WATCHWORD:
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelation 21:8
Meditation:
A Christian Halloween
–By Matney Woodard
Unless you live a very sheltered life, it is almost impossible to avoid being influenced by the Halloween season. It is now one of the biggest holidays for retailers, and a huge money maker for Hollywood. Scary movies, witchcraft, demonic activity, the occult, are all being promoted by the media, entertainment, and pop culture. All of these in some way introduce fear into people’s lives. Whether its fear of injury, the dark, monsters, demons, Hell, or even death, that fear can undermine faith. And as we see in the life of Job, fear can remove God’s hedge of protection around a Believer.
In the past, Christian leaders have simply refused to even acknowledge the existence of Halloween, or held Fall Festivals as an alternative celebration to Halloween, and attempted to remove any evil influences. This may do some good. But it’s hard to shelter children from everything.
My parents took a different approach. They acknowledged Halloween, but made it clear that I had nothing to fear. When Jesus ascended to Heaven, He defeated the devil! (Colossians 2:15) The only weapons Satan has now is deception and fear. You can enforce his defeat in your life by refusing to fear and ignoring his lies. You have Power of Attorney to use the name of Jesus to overcome everything that has a name. (Philippians 2:9-10)
Fear is the opposite of faith. Think about how many times the phrase, “Fear not!” appears in the Bible. When you trust God to take care of you, there is absolutely no reason to be afraid. How can you be afraid when you know that the Creator of the universe has your back? How can you buckle under pressure when the Holy Spirit is inside of you? When you know that God’s Angels, His Ministering Spirits, are working night and day to protect you, why worry? With God’s Word, His Wisdom, which is loaded with promises and examples of faith in action to inspire you, why should fear ever be an issue?
The root of ALL fear is doubt, or unbelief in God. It is your faith that pleases God. In Revelation 21:8, the fearful and unbelieving are listed with the murderers and sexually immoral who experience the second death. You do not want any part of unbelief or fear. So be it!
Humor for a Scary Night:
Q: What do Italians eat on Halloween? A: Fettuccini Afraid-o.
Q: What is a vampire’s favorite ice cream flavor? A: Veinilla.
Q: Why don’t mummies take vacations? A: They’re afraid they’ll relax and unwind.
Q: What do you call a ghost on the ceiling? A: High-spirited.
Q: What do female ghosts use to do their makeup? A: Vanishing cream.
Closing Prayer:
Lord, it is easy to become afraid as we look at how prevalent evil is in our world and the power it holds. But God, YOU are greater! You are far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else–not only in this world but also in the world to come. And though I live in the world, I do not wage war as the world does. The weapons I fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. In your strength, Lord, I will demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and I take captive each and every thought to make it obedient to Christ. My life is hidden with Christ in you, God, so help me to fix my eyes on things above, not on the things that are on this earth. Help me to hold firm to the truth that will bring freedom.
