Are "night terrors" warnings from God?

[M30USA]

For those who aren't familiar with the term "night terror", it's when a person wakes up in the middle of the night with an extreme panic attack, sometimes from a disturbing dream or sometimes it actually occurs before the person falls asleep from a distributing thought. The person will feel intense dread, their heart rate will rise rapidly, and they will feel like they are "losing it".

 

There is an interesting passage in the Bible which seems to describe night terrors. And more surprisingly it says they can actually be sent by God or an angel to warn the person about their sin.

 

"In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they slumber in their beds, he may speak in their ears and terrify them with warnings, to turn them from wrongdoing and keep them from pride, to preserve them from the pit, their lives from perishing by the sword." (Job 33:15-18 NIV)

 

Modern psychology would have us believe that anxiety is always bad. The modern church would add that anything which causes fear is not "of God". I've heard this exact idea taught in church. Even my 6 year old son was taught this at his private Christian school.

 

But what of this verse where God terrifies a person to preserve their soul? Is that what might terrors are? Can anyone here say they've gotten night terrors or know someone who's gotten them? Do you find this idea plausible given your experience?

[Untouched]

I have had night terrors since I was a child and so did my little sister, even worse than me.

 

I am quite sure they were not "warnings from God." They were just nameless, pointless terrors, not teaching me or warning me about anything.

 

My sister's usually involved being in a fire, which I do not associate with God warning her about hell, either.

 

I think they are a form of nightmare.

[M30USA]

I have had night terrors since I was a child and so did my little sister, even worse than me.

 

I am quite sure they were not "warnings from God." They were just nameless, pointless terrors, not teaching me or warning me about anything.

 

My sister's usually involved being in a fire, which I do not associate with God warning her about hell, either.

 

I think they are a form of nightmare.

 

Did you have any dreams associated with your night terrors, even if vague or symbolic?

 

Have you been knowingly sinning during any periods when you've gotten night terrors?

 

This may sound from left field, but are you generally viewed as a controlling or manipulative person?

 

I am not suggesting you are any of these. I'm throwing things out there and trying to learn things.

[aussietigerwolf]

toddlers have night terrors, are you suggesting that its a warning from "god" that they've sinned? I got night terrors as a kid too... It was caused by the abuse I suffered from my mum. But... Maybe both her and the night terrors were punishments from god for my sins.

[M30USA]

toddlers have night terrors, are you suggesting that its a warning from "god" that they've sinned? I got night terrors as a kid too... It was caused by the abuse I suffered from my mum. But... Maybe both her and the night terrors were punishments from god for my sins.

 

Oh please. At no point did I even suggest night terrors ALWAYS mean such a thing. Just that they CAN. Come on. Life is not simple and you can't broadbrush, you know this.

[pie2]

"In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they slumber in their beds, he may speak in their ears and terrify them with warnings, to turn them from wrongdoing and keep them from pride, to preserve them from the pit, their lives from perishing by the sword." (Job 33:15-18 NIV)

 

Modern psychology would have us believe that anxiety is always bad. The modern church would add that anything which causes fear is not "of God". I've heard this exact idea taught in church. Even my 6 year old son was taught this at his private Christian school.

 

But what of this verse where God terrifies a person to preserve their soul? Is that what might terrors are? Can anyone here say they've gotten night terrors or know someone who's gotten them? Do you find this idea plausible given your experience?

 

I haven't had a night terror.

 

Personally, I can't ever remember being "scared straight", as you might say, in a dream. In waking life, yes. But my dreams, if I remember them at all, have very rarely given me any sort of life lesson. I mainly just remember certain feelings I have in the dream.

 

But I think it's possible. There seem to be a few bible verses (Daniel 4:5) that talk about being terrified during a dream, and gaining understanding through that experience.

[CarrieT]

I was hospitalized for a while due to my night terrors. I have had them on-and-off throughout my life, starting when I was a child and into my 30s.

 

As a child, they were so bad that my parents would take turns sleeping in my room. In my 30s, my roommates would take turns sleeping in my room to make sure I wouldn't hurt myself (I would pound my head on the wall and sleepwalk - packing a suitcase and trying to run away, which was problematic since I "slept" in the nude).

 

I think they were related to stress in my life and were not remotely related to anything spiritual or religious.

[pie2]

I haven't had a night terror.

 

Personally, I can't ever remember being "scared straight", as you might say, in a dream. In waking life, yes. But my dreams, if I remember them at all, have very rarely given me any sort of life lesson. I mainly just remember certain feelings I have in the dream.

