The Devil's Role in Nighmares

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Meggie

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Does the Devil cause nighmares?
What if nighmares don’t go away if a person prays the rosary?
Can a person be hurt in a nighmare?
Can replies in a dream/nightmare affect spirituality? (eg: renouncing God during a nighmare)

Please help me I always try to pray constantly. I for the past two years I have prayed the rosary, read the Bible, and for the past eight months I have been a Daily Communicant…yet for over six years now I have nighmares nearly every night. I am scarred this will affect me when I go to college…I have tried everything. I asked a couple of priests and they didn’t really believe me, I think, or they felt the nighmares would go away because I was devoutly following God.
 
nightmares are caused by your subconscious - unfortunately there’s little you can do to control it. please don’t worry about your actions during dreams - you aren’t culpable for them. I have the same problem too, the scariest most nightmarish dreams I have aren’t ones where I’m being chased by monsters but rather ones in which I do something horrible like have an abortion or stab someone. It’s very upsetting, but you have to just let it go because it’s only a dream. Praying certainly is good, but maybe you should focus more on praying that you can forget about these dreams and see them for what they are, rather than just making them go away. Also, if it’s really bothering you especially before leaving for college, maybe you should see a psychologist. They certainly know more about the workings of the mind than I do, and it could be helpful.
 
If you dont…Ask Jesus to keep you from nightmares, just before you go to bed…also bless yourself with holy water before sleep.

I would also suggest getting a St Benedict Jubliee Medal and have it blessed. 🙂
 
God bless you and keep you. I know this might sound weird to some people, and might not go along with traditional catholic doctrine, but all you have to do is claim (out loud) Bible verses stating protection, blessing etc. with an “in Jesus name” at the end, or “through the power of Jesus blood.” Psalm 91 is good. Jesus will heal you and protect you. I also will pray for you.
 
Meggie,

I don’t see why the Devil wouldn’t try to trip us up in our dreams–he works in our subconscious all day long. It sounds like you’re doing all the right things, but you didn’t mention confession. Have you been? Is there some sin you’ve withheld for fear of embarassment or out of pride?

Here’s a quick story of a good friend of mine.

Upon converting to Catholicism (and a powerful conversion it was!) she was plagued by nightmares and starting going to sleep with a small (4") blessed Crucifix in her hand. Her nightmares stopped and to this day, 6-7 years later, she still sleeps with that same Crucifix clutched in her hand.

In fact, her 5-year-old son also now sleeps with a large Crucifix after seeing Mommy do the same! (The small one was too hard for Mom to find when he’d lose it in the middle of the night!)

As a final thought, you may want to find a Catholic counselor. Is it possible the nightmares are a manifestation of some trauma in your life or distress in your life? Also, if the priests you’ve talked to don’t believe you, try finding one who will not dismiss your concerns as easily.

Keep up the prayers and communion.

God bless you,

Debbie
 
Thank you for all of your help. I do have holy water, and I have a St. Benedict medal Crucifix on the rosary I made. The rosary was blessed by the Pope at World Youth Day (in the general Blessing of the Rosaries) I certinally try to ask Jesus, or Mary or after all these years St. Jude. I listen to Christian music while I sleep which often speaks the name of Jesus.

This year over all years I have been to Confession more than ever. I told one other person, Sister, who has become my spiritual director. She dosn’t dismiss the nigmares but says that I will just have to focus beyond them.

I hate not sleeping good. I hate waking up feeling sick to my stomach. I just wish there was some prayer that could end this.
 
Prayers of Liberation from the Spirit of Evil

O Jesus our Savior
My Lord and my God
My God and my ALL
With your Sacrifice of the Cross
You redeemed us and defeated the power of Satan.
I beg you to deliver me from every evil presense
And every evil influence
I ask you in your name
I ask you for the sake of your Wounds
I ask you for the sake of your Blood
I ask you for the sake of your Cross
I ask you thru the intercession of Mary,
Immaculate and Sorrowful
May the Blood and Water that flow from your side
Wash over me to purify me
Deliver me, heal me
Amen

To Mary

O Most High Queen of Heaven
and of the Angels
We humbly beseech you
Who recieved from God
The Power and the Mission
To Crush Satans head
Command the Heavenly Host
to pursue the demons in battle wherever they are
to rebuke their daring
and to thrust them into the abyss
Amen.

If your havent…try sleeping with your Rosary around your neck.

God Bless.
 
Not all nightmares are caused by Satan, but since he is pure spirit Satan can certainly participate if he wants to. I posted this in another thread (Devil Attacking You?) to illustrate the times when Satan has attacked me through dreams:
This gives me chills just putting this into words.

