Halloween

Today is Halloween. A day where children, and some adults, put on a costume and either go Trick-or-Treating or to a party. Although for some, it is a very real day of worshipping Satan. I have written about that before, but I won’t here.

I think throughout time, people have enjoyed wearing a costume and, at least for one night, being someone they are not on a daily basis. They pretend. But what if they are wearing a costume all the time? Not of their favorite superhero, monster, or movie star, etc., but one that conceals who they really are or what they are facing.

Believe it or not, people may not be wearing a costume, but they may very well be wearing a mask! Hiding something. Perhaps the pain of life failures, a bad marriage, or maybe a secret sin. They don’t want to reveal their weaknesses or struggles. This is no way to live. And this isn’t what God wanted for us.

He wanted us to have life, an abundant life! That is why He sent us His Son, Jesus. (John 10:10) Jesus not only can forgive us of our sins but can be with us when we face difficulties. The Holy Spirit can comfort us when we are sad or suffering a loss. He can also guide us by still small whispers into our spirit. And of course, we can enter into the presence of God at any time through our prayers and praise to him.

There is no need to hide behind a mask. No need to be ashamed of our past lives. If you have accepted God’s gift of salvation, then you become a new person. Then the only thing you will be wearing is a robe of righteousness.

Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life emerges! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you. 2 Cor. 5:17-20 (MSG)

As you know, today, Halloween is celebrated. What is considered by most as an innocent day for children to dress up as their favorite character. For others, it’s the pinnacle night of offering worship to Satan.

I grew up trick-or-treating in the neighborhood. I followed my parents’ beliefs that it was just for fun. The worst thing that happened was rumors of people placing needles or razorblades in fruit and candy bars. I checked every candy bar I got and found no blades. I left the fruit for my sister to test.

Also, while growing up, my father and I watched horror movies on late Saturday nights. There is a kind of fun being scared. That is why haunted houses are so popular. We even watched movies that portrayed demonic activity. My dad was reassuring by telling me, “This stuff is not real.” I believed him until I was a young adult and heard firsthand a couple in my church describe a night when fire came out of their fireplace and then went back in without burning anything in their living room.

I fell off of the ottoman I was sitting on. Everyone turned to me and asked, “Are you okay?” As I climbed back on, I asked, “You mean this stuff is real?” It’s not that my father lied; he didn’t know. That day, I vowed to stop watching anything that had satanic overtones. It’s not fun. It’s not entertainment. The devil wants us to think he is not real.

Just last week, April and I were watching a popular miniseries on Netflix. We stopped after the second episode. I told April I sensed an underlying evilness, and we then prayed over ourselves and our house that nothing would attach to us or try to take residence. Yes, this stuff is real. There are evil spirits in this world.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Eph. 6:12 (NIV)

After all, we don’t want to unwittingly give Satan an opening for yet more mischief—we’re not oblivious to his sly ways! 2 Corinthians 2:11 (MSG)

When I was a youth minister many years ago, I had a counseling session with someone who told me that thirteen people went into the woods the previous Halloween, but only 12 came out. One person volunteered to be sacrificed to Satan on an altar. I later asked a local police officer about it. He confirmed they found a rock altar and a dead body upon it. Because of confidentiality rules, he knew he could not ask me who I spoke with.

Please, do not be ignorant of the devil or his ways. What he means to be an open door into your life may be something you consider innocent, fun, or cute. He is real and wants to use you to get back at God. He mocks God. He takes what God has created and twists it or perverts it. You should pray and ask God to show you the truth. Ask him to reveal to you any ways that the devil may be using to have power over your life.

brady, mark a.

Words to inspire you

Are You Wearing a Costume?

What or Who Are You Celebrating?

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Eph. 6:12 (NIV)

After all, we don’t want to unwittingly give Satan an opening for yet more mischief—we’re not oblivious to his sly ways! 2 Corinthians 2:11 (MSG)