 

But I think it's possible. There seem to be a few bible verses (Daniel 4:5) that talk about being terrified during a dream, and gaining understanding through that experience.

 

Though, the clinical definition of a night terror includes not being able to remember the episode or details of the dream, so it doesn't seem to coincide with the bible's examples.

 

Night terror - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Allumere]

Possible? Sure, anything is possible. Probable? Sure, for a very, very,very, very small percentage of individuals (think a single sugar granule in the dessert). For most I would say God has nothing to do with them.

Edited May 30, 2014 by Allumere
typo, what else

[M30USA]

Though, the clinical definition of a night terror includes not being able to remember the episode or details of the dream, so it doesn't seem to coincide with the bible's examples.

 

Night terror - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

I would think this is similar to a panic attack, in general.

[pie2]

I would think this is similar to a panic attack, in general.

 

Definitely, in terms of not being in control of what's happening. Seems like a night terror is even more extreme. I mean, not remembering what happened, but screaming and being generally inconsolable...? You'd think someone would remember that!

 

Man, we can do some pretty weird stuff when we sleep.

[pureinheart]

I really don't know, although I have to wonder if some night terrors are derived from demonic attack/oppression. Having also heard it said that in the spirit realm certain individuals are targeted at birth due to the knowledge of who they might be in the Spirit.

 

I do believe that God would use night terrors as warnings also.

[pureinheart]

I would think this is similar to a panic attack, in general.

 

It does sound like it.

[todreaminblue]

just had one mouse a so i thought i would write it...i often have night terrors or prophetic dreams the thing is they have either happened and i need a reminder.....oft they are going to happen and i mostly listen timing is never certain they are different from normal nightmares or dreams because those are forgotten instantly and i go back to sleep i am up so ill write ill journal it later.....date and time

 

 

i went and seen tahnee my mums old german shepherd the other day last week some time.......mum told me she was massaging th elump on tahnees paw ....about the size of a tennis ball.....i actually winced

 

i told mum she had to get it aspirated so she knew.......i told her that tahnee was in pain even though she didnt seem to be...she was favoring the leg to me......

 

 

muym got the vet out they aspirated ....definite news its cancer not spread to the bone...... my sis came to day and she is worried i have been out of it on painkillers myself......and havent really dreamt anything i dreamt about an hour ago about tahnee

 

 

mum was taking her everywhere in my daughters car, i didnt know , i was trying to set up a date with a guy in the car for some reason some random i had met......who was keen on me.......mum stopped the car and the random got out and was careless pulling up the back thing for em to get out and i was saying no no i slide out like this so i slide through this gap ....and i do a slide out of the car without disturbing anything the basketballs or tahnee i didnt know about......

 

 

.....mum had started to cry when he said she looks bad and really old....i told him to shush it.....and whispered not the right thing to say.....but then tahnee wheezed trouble breathing....and even though her head was turned from em i could see her eyes......these two diminishing lights so bright but now pin point ..and i know my mouth went slack feeling her............now i am actually tearing up writing this so i class that as night terror.....tahnee has been mums faithful guardian.......its nearly time for her to leave now.......and mum is going to be devastated......tahnee frets for mum like my animals hang around me adn fret and act up when i leave...........but when our animals leave us......its never just goodbye.....feels like some of us goes with.......so we often try to hang on as they do for us......we cant hang on and suffer, we have to let them go

 

tahnee is in pain.......and that makes me cry......for them both......tahnee is fighting on being so brave eking out her time with mum.....just like my old girl did for me......hung on to the bitter end...cant even go into how my dog died...it was horrible

 

 

....is it a sign from god.....

 

 

i know it is......they always have been because i dont forget....i would really prefer not to have these signs it isnt something i relish its a responsibility i feel i need to have.....i have a lot of responsibility....and i feel obligated......and not be selfish in thoughts .....i have to deal with it.....

 

 

 

sort of ties in with your other thread too mouse a, about animals and angels too ....i do believe in guardians......my family is guarded including ancestors grandparents etc...............

 

i have had other night terrors i remember them all as most of them have "come to pass"" including the break up of my long term relationship word for word.....

 

they are multilayered normally.....and some ambiguity in some of them liek they could change at any minute a haziness........this one was clear as crystal........word for word no mistiness...might not eb a groundbreaking night terror but it is definitely a night terror for me.......deb

Edited June 3, 2014 by todreaminblue

[M30USA]

I'm pretty sure in the psych class I took the professor said night terrors and nightmares are different things. Everybody gets nightmares from time to time. But night terrors are basically panic attacks either right before sleep or during sleep where the person feels like they're losing control, their heart rate goes up, and they are often triggered by certain thoughts. For example, my ex-wife would have night terrors when she thought about heaven, hell, and eternity. She actually prohibited me from talking about eternity or anything like that before bed because it would send her into a terror.

