Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. -- Ephesians 5: 10-11 (NLT)
This is a very difficult subject for many Christians. It cuts to the heart of our beliefs versus the world's beliefs. It is a point at which they cross. In the efforts of full disclosure, I do not have children and I recognize that it is easier for me to say that we should have nothing to do with this day than someone who has to try and explain this to their children. But as Christians, the truth must remain the truth. One of the greatest problems facing the body of Christ today is the continual erosion of what we believe through compromise. It is part of the scheme of the enemy and he has managed to get us to the point where more and more secularism is allowed into the church and our families. Remember, we are supposed to be different.
But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. -- 1Peter 2: 9 (NLT)
I want us to pay close attention to the second half of this verse because what is at stake here literally is our ability to show others the goodness of God. I have written extensively about the heresy in the church regarding the seeker friendly theory of church growth. It is heretical because the premise upon which it based is that we need to somehow appear relevant to the next generation. That the Gospel is somehow not enough anymore. The next generation is no different than the generation from the 1900s, the 1600s or any other generation. The problem remains the same -- their sin is separating them from their God. The only thing that has changed is the intricacies in which we sin. The over-arching point again is that Christians are called to be different and set apart. The Bible says we are to be sojourners, that means pilgrims, through this world. That our citizenship -- and therefore our identification -- is in heaven now. The harsh reality is that the world often cannot tell the difference anymore between the church and the world. We have become seeker friendly and we have made many new friends at the cost of converting precious few. Our prayer meetings have become social gatherings. We use words like revival without understanding the need for repentance. We are in danger of becoming a transparent church with little substance.
Then he said to them, "You like to appear righteous in public, but God knows your hearts. What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God. -- Luke 16: 15 (NLT)
This world honors Halloween. I get it, I really do. I understand that your kid's school will have parties and everyone will be encouraged to dress up. I understand that the neighborhood kids will all be ringing your bell. I am not suggesting there are easy and pat answers. What I am saying is that the wholesale dismissal of the mere willingness to discuss the evils of Halloween results in the welcoming of what is detestable in the sight of God. If it is about candy, get your kids some candy on that day. If it is about wanting to have a costume party -- have it the month of May. If not then don't try and sell me that it has anything other to do with than wanting to celebrate Halloween.
You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons, too. You cannot eat at the Lord's Table and at the table of demons, too. What? Do we dare to rouse the Lord's jealousy? Do you think we are stronger than he is? -- 1Corinthians 10: 21-22 (NLT)
The truth is that Halloween is the devil's holiday. The Satanic bible names it as one of two annual holidays. The roots of Halloween rest in druidic rituals and human sacrifices. Samhain, the original name of Halloween, was a day where the spirit world roams our world in search of bodies to possess. It was then and remains to this day; the day of greatest evil out of the year. The day of the greatest move in the spirit realm. I understand that we are spiritually ignorant too often. That the truths about the spirit world are not preached often enough. We quote a couple of well known Bible verses about spiritual warfare but then readily dismiss the notion when it conflicts with something we want. That does not change what is going on in the spirit realm. Let us turn to Elisha, when the King of Aram was trying to capture him. Elisha was holed up in the city of Dothan and when the King of Aram found out, he sent a vast army to surround the city. When Elisha's servant awoke that morning he saw they were completely surrounded by horses, chariots and warriors. He cried out to Elisha and here was his response, indicating the level of spiritual warfare going on around us unseen every single day:
"Don't be afraid!" Elisha told him. "For there are more on our side than on theirs!" Then Elisha prayed, "O Lord , open his eyes and let him see!" The Lord opened the young man's eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire. -- 2Kings 6: 16-17 (NLT)
My prayer today is Lord open their eyes and let them see! One of the arguments I hear all the time is that just because the history of Halloween is littered with evil, it isn't like that for me. The amount of spiritual ignorance in that defense is staggering. It doesn't matter if you do not think it is evil. It matters if evil thinks it is evil. It matters what is surrounding your children as they go door to door asking for candy. Remember the first part of the request -- "trick or treat." Christian parents treat the possibility of opting out of Halloween as "depriving their kids" when the reality is they should not want their children involved in a high evil holiday; when the amount of evil spiritual activity is at its highest. Take a good look at what kind of evil is gripping the lives of our teenagers today. When I was growing up you never had anything so obviously spiritually initiated such as "cutting." Where kids are convinced by the spiritual forces around them that nobody cares about them so they may as well cut their bodies so they can "feel something." You may scoff at the notion that cutting is spirit driven but it is in the Bible. In the Old Testament, cutting was associated with people who worshipped false gods. In the New Testament it was associated with those who were demon possessed. I don't know about you, but I do not like the sound of either of those options. How does an entire generation of teenagers become death obsessed? Why are higher numbers finding it easier to take their own lives than deal with their lives? I hear so much every day about bullying, as if this was a new phenomenon. It is not! I was bullied when I was a kid. As long as we are in this flesh, we will have bullies and people who get bullied. All of the anti-bullying campaigns, while certainly well intended, keep missing the mark. They are dealing with the symptom, not the problem. The problem is why teenagers find so little to value in this life that they think suicide is a perfectly acceptable solution. Where does the devaluing of life come from? Turn on the TV and see the glorification of death. One of the more popular shows these days is called "The Walking Dead" about zombies and killing them. This is not like the old "Night of the Living Dead." It far more mainstreamed now, including receiving 10.9 million viewers for its season three premiere to become the most-watched basic cable drama telecast in history . Check out what games your kids are playing. There are a plethora of them now that are "zombie survival." The glorification of the living dead. The glorification of evil. Where does that get its roots? Hmm, what are your neighbor's kids going as this Halloween?
Because I hear the other argument too often also -- "well I am just dressing her up like a little princess." Fantastic but what are the other kids dressed as? What is being celebrated? Is your child perceptive at all? How much do you want to bet that you'll have more zombies this year than princesses? Ten years from now you will have more kids cutting themselves. You'll have more kids taking their own lives. Until those who understand spiritual warfare start standing in the gap and take a spiritual stand against the world, these things will continue.
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. -- Ephesians 6: 12 (NLT)
Are these just words to us? There are evil rulers and authorities in the unseen world beloved. Mighty powers in this dark world that we are in. Evil spirits in heavenly places. They do not care what you think, feel or rationalize about Halloween. It is their day -- let them have it. I remember when I first was saved I didn't understand why I had to stop drinking. It was just a social thing. I never drank at home. I never drank alone. I was much more responsible about it in my 30's than I was in my 20's. I mean, what's the big deal? Then, six months into my salvation, I just knew it wasn't right anymore. It wasn't who I was anymore. The Holy Spirit inside of me convicted me. I remember going back to the bar a year later to see an old friend. It was spiritually taxing. I knew it was not where I was supposed to be. No matter how well we "dress up" Halloween, it should be the same thing.
Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord . Don't touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you. -- 2Corinthians 6: 17 (NLT)
I saw a preacher recently say that we have too many "secret agent Christians." We are quick to raise our hands in the sanctuary but hide our cross in the supermarket. Quick to quote the Bible to other believers but refuse to carry one to work. Quick to denounce evil while sitting in the pew but then comes Halloween"
