. This seems to be an example of Satan having power to influence and alter perception in a godly (God, even!) soul.

I should mention that I am at peace and am comfortable going to sleep. But, admittedly, that isn't how I felt at six this morning when I woke from the most recent one.

Thank you and God bless. I appreciate your prayers and scriptural wisdom.

Michael Spotts:.
www.theopenlife.com

I should mention that I am at peace and am comfortable going to sleep. But, admittedly, that isn't how I felt at six this morning when I woke from the most recent one.

Hi Michael,

I suffered from this phenomena for a number of years sometimes several times per week. So frequent were the episodes that my wife learned to listen for me and shake me awake. I would have her watch me get off to sleep because I could tell when the episode was coming on.

Somehow you get stuck in the sleep process and your body becomes paralyzed and your mind is still active. When this happens (and I think this is a physical problem), it seems to me that the enemy identifies the situation and comes with tremendous violence. He cannot hurt us, but he can sure make you think so. This happens to people from time to time but for a small percentage of people the problem is almost chronic.

Generally you can still controll your breathing and by doing that you can either wake yourself up or alert people around you to shake you. A number of years ago God healed me from this and I only have rare episodes of it. I can still tell when it is trying to come on and I prepare for it if possible. So I think it is a physical problem that the enemy tries to take advantage of. Why? I have no idea. I only know that I am never injured from it- only stunned. Sometimes it has angered me at the enemy and increased my resolve. The attacks seemed personal. Whatever the case, our trust and hope is in God and the enemy can go so far and no farther.

Sleep paralysis is definitely demonic. I use to have them several times a week before becoming a christian.

It really does feel like some force is pinning you down.

I know it is very demonic and I know the reason I use to have it because I was in all types of demonic religions, that was opening more doors for attacks. Whatever I get into, I go all the way! Not only did I have these, but I was possess with many spirits. I literally saw demons and was attack by them in my sleep too. I remember when I was 15 yrs old I got attacked by this demon and he had his hands around my neck choking me then I was lifted off the ground. I know this sounds really crazy, but it did happend. I'm not sure if my physical body was up off the ground or what, but I was in the air. I was so freaked out that I called on the name of Jesus, having heard the name many times when growing up. When I cried out to Him it stopped. Yeah, at 15 I got into a lot of weird stuff, and also my mom was like the queen of spirits. I grew up with her calling all kinds of spirits to dwell in the house. Art was another thing that open the door to more demonics. Whatever I do I really feel it with my mind because I love meditation and goes deeper into the heart, into the soul. A lot of art has a lot of new age and other spirited things tied into it.

Right after I got saved I went into this convulsion. I went thru this throwing up mode every few minute for 24 hrs. My body was not getting any rest it was kept wanting to vomit every few minutes, but nothing came out, I really thought I was going to die. But, after I was done, I sense peace. I didn't understand it at the time, but now I do. Demons were coming out of me. The demons had to leave because the Holy Spirit was taking over! After that my sleep paralysis was gone. I haven't had any since. Praise God!

If it wasn't for the Lord, seriously I would of been like one of those colombine kids. I was filled with murderous hate that could easily kill others, I even plotted murder on my dad. I look back and I sooooo thank God! He truly saved my life and gave me LIFE! I love Him so much because He first love me! I share this with you all only because I know it gives God all the glory and others hope. He is truly a deliverer to those who put their trust in Him. And He will deliver you all the way, not half way! Nothing is too hard for Him, thats for sure!

God You are so glorious and so merciful!

Hi All,

thought i should delete my earlier post. no offense meant.
Obi

I have a story to share.
My fiance and I used to listen to heavy metal music and gothic music. About a month ago we realized that this type of music was not glorifying to God and so we threw out our cds and stopped listening to it. We also carried out many more reforms in our lives (reminds me of the Old Testament Kings who would find the Law of Moses, suddenly relize they were living in wickedness, and tear down all their idols).

