Halloween: Darkness and Light

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I can’t believe it’s October, mostly because it still feels like it’s 90 degrees outside. October is my birthday month, and therefore my favorite month of the year. How do you celebrate your birthday? I make it a point to take one or two days off to do all my favorite things at some point during the month. I used to really struggle with my birthday. I would always feel dissatisfied and depressed. But since I started celebrating in my own ways and thanking God for the day I was born, I look forward to it every single year!

These are the ways we overcome.

Another thing that’s right around the corner is Halloween. I grew up dressing in homemade costumes and trick-or-treating just like any other kid. I remember a hobo costume… maybe that was my little brother’s. I have a vivid memory of dressing like an 80s rock star, complete with dramatic makeup, glittery purple leg warmers, and hair teased a mile high. We were probably around eight and ten at the time, so our mom followed us in her car as we walked the not-so-well-lit streets of the small town we lived in. 

I never really thought anything of it. It was just another fun holiday. But for reasons I will explain here, I have since decided to completely abstain from Halloween as a matter of conscience between myself and the Lord. It was a walking-out journey that didn’t happen all at once.

I invite you to take the next few minutes to walk with me through:

• What I’ve learned about the dark side of Halloween
• A dream the Lord showed me that continued to solidify those ideas in my heart
• My own maybe not-so-popular opinion
• How we as Christians can seek God’s wisdom on the subject and move forward in the way He would have us go.

Each one must decide for himself, and we won’t all decide the same. But at least we will have the information we need to choose what’s right in our hearts before God, just between us and Him.

Here are a few questions from Focus on the Family that might help us: 

Is it a sin to dress your children in their favorite superhero costume and escort them around the neighborhood? No.

Can Christian parents celebrate Halloween? Yes.

The bigger question that needs more thought and consideration is: Should Christians celebrate Halloween? 

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In my late teens and early twenties, our local Christian radio station would put on a month-long October series called “Don’t Dance with the Devil.” It was all about the origins of Halloween and why Christ followers should think twice before taking part in the dark holiday. They discussed its beginnings based on a pagan celebration called Samhain that centered on an ancient Celtic belief that the barrier between the living and the dead would break that one night of the year. Spiritual doors that were normally closed would open, and dark supernatural impossibilities became possible. 

The program educated listeners about ancient rituals of conversing with the dead, preparing peace offerings for protection from Samhain monsters, and the sacrificing of animals and crops to various idols and deities (with documentation of human sacrifices in some areas of the world). 

Taking it a bit further, Modern-day Wicca believes “October 31 to mark the time when the separation between the spiritual and physical realms is the thinnest. In other words, Halloween is the best time to try and interact with the supernatural realm.” Many Christians understand, there are hidden traps within Wicca, and it has become very attractive to our teens.

Modern Satanism believes Halloween to be the “highest and most important day” in the Satanic calendar. Riaan Swiegelaar, an ex-occultist and former satanic church leader turned full on Bible-believing Jesus-follower, teaches that if a neighborhood has even a few homes that decorate for Halloween, that entire neighborhood is considered a satanic ritual in satanist beliefs. He also says that literal human sacrifice is highest across the globe on Halloween night. His appearance is different than some may expect, but his life is sold-out to Christ [watch his Halloween comments here].

All Hallows Eve was established on Oct. 31 to distract from Samhain. It was supposed to prepare people for All Saints Day, which falls on Nov. 1. Instead of distracting from it, the name was shortened to Halloween, from All Hallows Eve, and the traditions became even stronger.

"Bonefires," soul bread, and wearing costumes to fool the spirits were all accepted traditions that were brought to America during the nineteenth century. Halloween became known as a night of mischief, when youth would roam rural communities stealing gates from homes and farms. When Halloween came to the cities it got out of control. Some American cities considered banning Halloween, but they were afraid of the backlash so they tried to organize it and make it “family-friendly.” After World War II, the candy and costume industry took hold of the holiday and began commercializing it. They did such a good job that today, seventy five years later, most people think of candy and costumes before they think about the sinister history of Halloween.

Christ and Common Sense: The dark side of Halloween
Pastor Tim Dinkins, The Sentinel

There is not one other night of the year when believers would find it acceptable to display symbols of death and the occult in their homes or on their property. It’s the candy-filled fun facade of the holiday that makes it feel acceptable. I totally get that… 

As a young mother, I wanted to protect my children from the world as much as I could when they were still little. We homeschooled for many years, we didn’t watch scary movies, and we distanced ourselves from Halloween. We abstained from parties and decorations, from handing out candy at the door, and from walking the streets with our children to guard them from scary costumes and terrifying front yard festivities.

