Celebrating Supernatural Sleep

Earlier this month, Bill Johnson of Bethel Church in Redding, Calf., spoke on Supernatural Sleep. What a great message! I'm going to just make mention of a few highlights that stuck out to me. You can listen to the message for yourself for more details.

Johnson says triumphing in your sleep will give you a freshness in the morning. Amen - that couldn't be more true for me.

The Quakers coined the phrase "Let's just sleep on it." That's because they understood that God seals up instructions while we sleep.

"In a dream, a vision of the night, When sound sleep falls on men, While they slumber in their beds, then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction." Job 33:15.16

I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. Psalm 16:7

When we sleep we position ourselves for encounters with the Lord. Deep calls to deep in the night. Our spirit is alive, while our body rests. He draws the deep in us to the surface.

That's we always have to watch what we let into our gates (see, hear, etc.) For example, if we watch the news before bedtime, we have installed fear most likely into our gates. So how you end your night is typically how you begin your next day.

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath. Ephesians 4:26

That's why the Bible says not to go to bed angry. If you do, spirits come to torment you in your sleep. You don't want to deal with the demonic at 3 a.m., trust me, it's not fun.

Johnson says there are a few things you can do before you go to bed, to set yourself up for refreshing sleep: turn your affection toward God before you fall asleep and pray in tongues in the middle of the night if you wake up.

While you wait for encounters with the Lord at night, he's also transforming you into His likeness. (Psalm 17:15 Message)Personally, I have had some of the most traumatic encounters in the spirit at night - both positive and negative. In fact, I can hardly wait to go to bed every night. It's been like this for the last few years for me.

I love that the Lord gives to His beloved even in our sleep! He is a good God who gives good gifts ALL the time - conscious or unconscious. He's always giving. He owns the night!

I want to live a life that celebrates sleep. What about you?