Dearbrothers and sisters in Christ,
ManyChristians will participate in, and allow and encourage their children toparticipate in, Halloween, be it trick-or-treating, parties, etc. Evenchurches will host events and decorate with skeletons, ghosts, jack-o-lanterns,etc.
Isthere any harm in this? How did Halloween begin and what is itspurpose?
Belowfind research and understanding about Halloween. Much of thisresearch came from Elizabeth Jordaan (Jericho Walls International) andHarry Laventure (see references at bottom).
Pleasetake time to read this and ask our gracious Father in heaven what He wants youto do, and not do.
Pleasetake this seriously, God does, and so does Satan.
Yourbrother in Christ,
JeremyWhitaker
Halloweenis celebrated on October 31st. It is the night when
paganists honor the spirits of the dead, offer human sacrifices and
make pacts and covenants with demonic forces and Satan.
Origin Halloweenoriginated among the ancient Celts of Europeand was called
the festival of "Samhain" (god of the dead) or "AllHallowtide". It was the Feast of the Dead for the Druids (priests ofthe Celts). It started the evening of October 31, signaling the endof
harvest and the beginning of winter. Druids held the ceremonies ofthe feast in sacred places, such as forests, rivers, lakes and streams. Human sacrifices
were part of the ceremonies. November 1, was All Soul's Day.
Halloweenbegan on October 31 because in ancient times days were reckoned from evening toevening, rather than midnight to midnight as we do today. This also signaledthe beginning of the New Year for the Celts. During the "turning" ofthe year, the "veil between the worlds" was believed to be at itthinnest and the living could communicate with the dead in their dwellingplace. It was a time when deceased ancestors and other"friendly" spirits were invited to join in Sabbath festivals andbe reunited with loved ones.
Thecelebration of the dead honored the god of the dead on this particularnight. It was also a time when fairies were active. Fairies wereseen as those angels who did not side with
either God or Lucifer and were condemned to walk the earth until judgmentday. On this day the Celtic people saw a lot of supernaturalphenomena. Those who practice forms of the occult today, explain thatOctober 31 is the most conducive day of the year for practicing theirarts. The Druids believed that chaos reigned during this night sinceit was neither one year, nor the other. It was a night of magic charmsand divinations, reading the future and other rites.
Trick or Treat People would imitatethe faeries and go from house to house begging for treats since thebelief was that spirits had to be appeased by giving them a type ofworship and offering (food or milk). Prosperity was promised to all whowere generous, "tricks" to all who were not. If the spiritswere not appeased it was believed they would haunt the living, terrorize, castspells, cause trouble, steal infants, destroy crops, kill farm animals. Thiswas a classic example of one of the basic tenets of the occult, controlpeople through fear.
Pranks Representing the behavior of fairies and witches, failureto provide treats would result in pranks and mischief being visited on theowner of the house such as: blocking the chimney, leading off cattle, throwingcabbages, etc.
Costumes Another way to fool or scareaway the evil spirits was to dress up to look like them. In doing so, theybelieved the spirits would not harm them.
Symbols Fires and candles were left burning all nightto honor and welcome the dead. The celebration involved nuts, apples,skeletons, witches and black cats. Black cats were considered to bereincarnated beings with the ability to divine the future. The"Jack-o-lanterns", gourds, cider, incense and gemstones wereused as altar decorations. The candles were black and orange. Traditional Halloween symbols appeared in the U.S. during the late 1800's. Witches, black cats, death's head cut from a pumpkin, candles, masks, partiesand pranks were used.
Jack-o-Lantern The story, or myth,recorded in history says Jack was an Irish scoundrel who liked to eat big redturnips. On Halloween day he trapped the devil in a tree and would notlet him down until the devil promised Jack he would never live in Hell. The devil agreed. A year later Jack died. Because he did notbelieve in God, he did not go to heaven. The devil did not allow him inhell. To help Jack find his way back to earth, the devil gave him a fierycoal. Jack put this fiery coal in the lantern he carved from his bigturnip. This first "Jack-o-Lantern" was supposed to help Jackfind his way back to Ireland,but he never found it. Thus, he was left forever roaming the earthwith his lantern.