[KathyM]

I do know a man who suffered serious night terrors for a few years at a time in his life when he was turned away from God. He took that as a sign that he needed to turn his life around and he became very religious after that. The night terrors of being harmed by demons then stopped.

[M30USA]

I do know a man who suffered serious night terrors for a few years at a time in his life when he was turned away from God. He took that as a sign that he needed to turn his life around and he became very religious after that. The night terrors of being harmed by demons then stopped.

 

For real? Your post is so direct that I don't know if you're playing with me.

[KathyM]

For real? Your post is so direct that I don't know if you're playing with me.

I'm not kidding. I do believe that God uses a variety of means to communicate with us. Just think of the examples in the Bible where God communicated to us through dreams.

[M30USA]

I'm not kidding. I do believe that God uses a variety of means to communicate with us. Just think of the examples in the Bible where God communicated to us through dreams.

 

Yes, I'm particularly thinking about Pilate's wife who was scared $hitless in a dream when her husband was about to crucify Jesus.

 

And to think my little son comes home from his school/church saying they taught him that all bad dreams are from the devil and that God wouldn't scare us. Unreal. I swear these churches just teach whatever they want.

[alwayshere]

I do know a man who suffered serious night terrors for a few years at a time in his life when he was turned away from God. He took that as a sign that he needed to turn his life around and he became very religious after that. The night terrors of being harmed by demons then stopped.

 

I have a similar story. I used to occasionally have dreams about spiritual warfare, and I would pray and sing praise songs and quote scripture, and the demons in my dreams would cower, and when I woke up I felt kind of peaceful and victorious. When I was going through a rebellious time in my life and faith, I would try the same tactics, and the demons would just laugh, and I would wake up terrified just before they "got" me. There is no doubt in my mind that was conviction or SOMETHING.

 

However, I have had vivid dreams and nightmares since childhood, and except for that one period, I think most of them came from weird bedtime food or scary movies.

[KathyM]

Obviously not all dreams are messages from God. Dreams are normally the brain's way of processing the concerns/thoughts/fears that we have in our subconscious or conscious mind. They can be good or bad, with the bad dreams often coming as a result of anxiety. I know when I am sick or not feeling well, which is rarely, I almost always have a bad dream that night, since my body is not feeling well, and my mind then picks up on that negative feeling, but that is about the only time I have a bad dream. But this person I know had night terrors so bad which started when he turned from God, and it did bring him back to his faith in a big way. Just think of all the examples in the Bible where people were given visions or dreams which told them of God's will or direction. Plenty of examples there.

[M30USA]

I have a similar story. I used to occasionally have dreams about spiritual warfare, and I would pray and sing praise songs and quote scripture, and the demons in my dreams would cower, and when I woke up I felt kind of peaceful and victorious. When I was going through a rebellious time in my life and faith, I would try the same tactics, and the demons would just laugh, and I would wake up terrified just before they "got" me. There is no doubt in my mind that was conviction or SOMETHING.

 

However, I have had vivid dreams and nightmares since childhood, and except for that one period, I think most of them came from weird bedtime food or scary movies.

 

Wow, so the demons in your dreams knew that prayer, quoting Scripture, etc, is useless when you're disobeying God's commands and choosing to not repent. That's really great insight. I am in total agreement.

 

"But since you refuse to listen when I call and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand, since you disregard all my advice and do not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when calamity overtakes you— when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you." (Proverbs 1:23-27 NIV)

Edited June 3, 2014 by M30USA

[regine_phalange]

I once read a story of a person who had a night terror trigerred by an enormous cake that was floating in the room. No kidding. Maybe this was a warning that desserts are bad for the silhouette.

 

Anyway. I dont think this could be true, because most people dont even remember that they had a night terror episode the night before. So what would be the use of it as a warning? It would be useless.

[KathyM]

With night terrors, the dreams are generally not remembered upon wakening, but the person still has panic symptoms that he wakes up with. With nightmares, the person does generally remember the dream.

[lovehurtsme91]

I think that Bible passage can't be taken literally but definitely it's not impossible either.

 

I've been having panic attacks but that is due to something else that triggered it. The reason why I am very sure of it is cos I have already asked for forgiveness and I have not sinned since.

 

So I guess it depends on individual. If you're having night terrors and you know you've not confessed, then confessed and ask for forgiveness. If you know is something else then just pray to God for peace when you sleep.