Spiritual warfare on deathbed

[~Shalhevet~]

My dad passed away two days ago. He was a very religious man and what happened to him in the end days has me and my family very confused. I know there is a medical term for it (delirium) but what was happening almost seemed like spiritual warfare. I know demons can’t possess a Christian but it sure seemed that way. My dad started mocking Jesus while we were praying over him even growling at times and telling my mom he was going to kill her. My sisters prayed over him twice and he was acting possessed until finally during the second prayer he ceased, cried and started rubbing my sisters hand like whatever it was in him had left. Ever since then he was at peace until he passed just hours later. 

My two sisters who are nurses and see death every day said they’ve never seen this happen before.  They too agreed something spiritual was happening.  When he looked at me he wasn’t there  his eyes were empty and cold.  He even asked who I was and told me to “get out.”

In the final weeks leading up to his death he seemed to have Been focusing more on Satan than God. My family and I couldn’t understand why he was doing this. Why wouldn’t you cling to your faith in your final days? Why did he want to talk about Satan?

I don’t want to remember my dad this way but I do want answers. Why did god allow this to happen?  Is it possible there was a spiritual battle going on inside him at the end?  
 

I feel like he was tormented by satan in his final hours and that makes me really sad. My family including myself is super traumatized by the things we heard and saw in his final days especially knowing he is a very religious man. 

Edited February 7, 2022 by ~Shalhevet~
Added text

[Billiards Ball]

1 hour ago, ~Shalhevet~ said:

My dad passed away two days ago. He was a very religious man and what happened to him in the end days has me and my family very confused. I know there is a medical term for it (delirium) but what was happening almost seemed like spiritual warfare. I know demons can’t possess a Christian but it sure seemed that way. My dad started mocking Jesus while we were praying over him even growling at times and telling my mom he was going to kill her. My sisters prayed over him twice and he was acting possessed until finally during the second prayer he ceased, cried and started rubbing my sisters hand like whatever it was in him had left. Ever since then he was at peace until he passed just hours later. 

My two sisters who are nurses and see death every day said they’ve never seen this happen before.  They too agreed something spiritual was happening.  When he looked at me he wasn’t there  his eyes were empty and cold.  He even asked who I was and told me to “get out.”

In the final weeks leading up to his death he seemed to have Been focusing more on Satan than God. My family and I couldn’t understand why he was doing this. Why wouldn’t you cling to your faith in your final days? Why did he want to talk about Satan?

I don’t want to remember my dad this way but I do want answers. Why did god allow this to happen?  Is it possible there was a spiritual battle going on inside him at the end?  
 

I feel like he was tormented by satan in his final hours and that makes me really sad. My family including myself is super traumatized by the things we heard and saw in his final days especially knowing he is a very religious man. 

1) You said he had peace for hours than went to be with Jesus.

2) A demon can torment a Christian--think of someone hanging on your back and weighing you down, literally. They are not inside you but they can harass you.

Be grateful your dad was born again and went to Heaven and know he is at peace. :)

[enoob57]

The actual reality of a saved person is they build life upon God's Word not upon here... this is called the s/Spiritual walk - the human aspect of doing evil is still presently with us called flesh.

Romans 7:21 (KJV)

[21] I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

[22] For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

[23] But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

[24] O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

[25] I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

As our minds are susceptible to the frailties of flesh as chemical imbalances can and do inhibit rational thought processes... The Christian faith is a total reliance upon God that He 'IS' able to keep us through the promises He has given us in His Word!

2 Timothy 1:12 (KJV)

[12] For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Jude 24 (KJV)

[24] Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

How this certainty can and will happen is God's direct promise to us through The Son

John 10:27 (KJV)

[27] My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

[28] And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

[29] My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

[30] I and my Father are one.

If we look to this world to establish this faith it will disappoint but if we look to God's Word and grasp it like the very next breath we need then we have stationed our life upon His Word and s/Spirit and not upon this world which passes away and will not be remembered...

