When you think of Halloween, what comes to mind?
Sweets, pumpkin craving, trick or treat, dressing up as witches, vampires, zombies?
This may to some look innocent, fun and harmless on the surface.
But we have to be careful with the things that are mainstream in society and ask ourselves why they are popular in the first place, why they are celebrated to begin with.
Ultimately what is the origin of it all.
Understanding the origin of something can give you an educated judgement of how to go forward with that information.
If that is sticking to your old ways or changing to a new path, no matter the decision you make, you have the free will to live your life the way you want.
The question is do I want to live my life in darkness when I know what light is?
It’s like telling light to no longer shine in darkness, when its purpose is to expose what is in darkness.
The same way we are children of light who are to expose what is in darkness (Ephesians 5:8-11).
You are choosing to do wrong when you know what is right.
I am prefacing all of this before we begin because what will be debunked in this blog post, I don’t think will come as a shock to many.
I think many of us know that something about Halloween isn’t right.
For some is due to common sense or your conscience, for others it is the Holy Spirit and His conviction in us.
It is down to you to choose what you are going to do with the information you read today.
So, let’s begin with debunking Halloween.
What is the origin of Halloween?
Halloween originally dated back in the third century B.C.; it is associated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced “sow-in”).
The Celts who accommodated mostly in the area what we know now as Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1st which marked the season of human death.
The Celts believed that the night before the new year which is on the night of October 31st was the blurred line between the world of the living and the dead.
October 31st was therefore believed to be the night where the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.
This night was believed to have an element of spiritual encounters.
Why do people disguise and ask for candy?
Dressing up is fun, right?
Getting to dress up as your favourite character in a movie or a TV show you love to watch.
There doesn’t seem to be any harm in that.
Or what about being treated with sweets?
Surely, there isn’t anything wrong with that? We all eat sweets all the time.
No big deal.
You know what else is fun, craving out pumpkins.
It’s the autumn season, therefore pumpkins are automatically the theme.
Craving out pumpkins has nothing to do with the evil side of Halloween, right?
Wrong, if we focus on the context of Halloween, in fact there’s actually more harm than we know.
If you don’t want to hear it from me, hear it from an ex-Satanist high priest, John Ramirez.
You see wearing costumes on Halloween goes deeper than just dressing up, but it is a spiritual mark of changing your identity.
We were all made in the image of God, that is our identity. We have been marked by God (Genesis 1:26).
Now to go and wear costumes on Halloween you are wearing an identity that is far from who you are.
You are no longer allowing yourself to be identified by God, but instead by Satan.
Remember, the origin of this day has spiritual elements and practices.
It has attachments to death.
Hebrews 2:14-15:
“14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”
Why associate yourself with the one (Satan) who wants to lead you to eternal death when Jesus freed you from that and gave you in exchange eternal life?
To continue, going back to the origin of Halloween, the Celtics.
The Druids, who were Celtic priests, commemorated this night to build huge sacred bonfires as people gathered to burn crops and offer animal sacrifices to Celtic deities and wore costumes made of animal heads and skins in attempt to predict each other’s fortunes.
As we know as Christians, the bible tells us in Deuteronomy 18:9-13:
“9 When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. 10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, 11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you. 13 You must be blameless before the Lord your God.”
God explicitly forbids us to join in any occultic practices which is exactly what the Celtics were doing, which the celebration Halloween is derived from.
This means when you wear costumes on Halloween whether it is good or evil, you are committing a sin, you are worshiping foreign gods, this is idolatry.
You may also want to rethink knocking on strangers’ doors and asking for sweets.
Like John Ramirez said witches ‘pray’ i.e., cast spells and curse over candy so that whoever takes it will be cursed.
So, imagine now eating that candy?
Spiritually, you are opening doors of the dark world which Satan reigns, inviting evil spirits into your life.
It doesn’t stop there, there’s more.
Coming up with activities of carving out pumpkins which is called ‘Jack-O’-Lantern’ during autumn season around Halloween, is no coincidence.
This concept originated in Ireland which derived from an Irish folktale called Stingy Jack.
If you want to know the full details of the story, the story is linked below under resources.
In summary, the story consisted of Stingy Jack inviting and tricking the Devil to do things for and with him, which would then lead Stingy Jack to curse the Devil with a sign of the cross to prevent the Devil from claiming his soul after he dies.
After Stingy Jack died, he didn’t go to hell but neither did he go to heaven, instead he has been roaming the Earth with a carved-out turnip with burning coal in it.
Years later, people in Ireland, Scotland and America have created their own versions of Jack’s lanterns with turnips, potatoes or pumpkins placing them int windows or near doors to scare away Stingy Jack and other wandering evil spirits.
