Demonic dreams (Part 1) Incubus and Succubus

Demonic dreams (Part 1)

Incubus and Succubus

WILL men and women come under seasons of spiritual attack?

Yes, absolutely. It’s not a question of if, BUT more a question of when.

When a man or woman comes under spiritual attack, the Biblical response is to fight back.

Jesus, our example, at the very beginning of his ministry, goes into the desert to face the temptations of the evil one.

After Jesus had his initial victory against the devil in the desert, the Bible states, that the enemy will come again at a more convenient time. And we know that Jesus was regularly attacked, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically many times throughout his ministry.

His enemies in the synagogue tried to throw him off a cliff.
His Enemies at the temple of Jerusalem tried to have him arrested several times.
His enemies in the city tried to have him stoned.
His enemies among crowds hurled insults at him, and demanded that he be crucified.
His enemies among the Romans had him whipped and crucified.
Even his own friends abandoned him in the hour of temptation.
Even one of his most prominent disciples Peter attacked him through the voice of Satan, trying to tempt him to turn away from facing the cross. Jesus needed to rebuke Peter, and the demonic attack against him, through Peter’s voice. “Get behind me, Satan, for you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

Those attacks were mostly physically visible by the actions of those who were making decisions to follow the enemies directions.

But probably the most prominent spiritual attack, where no physical enemy was involved, happened in the garden against Gethsemane, where Jesus bled drops of blood, while praying under extreme pressure, to overcome his natural desire for self preservation, in order to fully submit to the will of God, to go to the cross, and give his life as a ransom for all of mankind. To become an offering to God, where he would have to suffer the rejection of God for a season, being completely separated from His Father, suffering the Full Wrath of His Father for the first time in his life. During this time, he was all alone, fighting the enemy on his own.

All that is to say, that it should be no surprise that if Jesus is attacked by enemies both spiritual and physical, that his followers should also expect to be attacked by enemies, both spiritual and physical.

According to that line of thinking, Jesus told his disciples if they attacked the master, what’s to stop them from attacking the master’s students. Jesus literally told his disciples that their enemies would take them before the courts, and have them flogged, and mistreated, and even executed. But not to worry about what to do, because it will be told them what to do. And not to worry about what to say, for the father himself will give them the words to speak.

In some cases, the apostles were rescued by supernatural and angelic intervention. Angels actually unlocked prison doors and set the captives free. God sent a supernatural earthquake that shook an entire prison and open all the doors in the prison. All the apostles in one case walked out of the prison and were commanded to go into the temple courts and continue to preach the words of life. In one case, after preaching a powerful and convicting message to the people, they stoned Stephen the first martyr to death, and Saul of Tarsus (Paul) stood by the garments, approving of the murder of one of God’s most precious sons.

The apostle Paul teaches his disciples, to put on the full armor of God, in order to combat the spiritual attacks of the evil one.

Paul teaches that our warfare is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, spiritual powers, and spiritual forces of wickedness in high places (heavenly spiritual realms). Therefore, we are called to use spiritual weapons (not Carnal weapons) to defeat our spiritual enemies, during seasons of spiritual attack.

As such, we are called to be more than conquers in Christ Jesus. We are to follow in the footsteps of our master: Jesus Christ.

In the process of spiritual warfare, it may happen that we come under attack while we are sleeping. Just like we can open doors in the spiritual realm to good and evil while awake, so we can do the same while asleep. And it is our privilege, duty, and responsibility, to be in charge of our spiritual life at all times, and in all places.

Many people have experienced spiritual attack while asleep from–

The spirit of Fear
The spirit of Lust
The spirit of Humiliation
The spirit of Loneliness, (or the threat of rejection)
The spirit of Anger, (or Jealousy, Revenge, rage, retaliation, or even murder)
The spirit of Unforgiveness, (or Bitterness, Resentment)
The spirit of Fantasy (stories coming from Witchcraft, New Age, Aliens, Science fiction, enlightened Spiritual Beings, Eastern Religions, Star Wars, dungeons, and dragons, etc.)