[Marathoner]

14 hours ago, ~Shalhevet~ said:

My dad passed away two days ago. He was a very religious man and what happened to him in the end days has me and my family very confused. I know there is a medical term for it (delirium) but what was happening almost seemed like spiritual warfare. I know demons can’t possess a Christian but it sure seemed that way. My dad started mocking Jesus while we were praying over him even growling at times and telling my mom he was going to kill her. My sisters prayed over him twice and he was acting possessed until finally during the second prayer he ceased, cried and started rubbing my sisters hand like whatever it was in him had left. Ever since then he was at peace until he passed just hours later. 

My two sisters who are nurses and see death every day said they’ve never seen this happen before.  They too agreed something spiritual was happening.  When he looked at me he wasn’t there  his eyes were empty and cold.  He even asked who I was and told me to “get out.”

In the final weeks leading up to his death he seemed to have Been focusing more on Satan than God. My family and I couldn’t understand why he was doing this. Why wouldn’t you cling to your faith in your final days? Why did he want to talk about Satan?

I don’t want to remember my dad this way but I do want answers. Why did god allow this to happen?  Is it possible there was a spiritual battle going on inside him at the end?  
 

I feel like he was tormented by satan in his final hours and that makes me really sad. My family including myself is super traumatized by the things we heard and saw in his final days especially knowing he is a very religious man. 

Dementia and delirium, my friend. The suffering of this flesh can seem like a horrifying thing to the living but let your heart rest in the knowledge that your father is with the Lord in fullness. 

During the final years of her time on earth, my adopted mother was afflicted with dementia which tore at my heart to witness. The Lord encouraged me to stand firm in the knowledge of the truth regarding this precious soul who gave everything to a stranger --- me --- without expectation of reward. She joined herself to the will of the Lord and He loves her like no other... does He condemn us for the weakness of this flesh and blood? For truly, no matter how dementia presents itself, that's what it is: the suffering and weakness of flesh and blood. 

I was devastated when she breathed her last but once again, the Lord comforted me with the knowledge that her suffering had come to an end. He gathered her into Himself and for this, I was so thankful and grateful. He blessed me with the honor of serving her and standing as her son during the darkest hours of her life. 

So it is for you as well, @~Shalhevet~. Be glad that your father's suffering has come to an end. The Lord is merciful to us all!  

[BK1110]

We experienced similar things. Something, whether physical or mental or spiritual, happened to dad's mind around the beginning of 2020. For the last 15 months of his life he had terrible mental problems, hearing voices, believing we were plotting against him, believing he was not saved and going to hell, etc. Finally getting a psychiatrist's treatment helped, but he never fully recovered mentally and emotionally before he passed.

I was (and perhaps somewhat still are) where you are. I do not understand why it was allowed to happen, and worse, I do not know for sure if that means he really wasn't saved. Everything within me, and what I saw from him in living with him for over 30 years, tells me that he was saved for real, and that if he wasn't saved, who in the world could be, as he dedicated himself so fully to the Lord and following Him and leading his family as a Christian husband and father is called to. He was a completely changed man from his youth when he was not following God and was foul mouthed and sinful, etc. But then occasionally it still gnaws at me, wondering "if he was really saved, why didn't he 'finish the race' more strongly? Why did his mind go like it did, to where he pulled away from brothers and sisters in the church, and struggled with so much doubt in the end?"

I will pray that God gives you strength and peace about this.

[~Shalhevet~]

5 hours ago, BK1110 said:

We experienced similar things. Something, whether physical or mental or spiritual, happened to dad's mind around the beginning of 2020. For the last 15 months of his life he had terrible mental problems, hearing voices, believing we were plotting against him, believing he was not saved and going to hell, etc. Finally getting a psychiatrist's treatment helped, but he never fully recovered mentally and emotionally before he passed.

I was (and perhaps somewhat still are) where you are. I do not understand why it was allowed to happen, and worse, I do not know for sure if that means he really wasn't saved. Everything within me, and what I saw from him in living with him for over 30 years, tells me that he was saved for real, and that if he wasn't saved, who in the world could be, as he dedicated himself so fully to the Lord and following Him and leading his family as a Christian husband and father is called to. He was a completely changed man from his youth when he was not following God and was foul mouthed and sinful, etc. But then occasionally it still gnaws at me, wondering "if he was really saved, why didn't he 'finish the race' more strongly? Why did his mind go like it did, to where he pulled away from brothers and sisters in the church, and struggled with so much doubt in the end?"

