SLEEP

1. Sleep considered a blessing:

A. Trust in God to bless you with sleep:

*Psa.3:5*I laid me down & slept; for the Lord sustained me

*Psa.4:8*I will both lay me down in peace, & sleep

*Psa.127:2b*He giveth His beloved sleep

*Eccl.5:12a*The sleep of a labouring man is sweet

*Jer.31:26*I awaked, & beheld; & my sleep was sweet unto me

B. God gives freedom from fear & sweet sleep:

*Psa.91:5*Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night

*Pro.3:24*Not be afraid...shalt lie down, & thy sleep be sweet

*Acts 12:6*[Peter able to sleep in prison] bound with two chains

C. The Lord can miraculously give you deep sleep:

*Gen.2:21*The Lord caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam

*1Sam.26:12*A deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them

D. Rest in the Lord & sleep through anything:

*Ezk.34:25*Dwell safely in the wilderness, & sleep in the woods

*Mat.8:24*Tempest...ship covered with waves: but He was asleep

2. If you can't sleep, pray:

*Psa.42:8*In the night His song shall be with me, & my prayer

*Psa.63:5,6*When I...meditate on Thee in the night watches

*Isa.26:9a*With my soul have I desired Thee in the night

*Lam.2:19*Arise, cry out in the night...pour out thine heart

*(See also   Psa.4:4 ;  119:55 .)

3. Some reasons for not being able to sleep:

A. When the Lord wants to speak to you:

*1Sam.3:3-10*Samuel was laid down to sleep...the Lord called

*Job 4:12-17*In the night, when deep sleep falleth on men, a spirit passed before my face...I heard a voice

B. Sometimes God allows it to work out His will:

*Est.6:1-3*On that night could not the king (Ahasuerus) sleep

C. When worried or troubled:

*Psa.77:3,4*Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled

*Eccl.2:23*His days are sorrows...taketh not rest in the night

*Eccl.5:12b*Abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep

*Dan.6:14-18*[King Darius passed the night fasting, unable to sleep]

*(See also  Psa.6:6 )

D. Because of unusual dreams:

*Dan.2:1*His spirit was troubled, & his sleep brake from him

*Job 7:13,14*Then Thou scarest me with dreams, & visions

E. When God is testing you, as He did Job:

*Job 7:3,4*Wearisome nights are appointed unto me...I am full of tossings to & fro unto the dawning of the day

F. Punishment for disobeying God:

*Deut.28:58,66,67*If thou wilt not observe...thou shalt fear day & night... shalt say, "Would God it were morning"

G. Be considerate of those who are sleeping:

*Pro.27:14*He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early...it shall be counted a curse to him

*Song 2:7*Stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please

4. Good reasons for missing sleep:

A. To pray desperately:

*1Sam.15:11*It grieved Samuel; & he cried unto the Lord all night

*Lk.6:12*(Jesus) continued all night in prayer to God

*1Thes.3:10*Night & day praying exceedingly (to) see your face

B. To rise early & pray:

*1Sam.1:19*They rose up in the morning early, & worshipped  Mk.1:35  Rising up a great while before day...Jesus prayed

*Psa.57:8,9*Awake, psaltery & harp: I myself will awake early. I will praise Thee, O Lord

*Psa.119:147*I prevented (was up before) the dawning of the morning, & cried: I hoped in Thy Word

C. To do your job:

*Gen.31:38-40*[Jacob frequently sacrificed sleep for 20 years because of diligent shepherding]

D. Caution about getting overtired:

*Psa.127:2*It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late...for so He giveth His beloved sleep

*Acts 20:7-9*Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep...fell down

5. When it is not good to sleep:

A. Don't oversleep when you should be working:

*Pro.6:9*How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When arise...?

*Pro.6:10,11*A little sleep, a little slumber...folding of hands: so shall thy poverty come (See also  Pro.24:33,34 )

*Pro.10:5*He that sleepeth in harvest...son that causeth shame

*Pro.20:13*Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty

*Pro.26:14*As the door turneth upon hinges, so doth the slothful

B. Times to rise & pray:

*Jon.1:4-6*O sleeper...arise, call upon thy God

*Mk.14:37-41*Sleepest thou? Couldst thou not watch one hour? Watch ye & pray, lest ye enter into temptation

*Lk.22:46*Why sleep ye? Rise & pray, lest ye enter temptation

C. When something important needs to be done first:

*Psa.132:3-5*I will not give sleep to mine eyes, until I find

*Pro.6:1-4*Do this now...give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber

D. Oversleeping can be caused by laziness or unconcern for others:

*Pro.19:15*Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep

*Isa.56:10,11*Watchmen are blind...sleeping, loving to slumber

E. Sleep can symbolise spiritual insensitivity:

*Rom.13:11,12*Knowing the time...now it is high time to awake

*Eph.5:14*Awake thou that sleepest...Christ shall give thee light

*1Thes.5:4-8*Let us not sleep...let us watch & be sober

6. Trusting the Lord to awaken you:

A. When you've slept enough & need to rise:

*Isa.50:4*(God) wakeneth (me) morning by morning...to hear

*Zech.4:1*And the angel that talked with me...waked me

B. To flee danger:

*Mat.2:13,14*Angel...appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise... flee. He arose...by night, & [left with Jesus & Mary]

*Acts 12:4-7*Peter (slept)...angel of the Lord...smote Peter on the side, & raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly

C. To give you something you need:

*1Ki.19:5-7*[Angel woke Elijah up twice to give him food & water]

D. He awakens you after giving you an important message:

*Mat.1:24*Joseph being raised from sleep did as angel had bidden

Copyright (c) 1997 by The Family