Of course, these spiritual attacks can happen anytime day or night, but men and women are sometimes especially vulnerable while sleeping. And if not diligent in their own spiritual lives, can come under attack in the subconscious realm while sleeping.

And there is another convincing theory, that’s the only reason God is allowing the attack to happen at night because, the soul is being attacked during the day, but still unaware. Saw the attack at night allows even the unconscious things to be brought forward and made visible–so that we can deal with them more honestly and directly.

Have you ever woken up from a dream with a terrible feeling of fear?

Many people experience dreams with:

the fear of falling
the fear of humiliation (naked), fear of public speaking
The fear of enemies attacking
Emotions of intense anger, rage, and retaliation
Worry and doubt about failing to pass tests, or to pay bills, etc.

These dreams can be embarrassing and can become oppressive–most especially dreams of a sexual nature.

Therefore, it’s important to realize when a person is coming under Spiritual attack to know how to spiritually fight against the attack coming against them, especially when the person is particularly vulnerable while sleeping.

People involved in the ministry of spiritual warfare, realize that all of these attacks, and fears and emotional disturbing encounters can be instigated by enemies crossing over from the kingdom of darkness into our world. This does not mean that we are in anyway less spiritual, or less capable in being able to defend ourselves.

“The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strongholds.”

The fact is, God has not abandoned us, because we are coming under attack. In fact, God is allowing us to experience spiritual battles in order to have spiritual victories, in order to strengthen us against our spiritual enemies.

The truth be told: there are certain habits, interests, and spiritually compromised activities, that can open the door to becoming spiritually vulnerable, and attacked in our minds, in our emotions, in our will, and in our social relationships, and in our decision-making processes. Therefore it is incumbent upon every believer to be diligent to feed their mind, soul, and spirit with good, honest, heavenly truthful, spiritual food.

The four types of spiritual food we are to consume:

The Word of God: which is our manna from heaven, where we get fed with wisdom from on High,
Spiritual prayer: were we bring our spiritual problems to our Lord,
Spiritual worship: which includes singing and making Melody in our hearts to the Lord.
Repentance: There’s nothing better than good old fashioned repentance to cause a spiritual enemy to run for the hills.

[Note: it is through the ministry of repentance, that a man is able to spiritually free himself from the power of sin, deception, perversion, and every form of spiritual attack. Conversely, it is through the power of unconfessed sin, and an unrepentant hearted heart, and therefusal to acknowledge personal accountability to the Truth (the King of Heaven, the eternal Judge), that the enemy gains a wide door of access into the life of every human being.]

As disciples grow in these spiritual disciplines, especially the one of repentance, they will experience a much greater effectiveness against the fears that will come against them, and the spiritual attacks that both Jesus and the apostles faced in their time of spiritual warfare against the enemy.

Now that concludes our introduction. I admit it was a little bit long, but it was important to lay down a foundation of context for what we’re going to address next.

Just for the record: in order to effectually defeat, our enemies in spiritual battles, it may take more than just saying a spiritual diddy of a prayer. It may take close, spiritual assessment, and an honest inventory of the things we are allowing into our lives, or the things we have allowed into our lives in the past, including things like Ouija boards, watching horror movies, watching movies with witchcraft, sexual sin (adultery, idolatry, fornication, homosexuality, etc.), lust, greed, murder, you name it.

The eyes are the windows to the soul. What we allow through our eye gate, especially things like pornography, and spiritual fantasies in formal movies, etc. All these things deeply affect the spiritual life of the believer.

The call of the believer is to come out of the world and be separate. That word separate has another Bible definition it’s called holy. In order to become spiritually pure & clean, one must separate himself from the selfish ambitions of the world, and the things in the world: 1) the lust of the flesh, 2) the lust of the eyes, and 3) the boastful pride of life.

Note: the demonic names of incubus and succubus are not written in the biblical text, and it can be argued for good reason, to not give them more attention than they deserve. But many people have experienced the activity of being spiritually attacked while asleep, and attacked from a temptation of a sexual nature.

