It’s happened to all of us.
You’re caught in a dream that feels so real. It seems like the worst is actually happening. In the moment, you’re convinced it’s reality. But then you wake up, relieved to find it was only a nightmare.
Still, despite that relief, you may wake up shaken, heart racing, gripped by the “what ifs.” What if it really does happen? What if it wasn’t just a bad dream?
I believe many things can cause dreams and nightmares – our thoughts, emotional stress, even something as simple as eating too much or too little. But I also believe that God sometimes speaks to us through dreams. He can use them to reveal things, warn us, or prepare us.
That said, dreaming about something doesn’t mean it will happen. Even if it’s a revelation from God, it’s not necessarily a prophecy set in stone.
A bad dream or nightmare may actually be a call to action, a chance to make different choices, to pray, to seek clarity and avoid the outcome you saw.
“I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.”
—Luke 10:19
There are many examples in the Bible where God used dreams to reveal what was to come. Pharaoh’s dreams were used by God to elevate Joseph from prison to governor of Egypt, continuing God’s promises to Abraham (Genesis 41).
God also used dreams with Nebuchadnezzar, leading to Daniel interpreting them and ultimately revealing God’s power (Daniel 2). Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, received God’s message in a dream, telling him that the child conceived by Mary was of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18–25).
As Christians, we must understand that dreams can be a powerful way God communicates with His children. We need to pay attention, pray, and seek discernment whenever we dream.
Does the devil also use dreams?
The Bible does not explicitly say that Satan uses dreams to harm people. However, if dreams are influenced by our thoughts and fixations, then yes, the devil will try to influence your thoughts if you give him room.
“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
Christ is knocking at the door of your heart but Satan is also lurking. Whoever you open the door to will enter. And once inside your heart, they will influence your thoughts, which can shape your dreams and, eventually, your actions.
Guard your heart.
Don’t entertain negative thoughts. Don’t allow toxic influences, whether from people, media, or your own insecurities, to poison your mind. What you allow in will take root and shape the way you think, dream, and live.
But regardless of your thoughts or fears, remember this: Luke 10:19 declares that Christ has given you authority, authority to trample on snakes and scorpions. These aren’t literal creatures, but symbols of evil and torment, demonic forces that seek to disrupt your peace.
God has exalted the name of Jesus above every other name, and every dark force must bow to it. Night-time is often when spiritual attacks intensify but where Christ is, evil cannot prevail. So fill your heart with His presence, and there will be no room for fear.
Don’t just roll over and go back to sleep after a nightmare, assuming it was “just a dream.”
Wake up and pray. If it was nothing, you lose nothing. But if it was a warning or a prompting, you have the opportunity to respond, intercede, and change the course of events.
Here are some prayers against nightmares you can use:
A Mother’s Shield: Prayer Against Nightmares About Children
Dear Lord,
I thank You for the gift of my children and for the love and grace You continue to show our family each day. Father, tonight I come to You with a heavy heart, troubled by the nightmare I had about my children. Though it was only a dream, it felt so real, and I cannot ignore the weight it left behind.
Your Word assures us in Jeremiah 29:11 that Your plans for us are to prosper us and not to harm us. So I stand on this promise. I rebuke any spiritual attack on my children, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual. Every arrow aimed at their future, Lord, let it be broken in Jesus’ name.
Cover them, Lord, with Your wings. Send angels to guard their steps at school, at play, and as they grow. May they walk in Your purpose, protected from the traps of the enemy. I declare that their future will be bright, fruitful, and God-honouring. I silence every voice that speaks evil against them and nullify every bad dream that tries to instil fear in me.
In the mighty name of Jesus,
Amen.
Covering My Partner: Prayer Against Nightmares About My Husband
Gracious Father,
Thank You for my husband’s life – for his love, his strength, and his commitment to our family. I thank You for the role he plays in our home and the leadership he offers. But Lord, I had a troubling dream about him, and I bring it before You, not with fear, but with faith.
If that dream was a warning, I ask You to intervene now. Protect him from accidents, betrayals, or hidden traps. Guard him against any schemes that seek to destroy his peace or endanger his life. Cancel every plot of the enemy, and send Your angels to walk before him.
Let him be clothed in wisdom and strength. Renew his mind daily and give him discernment to see danger before it comes. I pray for emotional, mental, and spiritual stability in his life. Let every demonic pursuit be cut off. I declare that no weapon formed against him shall prosper, and every tongue that rises against him in judgement shall be condemned.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Securing My Future: Prayer Against Nightmares About Work and Career
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for opening the door to this job, which has been both a blessing and a responsibility. Tonight, I lift up the dream I had about my workplace. I choose not to let fear rule my heart, but instead to seek Your wisdom and guidance.
Lord, I reject every spirit of sabotage and manipulation aimed at my career. Any force trying to uproot me from where You’ve planted me, I cancel its effect. Grant me wisdom in my decision-making, grace in difficult conversations, and the ability to shine even in opposition.
Help me stay calm under pressure. Guard me against anger, pride, and hasty words. Let my conduct honour You in all settings, and let every plot to discredit me be exposed and destroyed. May I rise in favour, influence, and excellence.
I decree that my job is protected, and my work will bring glory to You.
In the powerful name of Jesus,
Amen.
