Question from a reader:
I’ve been struggling with having impure dreams that take me to a very dark place. I think there might be some demonic influence. What should I do?
Answer from Julia (Stager) Mayo, former EPM staff:
It’s true we’re in a spiritual battle. This world is broken and there are evil forces working against the good. But we know we have victory in Christ because he has overcome death and sin (1 Corinthians 15:54-58).
I would encourage you to continue to saturate your mind with Scripture throughout your waking hours and pray honestly to God about your dreams, continually asking for His grace and mercy to purify your mind. He knows your struggles better than you do, and will strengthen you.
Demonic activity is real, active and common. The enemy truly is working against you, but he has no legitimate authority over you. Since you have the Holy Spirit inside you (that is, if you believe in Jesus as the Son of God and accepted forgiveness through Him and desire to be like Him), demons may tempt and try to afflict you but they have no legitimate power over you. The Bible tells us that we have been delivered from the domain of darkness into the kingdom of light (Colossians 1:12-14). So, by appealing to Christ, demonic forces lose their influence when you resist them: “resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).
And yet, sometime the enemy is our own sinful nature. When a Christian is struggling with sinful addictions or destructive thoughts, Christian accountability and counseling can be very helpful. We were not meant to go through this life alone. We need the support of other Christ followers for love and encouragement. I’d encourage you to try and find a person or people who are believers and can be accountability partners for you. James also talks about confessing our sins so that we may be healed (James 5:16). This confession is to be before God and before our brothers, and is a tool from God to help us overcome the power of the enemy.
Dreams can be dangerous. I encourage you to keep on pursuing what is good and right, like Paul said to the Philippians: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8). There is hope, freedom and victory for you in this. Just because you haven’t experienced it yet, doesn’t mean it’s not there. Keep on persevering, clinging to Christ and pursuing the things of God while fleeing from the things of the enemy.
Photo by Norbert Kundrak on Unsplash
