I woke up one night and felt like I wasn’t getting enough air in my lungs, so I sat up and resisted the urge to panic, while taking deep breaths. I turned off my sleep apnea implant device which recently started making me feel like I was choking and hoped my breathing problem would pass, but fear and doubt kept attacking me. I prayed some in faith and partly out of desperation due to the horrible feeling. Thankfully my normal breathing returned after 30 minutes. I still had a choking feeling but was able to lie down and sleep again.
I went to see my Ear, Nose and Throat doctor to see what they could do, but after making sure nothing was blocking my throat, they suggested I turn my sleep apnea device back on but at a lower setting. I followed their advice but then it happened again a week later! I repeated what had worked before, but it didn’t help! Yes, I prayed again, but it was more like “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief” (Mark 9:24 KJV). I believe GOD answered and told me to use an antihistamine spray which calmed my symptoms, and I was able to sleep after an hour.
I left the sleep apnea machine off after that, but it happened again a week later. This time the antihistamine spray didn’t help, so I went to the emergency room, hoping they could find the problem and help me. After 3 hours and numerous tests, they didn’t find anything and suspected my apnea caused the problem and told me to see my sleep doctor. I truly believe my breath is in the hand of GOD (John 12:10) and “with his stripes we are healed” (Isa 53:5 KJV), but until that happens, I will continue asking Him to give the doctors wisdom.
It happened yet again after a week and I called the Nurse Help Line, who directed me to an acute care center, where I waited for 3 hours to be seen, 2 hours for more tests, only to be sent home with a nasal spray and told again to see my sleep doctor. I received a phone call from my Pastor when he found out what had happened and he gave me a scripture “It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep” (Psalms 127:2 KJV) and he told me to print it out and hang it on my wall and claim it every day. I did and I haven’t woken up with breathing problems again, PRAISE GOD!
Why aren’t you praising your Pastor, who gave you the scripture you needed? I love my Pastor, who is a man of faith and is used mightily, but GOD and His WORD are one (John 1:14), and that’s the power that gave me back my breath!
I was helping at Church while people were being prayed for that Sunday morning and was about to ask for prayer for myself, when a lady came up and asked for prayer for her niece who has sleep apnea so bad, they were going to do emergency surgery. I was surprised when Pastor Bob turned to me and said “You pray for her” so I did. It was a fervent prayer because I knew what her niece was going through and knew GOD “giveth his beloved sleep!
Yes, I finally got to see my sleep doctor, and they adjusted the settings on my sleep apnea implant device to help me breath when I sleep, but GOD will be my final healer! He can be your healer too if you can only believe.
Wayne Lance (2023) – That’s Good News to Share!