Body and Spirit Restored: Prayer Against Nightmares About Health
Dear Lord,
Thank You for the breath in my lungs and the strength in my body. Tonight, I rebuke every nightmare that speaks of illness, disease, or premature death. I declare that my health is in Your hands.
Your Word says in Isaiah 53:5 that by Your stripes, we are healed. So I claim that healing now. I stand against all generational diseases, hereditary conditions, and invisible ailments. Let Your blood cleanse me from every toxin, infection, and affliction.
If the dream I had was a spiritual warning, then I ask for Your divine healing and protection now. Purge my body from all harm. May my sleep be sweet, and my waking be peaceful. I break every demonic diagnosis and uproot the seeds of fear and anxiety.
Let my days be long, healthy, and joyful, filled with the strength to serve You well.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Overflow and Provision: Prayer Against Nightmares About Finances
Dear God,
I thank You for provision thus far. But tonight, a dream of financial ruin disturbed my peace. I come against every spirit of poverty, lack, and backwardness. I decree that this bad dream will not manifest in my reality.
Every scheme to drain my resources, every silent devourer, and every plot against my income, I bind them in the name of Jesus. Let every dollar I earn be fruitful. Let every investment be divinely guided and protected.
I plant seeds of faith in Your kingdom and believe in supernatural returns. Let Your blessing chase me and overflow into my family. I reject stagnation and declare that I am the head and not the tail.
Let my finances reflect Your glory and enable me to bless others.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Related Posts
The Gift of Life: Prayer Against Nightmares About Death
Almighty Father,
The shadow of death tried to enter my dreams, but I reject it in Jesus’ name. I proclaim Psalm 118:17 over my life: “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.”
I come against every premature death, every accident, every sickness, and every demonic attack designed to end my life or the lives of those I love. Let Your light expose every dark plan. Let Your angels stand guard over me and my family.
I plead the blood of Jesus over my home, my car, my workplace, and every step I take. Let my life continue as a living testimony. May I fulfil every purpose You’ve assigned to me.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Breaking Chains: Prayer Against Nightmares About Imprisonment
Lord of Justice,
Tonight I felt the grip of spiritual chains in my dream. I rebuke every plan of the enemy to falsely accuse me, to entrap me, or to steal my freedom.
You are the God who opens prison doors. I ask You to expose every trap and vindicate me before men. Keep my hands clean and my heart pure. Let no word I speak or step I take lead me into trouble.
If there are those plotting lies or deceit against me, may they be exposed and silenced. Let shame cover the faces of those who seek to bring me low, and let Your justice prevail in every situation.
I walk in liberty because whom the Son sets free is free indeed.
In Jesus’ mighty name,
Amen.
Protected Pathways: Prayer Against Nightmares About Accidents
Father in Heaven,
Thank You for preserving me and keeping me through the day. Tonight, I had a dream of an accident, one that sought to steal my peace and spark fear in my heart. I reject it completely.
I declare divine protection over every vehicle I step into, every road I travel, and every place I go. Let no harm come near me. Keep me vigilant and spirit-led. Cancel every appointment with destruction. Let Your Holy Spirit steer me away from danger, and keep my eyes and reactions sharp.
Let my life be wrapped in Your safety. Keep me from being at the wrong place at the wrong time. I trust You fully, and I rest under the shadow of Your wings.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Freedom in Christ: Prayer Against Nightmares of Demonic Possession
Mighty Deliverer,
Tonight I cry out against all forms of demonic activity. I rebuke every spirit of torment, fear, and unclean influence that tried to take root through my dream. I cast it out by the power of the name of Jesus.
My home is a temple of Your Spirit. My body is not for possession by any dark force. I pray a hedge of fire around my children, my spouse, my work, my sleep, and my health. No evil may dwell among us.
I call upon the authority given to us in Luke 10:19—to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy. Let that authority be evident in my dreams and my reality.
I am free, I am whole, and I am Yours.
In the name of Jesus Christ,
Amen.
Embracing Divine Authority Through Dreams
As a Christian, dreams should not be a source of fear, but rather a channel of spiritual insight and strength. God often uses dreams to communicate, to guide, and to call us into action.
When unsettling dreams come, do not retreat into worry, instead, rise with authority. These dreams may be spiritual signals urging you to stand your ground and declare victory in Christ.
You have not been called to passivity. The position you hold as a child of God is powerful, so powerful, in fact, that it is envied by the forces of darkness. Imagine being recognised in heaven as a son or daughter of the Most High King. That identity carries an inheritance of peace, power, and purpose – an inheritance the enemy desperately wants to keep out of your hands.
That is why he attempts to plant fear through dreams, distractions, and demonic influences. But fear is not your portion. As 2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT) says:
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”
Know this: nightmares are not sent by God to torment you. Rather, when troubling dreams occur, they can often be divine nudges to awaken, to pray, to intercede, and to cancel the plans of the enemy.
God equips His children to overcome, not to shrink back. You have been given authority over darkness, and you are called to use it.
So take your place as a warrior in the Spirit. Speak the name of Jesus over every fear. Declare the promises of God over your life. And remember the words from Daniel 2:28 (NLT):
“But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the future. Now I will tell you your dream and the visions you saw as you lay on your bed.”
Just as God revealed mysteries to kings and prophets of old, He still reveals today. When He speaks through dreams, listen and respond with faith, not fear. Let every nightmare become a doorway to deeper prayer, sharper discernment, and greater spiritual authority. You were made for victory.
