Ah. The pumpkins, the chilly mornings, recipes for your favorite soup with rolls, the return of boots and sweaters. It must be October! The leaves just beginning to change here in Virginia, people shopping for candy and children’s costumes, extra horror movies in the local theater, movies full of fear and gore suggested for you on your favorite streaming service, unexplained irritation in your house, and a few new nightmares peppered in. It must be October!
Some of my favorite things and some of my least favorite things. At a time when we could be celebrating the amazing provision from God and the changing seasons that He put in place we as a culture are much more focused on fear. What is it that draws so many of us to celebrate fear, death, dismemberment, murder, torture, and misfortune?
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Philippians 4:8
Last year was the first time I let God weigh in on my Halloween habits. I got a quick education on how our enemy feels about Halloween. He really likes it. It’s a great day for him. In fact, it’s a great month for him! A time when not only those who follow him on purpose, but also those who follow him unawares, and many of us who follow Jesus bow down to all he stands for. Satan’s values and work become our entertainment.
Once I knew the intention of the enemy for Halloween and how I was participating in it I made a decision. I was out. God made it very clear that I could not offer my children to Him 11 months out of the year, and then to Satan for 1. I didn’t realize I was doing that.
When I brought it to my family, they agreed but grieved a little. It had been such a big part of our lives and marked the beginning of the holidays. Now it would be just a night. No movie to make us jump, no costumes, no huge amounts of candy, no going out into the community, door to door to see our neighbors. No more plans with friends. Some of our friends celebrate Halloween and some of them don’t.
What’s different about this year is how aware I am of the spiritual warfare in October. The horror film advertisements stand out more. The pictures on the costume shop windows look darker and more sexual even for the preteens, and the irritation that set itself up in the house is more obvious.
I had a nightmare the other night. A disgusting, gruesome, terrifying nightmare. The kind that usually only comes when I invite things like fear and gore into my life or house, but I know I didn’t do that this time. Then a few nights later I was overcome with so much fear when home by myself that I could hardly function, only to have it go away when everyone came home and we prayed.
We have experienced extra bits of discouragement, shame, depression, and mouthiness in our family over the past couple of weeks. If you are thinking, “Yeah it’s because you are human,” you may be right! I also encourage you to do some of the research I have done about how Satanists spend their October. There are purposeful curses, worship, and excitement as Halloween draws near much like how the church spends the weeks leading up to Easter at Lent. The forces of darkness are hard at work, then we get on board and invite fear, death, and indulgence into our lives and help them with their cause.
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Our prayers are powerful, our blessings are powerful, our worship is powerful, and our Leader is far more powerful than His creation. We can’t shake in fear and go hide under our covers because someone curses us or our town, we just have to fight for the spiritual climate too. Satan isn’t stronger than God, but if he is working harder in October than the Christian community, we will have issues.
If you are horrified and think I’m old school and paranoid, I don’t blame you. That’s what I thought about my parents when I was a kid, and that’s what I thought about some Christians just a few short years ago. Each Christian has a relationship with God and God alone is responsible for leading us and convicting us. He does a pretty great job! I don’t want to condemn anyone or ask them to change their plans for October 31st. I’m just asking you to stop and pray. Worship. Glorify God with your every action. That’s what I’ll be focused on this October.
…for we are not unaware of his schemes
2 Corinthians 2:11
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