Have a Fun Halloween!

That's right, I said it! A pastor just encouraged you to enjoy Halloween. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. Why? Because it's one of the few days we Americans set aside just for fun. People dressing up, kids begging candy, etc... I really enjoy it. The only time I didn't enjoy Halloween was when I was attending a church that insisted on having a "Halloween alternative" where people had to dress as Bible characters. So basically everyone showed up in their bathrobes and such. It would have been much more interesting to see John the Baptist beheaded, the bear eating the children who mocked the prophet, Adam & Eve in their "creation" suits - there's all kinds of scary stuff in the Bible.

I got to be honest, I don't think Halloween (or even Satan) poses much of a threat to Christians. You can argue that it originated as an evil day, but it's just not that way now. I have even known some parents to tell their children that it was evil because it is Satan's birthday. WHAT!? Why do so many Christians insist on living a life of fear? The Bible tells us that God does not give us a spirit of fear, but a sound mind. Halloween is a day like any other day. Let your kids have a little fun! I think when we dress as scary things, or the undead, or whatever - we actually have an opportunity to mock death. We Christians have been given the victory over death. To show Death he has no sting, go ahead and dress like a zombie (Isaiah chose to dress like an Elvis Zombie this year!).

I also get really tired of intelligent Christians giving Satan too much credit. Everytime they sin it's because Satan has really been working on them hard. Let me say this as clearly and as plainly as I possibly can. SATAN IS NOT A GOD! He is not omniscient, so he does not have access to your thoughts. He is not omnipresent, so since he can only be in one place at a time, he cannot be tempting all Christians at all times. So how vain do you have to be to think that Satan's going to focus all his attention on you because you're that big a threat to him. He is not omnipotent, so not only does he not have power over a Christian covered under the blood, he's already been defeated.

Sunday I asked my teens "When you sin, do you think it's because Satan caused you to sin or because you're just screwed up and sinful?" Every one of them answered the latter. Let me share with you the wisdom that a bunch of knuckle-headed teens have already figured out. If you are losing the battle with drugs/alcohol, it's because your dumb enough to put yourself in a place where it's available. If you find yourself fornicating or committing adultery, it's because you don't have the sense to keep your pants zipped up. I could go on and on, but I think you get the point. All Satan needed to do in your life, he did in Eden. You are sinful and fallen and if you find yourself losing to temptation alot, try praying and reading your Bible and changing some of the patterns of your life. Don't give Satan more credit that he deserves. He's not showing up to you personally and tempting you like he did with Jesus in the wilderness. He only needed to do that with Jesus because he was JESUS!

So have a fun Halloween. Dress up or rent a scary movie or go egg the deacon's house or something.