Is Halloween a device of Satan? What is Halloween? A time of fun and excitement for children? 

It is a day when schools, preschools, and daycares take a day to devote their activities to tales of witches and warlocks, of drawing pictures of black cats, full moons, ghosts and goblins. It is a day if carving out jack-o-lanterns, of candy and more candy. After school, when darkness arrives, it is a time of costumes and going door to door to neighbors and friends, children shouting, "Trick or treat" for candy and apples, trips through haunted houses, and parties. 

The stores are already filling up with sections devoted to Halloween costumes and masks, scary makeup, fake blood and eyeballs, plastic jack-o-lanterns, ghost figures, witches on brooms, and more.

Is this a “holiday” where Satan appears as an angel of light? 

Halloween has a history filled with evil, wickedness, and violence. The Spirit reveals underneath the sugar coated celebrations, there are deadly satanic activities going on by the principalities, the powers, and the rulers of the darkness of this world.

Years ago Druids, coming to the door of castles threatened homes and families with satanic curses (“trick") unless the father and mother would surrender their virgin daughter as a blood sacrifice to Satan on the upcoming rituals on the night of Halloween. If they surrendered their daughter, a hollowed out squash would be lit by their door, candle light sending out beacons through its openings signaling that this home was not to be cursed: they had surrendered their child at the Druid’s threat.

Several years ago the underground evil seeped up into the candy gathering ritual to the point where hospitals were offering x-rays of apples and candy to determine hidden razor blades. The possibility of poison in Halloween treats lead to supervised neighborhood trunk and treat events.

Is there other evil going on the night of this satanic holiday today?

There are numerous accounts from those that have previously been involved with Satanism of the animal and child sacrifices on this night. The horror of this goes beyond one’s imagination. It is truly a night of darkness and evil spiritual activity going on in remote areas, concealed beyond the “innocent” revelings of the night.

Halloween is a time to be discerning, to not step over the line into the realm of being caught by Satan’s devices. It is a time to intercede in prayer for those caught up in satanic activities that the light of Jesus’ truth come to them and deliver them from darkness into his Mercy by the Gospel of Jesus (Acts 2:38). It is a time to intercede in prayer for those that are victims or potential victims of the sexual abuse and violence that is a part of satanic rituals.

Deuteronomy 18:9-14 KJV - 9 When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you [any one] that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, [or] that useth divination, [or] an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12 For all that do these things [are] an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. 13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God. 14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so [to do].

{10-11, 14 NLT: For example, never sacrifice your son or daughter as a burnt offering. And do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead… The nations you are about to displace consult sorcerers and fortune-tellers, but the LORD your God forbids you to do such things.”} (Also, Galatians 5:19-21, Revelation 9:21, 21:8)

Ephesians 6:10-12, 18a KJV - 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]…18a Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit… 

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 KJV - 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 

2 Corinthians 2:11 KJV Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

 

Today is "the last day, that great day of the feast" described in John 7:37.

 

The Feast of Tabernacles is one of three times in a year that all Jewish males are to appear before the Lord at the temple in Jerusalem. This commandment is found in Leviticus 23: 34 and Deuteronomy 16:16. This feast was celebrated in the days of Christ, and is still celebrated today by Jews all over the world.

The Jews call the Feast of Tabernacles "Sukkot". This 7 day holiday began this year 20...13 at sunset September 18 and ends at sunset on September 25. Sukkot is described as the most joyous of the three Biblically mandated festivals. It is described as the 'Season of our Rejoicing".

The feast commemorates the 40 days the Israelites were in the wilderness, after God brought them out of Egyptian bondage, and before God brought them into the Promised Land.

The name for the feast "Sukkot" comes from the word “sukkah”, which is a hut of temporary construction with a roof covering of branches in which Jews celebrating the feast eat all their meals for 7 days and nights. They do this in obedience to the commandment.

Leviticus 23:42-43 Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

Sukkot is marked as a holiday of rejoicing.

Deuteronomy 16:14-15 And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates. Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD shall choose: because the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice.

When the Temple stood in Jerusalem, starting with the second night, there was a nightly Water Drawing Celebration. Sukkot has a commandment to offer a water libation on the altar that the other feasts do not have, in addition to the wine libation that accompanied all the sacrifices throughout the year. The water would be drawn the evening before. At this event there was great fanfare, singing, and celebration.

Today is the seventh day of Sukkot and is called Hoshaana Rabbah ("Great Salvation"). This is "the last day, that great day of the feast" described in John 7:37.