Since my return to the Church, I have come under intense attacks right after going to Confession. Every time. Each time, within a night or two, I am subjected to the worst nightmares imaginable. Not the typical “someone’s after me” or “catastrophe” or “car accident” stuff. I mean evil, sick, vicious, disgustingly vile stuff, things I cannot dare repeat out loud, even to my spiritual director. Things that would make you want to vomit. Things that would make you quickly turn away and never have the slightest inclination borne of curiosity to look back.

These dreams never come at any other time. It’s like the devil reminding me, "You’re mine. Bwah ha ha!"If my experience is anything to go by, I think you’ll **know ** when Satan is present in your dreams.
 
How about wearing a scapular to bed? Green or brown, no matter. Have it blessed then wear it nightly.

I’ll pray for relief from your nightmares.
 
Like most things undesireable, the more one focuses on it the more it remains a problem. I find sending 30 minutes reading the Bible before sleep to really help reduce disturbing dreams.

As far as Satan or his helpers invading or sponsoring our dreams - I don’t believe this is an area he can enter, he is a fallen angel with limited power. The Holy Spirit can enter our dreams just as He has in others in the Old Testament. Call on the Holy Sprirt to bless you dreams with peace.

Chuck
 
I am reminded of a story from the life of Smith Wigglesworth, an English Pentecostal evangelist. He woke up one night and supposedly saw Satan himself sitting in a chair at the foot of his bed. He said, “Oh, it’s just you,” rolled over, and went back to sleep.

Would that we all could be this confident of our relationship with our Lord.

DaveBj
 
I don’t doubt in the least that Satan can try to influence dreams. They are only dreams, though, and we need to not dwell on them, lest they do take hold of us.

For what it’s worth, though, I found that most of my nightmares and intense dreams were being caused by low blood sugar during the night. I’m hypoglycemic, and if I’m off in my eating schedule befor going to bed, my blood sugar drops low during the night and I get all sorts of bad dreams. I’ve found that a bedtime snack allows me to sleep much easier. If your nightmares are making it hard to function during the day, you may want to see a doctor–there may be a physical cause for them, not just spiritual.
 
Oi…sometimes my nightmares get so rough that I wake up in a terrible mood.

Peace and all good,

Thomas2
 
Sometimes an increased brain activity can cause this and other kind of unusual symptoms that seem to be of psycological origin. Your condition may have a natural cause and not a supernatural one. I suggest that you go see your doctor and tell him about your nightmares, you also may have other symptoms that you do nor realiza are due to the same condition. If you Have Electroencephalogram (EEG) done on you it will show if there is abnormal brain activity. My son had some probles with fears and phobias and was devastated that he was not going to be able to join to army. (He had signed up for 4 years and realized that was afraid to fly and also was claustrophobic). A doctro prescribed him a medication called “dilantin” that is usually prescribed for epilepsy and he was back to normal in one week. He started basic training a week ago and doing great. Be carefull though because most doctros do not understand this kind of disease and refer their patients to psychiatrists.

Hope it helps

Joetexas
 
The devil and demons can influence, potentially, your dreams and thoughts…and angels can too. Not every thought, temptation, or dream is caused by spirits…but some are definitely influenced.

I would suggest praying to your Gaurdian Angel. Ultimately, they are the ones who are the Final Gatekeeper of your mind in terms of recieving inspiration from other angels…or being tempted or disturbed by demons.

If you have neglected yourself spiritually in some way…you might be diminishing the protection of your mind that you let your gaurdian angel have over you…pray for an increase of Gaurdianship.
 
The Barrister:
I am subjected to the worst nightmares imaginable. Not the typical “someone’s after me” or “catastrophe” or “car accident” stuff. I mean evil, sick, vicious, disgustingly vile stuff, things I cannot dare repeat out loud, even to my spiritual director. Things that would make you want to vomit. Things that would make you quickly turn away and never have the slightest inclination borne of curiosity to look back.
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I know EXACTLY what you are talking about. I suffered for almost four years by this type of harassment. Not only in my dreams, but also during wake time. I went through deliverance counseling at www.saint-mike.org It was VERY beneficial. God bless.
 
God bless all the people who are having really bad dreams. My dh has bad dreams quite often, but has realized that certain activities he does may be the cause. Eg. using the patch to quit smoking, holding in worries and anxieties, being torn between your family is the biggest reason he has bad dreams. I have found that receiving communion and confession often, saying the rosary daily and of course talking to God all through the day has really improved my way of living including my dreams. God Bless you all and my prayers are with you.
 
Somewhere in the OT, it says that dreams are silliness…the NT says fear is useless what is needed is faith…and o me of little faith, I offer it up shortly before getting into be and when I wake up and whenever I get too…well let’s just say, St Michael the Archangel defend us in battle…you guys n gals no the rest…

Peace and all good,

Thomas2
 
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