The Dream

Under the covers, there I was sleeping peacefully when a knock came at the door. One knock turned into incessant knocking. With pillows now smooshing my face into the sheets, it was evident I had been turning over in an attempt to sleep off the obnoxious noise.

But now the neighborly knocks shifted into disturbing shouts. A husky voice behind the door hollered, “Open up this door. Let me in, now”.

Half asleep, my mind was drawing a half circle conclusion that the urgency behind this voice wasn’t because someone was in need of help.

My mind was at rest. Reaching for the phone on my nightstand, the only plan I had was to type out a text to a friend about how annoying this was.

The fist behind fast knocking flipped into aggressive pounding.

This doesn’t seem right, I thought. If there’s so much strength trying to scare me from behind that door, then why don’t they just break a window or shoot the lock open and enter the place? Weird.

The pounding now echoing through stillness of my house, I sat up. There was no panic in my mind; only peace. And yet, I felt it would be wise to climb into the closet and call someone. So I moseyed out of bed and dialed 9-1-1.

The Door (in the dream)

It’s been months since that morning I woke up with that image of a door and the devil in my dream.

Why not just break a window, I thought.

The Lord said, he can’t come inside unless you open that door.

The devil can’t break into your ‘house’, your temple, your mind, unless you invite him in. With all the tools in his toolbox, and every huff and puff of terror building up on the outside, the devil can’t pry open the door.

It is impossible.

Sure, he may stir up some fear, but the enemy can’t crack even the weakest walls when it’s built with a strong foundation.

“The Lord your God who goes before you will himself fight for you.” (Deuteronomy 1:30) That’s His promise to you. Let the Lord do your heavy lifting. How? By calling out to Jesus. I find that I need to physically get into a position of surrender on my knees to tap into the power of peace.

When you open the door and let peace out, you let confusion in.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10).

Satan is standing outside your door, and he’s knocking to come in.

The doors are different for each of us. What does yours look like?

Mine is anxiety… dwelling on concerns, worries and self-imposed deadlines. Yours might be depression. It could be distractions. Maybe the door is an ‘opportunity’ you shouldn’t draw near to.

The enemy is a prince of persuasion. In his hand are some empty promises, wrapped up as a few of your weaknesses; alcohol, romantic relationships, money, your own influence with people.

The devil’s knock may be under the disguise of helping you when you’re down. He needs you to open the door and let him into your life in order to destroy you.

“These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.” (Revelation 3:7)

God is Peace. God is your Peace.

Peace is evidence of the presence of God and it’s for your benefit to pursue peace in all areas of your life, even when the noise at your door gets louder.

Peace is not determined by your circumstances. Peace is the presence of God. It is present to guard your heart and mind.

And I want you to know, when the enemy comes in the night to stir up your peace, grace is laced in the blood of Christ dripping from your doorpost as the angel of death grips the knob.

One last note. If you haven’t asked Jesus to be the Peace in your life, it may be His voice calling out to you on the other side of that door.

In Revelation, Jesus says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

So how do you know the difference? Pray. When you call out to Him in prayer, in Jesus’ name, He comes like a mighty rushing wind into your heart. He may be the one at the door asking you to open up to Him.

Let Peace inside and it will never leave you.