Sometimes you can create the perfect refuge in your bedroom, will yourself to bed and master all your monsters, yet you still can’t get to sleep. The reason is that sometimes the chaos that keeps you awake once you crawl into bed continues, either outside your window or inside your head. You see things on the news, or you read things on social media that create a political or cultural theatre far more disturbing than entertaining. And you may not have a lot of control over what goes on outside your window—but you can still worry if you so choose, letting it steal your peaceful rest.

2 Corinthians 10:1-5 ESV I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!— I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

Try using God-given dreams and prayers at night to deal with that world outside your window. This will help you feel less fearful as night falls. It’s also important to watch your words both day and night, on social media and elsewhere. Don’t pray for peace and then make war with your conversations!

Put down those electronic devices at bedtime. Their glowing light hits your optic nerve and cues your pineal gland to stop producing melatonin. Melatonin is the drowsy hormone, and without it you’ll never go to sleep. Instead use that time to ask God for direction (even in your dreams) and pray for whatever is going on outside your window.

John 14:25-27 ESV These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Inside your head, certain voices might keep clamoring for your attention. It can be hard to shut them off, even after you switch off the lights. You have to choose which one to pay attention to as you lay yourself to rest. The only voice that matters belongs to the One who has promised you His peace.

The other voices probably include your own discouraging self-talk and the voices of the skeptics, those naysayers without the heart to see you succeed in your calling or purpose. When the voice keeping you awake is your own, it’s time to silence the inner critic. The only way to do that is to be transformed by the renewing of your mind, as Romans 12:2 tells us.

Romans 12:1-2 ESV I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Replace negative self-talk with God’s mind-transforming words about His love and care for you. As for the naysayers, it’s imperative that you become convinced of who God says you are, so other voices cannot change your mind. Knowing God’s voice is knowing peaceful sleep.

Isaiah 54:17 ESV no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.

2 Chronicles 7:14 ESV if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Remember the Disney Pixar movie Monsters, Inc., which introduced a hidden world of monsters that generated energy by scaring human children, even though the movie was a comedy? Kids were toxic to these monsters’ plans for world bedtime domination.

As adults, we have overcome our fear of monsters in our closets. Or have we? Indeed, entities are hiding just out of sight—not in your closet, but in the wings of your life.

James 5:13-16 ESV Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

If you are God’s child, His enemies are your enemies, and they lie in wait for you to open the door to fear. I’ve noticed three common “monsters” that want to intimidate people of faith, and they start growling at nighttime in an attempt to steal our peace, our sleep and our dreams. They are monitoring spirits, some of them are familiar spirits, and all want you to dress yourself in garments of fear, worry and other devastating outfits.

Ephesians 4:26-27 ESV Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.

Must you fall victim to these monsters, or is there something you can do? I believe that if you’re brave enough to open the closet door and walk straight into the monster factory, you’ll find that you are not afraid of them, but they are actually afraid of you!

Your faith is toxic to them. You can dismiss the spirits tracking your steps each day to steal your future, one peaceful night’s sleep at a time. Freedom awaits you through prayer that takes authority over these interfering enemies, in Jesus’ name!

A powerful arsenal is at your disposal each and every night. Slip your hand under your pillow and take advantage of the weapons waiting for you there. These weapons include your dreams, your prayers and your rest. Your dreams especially are your direct pipeline to heaven’s wisdom. That’s why it is so important to get to sleep and have some!

Acts 2:17-18 ESV And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

Throughout the Bible, God used dreams to communicate with people. What He did for those in Scripture, He will do for you. You just have to be in a relationship with Him to hear His voice. There are waking dreams that call for action, encouraging dreams, warning dreams that protect you or your loved ones, and directional dreams. If God gives you a dream, He’ll give you the grace to pray it forth. Between your dreams from God, your prayer and your rest, you and God can handle any monster that comes your way!

Psalm 91:1-5 ESV He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day