Follow your convictions towards righteousness. It’s ok to be counter-cultural. The goal of a Believer and Disciple of Jesus has never been to succumb to the ideals and imagery of the world. Rather, we are called to be different and shine as lights among a wicked generation. It’s ok if being different ruffles the feathers of people around you. Jesus did it, and so should we! We don’t have to portray Christ and living for Christ from a position of rivalry. We should do this from a position of goodwill and love in defense of the Gospel. (**Phillipians 1:15-16 came to mind for me here**) We must live for and emulate the truth. Fear God more than people.
👉Fear God more than you fear not fitting in.
The darkness of the upcoming day is undeniable. Just go browse the aisles of your nearest store. You’ll likely encounter it as soon as you walk in the doors. What part has light with darkness? The truth is, none!
Ask yourself, “Would Jesus like this?“
If your spirit recoils, you’re in good company. Mine does, and I am fairly confident it’s really the Holy Spirit within me wanting no part of darkness. We’re to bring truth and deliverance to darkness, not to join forces with it!
A moment I’ll never forget is having a client once tell me, casually, that her son was dressing up as a demon. 😭 She wasn’t a believer and it wasn’t my job to judge her. Sadly, she didn’t have a heart for Jesus. I was speechless. My heart was breaking for her and her son. I genuinely loved and cared for her and I wanted to shout “Please, Don’t do that!!!!!!” I can think of only a few moments I was speechless as a hairdresser and this was one. My heart was so sad. Do you have any idea the havoc demonic forces can bring to a person who does not have God in their heart?! Satan, demonic forces, and spiritual warfare are very real. They’re not just characters in a movie or someone fun to dress up as. The battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, authorities, and powers of this dark world. Against the forces in the Heavenly realms that oppose God. Their goal is to kill, seek, and destroy and they will gain a foothold in anyone or anything they can to satisfy this goal of destruction.
How far is too far? Can you nicely take your kids trick or treating? What about an alternative party? We are not God and it isn’t up to us to decide. I would strongly encourage you to seriously pray about this. Ask God what He thinks. Ask Him to bring truth, clarity, sound mind, and righteousness to your home and family. And remember, the world is the world. Judgment starts with the household of God.
What if, like our family, you have decided to just treat this day like any other day and not celebrate at all? (It’s such a blessing the fall Biblical feasts fall in this time frame so we have something admirable to look forward to!)
I used to turn the lights off and sit in the dark, but last year the Lord convicted me over that. We are to be the light! Our job is not to succumb to the darkness, but to shine outwards to the world, against the grain, to combat the darkness. So, last year I made a nice little sign with a Bible verse that lovingly portrayed the message, “we don’t celebrate.”We left all the lights on, hung the sign on the front door, and went on with our evening shining brightly for the Kingdom of God.
To God be the glory in all aspects of our lives!