This occurred when I was home for Thanksgiving break during my third year of college (before I was married). It must have been a couple days before Thanksgiving because I remember announcing during the daytime that I was going to be in charge of doing the Thanksgiving activity and what it was (don’t remember now, but I’m sure it involved praising and thanking God!)
While I was sleeping, I had a dream that turned into a nightmare. I don’t think it’s important, but I’ll record what I remember of it for posterity. I was playing softball and then went “home" to play the organ/piano.
As I was playing, I began to blow up like a blueberry and then I heard cackling. I stopped playing the organ, but the music and evil laughter continued as I was blowing up. I could no longer breathe. So, I decided to wake up.
Upon waking, the wicked cackling and choking carried over and continued. I couldn’t move. My eyes were darting around in the pitch black. My mind was racing. I wanted to call out to Jesus to come help me, but I couldn’t talk. I remember thinking repeatedly that it wasn’t a fair fight because I couldn’t even get the name of Jesus out! I may have felt a little panic, but I didn’t have time to dwell on it.
I closed my eyes so I could muster every ounce of energy I had and squeezed out an audible Jesus!*
Immediately, the choking ended and the intense darkness fled. I gasped and could again see the streetlight shining through my bedroom window like normal.
After regaining my breath, I yelled for my mom. I wanted to tell her what happened, have her pray over me, and stay with me until I fell back asleep.
The end.
I don’t remember how I felt afterwards, but it doesn’t matter. (Feelings are untrustworthy and should never determine your actions or words!)
*The point of this retelling is the power of Jesus’s name! (It’s not simply the word jesus or being a Christian that does the trick. It’s knowing the power and authority that is in the name of Jesus. Not a mental assent but an immovable surety!!)