I had an attack last night. As I slept, some invisible powerful entity got in bed behind me and I could hear its breath in my ear. It felt chilling, evil and menacing. I immediately focused on crying out the name of Lord Jesus several times to help me. After just a moment it disappeared and I felt free. I thanked Jesus, prayed the Lord's Prayer and was able to sleep.
This has happened a few times in the last few years, ever since I was bereaved. I was already a Christian, with a growing faith and I still certainly am. I am a bible reading person and I pray daily. Yet this kind of attack happens once in a while, only when I have been particularly upset and depressed. I know the very name of Jesus Christ is my protection and has never failed.
Has anyone ever had such demonic attacks and please can you pray for me? Any more advice would be encouraging too - especially any explanation of what this actually was? I know it was not just a dream.
Mine have looked different, being more often interference in my dreams or thoughts or health, but attacks by evil spirits happen to everyone, though often more covertly. They are like mosquitoes or flies that pop up from time to time. You have to swat the current one to make it stop but others will eventually show up. Also, just like certain behaviors can attract or repel insects, certain behaviors can attract or repel evil spirits. None of these work absolutely though. They also pop up more often when God is training you to deal with them, and when you and God are making or in a position to make progress that they don't like. Therefore don't take their appearance as a failure on your part. Spiritual purity does indeed help avoid some attacks, though, so stay away from things like horror movies, Halloween, Ouija boards, prideful thoughts, etc. Activities like praising God, declaring His holiness, and applying the essential oil spikenard in proper mental placement help deter them, though aren't certainties.
When you do encounter them, or even just think it's a possibility, you have authority over yourself, your belongings, your wife if you are a husband, your children if you are a parent or teacher, etc. to cast them off. Just declare something like, "I command all unclean spirits off of me, off my possessions, and out of my home. And I forbid any replacements." You can also rebuke by effect (depression, pride, fear, doubt, pain, etc.) The last part about replacements is is because they often work in teams to try to trick you. If you are a Christian you can also do this in Jesus' name. Make sure you are truly declaring these things with your intentions and not just treating it like magic words, though; God's ways are in spirit and in truth.
Just to be clear, what we are talking about here is oppression by evil spirits. It is different from possession by evil spirits. Oppression is outside of you and you are still in control. It is very, very common. Possession means inside of you and requires some level of permission. It is rare. Possession requires outsiders to help because the person is themself compromised, though this shouldn't be done without them truly wanting to be free or it can make the situation worse per scripture.
P.S. I avoid using the term 'demons' and 'demonic' because these come from false religion. I will use them sometimes anyway for clarity, though.