I had such a interesting and fun dream about my daughter, Alex the other day. I want to write it down before I forget.

In this dream I saw Alex as a child, about 6th grade age. She was in the Grand Central terminal in NYC. There were so many commuting adults in there walking quickly and purposefully. I saw Alex in that crowded place and also walking swiftly. She looked so young in that crowd of adults. She was walking down the steps to get to her destination. As she turned the corner of the steps and onto the floor, she got so excited because she ran into other children in her age group. There were maybe 2-3 of them as they all ran into each other. They immediately looked so happy and relieved to find each other, and began to do what young children do when they are very happy. They placed their arms around each other and started to dance in circles while jumping up and down. As her mom, I was so happy to see her happy and finding friends in her age group. That is when I woke up. 😄

As I was reflecting on this dream yesterday it is pretty accurate about her situation. She just graduated college in December, and will be starting her first real job in corporate finance in NYC in about a week. It is an excellent company and position. I’m sure she feels a little bit like a child in an adult world. I remember feeling that way when I started my first corporate job in NYC. The dream also implied that she will quickly meet other young people starting their careers and she will have friends right away. 😊 It brings great joy when my children are happy and healthy.

Then I reflected upon how she was only five years ago. It is truly amazing and remarkable. Five years ago, she became like demon-possessed and changed so drastically during the pandemic lockdown. As I prayed about her, the Holy Spirit gave me a battle strategy but it took a LONG time and my heart was broken to pieces along the way. The battle plan given to me was the story of the Syropheonian woman in the Bible. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%207%3A24-30&version=NIV

Here is a brief history background about this mother: https://www.bibleodyssey.org/articles/the-syrophoenician-woman/#:~:text=Both%20geographically%20and%20ethnically%2C%20the,reason%20for%20her%20daughter’s%20healing.

I was told by the Holy Spirit in my prayer time that Alex’s deliverance will happen but not in my presence. Indeed, she was delivered from whatever demonic spirit that took over her mind. She was delivered while she was attending college faraway, and it happened little-by-little. Way too slowly for me!

An experienced therapist who had many years of experience with eating disorder patients told me that Alex’s case was very bad and that from her perspective, Alex would get worse while away in college. She strongly recommended that Alex stay at home for college and get treatments here. I had to overrule her suggestion and go with the Holy Spirit’s battle plan. My husband didn’t know what I knew in the spirit but he also agreed that we need to give Alex a chance to go to the college of her choice. My heart and mind were broken to shreds so many times for two long painful years. Then suddenly she became better and better. Her mind became restored while in college, and not in my presence just as the Holy Spirit said.

This song by Casting Crowns was my anthem song in those dark and tumultuous days and reflected my heart perfectly. https://youtu.be/0YUGwUgBvTU?si=wH7dSBFSj0UuGz26

I learned so, so much from this long battle for my daughter’s mind and wellbeing. I know that God uses our pain to help others. He has given my family complete victory, and now my pain and suffering, and victory will be used to help other mothers fighting for their children’s minds and wellbeing. I will certainly make the enemy (aka Satan and his demons) pay dearly for my family’s suffering and pain. I just realized that since I had to fight this battle on my own since my husband is not a believer; now I can even reach the single moms, and moms following Jesus alone without their husbands! My reach has increased exponentially. Praise the Lord Jesus Christ.

I am reminded of the stories that I heard from male prisoners. They shared that it’s the moms who would visit them regularly in prison and for the long haul. God gave the moms superpowers to persevere and to be unashamed to ask for help when it comes to our children. That is our superpower. I am reminded of Jesus’ mother, Mary. It didn’t matter how beaten up and grossly abused Jesus was on his way to the cross. She was there taking it all in because Jesus was her baby. Jesus was the child that she bore and carried in labor and raised with love. Her husband, Joseph wasn’t there and it wasn’t because he couldn’t handle it. Bible scholars believe that he passed away before Jesus went out into ministry.

God is good, loving, faithful and all powerful. Without God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, our family’s story would be a very different story today.

One day when my daughter gets saved I look forward to sharing all these behind-the-scene spiritual battles that I prayed for her. I also would like to hear what happened in the screen of her laptop that opened up the demonic portals into her mind and heart. Like I said she changed so drastically and quickly that it was obvious to me that it was a demonic possession. That was God’s mercy because for me it was very obvious what I was fighting against – demons.

Yes we reached out to many therapists and doctors. But they only offered human perspectives and very limited help. In my experiences, the therapists were not very helpful and would often drop her case because she wasn’t willing to be helped. She only saw them because she had no choice. Her college dietitian was very helpful for accountability and she was the only professional who was very patient with Alex’s care and gave me some condolences. She was a god-send since the dietitian would always take my calls and texts when I needed to talk to her. She was my main source of contact if I needed a glimpse into Alex’s mind. May God bless her abundantly. 🙏

When I look back at all the great battles that my family and extended family members fought in the past five years, I marvel that we have victory in all of them. I am the only believer in my nuclear family. In my extended family members, my mom and sister are baby Christians. When you are fighting against a spiritual enemy, you need to surround yourself with believers who are caring, mature, prayer warriors, and grounded in the word of God, the Bible. It is during times of quiet and rest that you must be establishing these friendships in the body of Christ.

I once read a quote from Maya Angelou who said “You and God are the majority.” It’s true. I also read a quote by Abraham Lincoln who said, “I regard no man as poor who has a godly mother.” Amen to that!

As soon as I saw some light in Alex’s case after two years; I didn’t get too much of a break. The baton of battling was now onto my son. It was another two tumultuous years with him. But his case was not as scary as my daughter’s. His case was less complicated and more understandable like the typical teen rebellion stuff that you read about in parent magazines and books. I’m finally seeing some light with him in the last few months. Praise the Lord Jesus.

In case you are wondering, I have two children. 🙂

I’ll end this message with an excellent sermon that I heard today from Dr Youssef. I pray that it’ll give you much encouragement and hope.

“In this climactic message, Dr. Michael Youssef calls every believer to the sacred duty of persistent intercession for the next generation. Teaching from John 4, he shows that God honors faith rooted in the inerrant Word of God and confidence in the promises of Jesus Christ, God in human flesh. Dr. Youssef urges believers to move from crisis faith to confident, contagious faith that trusts Christ without visible proof. He reminds the Church that God is a covenant-keeping God who works through families and generations. This episode confronts shallow belief and calls for repentance, faithful modeling, and relentless prayer—because shaping the future of the Church begins on our knees before a faithful God.”

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leading-the-way-radio/id273093852?i=1000745278027