Since I was old enough to remember, my dad has been in the ministry and is still a pastor of a church in my hometown. When I was around ten years old my father had just been led to serve as a Associate/Youth Pastor at a church near where we were living at the time. However, it did require us to move. We were blessed to be able to stay in the church’s staff house while my dad served at this church.
We had been at this particular church for a just a couple of months when God really began to work through my dad and the youth ministry he was leading. It began to grow and open its doors to more spiritual growth and learning through God. The church as a body of Christ was grateful and excited about the way the ministry was growing. On the other hand the devil was not, and had apparently been working very hard to bring this particular youth ministry and the church as a whole down.
Months went by and the church and youth ministry were on fire for God and everyone was pleased. The staff house we lived in right beside the church was a new and wonderful home. One early morning I woke up to see what I can only explain as an angel sent by God standing at the foot of my bed. It was the most beautiful and most comforting experience I probably will ever have until I get to Heaven.
I got up and went to my parents room to tell them what I saw. My parents were comforted and thankful to God, knowing that one of His many angels was watching over their children ( I also have two sisters). I wondered for a little while why God allowed me to see the angel that night at the foot of my bed, but a couple of years later God allowed me to know that reason.
After my Dad knew I was old enough to be told the story he explained that he and my mother had been undergoing a different kind of spiritual battle during that particular week. During the week and on that particular night when I saw the angel at my bed, my parents were awakened on several occasions during the night by a noise that they both describe as “not of God and not of this living world”.
My dad said that the first night he heard the noise he awoke and ran to the hallway to make sure my sisters and I were okay. He was stopped in the hallway by the noise and the presence of what he believes were demons. He knew the noise the demons were making was only coming from around him and no where else. He could do nothing in his own power to stop it.
The next night my dad awoke in panic and could not breathe. As he reached up he felt his pillow over his face; he was terrified and the only word he could get out was, “Jesus!” Immediately the pillow fell off of his face and he set up in the bed, awaking my mother; they began to pray. I can only imagine the fear they experienced as they were comforted by God through prayer.
I can only explain the events that happened as an example of God’s wonderful love for His children and the devil’s attempt to tear apart the body of Christ. Our family believes the devil was trying to discourage, scare, and ruin the wonderful things God was doing at that church where my dad was working.
Looking back as a man I believe that God allowed me to see the angel to show us that He is with us even in the darkest places and that he will protect us from whatever might come our way. I also feel that God allowed my parents – and my Dad especially – to experience the torment we feel as Christians in the presence of demons, and the role they play in attempting to tear apart God’s church.
I was blessed to have parents who loved God and his church very much. At the few churches my Dad pastored I will never forget this one especially because of this story and for the wonderful fact that, at this church, I accepted Jesus as my personal and only Savior.
Christopher