But that’s the thing there is nowhere in Scripture which talks about souls of human beings roaming on earth after physical death.
The dead cannot haunt on earth.
However, who can? The devil.
1 Peter 5:8:
“Keep awake! Watch at all times. The devil is working against you. He is walking around like a hungry lion with his mouth open. He is looking for someone to eat.”
Earth is the devil’s kingdom to roam around and get whoever he can to worship him and ultimately lead them to a path of destruction; eternal death.
So, those pumpkins or whatever vegetable you are carving out isn’t going to stop the devil from attacking you, in fact it is just inviting him in.
You need Jesus, the Saviour of our soul, who defeated every evil work of the devil he has against us.
Colossians 2:15:
“In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.”
That’s who you want to have in your life.
Can Christians celebrate Halloween?
Now, you would think this would be a rather straightforward and clear answer, like no question needed to be asked.
But the unfortunate thing is, it’s not.
The world has become deceitful that we too as believers are being deceived, even from things that are blatantly evil.
But is it deception?
If something is obvious, why do we Christians still engage in it?
I think sometimes, we are being straight disobedient, whether we want to admit it or not.
We know that celebrating Halloween is wrong, but we choose to follow our flesh instead of following the convictions of the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:16-18:
“16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”
We as Christians have lost the fear of God and have immerse ourselves in the temporary satisfactions and pleasures of the things of the world.
Proverbs 9:10:
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
To practically apply the word of God into our lives we must regain or introduce the fear of the Lord into our lives.
Read these scriptures and see God’s heart in His word.
John 17:17:
“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”
Let His word wash and cleanse you from your sins.
Scriptures:
Galatians 5:1:
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
Yes, we are free for Christ has made a penalty for our sins, but we should avoid going back to the bondage of sin.
So, yes you can celebrate Halloween, you have the free will to, but should you?
1 Corinthians 6:12:
““I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything.”
We have the right to celebrate Halloween, but it doesn’t mean you should celebrate it.
Is it beneficial to you in any way?
1 Corinthians 10:20-23:
“20 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 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. 22 Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he? 23 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial.“I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.”
Why partake in the cup of demons?
You cannot be in light and in darkness.
Ephesians 4:27:
“and do not give the devil a foothold.”
We’re not even supposed to give the devil place in our lives.
Were supposed to refrain from everything that is of and looks like the devil.
Ephesians 5:8-14:
“8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said:
“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.””
Have no fellowship with things of darkness, meaning things of the devil.
We are children of light, meaning we are children of God.
We are to in fact expose the things of darkness, the things of the devil.
How can an ambassador of light promote darkness?
Ephesians 6:10-18:
“10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 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. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
We need the armour of God because the devil rules the world, which is full of evil therefore, to fight off evil you need God who is mightier and more powerful than the devil.
1 Peter 5:8-9:
“8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”
We are to be sober minded, vigilant, discerning and alert through the power of the Holy Spirit because the devil is watching you, trying to find an open opportunity to attack and deceive you.
1 Thessalonians 5:22:
“reject every kind of evil”
STAY AWAY from all APPEARANCES of evil, that includes decorating your house with Halloween decorations or participating in Halloween traditions.
Isaiah 5:20:
“Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter.”
Good is not evil and evil is not good.
Don’t try to reclaim what is evil and try to make it good, just refrain from it completely.
Romans 13:12:
““The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.””
We don’t know when Judgement Day is approaching but we do know that it is near.
So, let’s continue to represent the light of God so that others can come to know Christ also, and let’s stay away from doing things that do not represent Jesus.
James 4:7:
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. “Resist the devil and he will flee from you”
How can the devil flee from you if you continue to engage yourself with him?
To resist someone you are counteracting them, you are combating them.
Therefore, every thing that associated with the devil you mist counteract it by being obedient to the things of God.
You must combat the devil with the word of God which is the sword of Spirit, for the devil to flee from you.
John 3:19-20:
“19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.”
Everyone who practices evil hates the light and Jesus is the “light of the world” (John 8:12).
Luke 10:19-20:
“19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
God has given us the authority to attack the enemy and win but that is not where we should we rejoice.
We should rejoice in the fact that our names are written in heaven; rejoice in Jesus.
Joshua 23:12-16:
“12 “But if you turn away and ally yourselves with the survivors of these nations that remain among you and if you intermarry with them and associate with them, 13 then you may be sure that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become snares and traps for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land, which the Lord your God has given you. 14 “Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed. 15 But just as all the good things the Lord your God has promised you have come to you, so he will bring on you all the evil things he has threatened, until the Lord your God has destroyed you from this good land he has given you. 16 If you violate the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land he has given you.””
