Halloween – Part 2

In my previous post, we ended here.
(Here is a link to Part 1)

In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.  (Judges 21:25)

That really describes the world today in many ways, doesn’t it?  There is no absolute truth.  What is true for me may not be true for you.  If I “feel” something is wrong, it is.  If “I’m not hurting anyone” by what I’m doing or saying, that’s okay, too. I determine what is right or wrong.  I can do “as I see fit.”  It’s my life.

We were also talking about Satan wanting earth as his own kingdom where he can be god (or many gods), receive worship, and do his dirty work.  He wouldn’t even TRY to be a benevolent dictator.

Did Satan really gain control of the kingdom of earth?  In Luke 4: 5-8 (also in the Gospel of Matthew) Jesus was in the wilderness.  He had been fasting for 40 days and Satan took advantage of His “weakness” and tempted Him.

The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world.  And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.  If you worship me, it will all be yours.”

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”

This wouldn’t have been much of a temptation if Satan didn’t have all the kingdoms of the world.  And Jesus didn’t call him a liar. (At least not here.)  Satan was willing to give up the kingdoms for worship.  If Jesus had done that, Satan would have had the worship he craved, AND the earth for a kingdom and people to worship him.  But Jesus didn’t fall for it.

Merriam Webster defines worship as

• reverence offered a divine being or supernatural power
  also: an act of expressing such reverence
• a form of religious practice with its creed and ritual
• extravagant respect or admiration for or devotion to an object of esteem

Who or what we worship, we permit to work in and through us.  When we worship God, we are opening a door for Him to work in and through us – in our life, our children, our extended family, our neighborhood.  The same is true for worshipping Satan (even unknowingly or “just a little”); we are giving him permission to work out his purposes in and through us – in this world. What is the difference?  Jesus told us, The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)

Our choice.  Do we want to be stolen from, killed and destroyed – or – do we want fullness of life.  Do we want to be used to harm those we love, or to bless them?

Why did I bring this up?  What does that have to do with celebrating Halloween?

Satan and his cohorts must find a door through a human to work in this world.  How does he do that?  Through people who step into his spiritual territory and agree with him in their words and actions – whether they know it or not.

There is a spiritual war going on.  If we step into enemy territory, we are in danger of being captured and killed.  There is no safe way to go into the war zone – just for fun.  I keep thinking of Otto Warmbier.  He went into North Korea “just for fun,” because he was curious about their culture.  He was arrested for taking a poster off a wall, sentenced to 15 years in prison, and after about 18 months he was returned to the United States, in a comatose state, brain dead, and died about a week later. There are horrendous stories of what happens in North Korean prisons.  I don’t even want to imagine what was done to him to elicit his “confession” and cause his deterioration physically and mentally.  He wasn’t a spy; he was only trying to have fun.

Enemy territory is never a place to visit for fun, even unwittingly. Merriam Webster dictionary defines occult as “supernatural powers or practices and the things (such as gods, ghosts, and magic) that are connected with them.”

It is bait.  Fish love worms.  Yum – except when there is a hook hidden inside.

I can hear some say, “But my kids love dressing up and getting candy.”  There’s nothing wrong with either of those by themselves.  But on Halloween, taking part in all the scary stuff, dressing up like other-worldly creatures, horror movies, haunted houses, magic … doors open.  Doors into Satan’s territory.  Actually, doors from Satan’s realm into ours.  And what better way for the enemy to get hooks into the next generation?

What does God say about this?  Here are a few verses.

Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God. (Leviticus 19:31)

Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire (yes, they killed and burned their kids – sometimes alive – to gain favor with their gods), who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.  Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you. (Deuteronomy 18: 10-12)

The nations who dwelt in the Promised Land did all these things.  That is why they were driven out, and the land given to the Israelites.  And they were specifically told to stay separate so that they weren’t contaminated by the people worshipping false gods, and fall into the same practices.  But they did.  Over and over again.  That led to judgement, droughts, being conquered by other nations and taken into captivity.

God doesn’t tell us to stay away from the occult because it doesn’t really exist, or to spoil our fun.  You keep sharp knives from a two-year old for a reason.  It is dangerous!  Following the enemy leads to where the enemy is going.  Eternity in hell.  And eternity is a long time.

I’ve been trying to find a way to land this and I’ve just two more thoughts.

1. There is no dual citizenship in the spiritual world. Not choosing is still a choice.  Jesus said “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” (Luke 16:13)
2. We spend so much of our time and energy raising our children, making sure they are prepared to not just survive, but to thrive in this world – as children and when they grow into adults. DO WE CARE AS MUCH ABOUT PREPARING THEM FOR ETERNITY?

For further investigation…

Here is a link to a YouTube video of an ex-witch talking about Halloween.

Here is a link to a YouTube video of a woman’s journey from NewAge to Witchcraft to Jesus