I lay myself to sleep:
The body was created with the need to sleep. Sleep allows the brain and the body to reset, recharge, and recover. It is a time when God may use it to minister to us and replenish our spirits. While we sleep, we are in a vulnerable state and open to more frequent attacks from the enemy, but God watches and protects us. An evil spirit put a word in the ear of Eliphaz, Job’s friend, while everyone slept against Job. “Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?” (Job 4:17). But the Bible teaches us not to be afraid when we sleep, because God watches over us and sustains us (Ps 3:5, 4:8). Physical sleep is vital for us, but spiritual not so. Spiritual sleep goes deeper than physical. It is when both the mind and the spirit are in a deep state of consciousness. It is most likely the state where satan attacks the most.
Matthew 13:24-27
24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25, But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? From whence then hath it tares?
In this parable of the good seed and the tares, while the men of the kingdom slept, the enemy sowed tares with the good seed and then went his way. Now, no one knew that this had happened until the good seed began to show fruit. When the tares bear fruit with the good seed, the men were clueless about how the bad seed appeared. The good man of the kingdom revealed to his servants that the enemy was the one who sowed the bad seed (Mt 13:28). Jesus explained the parable to the disciples and said that the good seed is the children of God’s kingdom. God has sown them in the earth that they bear good fruit (Jh 15:8). The tares are the children of the enemy. Now, tares become tares after Satan plants a word of enmity in their minds as he did in Job’s friend against the children of the kingdom. The men in the parable, like many believers today, could not discern where the tares came from.
Spiritual slumber leads to a lack of discernment. It comes through various avenues, such as unrepentant sins, neglect of spiritual practices, busyness, and complacency. Becoming spiritually vigilant is highly emphasized throughout the scriptures (Ro 13:11-12). We are called to awaken from our sleep and identify the enemy’s attacks (Eph 5:14).
Job 4:17
17 Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?
Psalms 3:5
5 I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.
Psalms 4:8
8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.
Matthew 13:28
28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
John 15:8
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
Romans 13:11-12
11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Ephesians 5:14
14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.