The Sleep War

Sleepless Nights and Unexpected Battles

It was my fourth day in South Africa and a new battle was being waged. The first night it was the mosquitoes. Mosquitoes in Africa are very different from those in America and yet they have a similar effect to those desiring sleep. The constant buzzing through the night and the instant itching from the bites were effective and sleep eluded me yet again.

There was no jet lag to recover from. Lack of sleep as a whole prevented me from realizing day and night except for the color of the sky.

The second night I kept all the windows closed. No mosquitoes tonight, I decided. And it was the heat. No air. No breeze. No sleep. I was definitely a needy house guest.

The installation of a screen over the windows would allow air in and keep mosquitoes out. Seven hours of sleep was again welcomed. A reprieve from the 2-4 hours I had been receiving each night. I was fighting in the natural realm, responding to what was being thrown at me from the spiritual realm. Attacking each circumstance. I didn’t realize what the real battle was. Yet.

Physical Weakness and Spiritual Warfare

The next night I literally woke up to excrement or poop in my pants. This is not something I typically experience and it was pretty embarrassing. From previous travels in Africa, I was prepared. I cleaned myself in the middle of the night, changed my sheets and took medication. No one else was bothered so I assumed the food was not agreeing with me. I began monitoring every drink of water and bite of food ingested. This would be the first of many times throughout the night that I would have to change and clean up. How do I keep this a secret?

It has been five days. I am weak and dehydrated. I am disillusioned as I can’t leave the house and I thought I came to Africa to do ministry. Dry toast for breakfast settled well. A plain baked potato for lunch all while continuing limited fluids. Again, no problem.

During the days my body was fine. But when nighttime came, something else took over. Multiple times every night I would awaken with no warning and no time to get anywhere. It was already too late if you know what I mean. I shared my dilemma with the lady of the home and it would soon become common knowledge in the house. Eventually, it was breakfast conversation. How many times did I have to get up last night? Thankfully, I don’t think they ever took bets.

A Word from the Lord Brings Strength

It was the day of my weekly prayer call and as we were praying, I received a word from the Lord. “There is more, but I can’t tell you yet. Remain faithful and walk into it. I will be with you. Do not fear.”
This was an interpretation from someone praying in the spirit or in tongues. But it was all I needed. I was weak, tired, unmotivated, dehydrated, and not functioning well. This encouraging word changed everything. It was the reminder I needed. When I am weak, He is strong.

Time for a new strategy.

What started out being embarrassing to talk about became common knowledge and need to know as we learned how to fight a new battle. They were still after my sleep.

But why? What did they know that I didn’t?

Understanding Spiritual Authority

Through this the Holy Spirit revealed that the Spiritual realm sees me different than I see myself. I do not realize the anointing or authority that I walk in, but they do. As I left American airspace, crossed international airspace, and entered African airspace, I was on their radar and they intended evil for me. I was on assignment for the Lord and they knew more than I did. I didn’t even know that there was spiritual authority in the airspace. I do now.

Coming into Africa, I did not know what I was supposed to do but I came obediently knowing I was on assignment. Those first weeks, I left the house only a few times. I spoke at a Pastors meeting encouraging brothers and sisters of the faith. He sustained me this day, but the night attacks did not stop.

Sleep deprivation is a common war tactic. I trusted that God would sustain me. But I also needed to do my part. I just needed to figure out what that was.

Breakthrough, Community, and God’s Victory

Prayer partners continued praying and fasting with me — literally daily. Some people fasted the entire duration of my visit (56 days). Some fasted weekly. Some fasted before I left. One fasted during my sleeping hours, intentionally praying for my sleep. It truly was a group effort; one I could not have done on my own. I was on the battlefield, but the battle was greater than I could have imagined and God did not send me in alone.

The Holy Spirit continued revealing more as we set our faces toward Him. A revelation confirmed that evil had set out to scare and intimidate me. I had fallen for it. I repented of my participation. We prayed, cast out anything that had been picked up and thought it was over.

It would be seventeen days before I would experience a spiritual revelation that rocked my world and ended this particular battle. It was during this encounter in the spiritual realm that I truly learned the power of God and his supremacy. It was during this trip that I experienced the determination of evil forces. If there was ever any doubt, there is none now. I choose God.

I remain thankful for a greater understanding of the spiritual realm, the importance of community and like-minded believers, and the greater understanding of the power of God. He always wins. His word is always true.

He was just beginning to scratch the surface of my assignment.