Alternatively, we went to a storybook forest with our children dressed as two little lions and a princess, then we used those same costumes to attend a “harvest festival” at church. When they got a little older, we tried to steer our kids’ attention away from the holiday altogether by doing other things: game nights and movie nights complete with piles of candy, fire pits with s’mores, pumpkin patches, hay rides, and corn mazes.

As our children approached their middle teens, we relaxed on trick-or-treating and allowed them to go door-to-door with their friends. Now that they are all adults, it’s their decision to take part or not.  

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For me personally… and this may not be a popular view… taking part in Halloween feels like celebrating my best friend’s enemy. It makes me feel disloyal to Christ. After all He has done for me, how can I then turn around and celebrate a holiday that is focused on darkness, death, and the demonic? 

Now, that’s me talking about me. Each one must decide for himself.

Some people keep it cutesy with bats, spiders, and the Great Pumpkin from the Peanuts cartoons. Others dive into it completely with grave stones, grim reapers, jump scare devices, and scary demon babies. There are terrifying images out there on Halloween night, and even more terrifying movies playing throughout streaming services in the weeks before and after the holiday. My question is this: How are we protecting our children? 

A Dream of Halloween

Last September [2024], I had a dream about Halloween. I dream quite a bit, so it was no surprise, but the imagery in the dream was horrific, which is why I am posting this information today. 

I dreamed our real spiritual enemy and his "team" had dressed themselves up as sweet, harmless Golden Retrievers for Halloween. It was after dark, there was a line of children also dressed in costumes, and the Golden Retrievers were ushering them into cute little cages filled with hay. The scene was so attractive that children and families were easily drawn into it. But behind each cage was a tall demon carrying a pitchfork, and one-by-one, the children were destroyed before my eyes.

As a result, my prayers were these: 

. That parents would know how to stand and fight for their kids spiritually. 
. That parents would have increased discernment to know what their kids are dealing with privately.
. That parents' eyes would be opened to things that are not spiritually healthy for their kids, even though they may look attractive or seem beneficial, and that they would set strong boundaries around those things.
. That parents would be encouraged with confidence from the Holy Spirit, and filled with renewed faith and energy to pray diligently for their kids, no matter their ages.
. That children of believers in that young age range would be protected, and for every strategy of the enemy regarding them to be broken, in Jesus' name.  

The Bible says our children are holy because we are believers (1 Corinthians 7:14). This means the enemy has no rights where they are concerned. As parents, we have the authority to command the enemy away from our children, and to pray God's Word over their lives, in Jesus' name. If WE will submit ourselves to God and resist the enemy on their behalf, then he WILL flee from them (James 4:7).

The Bible says the enemy comes only to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). There are physical safety precautions to take on Halloween if our kids are going to participate. But more importantly, we must also keep our children safe from spiritual darkness that disguises evil as good. 

The things of this world are a slippery slope where seemingly harmless evil influences start to stack up on us. Little by little, we become desensitized and indifferent to ungodly things. We slowly fall asleep while right under our noses, spiritual doors are opened through things attached to fear and the occult. Ever wondered why we still feel scared for days and weeks after watching horror movies? There is a spiritual element attached to those things that, at the very least, seeks to rob our peace… and at the very most, seeks to destroy our lives. 

What does the Bible say? 

Avoid Evil

Some versions say avoid even the appearance of evil.

• 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 – But test all things carefully [so you can recognize what is good]. Hold firmly to that which is good. Abstain from every form of evil [withdraw and keep away from it].
  
• 1 Corinthians 10:20–21 – No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.
  
• 1 John 5:21 – Little children (believers, dear ones), guard yourselves from idols—[false teachings, moral compromises, and anything that would take God’s place in your heart].

Walk in the Light

Light and darkness go together like oil and water.  

• 2 Corinthians 6:14 – Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?
  
• Ephesians 5:11 – Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.
  
• 1 John 1:5 – This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.
  
• Ephesians 5:8 – For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.
  
• 1 Thessalonians 5:5 – For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.

Wrestle AGAINST the Darkness

We have a real enemy, and he ONLY comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10), but if we will submit ourselves to God and resist the devil, he will flee (James 4:7).

• Ephesians 6:11-12 – Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
  
• 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 – For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
  
• 1 Peter 5:8-9 – Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

The Bottom Line

Each one must make his own decision whether or not to participate in Halloween, what they will do and what they will not do. There is no condemnation or sin unless you are participating in sinful ways, or if you are convicted in your heart to abstain, but then do it anyway.

It is only the Holy Spirit dwelling in you that would tap on your heart to say, “This isn’t for you.” If that is the case, then don’t ignore it because it’s not for no reason. Maybe He’s protecting your children from something down the line that you cannot see. Only He knows today what will derail their faith tomorrow. So if you feel His call to step away from the holiday, do it quickly. Take the bold step to get free from Halloween for good. You’ll never regret it. 

If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him. 

James 1:5 AMP