Silas
Beloved of All
Thank you for sharing so honestly what you have been experiencing and for asking for prayer. What you describe sounds very frightening, and it is understandable that you would feel afraid after sensing hands and legs near the sofa and seeing a figure by it. God sees your fear and He hears your cry for mercy and deliverance for your home, and we are praying with you in the name of Jesus.
The Bible makes it clear that evil spirits are real, but it also makes it clear that Jesus Christ has complete authority over every power of darkness. For those who belong to Him, there is no need to live in dread of what you have seen or felt. Scripture says greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. That truth is meant to steady your heart when demonic activity tries to capture your attention and wear down your faith. When fear grows, faith can feel small, but God calls you to turn from fear of the enemy to faith in Christ.
A helpful way to understand this is to remember what the Bible says about fear. There is a fear that is right and good, which is a reverent awe of God. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom. It means to love what God loves and to hate what is evil, to honor Him above all else. That kind of fear draws you closer to God. The other kind of fear, being terrified by evil or by circumstances, pulls you away from trust and can even magnify what you are facing and make it seem larger than it is. Faith and that kind of dread cannot rule the heart at the same time. When you remember the Lord, that He is with you, that He is your confidence and your protector, fear loses its hold.
David said that even when he walked through the valley of death he would fear no evil because the Lord was with him. Remembering who God is, His greatness, His power, and His nearness through Jesus, is the cure for fear. You have authority and power not in yourself but through Jesus Christ, and He has overcome every force of darkness.
We are praying that God in His mercy will bring peace to your home and show His delivering power. We pray that He will guard your mind and your sleep, calm your heart, and help you rest in His presence. We pray that any influence of evil would be rebuked and removed by the authority of Jesus, and that your home would be filled with the knowledge of His goodness and protection. We also pray for your parents, that God would give them wisdom and peace, and that He would help you all to seek Him together.
In practical ways, keep turning to the Lord. Spend time in prayer and in Scripture, speaking aloud the truth of who Jesus is and what He has done. You may want to avoid sleeping on that sofa if it has become a place of fear for you, and find another place to rest while you seek the Lord for peace. Talk calmly and respectfully with your parents about how afraid you have felt, honoring your mother even as you share your concern. If possible, invite a trusted, Bible believing pastor to pray with you in person and to walk with you and your family.
You do not need to be ashamed for feeling afraid, but you do not need to stay in fear. Bring every worry to Jesus, ask Him to strengthen your faith where it feels weak, and trust Him to keep you. He is able to keep your foot from being taken and to be your confidence in every place.
Father, have mercy on this dear one and on this home. In the name of Jesus Christ we ask You to drive back every work of darkness, to cover this family with Your protection, and to fill this home with Your peace. Help them to fear You alone with reverent awe, to hate what is evil, and to trust fully in the power of Jesus who has overcome the world. Give them rest, courage, and a clear sense of Your presence with them. Amen.
The Bible makes it clear that evil spirits are real, but it also makes it clear that Jesus Christ has complete authority over every power of darkness. For those who belong to Him, there is no need to live in dread of what you have seen or felt. Scripture says greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. That truth is meant to steady your heart when demonic activity tries to capture your attention and wear down your faith. When fear grows, faith can feel small, but God calls you to turn from fear of the enemy to faith in Christ.
A helpful way to understand this is to remember what the Bible says about fear. There is a fear that is right and good, which is a reverent awe of God. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom. It means to love what God loves and to hate what is evil, to honor Him above all else. That kind of fear draws you closer to God. The other kind of fear, being terrified by evil or by circumstances, pulls you away from trust and can even magnify what you are facing and make it seem larger than it is. Faith and that kind of dread cannot rule the heart at the same time. When you remember the Lord, that He is with you, that He is your confidence and your protector, fear loses its hold.
David said that even when he walked through the valley of death he would fear no evil because the Lord was with him. Remembering who God is, His greatness, His power, and His nearness through Jesus, is the cure for fear. You have authority and power not in yourself but through Jesus Christ, and He has overcome every force of darkness.
We are praying that God in His mercy will bring peace to your home and show His delivering power. We pray that He will guard your mind and your sleep, calm your heart, and help you rest in His presence. We pray that any influence of evil would be rebuked and removed by the authority of Jesus, and that your home would be filled with the knowledge of His goodness and protection. We also pray for your parents, that God would give them wisdom and peace, and that He would help you all to seek Him together.
In practical ways, keep turning to the Lord. Spend time in prayer and in Scripture, speaking aloud the truth of who Jesus is and what He has done. You may want to avoid sleeping on that sofa if it has become a place of fear for you, and find another place to rest while you seek the Lord for peace. Talk calmly and respectfully with your parents about how afraid you have felt, honoring your mother even as you share your concern. If possible, invite a trusted, Bible believing pastor to pray with you in person and to walk with you and your family.
You do not need to be ashamed for feeling afraid, but you do not need to stay in fear. Bring every worry to Jesus, ask Him to strengthen your faith where it feels weak, and trust Him to keep you. He is able to keep your foot from being taken and to be your confidence in every place.
Father, have mercy on this dear one and on this home. In the name of Jesus Christ we ask You to drive back every work of darkness, to cover this family with Your protection, and to fill this home with Your peace. Help them to fear You alone with reverent awe, to hate what is evil, and to trust fully in the power of Jesus who has overcome the world. Give them rest, courage, and a clear sense of Your presence with them. Amen.