Just about a week ago my fiance had what we believe was a demonic attack. She was in her room doing homework, when she started to hear some music playing. It started out faint but got louder and louder. She described it as the most horrible, grungy, ugly music she'd ever heard. It had grating guitars and screeching vocals. Well, she thought it was coming from the tv in the other room which her dad was watching - but she went out and saw that it wasn't!!! At this point she was getting scared, and the music kept getting louder and louder until it hurt her ears. She laid down on her bed and was hit by the sleep paralysis described in this thread. She said it only lasted for about 15 seconds, but she couldn't move or talk. She tried to call on the name of Jesus, but couldn't speak. All she could do was cry out to Him in her mind. Thankfully, that was enough: the music immedietly stopped and she was able to move again.

Very interesting...we're not entirely sure what to make of it. She dealt in the occult only a tiny tiny bit before she was a Christian, but she does have friends in the occult. Her previous boyfriend from before she was a Christian is also into the occult, and he had cast spells on her in the past without her knowing at the time (to remove bad dreams and other things). In any event, I believe this attack to be the devil's response to such a great step towards holiness in our lives.

In Christ,
Nile

She said it only lasted for about 15 seconds, but she couldn't move or talk. She tried to call on the name of Jesus, but couldn't speak. All she could do was cry out to Him in her mind. Thankfully, that was enough: the music immedietly stopped and she was able to move again.

Could it be that the whole event happened while she was trying to go to sleep? Sort of like a nightmare transitioning into sleep paralysis?

In any event, I believe this attack to be the devil's response to such a great step towards holiness in our lives.

I have been told this type of thing many times by youth especially. I don't doubt that they are experiencing 'something'. But I would encourage you to not give place to this in your lives and allow it to become an issue. Just continue to seek God and pray and wash your minds with the word. Remember II Corinthians 10:4, [i]For the weapons of are warfare are not carnal...[/i]. Greater is He that is in you than He that is in the world if so be that Christ dwells in your heart by faith. Truly, there is nothing to fear but God and He is a loving Father to His children. Renounce the hidden works of darkness and any ties to them. Leave no leaven that can leaven again the whole lump. Pull the evil up by the roots.

Submit yourself therefor unto God- resist the Devil and he will flee from you. As you renounce these other things and submit to God you can resist the Devil and he [u]will[/u] flee.

I know that there's a certain 'spiritual pride' element that can diffuse from experiencing episodes of sleep paralysis, a notion that can manifest itself in the person thinking Satan has deigned him worthy of torment. They may think that they suffer from sleep paralysis soley because they are Christ's.

But this is not entirely true. Most people you speak to (Christian or not) have experienced this disorder. If someone wants accuse demons or witches, this is fine. If it helps them rationalize and give occasion to call on the name of Jesus for deliverance - who am I to judge otherwise! I think we [i]should[/i] call on Jesus when we're overcome by fear - I certainly do!

However, I have found that a solid, physiological understanding of this disorder works also. When I experience the harbingers of S.P. approaching, I immediately recollect the physiological etiology and the whole occurence is over as quickly as it began. No more irrational fear, no sepultchural undertones.

Which isn't to say a minion of hell [i]couldn't[/i] enter your bedroom to torment you with fear; I'm just making the same point people now make concerning autism and schizophrenia and a host of other pscyho-abnormalities/disorders/diseases that in the past had been attributed to full-blown demon possession.

Brother Paul

When I experience the harbingers of S.P. approaching, I immediately recollect the physiological etiology and the whole occurence is over as quickly as it began

Hi Paul,

Would you mind to share some basic points along this linne as I think it may be helpful and edifying to those of us who have had this and at times deal with it again. Maybe you already shared on this, if so my apology.

Thanks,

-Robert

Robert said:

I have been told this type of thing many times by youth especially. I don't doubt that they are experiencing 'something'. But I would encourage you to not give place to this in your lives and allow it to become an issue. Just continue to seek God and pray and wash your minds with the word. Remember II Corinthians 10:4, For the weapons of are warfare are not carnal.... Greater is He that is in you than He that is in the world if so be that Christ dwells in your heart by faith. Truly, there is nothing to fear but God and He is a loving Father to His children. Renounce the hidden works of darkness and any ties to them. Leave no leaven that can leaven again the whole lump. Pull the evil up by the roots.