I will pray that God gives you strength and peace about this.

Thank you. It helps to know someone has gone through something similar. I don’t think there was a person more religious than my dad. I know he was saved. Why god allowed the devil to torment him and my family I may never know. But I have great peace in knowing he won that spiritual battle and is resting with the Lord now. He was Jesus’ number 1 fan on earth. I can only imagine the happiness he felt meeting him in the heavens. 

[Dennis1209]

That would rattle me to the core also. May I first say, many things we will not know this side of heaven. I lean heavily on the scripture engraved on my grandparent's tombstone"

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 

Why does the Lord allow a Sunday morning church worship service, to be swept away with a tornado? Why did the Lord allow Satan to kill all of Job's children with a whirlwind? 

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

We may not see it in our life time, but the Lord promises not just some things, but ALL things work together for good for Christians. Something positive and eternal will come from this that we may never know. Perhaps it was one of those nurses who never seen anything like it, got shaken by it, seen you all praying and its results, and accepted the Lord as their Savior, I don't know. 

Though not to the extent of what you and BK1110 experienced, my mother passed away from a form of dementia. I can't tell you all the pills and medication she was on for it, not counting pain medications, one drug counteracting the effects of another. Her memory like scrambled eggs, saying and doing things not in her right mind.

Have you ever had a bad dream, where you are saying and doing things you would never do when awake and alert? That is not the real you! Somehow whether chemically-electrically brain induced or otherwise, it is not who you are. I'm not a professional in anything, but it makes sense, in the deteriorating and dying process, being on medications, something switches in the brain. 

If we don't have hope and faith, what do we have, what do we have to look forward to? Our trust and faith are not in vain, the Lord is still on the throne and in complete control. 

[Ray12614]

37 minutes ago, Dennis1209 said:

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Good advice

Have you ever had a bad dream, where you are saying and doing things you would never do when awake and alert? That is not the real you! Somehow whether chemically-electrically brain induced or otherwise, it is not who you are. I'm not a professional in anything, but it makes sense, in the deteriorating and dying process, being on medications, something switches in the brain.

From what I have seen during my life, our brain 'remembers' everything that we have done from early childhood on. It too remembers all the godlessness we have said and done before we received Jesus as our Lord. It does not surprise me that sometimes those ungodly memories and actions surface when people have sickness in their minds. Like you said above: That is not the real person! Also, I would not rule-out the devil trying to take advantage of that situation to 'rattle' people who hear our loved-ones speaking that way. Maybe we should lay your hands on them and speak peace to the mind to our loved one. Or start talking about the greatness, majesty,  and love of King Jesus. Of course we can also Pray for them in times like that.

Just talking out loud . . . 

Ray . . . 

If we don't have hope and faith, what do we have, what do we have to look forward to? Our trust and faith are not in vain, the Lord is still on the throne and in complete control. VERY TRUE

 

[existential mabel]

I experienced something akin to this. I put it down to the morphine (drugs do have spiritual affect i am sure) my dad was on. Very unsettling at the time I didn’t have the understanding I have now about my faith . but suffice it to say on reflection i with the Holy Spirit’s guidance steered my dad to the other shore  

[~Shalhevet~]

Thank you for all your replies. It helps a lot. A scripture that came to mind that brings me comfort right now is Romans 8:35-39.  It certainly felt like satan had devoured my fathers soul in the end. But nothing in life and nothing in death can separate us from God. My dads end story is about victory. With the help of his praying children and the power of God, this evil spirit parted from him. 
 

My sisters who are nurses told me this experience changed them spiritually. So maybe that is why God allowed this to strengthen their faith and show them that the spiritual world really does exist. For me, I believe God wanted to show me what victory really looks like. In the end God wins every battle. Nothing can pluck us out of his hands not even satan himself. My dad fought this very last spiritual battle, won, and is now at peace and resting with his Abba Father. That gives me great peace.