Innumerable Christians are willingly engaging in occultic behavior, and it’s not only on Halloween.
“For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and revealed” (Luke 8:17).
I once heard about a Spirit-filled pastor who strategically avoided watching certain questionable movies at theaters in his home town, instead driving an hour away to watch them in obscurity. He didn’t want his choice of entertainment to be known, so he would head to the city to hide. This is an occultic maneuver.
oc·cult | \ ə-ˈkəlt: not revealed: Secret: to shut off from view or exposure: cover
Sadly, it has become common to hear about yet another Christian pastor or minister who has been exposed. Their secret life of sin was discovered, and the fallout is always devastating. Many go to great lengths to cover up their indiscretions, and they leave a trail of destruction that reaches far and wide.
The Bible gives us a clear instruction to expose the darkness, yet today, too many Christians are doing the opposite, living secretive lives, sinning regularly and enjoying their dark, temporarily pleasurable deception.
“For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Eccl. 12:14).
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Before you start pointing a crooked finger at others, consider your own life. Is it possible you are driven by the occult as well? Have you created a system of checks and balances to ensure your private life is not exposed? How well does your mask fit? Are you sweet, holy and appropriate in public and altogether different in private or with your family? This is the occult at work, and it is a killer spirit. It’s one thing to expose someone else’s darkness, and it’s something entirely different to deal with your own deception.
Halloween Every Day of the Year
I personally believe it’s absolute foolishness for Christians to participate in Halloween, and I’ve written on it quite a bit in the past.
You can read one of my articles titled “Halloween: The Invitation.”
Here is a portion of the article that speaks to our topic:
Over my last 25 years of ministry, I have had many encounters with witchcraft and the evil that is celebrated on Halloween, and I implore you to trust me: If you participate in Halloween at any level, you are at risk. There is nothing innocent about it and there is no way to sanctify it. The stories I could tell would make your skin crawl.
The level of demonic activity around the world on this night should result in millions of Christians gathering together to pray on fire in response.
We must understand that a key role for us as Christians is to expose darkness. Strangely, instead of doing that with anointing and passion, when October rolls around, Christians—actual blood bought servants of a holy God—are actually enjoying and promoting darkness. If we understood the evil that surrounds this unholy day, we’d shout from the rooftops the danger and evil that is overcoming our culture.
It might shock you to consider that you may oppose Halloween while still vigorously affirming the occult. It’s one thing to stand opposed to the clear, demonic and evil activities that surround Halloween, but if we embrace those same demons in the hopes they will help us hide our 365-day-a-year sin, we are deeply deceived—and in a lot of trouble.
As dark as Halloween is, and it is extremely dark, I propose the occult that’s present in so many devoted Christians the rest of the year is even more deadly. Covering up immorality will devour even the most devoted religious person.
“Be sober and watchful, because your adversary the devil walks around as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8).
Porn, Lust and Other Secrets
“For you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light— 9 for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth” (Eph. 5:8-9).
I believe one of the most valuable attributes of a healthy marriage is transparency. Not only is it a catalyst for intimacy, but it diffuses the darkness.
When Amy and I we were first married 24 years ago, we agreed to alert other the moment we found ourselves even the slightest bit attracted to someone else in an unhealthy manner. If there was an emotional connection initiating, or if unrighteous thoughts attempted to come in regarding another person, we were quick to share that.
The result? It was diffused. Our voluntary accountability and devotion to bring things into the light not only immediately diffused a few specific situations, but it resulted in a culture within our marriage that was not conducive to immoral and threatening feelings and behaviors flourishing.
This commitment to each other has expanded to most every part of our lives. My wife, Amy, knows she can access any device I own, any computer, any phone and any tablet and freely search through them. She can check my history. I can do the same on her devices. Any inappropriate pictures, videos, messages or material would be easily discovered. We are both grateful to God that porn, lust or impure media is not a part of our lives, and our entire marriage from start to where we are now is a testament to that. It feels good to be squeaky clean, and thanks to the empowering of the Holy Spirit, the darkness never has to overtake us. The occult must give way to the light!
“Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life'” (John 8:12).
I want to encourage you to reject deceptive, occultic strategies. Don’t hide the various compartments of your life, but rather be an open book. Don’t live in fear of being exposed, but readily invite scrutiny in. You can be completely, entirely free from lust, pornography, anger, addictions, immorality and every other behavior and vice!
This means you will make a dramatic shift in the direction of holiness. Celebrate the opportunity to eliminate questionable television and movies. Get excited about shutting out secular music in favor of Holy Spirit-anointed worship music. Allow joy to replace your anger. You can finally be free from everything you’ve been trying to hide. The light of Jesus will certainly bring freedom to you and your family!
You will then become a mighty threat to the darkness, ready to expose it, devoted to assaulting the devils that are celebrated by so many this time of year.
And do not have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness; instead, expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things are exposed when they are revealed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead and Christ will give you light” (Eph. 5:11-14).
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