Participating in Halloween doesn’t stop the consequences of engaging in the events of the things.
The question should always be what the origin is, what is the purpose of this.
How did Halloween become mainstream in Christianity?
It is a scary thought to know that Halloween is being infiltrated in the church.
This is how “All Saints’ Day” also known as “All Hallows’ Day” was celebrated on November 1st.
The night before it was called “All Hallows’ Eve” and eventually what we now know as Halloween.
They would dress in costumes as saints, angles and devils and have big bonfires and parades similarly to Samhain.
Today, we have similar things happening in the church, introducing trunk or treat.
Remember, stay away from all appearances of evil.
What makes you look different from those who do trunk or treat for Halloween, and from those who do it at church?
It looks exactly the same, it just that Jesus’ name is slapped on everything.
But how is that any different to what Pope Gregory I was trying to do, to convert a celebration which is to worship the devil to now somehow bring Jesus into it?
You can’t “reclaim” or “convert” something that was made for the devil.
What business does light has with associating itself with darkness.
We are to expose what is in darkness not immerse ourselves in it.
Anton Lavey (the founder of the Church of Satan) said “I am glad that Christian parents let their children worship the devil at least one night out of the year.”
Just like John Ramirez said, it took Adam and Eve to commit one sin to curse generations after them.
Why take a chance on celebrating Halloween for one day when it can have a curse on generations after you?
We don’t see Satanists celebrate Good Friday because they fear (i.e., respect, reverence, honour) the devil more than we fear God.
Let’s not be afraid to be different and stand out from the crowd.
Let our fear in the Lord and the desire to please Him be a witness for others to be attracted to give their lives to Christ.
Tips on what to say to people who ask why I don’t celebrate Halloween
If they are coming to you, they saw something in you that is different use this as an opportunity to say the truth in grace and love.
Some people don’t know the origin of Halloween, and do things in ignorance, this is your time to put a stone in their shoe.
Get them thinking about why they celebrate Halloween.
Despite Jesus looking weird, being judged, people were still attracted to Him.
Who we are should attract people to us to have these conversations with them, just like Jesus did with sinners.
Use what you have learnt in this blog post and share it with them including the resources and scriptures used in this blogpost for their further research, so they’re not just basing it off on what you said.
Self-reflection
Ask yourself these questions and reflect on your answers you give.
Test them with the word of God.
Don’t build views on opinions, build them on the word of God, because your opinion will only become lies not the truth.
That’s how we can get easily deceived.
- Is your mindset “I can’t” or “I choose not to” celebrate Halloween?
- Why do I choose to do celebrate or not celebrate Halloween?
- Horror movies are like Satan’s ministry. Do you agree or disagree?
I hope this blog post gave you some insight into the truth of Halloween, that it isn’t all harmless and fun, there is more that goes beneath the surface which we need to pay close attention to and be intentional about what we do moving forward with the information learnt today.
If you have more questions or what more information about Halloween, we have some resources for you to check out below.
Stay Blessed,
Divine L.
Resources:
- The Holy Bible! – https://my.bible.com/en-GB/
- “Halloween” – Ben Johnson – https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Halloween/ (Website)
- “Halloween 2021” – History.com Editors – https://www.history.com/topics/halloween/history-of-halloween(Website)
- “How Jack O’Lanterns Originated in Irish Myth” – History.com Editors – https://www.history.com/news/history-of-the-jack-o-lantern-irish-origins (Website)
- “Your Questions: Do souls wander the earth, haunt people?” – Louise Zdunich – https://grandinmedia.ca/your-questions-do-souls-wander-the-earth-haunt-people/ (Website)
- “How the Early Catholic Church Christianized Halloween” – Patrick J. Kiger – https://www.history.com/news/halloween-samhain-celts-catholic-church (Website)
- “Should Christians Celebrate Halloween??” – Hannah Williamson – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssxE6ldFeko&t=3227s (Video)
- “2021 Halloween Q&A Livestream – LED Live” – Little Light Studios – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pr9j4lVRaL0 (Video)
- “Take It from Someone Who Used to Talk to Satan: Halloween Is a Bad Idea” – CBN News – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q369iQJ49cY (Video: Interview with John Ramirez Ex-Satanist High Priest)
Hi, I am Divine L., your sister-in-F.A.I.T.H., who is passionate about discipling Christian girls to be a walking embodiment of Jesus Christ in their daily lives and to help young girls and woman become who God destined for them to become. It is a great blessing to welcome you to the F.A.I.T.H. sisterhood!