Wondering if anybody else has ever experienced something likened unto trying to wake up, but feeling as if something is smothering you / holding you down / paralyzed... being conscious, but asleep?
Koreans call it "Gah-Wee," (scissors) and tie it to demonic powers / forces...
I had a couple of experiences when I was younger...(12, 13) and never really knew what to make of it?
Wow, I happened to have listened to a couple interviews with people who have specifically dealt with this issue amongst numbers of people.
The individual interviewed actually offers council and biblical advice to hundreds of people whom have gone through the same thing. I know I am probably going to get hammered by folks for mentioning it, but it has been directly linked to a large amount of "Alien Encounters."
In many cases, when the name of Christ is pronounced and his blood is pleaded, the alien encounters cease.
I will try to find the link to the interview and I will message it to you.
When I was younger I often had dreams where I wanted to scream but could not, and yes, it was like I was paralyzed. If I recall correctly, it was always a bad dream.
About the time the Lord got a hold on me there were two instances where I was "frozen in place" for a short length of time - but I was not asleep. It is unclear to me what the purpose of this was, but singing a hymn in my mind released me from one of them. The other one was very brief and stopped on it's own. There were no aliens - but there was smoke :)
About a year later, there was an instance where the Lord literally brought me to my knees. One instant I was standing, and the next instant I was on my knees. In that one split second I learned that the Lord is fully in control of all things, including the working of my entire body. It was a very valuable lesson that I am most grateful for.
I had an experience about 20 years ago that I thought was a heart attack, but your description sounds similar. I tried to cry out for help but could get no sound out, just my lips moving, then I cried out help me Lord Jesus and it was over. I know it isn't related to aliens, which I believe are really demons, but it probably was an attack of the enemy of our souls, but at the name of Jesus they have to flee.
I wouldn't say it's a demonic problem. It's simply your mind. I forget the name of the symptom, but I remember studying it in a psychology class a few years ago. I've had it happen to me several times, and so has my older sister. It's a sleeping issue. When the body sleeps, it is literally paralyzed. But something happens when you sleep sometimes, that causes you to awaken, but not fully. Thus, you can be cognizant of your surroundings, but your body is still in that paralyzed mode. Again, I don't remember the technical name for this. But it is simply a slight sleeping disorder. If you change your diet, exercise, and have less caffeine, you should be better.
*edit*
I found the following link on WebMD that may help you: [url=http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/sleep-paralysis]http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/sleep-paralysis
Carter Conlon said that he suffered with that, it's definitely a demonic attack. I remember a brother who had an experience like your saying and he saw this thing clasping his throat and he cried out to the Lord for help and the Lord said, "go limp", when he did, it disappeared. Pray that you will call out the name of Jesus while your in this state so you can find deliverance.
[url=http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/sleep-paralysis]Sleep Paralysis
Just about everyone I've talked to about this occasional sleeping disorder has described the same symptoms; I've also experienced it. It seems to come and go sporadically; you can go a few years without an experience...and then have a bout that can last a few weeks straight.
The experience is not confined to those who serve the Lord: Buddhists, Jews, Roman Catholics, Muslims, Atheists, Republicans, Democrats, and yes, Born-Again Christians all experience it. It's when your mind's consciousness awakes before it sends the coresponding wake up information to the rest of your body.
The last time I experienced it (it is usually precluded by intense stress at the workplace or school, etc), my mind calmly identified the cause being the "lag" and that was enough to kickstart the nerve impulses to get the rest of my body out of sleep mode. The paralysis ended immediately. Later on that night I could feel it coming on again, I thought "Oh man, here we go again" and I immediately snapped right out of it. Whether or not it is demonic, I can't say. I do know that occultists love to use the sleep paralysis platform to astral project. That is certainly demonic activity.
There's a lot of spooky folklore surrounding SP because of the intense fear that accompanies it; witches jumping on your chest, demons riding your back, etc. At first, it is admittedly frightening, but knowing the Lord and the etiology behind the disorder will banish the fear next time you experience it.
Greetings
My husband has had this happen just a few time to him. He said it is very frightening when it first happens but as you mentioned Paul knowing what causes it and that it is a sleep disorder that is not dangerous makes it much less frightening.
God Bless
mj
Wow Paulwest that was something I never knew before. I am sure that will bring comfort to the poster, I know it has for me.
Before I was truly saved, I had at least 2 occurences of the below which I remember.
I'm sleeping (not conscious at all) and suddenly I am aware that I have to say the word God to wake myself up. However, it was very difficult to say any words at all and I had to really struggle to get even 1 word/syllable out. Sometimes I had to say it more than once before I would wake up. I don't recall I was deathly afraid, maybe afraid a bit but I was so focused on calling the name God that all other things pale in comparison.
