Even though I didn’t have a real relationship with God, or even seek to want one at the time, the moment that I began to truly understand what had transpired in my life, I immediately prayed to God. I remember feeling a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach and a coldness in the room.
In the time that it took me to become aware that I wasn’t dreaming or hallucinating, and that what I experienced was really happening, my grandfather was gone. At that moment I closed my eyes and distinctly remembered praying what I have come to call the “3P” or Peter Popcorn Prayer. Let me explain.
In the New Testament there’s a story of someone who did something that I’ve done many times in my life. It’s a story of someone kicking God to the curb and then calling out for Him when they’re in an emergency situation, with no one else to turn to, who can help them. If we’re honest, it’s all of our story.
This is the story of the Apostle Peter, a fisherman and follower of Jesus. Peter’s pride got the best of him and he found himself, literally sinking beneath the waves (see Matthew 14: 22-36). When this happened, he didn’t have time to compose an elaborate and fancy prayer. His prayer was short, simple, and to the point. Thus, my title: the “Peter Popcorn Prayer.” Dying and terrified, knowing he’s going to die, all Peter had time to do was to let a prayer pop out of his mouth:
“ ‘Save me, Lord!’ he shouted” (Matthew 14:30b, NLT).
In all my interactions with others through both my work in community mental health, as well as in my own life, I must confess: I have come face-to-face with evil. On at least three separate occasions, I have been in close one-on-one contact with demons or demon-possessed people.
I’m not sharing this in order to brag, but simply to let you know that, as a follower of Jesus, if you choose to follow Him, there’ll be a target on your back. However (I must be honest) not every demonic interaction was because I was a Christian—I know for a fact, that when the demon visited me after my grandfather’s death, I wasn’t a Christian.
In all my years of reading the Bible, I haven’t come across a simpler and more profound verse of Scripture that reminds me of both my own profound weakness and God’s profound power to protect me.
I’m a big believer in Bible memorization and this is a wonderful verse to memorize: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7, NLT).
The last verse that provides for me comfort in the midst of spiritual warfare is this power-packed punch:
“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8: 38, 39, NLT).