Daily Devotional for Sunday October 31, 1999

Halloween

(2 Timothy 1:7)

Today is the day a lot of the world celebrates Halloween. Rather than dealing with what Halloween is and isn't, let me simply say that too many believers take on the superstitions and mindset of this world. They become fearful of days like Halloween, possible "end-time" dates on the calendar, and of so many other world-related events and customs. Today's scripture tells us that God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power. You do not fully comprehend the power that a believer in Jesus Christ possesses. As a follower of Christ, you can tap into the never-ending power of God's Holy Spirit which gives us the advantage over any superstition, calendar date, let alone anything this world can throw at us.

To me, Halloween is just another man-made holiday that the world celebrates. I totally am aware of the historical roots of this pagan holiday, what it represents, and why people celebrate it. What else do you expect? From a person that is lost and without Christ, why wouldn't something like a Halloween appeal to them? When you are lost, unsaved, and without Christ in your life, you are always looking...searching for answers. You have no compass to guide you and the "feel good now" philosophy makes sense.

My challenge to you is to work hard every day living a life that the world can look at and see is different. Be bold in your proclamation of why you live the way you do. We can never stop these types of days because of the sin-filled, unsaved world we live in. It is a byproduct of unrepentant lives. Our goal as believers isn't to fear these types of days, but recognize the daily responsibility we have to be God's witnesses and a living testimony of His grace and goodness.

I am praying for you. I pray today you will have a spirit of boldness, not of fear. Realize your responsibility as His child to live a life showing this world there is another option. Let those in your life understand that there are answers, real answers that make sense out of this life. I pray today that God will instill in you the realization that you truly are the light of this world and to let your light shine brightly.