To Halloween or Not to Halloween

Well…Halloween is just a few weeks away.  Neighborhood decorations are popping up everywhere…giant skeletons, headstones, blowup ghouls, and, of course, spider webs and pillow cases (ghosts) hanging in trees. So, in the spirit of the season, let’s talk briefly about demons and the spiritual realm.

In case you are uncertain about the reality of demons, scripture is very clear about their existence and activity. In the Old Testament, we are told that every false god represented by an idol was a demon.  They loved the worship they received and drew Israel away from the one true God.  They were so seductive that even Solomon, in his later years, fell prey to idol worship.  Concerning these evil spirits, Moses wrote, “They made him jealous with their foreign gods and angered him with their detestable idols. They sacrificed to demons, which are not God – gods they had not known” (Dt. 32:16-17). The Psalmist wrote, “They worshipped their idols, which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons” (Ps. 106:36-37).

In the New Testament, Jesus and his followers encountered many demons and cast them out of tormented men and women.  We are told that Mary Magdalene had seven demons cast out of her. Paul reminded the church at Ephesus, “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).  The “heavenly realms” in this context is the spiritual realm.  Jesus even declared that casting out demons was evidence that the Kingdom of Heaven had come to men.  “But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Lk. 11:20).

Many Christians today give little thought or credibility to the activity of demons. They have exchanged a Biblical worldview for a cultural worldview. The Bible clearly presents a worldview that includes a natural realm (the seen) and a supernatural or spiritual realm (the unseen) which exist parallel to one another and often intersect. The cultural worldview, even in many pulpits, is that science and logic rule the day. Supernatural events may have happened in “Bible times,” but God has since chosen to operate within the confines of natural law. As a result, many believers no longer believe in God’s supernatural intervention in the lives of men and also discount the reality and activity of demons in our contemporary world.  We have been trained to ignore or explain away the activities of Satan and his minions. What a coup for Satan to operate among us without notice, like the invisible man.

So, what has that got to do with Halloween…one of the fun holidays for the western world?  I will admit, as a kid it used to be my favorite.  After all, what could be better than dressing up, running around in the dark, collecting candy, and committing a little “harmless” vandalism. Even as a young adult, it was fun to decorate and scare the kids – all in good fun!

However, I never considered the spiritual implications of Halloween.  It is undeniably the highest, holyist day for witches and Satanist who take it very seriously. According to a number of accomplished witches, warlocks, and Satanists who have become believers, more blood sacrifices (animal and human) are offered on that day than any other day of the year.  Because of that, there is more demonic activity that on any other day of the year. 

Satan’s strategy is always to gain legal access to a person, family, organization, or nation so he can afflict and oppress them.   One of the ways he gains legal access it to get people to participate is his activities which brings them into agreement with him. Of course, the average person who participates in Halloween would never have that in mind.  But by their actions, they honor darkness by dressing up as witches, monsters, ghosts, and other evil creatures or evil people and emulating them in some way one night of the year. 

Where in scripture do you find any suggestion that we should participate in anything that reflects or accepts the things that belong to darkness?  Paul instructed the church in Corinth, “I do not want you to be participants with demons.  You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he” (1 Cor.10:20-22)?  Even if that is not our intent, our participation or approval brings us into agreement with the enemy and gives him a legal right to afflict us.  Our participation in Halloween tends to fictionalize, in our minds, these characters that are, unfortunately, very real.  

In addition, when we put up Halloween decorations in our neighborhoods, we invite demonic activity.  Anything that honors the enemy, intentionally or unintentionally, opens the door to demons in our homes, hearts, or neighborhoods. The former witches and Satanists I referred to earlier, all agree they cannot understand why any believer would participate in Halloween at any level because it stands for all the things Christ opposes.  How does Halloween honor God in any way?

Spiritually, participating in Satan’s holiest day – even if we don’t mean it – is very risky.  I would even encourage you to pray for angelic protection over your house and property as Halloween décor starts popping up in your neighborhood, as that invites greater demonic activity in your area. 

I’m not trying to be hyper-spiritual or to sow fear. We do not have to be afraid of the enemy for Jesus has all authority and has defeated the enemy.  However, we are instructed to be aware of the devil’s schemes against us and our children and to avoid his traps.  It is always easier to avoid a trap than to try to escape once you have been ensnared. 

If you and your kids have been usual participants in Halloween, think about it, pray about it, and sense the Spirit’s leading in this matter.  Simply ask Jesus what he would encourage you to do.  That is always in our best interest as obedience protects us from the enemy.