Fire Ceremonies Halloween was one ofthe four great "Fire Festivals" of the Celts. All the fires inhearths were extinguished and then re-kindled from a central bonfire startedceremoniously by the druids. During this time the druids would wear animalskins and heads to disguise them from the spirits. The extinguishing ofthe fires symbolized the "dark half" of the year and the rekindlingsymbolized the return of hope.
Substitutes to Halloween Theearly Christian Church tried to eliminate the Druid celebration by offering AllSaint's Day as a substitute. It was not successful. Today,substitutes, such as "Fall Festival" don't work especiallywell either. They often end up being polluted by Halloweenparaphernalia or practices.
When, How Halloween Came to United States Although the outward forms of Celtic worship disappeared, the belief inthese gods did not. In the Middle Ages, open practices of witchcraft (theoccult) flourished. In the late 1800's paganism returned to thewestern world, including the United States, and the pagan feasts, includingHalloween, were re-introduced. Today, occultpractices such as witchcraft, card reading, fortune tellers, horoscope, etc.,are flourishing all over the world, including the United States. Even blatant Satanism is being tolerated.
Satanists adopted the Druidic High Days andcelebrate Halloween as
follows:
October 22-29 - Satanists start sacrifice preparations.
October30 - Satanic High Day - related to Halloween, involves human sacrifice.
October31 - All Hallows Eve - blood and sex rituals with demons; animal or human
sacrifices.
Satan's Strategy The uninformedChristian has no idea about all this. Satan, the great deceiver, lovesthat. He knows that if he can get you to participate even a little bit,even unknowingly, or "just for fun", in a "seemingly"harmless, but actually evil celebration, he gains the right to rob andattack you according to your choices. (understand what, in part,is behind Romans 6:16,2 Tim. 2:25,26, Genesis4:7) This is true of all our words, and actions, andeven thoughts, which are in agreement with any of Satan's ways. Itdoesn't matter whether you believe this to be true or not, it is stillbinding. Satan knows it and uses that against us. Thus, ignoranceis not bliss. (Hosea 4:6...for lack of knowledge my people are destroyed)
Enticement Understand also how Satanuses things. He often uses things that are attractive andappealing to entice us to participate in evil. Thus, candy andparties and costumes are very effective for drawing in children,and adults, to participate in Halloween.
In light of all this information, what do the scriptures belowmean to us?
Deut18:9-13 When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do notlearn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no onebe found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, whopractices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, orcasts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because ofthese detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nationsbefore you. You must be blameless before the LORD your God.(NIV)
Eph 5:11 Do notparticipate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but insteadeven expose them. (NAS)
1 Thes5:22 Avoid everykind of evil. (NIV)
2 Cor 6:14-17 .....For what dorighteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can lighthave with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreementis there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "Iwill live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they willbe my people." "Therefore come out from them and beseparate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." (NIV)
Eph5:8-11 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in allgoodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Havenothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. (NIV)
A fewyears back, Harry Laventure wrote that "the uninformed Christianhas no idea that there truly are demonic spirits which are contacted andactivated as people call out to them even in jest, (let alone) inseriousness. Every Halloween (oriented) action is in honor of false gods,which are really just spirits in the realm of the Satanic. Those who havebeen deeply involved in witchcraft and who are now free, declare (based onexperience) that even those who say they worship spirits of nature, are inactuality contacting the satanic realm without knowing it."
Hewent on to write that some may reply "we only do this in fun...we don'treally practice witchcraft.' "That which represents Satan and hisdomain cannot be handled or emulated "for fun". Such participationplaces you in enemy (and forbidden) territory, and that is dangerousground."
"Throughthe ages, Halloween has gone by various names, but all areultimately tributes to the same dark force, Satan. There is no place in the life of the Church, or the Christian, for suchparticipation."
Wellsaid.
Let us truly repent and escape the snare of the evil one. Indoing so, we will know a greater level of intimacy with God, and thefruit that comes with it; freedom, love, joy, peace, healing, power,protection, blessing, a greater ability to hear and see andunderstand...etc.
YesLord, may it be so. Amen.
1 Thes 5:21-23 Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid everykind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through andthrough. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at thecoming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (NIV)
PRAYER AND ACTION GUIDELINE: to intercede for yourself and thenothers, even the nations.
Start with yourself, then those around you.
Ifyou, or your family, have participated in Halloween in the past,confess it, asking the Lord Jesus to forgive you and break all cursesand ties to the enemy.
