A Cry in the Night

Afraid to move, James lay in his bed motionless at 4:00 a.m. His muscles ached from staying in the same position for hours, as he stared at the ceiling. With the shades drawn, the darkness seemed to envelope the entire room, including James. With all the strength he could muster, he breathed in and out in overwhelming anguish. He didn’t think he could take much more. Gloom and thick darkness filled the atmosphere.

In the spiritual realm, Satan summoned the demons of death and suicide. One by one, they assembled around James’s bed, like mourners around a coffin. In disgust and hate, they looked down upon his struggling body and soul. Finally, one of the suicide demons in the room spoke in a chilling, sinister voice, “Kill yourself.” He motioned for the other demons. All together, they began chanting those life-defying words in unison. James could hear them loud and clear. For several months, he had listened to their taunts; each blast had drained him more and more.


In Jame’s trashcan lay several wadded-up suicide notes, which he had attempted to write. As much as he tried, he could not get the right words. The last note that he had finally written several hours earlier, lay on his desk. The crinkled note, stained from Jame's tears, almost made it difficult to read. "I cannot handle living like this anymore. No one cares or tries to understand what I am going through. In a month or so, I will be forgotten. Goodbye."


James still heard the demons chanting, and even laughing in the background. One criminal-like voice said, “Just hurry and get it over with.”


Yet, another demon spoke, “James, even the church people think you are a lost cause. Do us all a favor and kill yourself. It would be so easy to take that bottle of sleeping pills you have in your hand.”


Sensing James at the very edge of life and death, the demons began to rejoice. Some danced and clapped their hands in delight. Suddenly the demons around James's bed stomped their feet in perfect rhythm. “Everyone wants you dead.”


Still in the bed, yet wide awake, sweat started to drizzle down James's face. Something heavy suffocated him. He could no longer handle his emotions. From deep within his heart, he sobbed uncontrollably. Suddenly, James screamed with everything that was within him, “God, please, help me!” The pill bottle fell out of his hand and rolled across the floor. James curled up in a ball and rocked back and forth.


As a host of angels swept into the bedroom, the atmosphere took a drastic turn. James trembled, unable to fight back the tears. Angels of glowing light flew down from every direction as a voice loudly proclaimed, “That is enough!”


The group of demons suddenly became disoriented and scattered everywhere. They blindly stumbled and tripped all over each other. Some attempted to hide from the great light but could not get away fast enough. The brightness of the light incinerated several of the weak ones into ashes.


Angels reached out and ministered to James that night. “You are greatly loved, for The Father has great plans for you.” Some spoke while others sang. Soon enough, the angels ushered in the presence of God.  Jesus, Himself, entered into James’s room that night. He held James close. “Sleep, my child, sleep.” James fell asleep peaceful and unafraid.


The angels lingered as James slept, worshiping God as the presence of Jesus filled his entire house. One of the angels pointed to a scripture on the bulletin board over James’s bed. The angel in charge said, “Get the note.” The post-it note fell from the bulletin board and glowed, as if on fire.


That afternoon, James woke up in a peaceful state. Noticing that the post-it note had fallen and landed on the floor, he reached down and picked it up. Reminded about the early morning events, a single tear fell from his eye. He read the scripture loud and clear that day. “The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory belongs to the Lord.” Proverbs 21:31 (NASB)