Peace Be Still

All in all, the Spirit is moving in huge ways: within my character and in supernatural power around us! One of the biggest battles which deals in both of these areas is the issue of continual peace in my soul--not based on circumstances. I thought my lesson on anxiety had for the most part been learned. I mean, God has been working on me for over 4 months on this and has been really pounding it into me time and time again. Last night I realized that it has only been the beginning.
Andrew and I had a blessed night with our beloved friends that housed us for our first 2 weeks in Missoula except this time it was just the 6 young ones (no baby that night!). What a gift from the Lord and a blessing to the family as well. However, the most impactful time was when they were all sleeping and the Lord was drawing me to himself. In a not-so-pleasant way.
All the kids, Andrew and I slept in the living room of their basement: sleepover!! But as soon as the lights went out and the eyelids closed, my heart pounded. It was pounding as I have noticed recently either means spiritual warfare or anxiety, which I guess usually comes one in the same. I couldn't explain it. Then one of the older kids who had a cold began coughing, gargling and it just sounded aweful. I felt that I was to pray over him, so with my heart pounding, I was petitioning for peace to come to his body. I knew I was to pray, and pray in faith, but the words kept coming to me from Bill Johnson: "You only have authority over the storms you can sleep through." Unfortunately, I knew I would not be sleeping the way my heart was pounding and this poor boy was coughing. So I decided for my lack of peace, I would battle in prayer until breakthrough.
It was absolutely miserable. Soon my focus went from the boy's healing to my heart stilling and my soul resting even if my body wouldn't. I remembered a story from a book I read by Kris Vallotton about the lesson he learned on peace when a big, scary demon with big red eyes would stand at the end of his bed (not to mention many of the demons his whole family faced during that time). Vallotton said he would cast it out in the Lord's name, read scripture to it, and whatever else to no end. I forget the exact details of the story, but the demon finally left him after one night where he said, "Oh, it's just you" and turned over and fell asleep. The peace within Vallotton rendered the demon powerless and it never visited him again.
As I reflected on this story, I sensed the coughing of the boy was my plaguing demon of dought and unrest, anxiety and frustration. At around one or one thirty, Andrew also sensing a battle going on interceeded. Andrew came beside me knowing the unrest needed to be resolved and I told him the uncontrollable heart pounding in my chest. His words, "Rest in the knowledge of breakthrough. I am interceeding for you both" brought reassurance to me as he went over to pray for the boy. After the second time praying, he stopped coughing. My mind and soul finally felt complete rest as Andrew prayed over me, petted my head and I was able to fall asleep. [After discussing the night with Andrew, he felt a very palpable power in the room after I fell asleep.]
I slept until 6am and continued to pray as my mind would not let my body rest, slightly disappointed I didn't sleep later. But the weirdest part, or should I say the biggest revelation came when Andrew and I discussed the night. He stayed up later than I praying and being with the Lord. He knew there was some connection between one of us and the boy but was unsure. He was upstairs before I awoke and heard the boy start coughing at around six again but was silent after I fell asleep and before six. My rest and his rest were connected. When peace reigned in me, the boy slept in peace.
The Lord wants me to know the power of a peaceful soul in his Spirit. What a blessing to be intimatly involved in this night even though it was anything but pleasant. Wow. And now throughout this day, piecing these connections together and being amazed at how the Lord is moving in and through our lives, I realize that the peace I have needs to be more solidly founded on the Lord...starting in the calm. For when I am in the storm, I ALREADY need to be firm in God's peace which passes understanding.
Yes, it is only beginning. The demon of anxiety needs to be cast out by the peace of the Lord. Praise Him who slept through the storm and for the grace to empower me to do the same. Build me up Lord, build me up.