“Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls…” 1 Peter 2:11 (NLT)

Each year around this time, we go through this exercise – what  does a sold-out Believer in Christ to make of Halloween.  Each year men, fathers and radical Christians like me sound like fuddy duddys to the rest of the world….and that includes a number of Christians (professing and real)!

However, I can take the blowback, as am used to being hammered and ostrasized for taking a bold stance for Christ. So basically, I have never allowed my own kids to trick or treat, celebrate Halloween or watch the horror show garbage on TV, each and every October, period.  I don’t see how one can allow their kids to dress up like the devil or something sleazy, and then try to teach them to watch out for Satan who comes to steal, kill and destroy!!

This is selective insanity. Halloween is an oxymoron – like “Christian Yoga”….which I will address next issue.  Sin and darkness have been around since Genesis 3 and the Fall of Man caused by Satan. But some of the modern incarnation of the popularity of Witchcraft, Wicca and the like began with Ouija boards and the TV Show BEWITCHED!! Yes, BEWITCHED!!

For the 8 years it ran (1964-72), BEWITCHED brought a “sweet” All American family face to the an ancient evil by deception! Starring Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha the witch, who married a mortal named Darren Stephens, “Samantha” was portrayed as a normal suburban wife.

Darren married her knowing she was a witch with the admonition/command to “not  practice any witchcraft in this house”!! Of course, a witch is going to obey you! The entire series was full of wizards, warlocks, spells, incantations and the like.

Sam’s mother – Endora – is taken directly from the Witch at Endor whom King Saul stupidly visited to have a séance with the late prophet Samuel (see 1 Samuel 28:3-25)…and on and on. All the other worldly beings in this TV series were ageless beings who lived in the air!

DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR??!! “For we wrestle not 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).

It is my contention that this TV series “boiled the frog” slowly by showing witchcraft as this harmless little lifestyle that was “oh, so cute…just look at Samantha and Tabitha (her daughter – another witch)”!  Combine this with “I Dream of Jeannie”, only three TV networks for decades, and you have a cultural absorption into worldwide consciousness from the pit of hell!

Think am overreacting?  I don’t believe so. The Spirit of God and the Word of God are EXPLICIT in their commands about this evil. Until we were saved and redeemed and knew better, we too thought these shows were funny….even though something did not quite feel right!

What BEWITCHED and Jeannie opened up was an explosion in the ancient cult of Wicca…and not to mention a number of new brand of female TV shows with “nice” witches .

Concerning Wicca – that involves prayer circles and seeking “help” from spirits of another world as well! Most practicioners are women. Most mature believers think that Wicca and other satanic rituals involving pagan “goddesses” appeal to women, because it gives a certain amount of Power to those seeking that kind of thing! Never mind this kind of empowerment leads straight to eternal damnation in the Lake of Fire!

Concerning other TV shows with attractive female witches, here is a short list: SABRINA, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, CHARMED AND TABITHA (offshoot of BEWITCHED).  The new book and movie phenomenon called TWILIGHT is also a demonic-induced attack on the mostly young female population of America. That story was given to its creator by what she called an “angel of light”!! Read here in the Bible to find out who the “angel of light” really is!!

What does this have to do with Halloween? Everything! Halloween is a celebration of all these spirits – clean and unclean, which are not from the Real God.  I am sure many well-meaning and Christians will disagree with me, and say celebrating Halloween or watching Sabrina or TWILIGHT is JUST entertainment.

Concerning our children – there are many other ways to have alternative activities for them at this time of year. This will take a proactive stand to live DAILY in the Word, and according to His Word (see Psalm 119). This can involve all like-minded members of the Body of Christ, in the Local Church.

Finally, I close with what the Bible says in Philippians 4:8 (ESV) :” Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think* about these things.”.

So DO think on these things – and confirm them with the WORD of God – the Bible. You will discover  God is not in the business of taking this kind of conduct lightly! In other words, a  truly sold-out believer in Christ does not trick and treat with the world of Halloween.

*(THE WORD THINK HERE IS “LOGIZOMAI” (in the original Greek) OR consider , counted , credit , dwell on,  reason , reckon or  regard ,take into account ….these things)

Images courtesy Google Images.

Mark 1:14-15 (AMP) “Now after John was arrested and put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the good news (the Gospel) of the kingdom of God, and saying, The [appointed period of] time is fulfilled (completed), and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent (have a change of mind which issues in regret for past sins and in change of conduct for the better) and believe (trust in, rely on, and adhere to) the good news (the Gospel)”.

Now here is the Author of Salvation Himself – the Lord Jesus – saying PLAINLY – REPENT AND BELIEVE! It is no accident the Lord phrased it in THAT order. Anything else is Easy Believism. It is easy to sit in church during a particularly inoffensive sermon in America, pray a closing prayer at Invitation time, agree in one’s heart (or raise your hand, walk the aisle…whatever)…and think you’re saved! But are we really?
The debate over the pejorative “Lordship Salvation” and Free Grace is over the issue of Repentance. To be sure, the so-called Free Grace proponents have a point in that Grace is free to those who will believe. But think of the Thief on the Cross for a minute. When he rebuked the other thief by saying that he and the other thief deserved to be punished with the death penalty (while Christ was innocent), THIS thief was in the process of Repentance with a brief period of time to accomplish it! He acknowledges his sins before the Lord before saying “Lord remember me when You come into Your Kingdom!” This thief followed Mark 1:15 above!
There is no way Repentance is Good Works as the “Free Gracers” call it. I was at a concert just feet away from the popular Christian singer Natalie Grant, who boldly declared “I am sick and tired of those who say if you don’t repent, you’re going to Hell”! She had it right! What do you think “making your peace with God” means?!!! Think about it.
Only in America can this kind of debate go on. Sometimes I think we have too much time on our hands, as we consider the 300 million Christians who are persecuted daily in the underground Chinese Church! Read the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-23) again and decide for yourself where the theory of Easy Believism, as practiced in most American churches would fit! Then transpose that revelation to Mark 1:14-15 and the process described by Christ Himself. Decide for yourself if there is any connection.
Then decide for yourself if He is Lord of your life NOW or in some future time in Eternity! For me, Christ is not only my Savior NOW, but my LORD and THE LORD OF MY LIFE NOW! If that makes me a Lordship Salvation dude like Ray Comfort or John MacArthur or Paul Washer or Nancy Lee DeMoss…let’s roll!

Being TRULY saved and being made an adopted son/daughter of God means we are immediately living in the Eternals, and are part of that Inheritance from Creation. It is the Lord Who caused this and HE IS THE LORD! In my own walk with Christ, I knew I was not truly saved until I repented of my sins, and for me that included writing them down on a piece of paper and confessing them in tears. It was almost as if I could hear the Lord smiling as I finally got “IT”! The Apostle Paul says in Romans 7:7 “I would not have known sin BUT for the Law!” Law without Grace is Works. But does this verse mean Paul is for good works??!! NO! If your sin and recognizing it before a Holy God does not drive you to your knees, friends, I would question if the Sower’s seed fell on clay soil, rocks or fertile soil!
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord in Repentance and acceptance of Christ as the Lord and Master of our lives, in Jesus’ Name, amen.