30 Day Challenge - Day 2

Today I woke up exhausted.  I went to the early Sunday service because I had to help with the little kids at the 11 a.m. service.  God provided super-natural energy to get me through the day and He blessed us well-behaved kids.  As an added bonus, He allowed me to meet with a friend in need after church.  God is good. 

I came home after church and went for a 45 minute walk.  It was glorious outside.  I even ran 4 blocks!  When I got back, I sat down and iced my back – as a precautionary measure.  I talked to my mom and then a friend on the phone.  The last thing I did before I showered was to tell my small group leader that I would type up my notes from the retreat so she could send them out to our small group.  Then I went upstairs to take a shower.  I decided to lift my 5 pound dumb bells and get some arm exercises in. 

At some point during the evening (before or after my shower), I had changed my password.  As an IT security professional, I know that we should never disclose our passwords, but this is an exception because it plays directly into what's going on in my life.  I use a pass-phrase, which allows a longer password.  Part of it says, “Thank God for Healing.” 

After my shower, I came back downstairs and sat down to do The Lord’s Table Bible study (a Biblical weight loss program).  However, as I was sitting there, my back started hurting more and more.  It got so bad, I couldn't sit any longer.  I had to stand.  I could barely get myself up off the couch.  Then I went to pick up my laptop that weighs between 5-7 pounds.  I dropped it.  Thankfully not far, but I must have hurt my back when I lifted those 5 pound dumb bells! 

Immediately, I recognized this was spiritual warfare.  The ONLY thing I can think of is that I agreed to type up the notes from the retreat to share with our group.  I was also praying some powerful prayers for friends that are going through difficult times in their life. 

In every way possible, I was proclaiming in the name of Jesus, praising Jesus, casting out Satan and His demons, and accepting God’s spirit of healing.  I thought of what friend had shared that when she felt a spirit suppressing her at home, she finally had the courage to command it to leave in Jesus' name.  Yet, she didn't think to protect her children.  She felt like the spirit must have left her and tormented her daughter.  I wondered if I was able to release my friends that I was praying over earlier and the spirits were angry enough to torment me in the only way they could.

I went to bed at 9:30 p.m. because all I could think of was laying horizontally.  I wasn't tired, but I knew that I couldn't lay on the couch because I wouldn't be able to get up.  Going to bed helped alleviate the pain.  But, I could hear my cat downstairs knocking things over and acting like a spaz, I wondered again if that was spiritual warfare!  So I was praying for him and casting out whatever was tormenting him (he’s usually lazy).  At 2:30 a.m., I woke up to go to the bathroom and couldn't get out of bed.  I was in so much pain and no matter how I moved, it HURT.  I cried, I begged Jesus to help.  30 minutes later, I was out of bed.  Going to the bathroom was another painful experience.  Getting back into bed was painful.  I had the where-with-all to turn off my alarm and grab my cell phone.  If my alarm went off, there is no way I could get to it in less than 30 minutes!!  So, I took the time to post a prayer request in my small group.  I fell back asleep and woke up around 7 a.m.  I was still in pain, and again, I couldn't get out of bed. 

I have been praising God, reading my 30 day challenge verses, praying, and taking Advil.  No relief yet.  I will keep P.U.S.H.ing (pray until something happens).