Submit yourself therefor unto God- resist the Devil and he will flee from you. As you renounce these other things and submit to God you can resist the Devil and he will flee.

Amen!

Paul said:

I know that there's a certain 'spiritual pride' element that can diffuse from experiencing episodes of sleep paralysis, a notion that can manifest itself in the person thinking Satan has deigned him worthy of torment. They may think that they suffer from sleep paralysis soley because they are Christ's.

Good point. We must never cease to examine ourselves for pride.

Would you mind to share some basic points along this linne as I think it may be helpful and edifying to those of us who have had this and at times deal with it again. Maybe you already shared on this, if so my apology.

No problem, I'll be glad to share it again.

Apparently, our minds go into a kind of "sleep mode" - like the feature on our computers - where the part of your brain governing muscle movement is put on a type of standby. This prevents us from actually "acting out" our dreams (which is why sleepwalking is another disorder - not demon possession). When sleep paralysis occurs, the part of your mind governing active, lucid consciousness comes out of sleep mode while the part of your brain governing muscle activity is still on standby. This is why you get the sensation of awareness, yet helplessness as far as muscle commands go. Like I mentioned before, this state is supposedly ideal for astral projection and other ungodly, metaphysical activities, but for those who fight against the sensation, it can be a terrifying, asphyxiating battle.

Well, the trick to "snapping-out" of it, as I have found, is to just try to [i]remember[/i] the physiological reason why you feel paralyzed. It's a mind thing; if you can understand it for what it is, it suddenly loses all its wicked mysticism. It's kind of like suddenly coming to the knowledge in the middle of a nightmare [i]that you're having a nightmare[/i]. I think everyone here can relate to that. You're having a terrible dream, you've lost your car, someone you loved has died, etc....and suddenly [i]while still dreaming[/i] you come to the realization that it is all a dream.

What usually happens after this?

The dream ends. It's all over. The mystical, convincing power is gone. The same thing happens with sleep paralysis. Try it next time. I actually had a bout about three weeks ago, and as soon as I understood what was happening, it ended. The thing is getting to the point where you can remember that it is a physilogical dosorder. Sometimes the fear takes over and you can't immediately grasp this fact. Next time it happens, just try to relax and remember this post.

Hope this helps someone!

Brother Paul

Paul, I'm not really understanding what your saying.

Are you saying you believe that it is demonic and that you should use pshycology to snap out of it? Or are you saying its a disorder and that you should use psycology to snap out of it?

I am not trying to be insisitive to others by calling this sleep thing demonic. I am just calling it for what it is and not what America wants to call it.

America got so many names to replace demonic activity and then we wonder why we don't see miracles while other countries will call it for what it is and many miracles are happening.

Like I mentioned before, this state is supposedly ideal for astral projection and other ungodly, metaphysical activities, but for those who fight against the sensation, it can be a terrifying, asphyxiating battle.

Thanks for sharing Paul. When I was a teen I suffered from this and it was more of a nuisance than anything- though it did have a notion of panic, etc. However as time has gone on it seems my experience has become increasingly 'violent'. I would know I was in the state as you mentioned and even that I was 'stuck' there. Yet last year I suffered an attack that was a little more difficult to explain. I didn't feel particularly spiritual or worthy of a beating from the devil or anything. It just seemed that somehow the enemy took notice of my state and somehow attacked. I can't explain it, but just in case others have suffered something similar.

I want to make it clear with my last post that I do not think those who are believers if they are experiencing Sleep Paralysis they are possess. I don't believe that christians can be possess by demons. They can be attacked or influenced by them only.

If you want to believe this is demonic, fine. I won't rain on anyone's parade. Technically, I suppose one can attribute all sickness and disorders and nightmares somehow to demons. But you need to understand that our bodies are defective, and things like stress and bad eating habits can often trigger symptoms. Everything bad that happens isn't always demonic. You eat poorly, you expose yourself to heart disease. Satan didn't do it. You eat heavily before you go to sleep, you increase the chances of having a nightmare. Demons aren't necessarily standing over your bed sprinkling spooky dust on your head each time you have a bad dream.