The biblical teaching on this subject would be that we are to overcome the enemy, not so much get focused on what the enemy is doing, and not yet intrigued, by the schemes and workings of the evil one. But we are to be trained and ready to attack back with the word of God, when we realize what is happening to us.

The concepts of incubus and succubus originate from ancient folklore and are deeply intertwined with the phenomenon of demonic dreams, particularly those involving sexual encounters during sleep. These entities have been referenced across cultures and centuries, often as supernatural explanations for distressing nocturnal experiences.

: A female demon or supernatural entity that appears in the dreams of men to seduce them, typically through sexual activity. The succubus is described as a beautiful seductress who seeks to drain the life force or vitality of her victims, sometimes leading to deteriorating health or even death if the encounters are prolonged1 5.
: The male counterpart to the succubus, an incubus is a male demon that seeks sexual intercourse with sleeping women. Folklore often attributes the birth of witches, demons, or deformed offspring (cambions) to unions with an incubus27.

Both succubus and incubus myths are found in many cultures and have historically been used to explain phenomena such as sleep paralysis, nocturnal emissions, and vivid, often distressing, sexual dreams1 47.
In medieval Europe, these entities were blamed for a variety of nighttime disturbances, including nightmares and unexplained pregnancies or sexual assaults. The legend of Merlin, for example, claims he was fathered by an incubus7.
Modern psychology and psychiatry often interpret these experiences as manifestations of sleep paralysis or hypnagogic/hypnopompic hallucinations, where the mind is awake but the body remains paralyzed, sometimes leading to vivid and terrifying hallucinations of a presence or attack1 47.

: Victims report feeling paralyzed, a sense of pressure on the chest, or a presence in the room. These sensations are typical of sleep paralysis episodes47.
: The dream or hallucination often involves unwanted sexual advances or intercourse, sometimes accompanied by feelings of fear, confusion, or even pleasure1 28.
: Repeated encounters with these entities are said to drain the victim’s energy, cause mental distress, and in folklore, may even result in physical harm or death57.

Some dream interpretations suggest that incubus or succubus dreams may symbolize deep-seated fears, unresolved sexual desires, or feelings of vulnerability and loss of control2.
Darker versions of these dreams may indicate depression or emotional turmoil, while lighter or more seductive encounters could reflect unacknowledged desires or temptations2.

Today, most scientists and mental health professionals view incubus and succubus experiences as sleep-related phenomena rather than literal supernatural encounters. However, the cultural and symbolic power of these stories persists, influencing art, literature, and popular culture4 57.

: Incubus vs. Succubus

Feature	Incubus	Succubus
Gender	Male demon	Female demon
Typical Victim	Sleeping women	Sleeping men
Folkloric Role	Seduces/impregnates women	Seduces/drains men
Associated Myths	Birth of witches, Merlin’s conception	Draining vitality, causing illness/death
Modern Explanation	Sleep paralysis, hallucinations	Sleep paralysis, hallucinations

Demonic dreams involving incubi and succubi are powerful cultural phenomena with roots in folklore, religion, and psychology. While modern science explains these experiences as sleep-related disorders, the enduring legends continue to fascinate and frighten, reflecting the complexities of human sexuality, fear, and the mysteries of the sleeping mind1 4 57.

Citations:

Answer from Perplexity: pplx.ai/share

Deuteronomy 23:9-11 (NIV) 9 When you are encamped against your enemies, keep away from everything impure. 10 If one of your men is unclean because of a nocturnal emission [a wet dream], he is to go outside the camp and stay there. 11 But as evening approaches he is to wash himself, and at sunset he may return to the camp.

A spiritual principle to understand: When men stay clean and pure, and women dress and act in sanctified ways, that do not stir up evil, carnal ideas and desires, in the holy camp of God, they come under a broad and strong umbrella of protection. But when men venture out into the world and see provocative men and women engaged in worldly flirtation, there is a spirit of sexual perversion over an area, being invited in by the people, habits, lifestyle, and mindsets, that open the door for the enemy to come in and plunder there, godly and heavenly protection from all things perverse. It is possible that under such circumstances, certain men may become vulnerable to the attack of the enemy, and even to the point that while sleeping, they experience nocturnal wet dreams. As the scripture states this would make them unclean. And that spiritual uncleanliness would have the potential to affect the whole community if left unchecked. Therefore it was prescribed that the man remain outside the camp and go through a season of personal inspection and then wash himself and return to camp the next night.

