WRITE - Five Minute Friday AND #31Days (Day 4)

Today is Day Four of 31 Days of Encountering God! If you missed the kick-off, you can go HERE and find the Introduction as well as each days post! (I will be adding every day as the month goes on!

God Encounters when we Write...

I am resisting the urge to write about how God shows up every single week over on Twitter as we gather together to lift up, crack up, pray up, and keep up with each other as we wait for the weekly Prompt!  I want to... but I am keeping in line with my #31days series - so I will stay the course...

So - this will be tricky... we're gonna try to write this #31Days post and combine it with the #fmfparty prompt... 

Here's hoping Lisa Jo makes this easy... the word prompt is:  WRITE

Oh but - first - the fine print: if you don't know what FMF is!  Five Minute Fridays are hosted by Lisa Jo Baker.  It is open to anyone, so to learn more about it - and to jump in yourself (the more the merrier!) or just to find a linky to see what everyone is writing about today - click HERE!  The idea is to simply write... for Five Minutes flat... no editing, no deep thinking - or at least REthinking, no spell check - just write! Let it flow! We all write using a prompt that Lisa posts at 10pm Thursday night (EST.)  I'm loving the community of amazing bloggers and the creativity that flows from these magical Five Minutes!

So - here goes: Five Minute Friday - WRITE...

{GO}

I had been a Christian for all of maybe a few months... old things were falling away, new things were growing fast and strong! Faith was quickly replacing Fear and I was feeling like even though my life was still small - it has purpose... I was on my way to finding out more about the One who made me and gave me life and things were becoming more black and white... less grey!

I was in my apartment all by myself - everything locked up, turned off, and my head had barely hit the pillow.  I had taken out my contacts and I could not see... but suddenly, a smell entered into the room.  It was overpowering and as I started to give in to the idea that I would need to get up and deal with whatever it was - I felt hands around my throat.  I struggled against this weight and all of the sudden I felt a heaviness sit right down on my chest... hands squeezing tighter... the smell getting stronger.  I began to panic... I tried to push him away and swept my hands through the air.  I tried again and again - and heard the most evil laugh I have ever heard... this - whatever it was - this was not flesh and blood.

I knew Jesus... I KNEW He was with me and He would help me... I kept praying over and over in my mind, "Jesus... Jesus... Jesus!"

It felt like I was struggling for air for minutes - but it was more likely seconds... I opened my eyes to hte darkness all around me and suddenly could see eyes peircing into mine - dark and angry... the look of a lover betrayed... (I had been his... I just didn't know it... I never knowingly pledged my allegiance... but he knew he was losing me and he wanted a fight!)

I gasped for air and prayed all the more for Jesus to come... this demon leaned in closer - his hellish breath hot on my cheek and he whispered, "He can't hear you... He's not real... He won't come!"

I didn't WANT this to be true... I prayed it was not true.  Surely He would not let me down!

Suddenly, I heard the voice of One who cares give me direction... He said, "Karrilee, SPEAK My Name! Say it OUT LOUD!"

I couldn't inhale and fear had me bound... but I wrestled around and gasped in quick.  With all I had... I cried out, "Jesus!"

Immediately - gone.  The presence... the stench... the evil.

I sat there shaking in the dark, not sure if that really happened or what to do next!

Again - out of nowhere... I heard my Savior speak.

"Look to the Word... I have written wisdom down for you to follow... seek and you will find!"

{STOP}

(OK - that was more like 8 minutes... and I am gonna cheat just a bit and wrap up the story here.  Taking a bit of liberty so I can stay within my #31Days...)

I got up, turned on some lights and found my Bible.  I was new... I had never really read the Bible before and just learned that it was not exactly like a novel. I didn't HAVE to read it front to back, and I didn't have to remember all the 'characters'... I prayed and took my Bible - letting it fall where it may... this is the Scripture that my pages landed on:

"For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to smite you."  (Exodus 12:23 NASV)

Needless to say - I got chills! I had just heard a teaching on anointing oil and things began to click. I felt a sense of Peace come in and clean house. I got out some olive oil and used it to pray through my house, and put it on the doorposts of my home... amazingly, I was able to go back to sleep that night without any fear!  

That God Encounter taught me early on of the importance and power of speaking OUT LOUD... there is power of life and death in our tongues and that is just one more reason why I urge us all to:

Five Minute Fridays gives us the chance to dive right in and share what He puts on our hearts! Click here to read what others have to say about "WRITE"  

Linking up with The Nester and 100s of other #31Day Bloggers!