There are quirks in our bodies. I don't know why our minds sometimes wake up before our skeletal muscle system does - just like I don't know why some kids are born with autism and can recite an entire phone book. But understand that I am presenting nothing new here; Doctors have already observed the phenomenon of sleep paralysis in clinical observations and have noticed changes in brain waves and neuron patterns. There is a wealth of information out there.

I repeat: This isn't to say [i]every sinlge account of sleep paralysis cannot be demonic[/i]. All that I am saying is there is a [i]physiological[/i] explanation. Just like there is one for cancer and Hansen's disease (leperosy) and MS. When we became Christians, we didn't discard medical science and become cookie-cutting ranters of old wives tales and folklore junkies.

At least I hope we didn't. Demons are real, demonic activity is real. Please understand that I've seen demonic manifestations both in the church building and on the streets while preaching. I've seen instant healing take place, and I am in no way discrediting the supernatural. I am, after all, a Pentecostal Christian. But I am also not so foolish as to give Satan instant credit for everything seemingly inexplicable and disquieting.

My method of escaping sleep paralysis works for me; if you feel you need to call on Jesus to rebuke the paralysis demons, by all means - do it! I would only ask that you not get apprehensive at the possibility of someone shooting down the fantastic theory of the supposed demon and witch culprits behind all cases of sleep paralysis.

Brother Paul

For anyone that's interested, here is pretty good page from Stanford with a bunch of links to sleep paralysis:

What is sleep paralysis?

Sleep paralysis consists of a period of inability to perform voluntary movements either at sleep onset (called hypnogogic or predormital form) or upon awakening (called hypnopompic or postdormtal form).

Sleep paralysis may also be referred to as isolated sleep paralysis, familial sleep paralysis, hynogogic or hypnopompic paralysis, predormital or postdormital paralysis

What are the symptoms?

A complaint of inability to move the trunk or limbs at sleep onset or upon awakening
Presence of brief episodes of partial or complete skeletal muscle paralysis
Episodes can be associated with hypnagogic hallucinations or dream-like mentation (act or use of the brain)
Polysomnography (a sleep recording) shows at least one of the following:

suppression of skeletal muscle tone
a sleep onset REM period
dissociated REM sleep
Is it harmful?

Sleep paralysis is most often associated with narcolepsy, a neurological condition in which the person has uncontrollable naps. However, there are many people who experience sleep paralysis without having signs of narcolepsy. Sometimes it runs in families. There is no known explanation why some people experience this paralysis. It is not harmful, although most people report feeling very afraid because they do not know what is happening, and within minutes they gradually or abruptly are able to move again; the episode is often terminated by a sound or a touch on the body.

In some cases, when hypnogogic hallucinations are present, people feel that someone is in the room with them, some experience the feeling that someone or something is sitting on their chest and they feel impending death and suffocation. That has been called the “Hag Phenomena” and has been happening to people over the centuries. These things cause people much anxiety and terror, but there is no physical harm.

What else can you tell me about sleep paralysis?

Some people with disrupted sleep schedules or circadian rhythm disturbances experience sleep paralysis
A study found that 35% of subjects with isolated sleep paralysis also reported a history of wake panic attacks unrelated to the experience of paralysis
Sixteen percent of these persons with isolated sleep paralysis met the criteria for panic disorder
How can I stop the sleep paralysis?

In severe cases, where episodes take place at least once a week for 6 months, medication may be used.

You may be able to minimize the episodes by following good sleep hygiene:

getting enough sleep
reduce stress
exercise regularly (but not too close to bedtime)
keep a regular sleep schedule

http://www.stanford.edu/~dement/paralysis.html

Paul, I understand that our bodies are defective. Things like heart disease and stuff that bad eating can cause, I do believe it is from our eating habits and its not demonic. But things that you can't
really explain are more likely demonic. The doctors will want to try to explain it, and of corse they will say its somethings that has to do with your body because man, especially America have to have an answer to everything.