Leviticus 15:16-18 (NIV) 16 “‘When a man has an emission of semen, he must bathe his whole body with water, and he will be unclean till evening. 17 Any clothing or leather that has semen on it must be washed with water, and it will be unclean till evening. 18 When a man has sexual relations with a woman and there is an emission of semen, both of them must bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.

Spiritual principal: In the kingdom of God, everything involving the body, and especially the sexual and physical influences of the body were to be dedicated, and regulated by the word of God. Sex is a highly powerful tool when used for the glory of God. But when compromised, it can become a terrible weapon in the hands of the enemy. For that reason, God had strict rules regarding it, in order to keep the entire community and the spirit of cleanliness, wholeness and purity in tact.

What Does the Bible Say About Nocturnal Emissions, Sexual Attacks in Dreams, and Spiritual Attack?

Nocturnal Emissions (Wet Dreams)

The Bible directly addresses nocturnal emissions, also known as wet dreams, in the Old Testament. Specifically, Deuteronomy 23:10–11 states that if a man becomes “unclean” because of a nocturnal emission, he must go outside the camp and stay there until evening, after which he can bathe and return1 3 58. This ritual was part of the ceremonial law for Israel, distinguishing between ritual uncleanness and sin. The emission itself was not considered sinful, only ritually unclean1 36. Other passages, such as Leviticus 15:16–18, also discuss bodily emissions and ritual cleanliness2 46.

With the coming of Christ and the New Covenant, these ceremonial laws are no longer binding for Christians. The New Testament does not treat nocturnal emissions as sinful, and they are generally seen as a natural bodily function2 36.However, if such experiences are linked to lustful thoughts or behaviors during waking hours, believers are encouraged to examine their thought life and pursue purity26.

Sexual Attack from Seductive Spirits and Spiritual Attack in Dreams

The Bible does not explicitly mention sexual attacks by seductive spirits (such as incubi or succubi) during sleep. While Scripture acknowledges the reality of spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:10–18), there are no direct references to demonic entities sexually assaulting people in their dreams. The concept of seductive spirits attacking during sleep is rooted more in folklore and later religious traditions than in biblical text.

Dreams and Spiritual Attack

The Bible contains many accounts of dreams, some of which are messages from God (e.g., Joseph’s dreams in Genesis, Daniel’s visions). However, it does not specifically address demonic sexual attacks in dreams. Spiritual attacks are portrayed in the Bible as temptations, deceptions, or oppression, but not as nocturnal sexual encounters.

Summary

Nocturnal emissions are addressed in the Old Testament as issues of ritual uncleanness, not sin. In the New Covenant, they are not mentioned.
Sexual attacks by seductive spirits during sleep are not directly mentioned in the Bible.
Spiritual attacks are acknowledged in Scripture, but not in the context of sexual dreams or nocturnal emissions.

Believers are encouraged to focus on purity of thought and to seek God’s help if struggling with lustful thoughts, but ordinary bodily functions during sleep are not condemned as sin.

Citations:

Answer from Perplexity: pplx.ai/share

I apologize for this terrible graphic on the front page of this message. But I feel that the presentation is worth listening to. The presentation is balanced and spiritually helpful–With the least amount of baggage. Other presentations I’ve seen on this subject, I do not feel the same way.

Still, it is recommended, that when you hear the testimony of another person, that you take everything with a grain of salt. You may give them the benefit of doubt at the moment, but you still need to have spiritual guard rails up to keep you from getting sucked into false teaching, false excuses, and outright lies that are used to harm you down the road. The only absolute true teacher we have to bear. Witness two is the word of God given to us by the Holy Ghost. And we are called to be faithful to the Holy Spirit that has been given to us to interpret the word of God, digest it, and live it out to our daily lives:

1 John 2:26-27 (NASB)
26 These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. 27 As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.

—From God's Perspective