The last time (shortly before I was saved)it happened to me, I knew I had to say Jesus or God. (Now this was the only time I recall that I could say Jesus also besides God. It was always God previously). Managed to say Jesus once but did not awake. Only on my 2nd time which I managed to say God was when I woke up. (God was easier to say as it was one syllable versus 2 for Jesus. Plus bear in mind I hardly knew Jesus then)
Maybe there could have been something smothering me but I don't really recall it being like that. I could not move--that was true, but my preoccupation was struggling to say the word God. Only knew that I just had to say the word God to wake myself up and that it was imperative to wake myself up. Also, there were no dreams/nightmares during these occurences.
Now during this time, I hardly ever read the bible or attend church and seldom think of God. So its very unlikely that it was my own self thinking that I have to call God for help.
I have also had extremely bad nightmares and also at other times have the sensation that I just fell off and in none of these things have I ever felt the urge to call God. I would think that these instances would make more sense to call on God to rescue me instead on the instances when I knew I had to mention God.
Thus, I do believe that it was God that asked me to call on his name (during at least 2 of these situations) and it was not just some sleep disorder. Also, I have not had these dreams where I had to call the name of God ever since I got saved.
After I was saved, I had a few occurences of something below me trying to enter me (it did not succeed) and maybe on top of me also while I was sleeping etc (this has never happened to me when I was not saved) . But whatever it was (which is no good thing), did not succeed. Not even during these times, did I felt the urge to call on the name of God. Maybe, I somehow knew they would not succeed as I had the Holy Spirit in me.
Edited to add things
by HeartSong on 2010/4/3 23:48:53
..... In that one split second I learned that the Lord is fully in control of all things, including the working of my entire body.
HA! Do I ever know that the Lord has full working over my body.
Example : He has control over my lips where he makes me smile when at times I do not want to do something but He wanted me to do so. The last time was when I did not feel like apologizing to someone at that moment. I was determined to wait because I was not happy to do so. Well, he made me smile and smile even more as if saying --You can do it, yes, you can do it. Well, of course I did what the Lord wanted me to do.
He has given me pain in the heart also, for example when I said I was unable to feel the pain for them (not because I was angry or whatever, it was just that sometimes we don't feel other's pain). Well, straigtaway he gave me that pain--and it was in a public place too and I kept saying--please don't make me cry suddenly as this is a public place.
But the most often is tears. I have never cried so much in my life before I was a Christian. There are quite a few instances where I would suddenly burst out crying for a certain person or a particular situation even when I do not know initially who the person was (eg: Steve Lawson) or what they were praying for etc.
Oh, there are other things too.
Sorry for the sidetrack but its so nice to hear someone mentioned that they know the Lord has full control of their entire body. :)
This kind of lie is direct from Satan. The mind is where the control is. This can only happen if the believer gives a mind to Satan's influence. It came to me one day that all Christians are fire proof. Then I came to the conclusion that we are Satan proof and even self proof. We have Christ in us and Satan was completely defeated at the cross for those that are in Christ. That being Christ in us also, you cannot have water in a sock without the sock being in the water also. That is how we are in Christ, by the Christ in us, which Paul says so many times in all his epistles. "Christ in you the Hope of Glory".
You see, Christ in us is like rat poison is to a sniffing rat, when it comes to satan. We have the Spirit of Christ the Mind of Christ and the life of Christ in us and Satan has no hold on us unless our minds give him access to our thoughts, then the mind can be used by Satan and this kind of mind control can be used by him to attack the believer.
Don't get me wrong, Satan does exist and he can hurt us, but only if we give him a mind to do it with, or like Job by God for our good. Have this mind which was in Christ Jesus; tempted in the wilderness, completely freed from Satan's temptation by the Word of God.
We also completely free from the fires of hell, Satan himself, and even from self. Who is our full Armour?
Ephesians 5:9-15 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
This is the key; fire proof, self proof and poison to Satan; Christ in you the hope of Glory.
Ephesians 6:10-18 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 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. 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. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
All this Armour is The Christ in us. Amen
2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
In Christ: Phillip
Christinyou,
Have you posted in the wrong thread? Who are you addressing to? Not sure what you are saying here have anything to do with this topic. If you have posted in the right thread, perhaps you can be more clear as to what is this lie from Satan etc
I think Paul West is right, it's purely a natural phenomena. I even remember it being said once that it was the body's way of preventing injury during sleep.
It happens to me on occasion and it is a bit weird, but I really don't think it has anything to do with demonic attack.
I'm sure the enemy would love us to think it is him attacking so to scare us, though.
In folklore this experience is known as a visitation from [url=http://theshadowlands.net/ghost/sleep.htm]"The Old Hag"
I had this experience of SP as a child several times, about the same time period over several years, I was also subject to night terrors (really bad terrifying dreams) from which I would be screaming and crying audibly to my family, but unconsciously to myself, as I was asleep. Also sleepwalking was common then, my parents got a 4am phone call from my neighbor once. None of these things occurred in my adult life.
I understand them to have been stress related.
This discussion is locked.