Only America will and maybe Europe will call sleep paralysis something else besides demonic.

Many christians will say thats demonic if it is making the person acting pschyo, but when it comes to everything else, it has a medical name.

I believe their are more demonic activity and possession going on a lot more than any other generation. Look at our society, the music, violence in music and t.v., fashion, pornography, video games, the many false churches. Many children are being raised in this and we wonder why theres shootings in schools!

Paul, please know I am not trying to get you upset. I really didn't understand what you were saying in that post. You use quite a few words I didn't understand. You have to dumb it down for this asian :)

God bless

It just seemed that somehow the enemy took notice of my state and somehow attacked. I can't explain it, but just in case others have suffered something similar.

Absolutely, I understand this. I believe that being stuck in this state would give great advantage for a wicked spirit to launch an attack. And maybe the spirit was able to even induce the state of paralysis. All I am saying is that sleep paralysis, in general, is considered a neuroligal sleeping disorder. The same idea could be said if a person is given to sleep walking. I suppose this again would be prime occasion for an opportunistic wicked spirit to strike, though sleep walking in itself is not demonic, per se. It is a neurological disorder that the Lord can heal.

Hi Lisa!

I believe their are more demonic activity and possession going on a lot more than any other generation. Look at our society, the music, violence in music and t.v., fashion, pornography, video games, the many false churches. Many children are being raised in this and we wonder why theres shootings in schools!

Yes and amen. The prince of this world is Satan.

Paul, please know I am not trying to get you upset.

I know this, sister, and I hope I have not upset you. I really believe that sleep paralysis can be a doorway through which a wicked spirit can torment. All I was trying to say was that the etiology (the cause) for the skeletal muscle paralysis has been pin-pointed to a certain neurological disorder occuring during various stages of REM sleep, and this has been clinically observed. Most everybody who suffers from sleep paralysis - saved or unsaved - exhibits the same global symptoms. But this in no way inplies that the disorder [i]cannot[/i] be demonically induced or used as a doorway through which a spirit can torment. We know, for example, that people are able to astral project through this doorway. It therefore certainly appears to be a gateway of some sort leading into an ethereal, supernatural realm.

You use quite a few words I didn't understand

I apologize, sister! I am now looking over this post with a scrutinizing eye. I guess I'm just so used to dealing with science and all the terminlogy that goes along with it, that sometimes I forget that not everyone here has taken college microbiology and pathology and chemistry. I had all that stuff ruthlessly drilled into me in mortuary science school - and it sticks with you! You should hear my wife talk, you think I'm bad. She's an RN and uses terms and talks about diseases I've never even heard of. Alas, I'm just a lowly mortician. If anyone should have stories of demon activity and be quick to relegate everything to the macabre and fantastically wicked, it should be me! All alone in the morgue, working long nights, etc.

You have to dumb it down for this asian

No way, sister! I've read your posts and you articulate yourself just fine. I'll certainly try to be more conscientious when it comes to scientific terminology, though.

With love and respect to my sister,

Brother Paul

I have had some more of these type of experiences lately. While I am a sinner, saved by grace, I would say that I am more conservative than my Christian friends as far as what movies I watch, games I play, etc. While years back I felt I had a lot of things In my life that could have been causing the episodes, it doesn't seem to be the case now. I have prayed for restful sleep before dozing off, but telling God, "nevertheless, whatever Your will be."

Not to freak anyone out or make myself seem like someone I'm not, I just want to tell what has happened to me recently so if one of you experience something similar, you will know you're not the only one. The other night I woke up during sleep paralysis, and it still felt like a force was trying to choke me. Honestly, I was thinking, "you've got to be kidding me." But I just prayed and trusted The Lord and it eventually went away. I have had a couple more episodes of less interest, so I just woke up and did prayer and Bible study. So I figure, the enemy is getting the worst of it whether it's just a medical condition, or an attack of darkness.

I like to think about when Wigglesworth woke up and saw Satan manifest next to him, but just remarked something like, "oh, it's just you", then rolled over and went to sleep. Awesome!