Terrorists and Halloween have a lot in common.  Both are built on fear and deception.  Deception comes in many forms.  It is synonymous with trickery, lying, cheating and misrepresentation.

The chief of all deception is the “prince of darkness.”   John 10:10 reveals the enemy’s strategy:  “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy...” I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

                             Fear is one of the enemy’s number one tactics.  Being the opposite of faith, fear cripples

                             and paralyzes, resulting in pain and misery.

Our God does not give us the “spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.”  (2 Timothy 1:7).

Question:  Does Halloween bring fear or faith?  One might ask the same thing of terrorists.

Many examples in the Bible give the painful results of deception.  Wrongdoing is never justified.  God’s way is the only way to the abundant life.

One of The Ten Commandments is “Do not give false testimony.”  (Exodus 20:16)

The grotesque symbols of Halloween, witches, skeletons, ghosts, devil costumes and hideous masks give false testimony to me.  They represent darkness and death.  Terrorist motives strike me in the same manner.  Their goal is deceit and misrepresentation, taking innocent lives in the process.  I cringe when I see a clip of terrorists rejoicing over the downed trade centers, celebrating death and fear.  Halloween to me is a celebration of fear too.  Halloween parties contain haunted houses, fortune- telling booths and other means to promote fright, yet such is forbidden in God’s Word.  Deuteronomy 18:10-12:

“Don’t let anyone among you offer a son or daughter as a sacrifice in the fire.  Don’t let anyone use magic or witchcraft, or try to explain the meaning of signs.  Don’t let anyone try to control others with magic, and don’t let them be mediums or try to talk with the spirits of dead people.  The LORD hates anyone who does these things.  Because the other nations do these things, the LORD your God will force them out of the land ahead of you.  But you must be innocent in the presence of the LORD your God.”  (NCV)

            Who can dispute the fact that devils, witches and other symbols of Halloween are not evil?  1 Thessalonians 5:22 tells us to “Abstain from all appearances of evil.”

            Our President certainly used the right words “axis of evil,” speaking of terrorists.

I, for one, do not want to associate with anything that even hints of evil.  Halloween and terrorists represent a dark side to life, except terrorists don’t say “trick or treat.”  They

kill innocent people and then celebrate it.  They have lived among us.  They have enjoyed the freedom and benefits of this country and then try to destroy it.  I wonder if they celebrate Halloween and then laugh about that?  In the wake of a national tragedy such as we have had, it hardly seems appropriate to celebrate in any way, a celebration of darkness, fear and death.  Why would I celebrate that?  Anytime anyone is plagued with fear, be assured it is not of God.  The enemy of our soul is full of “tricks:”  lying, dishonesty, stealing, immorality, murder and all kinds of hatred.

            The Bible is a book of life, love and redemption.  On Halloween, and every day, I

will celebrate Jesus.  I will honor the One who gives me eternal life here and in the

 

hereafter.  God offers a life of abundance that is void of fear, deception and terror. 

 

Receiving Jesus into your life brings love, forgiveness, kindness, trust, joy and peace.

 

            That is cause for a real celebration!