SuggestedPrayer:
"FatherGod,
In theName of the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth,I repent and renounce any involvement my family, forefathers and I have hadwith the practice of Halloween. I now cancel any covenants and agreements madewith the spirit world, Satan and His kingdom, and anyworship we have given to Satan and his demons. I turn my back on this practiceand ask You to cleanse me and my family with the blood of Jesus Christ YourSon. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I break allties and close all openings, Satan has had to our life because of ourinvolvement with Halloween. Fill us afresh with your HolySpirit. Strengthen us ...body, soul, mind and spirit. LordJesus, put a fresh hedge of protection around me, my family, our property andthe work of our hands. Bless us afresh with your every blessing, andlead us going forward, that we would not give in to temptation toparticipate with any occult practices in the future. Give us words, and the right heart, to speak to others about allthis. Again, we pray all of this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
Thankyou, Father. Amen."
Speakup and warn people of the danger of getting involved in any kind of occultpractices including Halloween. Do so with a spirit of love, notjudgment. Ask the Lord for a revelation of His ways to the peoplearound you, that their eyes would be opened and they would understand.
Stand in the gap, praying for others. (Ez.22:30)
Scripture, to build up your faith, and knowledge,of who you are in Christ and the power God has given you to intercede forothers.
Eph6:10-13 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against thedevil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, butagainst the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this darkworld and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, youmay be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.(NIV)
2 Cor 10:4-5 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of theworld. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against theknowledge of God... (NIV)
Luke 10:19 I have given youauthority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all thepower of the enemy; nothing will harm you. (NIV)
Matt 16:18-19 ...and on this rock Iwill build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I willgive you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth willbe bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed inheaven." (NIV)
Eph6:18 And pray inthe Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. Withthis in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.(NIV)
James 5:16 Theprayer of a righteous man (right with God at the time) is powerful andeffective. (NIV)
Understandingthese verses, and that we are Kings and Priests of the one true living God,seated with Christ in the heavenlies, let us pray with knowledge andfaith, empowered and lead by the Holy Spirit, and in the authority of His name,Jesus.
Prayer Suggestions
Resistthe spirit of fear that seems to surface more than ever in the time ofHalloween and is enhanced by movies portraying either the occult or extremesituations of fear. (2 Tim 1:7 God has not given us a spirit of fear, butof power, love, and a sound mind)
Askthe Lord to forgive the countless ways your town, country, the body of Christ,etc., have/will be involved in Halloween. Ask Him to reveal to youHis plan and purpose for your town, etc., and pray agreeing with Him until Hemanifests His power in your area according to His will. (Daniel 10:12-14)
Askthe Lord to expose all evil and to destroy it's work, especially on the nightof Halloween, so that works of the kingdom of darkness will be weakened andstopped.
Ask for protection for those targeted for human sacrifices.
Prayfor all Christians to be protected against curses directed at them. Pray
especially for pastors, ministers and Christian leaders.
Praythat the Lord will silence the voices of the underworld so that witches,wizards,
shamans, spiritists, etc. will be unable to make contact with the spirit world.
Pray for the salvation of those who practice the occult, that they will
be confronted with the love, truth, purity and holiness of God the Father.
Petition the Lord against the resurgence of serial killers and murder,escalation
of crime, especially violent crimes against children and women,
disputes, increased trade in narcotics and pornography, increased
abortion, drought and spoilt harvests, financial destruction to the
Church, calling up of spiritual forces to begin mass bloodshed and war
in countries all over the world, evil forces meeting together to
generate power to deceive the masses and the revival of the practice of
magic, especially by teenagers and pre-teens.
AskGod how to further intercede and do so lead by the Spirit of God. Thosewho understand will know what to do. (1 Chronicles12:32) See alsoDutch Sheets book "intercessory Prayer" for further understanding.
LaventureReferences: Bible New Living Translation; Encyclopedia Americana; EncyclopediaBritannica; Christian Life, Oct. 1980; World book Encyclopedia; The StandardDictionary of Folklore; Babylon Mystery Religion; The Satan Seller; MikeWarnke, Freed From Witchcraft; Dareen Irvine, Time Magazine, June 19, 1972; TheSupernatural, Grolier Enter; Christianity Today, Oct 21, 1977
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