John 7:37-39 ¶In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

The Talmud states that "one who has not witnessed the Festival of the Water Drawing has not seen joy in his lifetime!"

And the joy of the Holy Ghost is greater than that!!

And on that day, Jesus chose to prophecy of his Spirit, the Holy Ghost, which he would pour out! Like RIVERS of LIVING water!

And how significant that Jesus would chose the 7th day of the feast to stand and prophesy, the last day, that great day of the feast that is called "Great Salvation"!

Isaiah 12:1-6 And in that day you will say: “O LORD, I will praise You; though You were angry with me Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me. Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; ‘For YAH, the LORD, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.’” Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And in that day you will say: “Praise the LORD, call upon His name; declare His deeds among the peoples, make mention that His name is exalted. Sing to the LORD, for He has done excellent things; this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst!”

When one is filled with the Holy Ghost, they are filled with joy!

Acts 13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

1Peter 1:8-10, 12b Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you… by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

God is Spirit with scriptures

God is spirit. (John 4:24a) He is the creator. (Genesis 1) Because man sinned, God, for a time, accepted the innocent blood of animals to cover man's sins. (Genesis 3:21) However, the blood of animals could not take away man's sin. (Hebrews 10:4) Only a man without sin could pay the price. God saw there was no man without sin. (Isaiah 59:16) That is why God made himself a human body. (Isaiah 53:1 God’s body is called the “arm” of God because of its power to redeem humanity; Hebrews 10:10) Because God came as a sacrifice, he is called the Lamb of God. When John the Baptist saw Jesus he said, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” God provided himself a Lamb as a sacrifice to take our place. (Genesis 22:8) Because God did this great thing for mankind, he gave his body a name that was above all his other names, the name JESUS. (Philippians 2:9) “JESUS” means, ‘Yahweh is become Salvation’ (‘Yahweh Savior’). At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and confess that Jesus is Lord. (Philippians 2:10, 11) Because it is by his incredible sacrifice of his body for us that God brought mercy and salvation to all mankind, God sits as the Lamb in his throne. (Revelation 5:13, 17:14)

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain that sits on the throne!! HIS NAME IS JESUS!!

God is Spirit

God is Spirit. He fills the universe. When he made himself a body, Jesus Christ, he was in Christ as well as in all the universe. When he paid the price for sin on the cross, he made a way for us to be filled with his Spirit. When we repent of our sins, and are baptized in Jesus name, (his blood washing away our sins), he promises to fill us with his Spirit. With his name “Jesus” and his Spirit, we become part of the body of Christ. He is in us, and at the same time he fills the universe.

2 Corinthians 5:19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. (NLT)

Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Holy Spirit)

Ephesians 1:23 And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself. (NLT)

Milk and Meat; Obeying and Ministering the Gospel

John 4:32-35 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.  Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him [ought] to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Say not ye, There are yet four months, and [then] cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

It appears that "meat" refers to ministering the gospel. It appears that "milk refers to obeying the gospel and learning the elements of the gospel.

Hebrews 5:12-14, 6:1-2 ¶ For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which [be] the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk [is] unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, [even] those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. ¶ Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

“Perfection” (Hebrews 6:1) is from the Greek word “perfect”. Besides meaning “perfect”, it means “full-grown, adult, of fullll age, mature” (Thayer).

1Corinthians 3:1-3 ¶ And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, [even] as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able [to bear it], neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas [there is] among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

When Jesus was ministering in the gospel, he had compassion on the multitudes and made a plea.

Matthew 9:35-38 ¶ And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly [is] plenteous, but the labourers [are] few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

It appears the Lord is saying, It's time to GROW UP! There is a harvest READY of lost, hurting, and dying souls that NEED the ministry of the gospel!  Acts 2:38-39

Joseph - Forgiving, Forgetting and Perfection

Joseph went through many trials and suffering because of his brothers’ jealousy and the evil they did to him. When Joseph became ruler of Egypt, he named the first son born to him "Manasseh".

Genesis 41:51 NLT Joseph named his older son Manasseh,* for he said, "God has made me forget all my troubles and everyone in my father's family."

Footnote:

* Manasseh sounds like a Hebrew term that means “causing to forget.”

When Joseph’s brothers came to him (Genesis 50:15-21), repenting of the evil they did to him, it appears he had already forgiven them.

Genesis 50:20   But as for you, ye thought evil against me; [but] God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as [it is] this day, to save much people alive. {See: Romans 8:28}

When Jesus was on the cross, he said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

When God forgives, he forgets.

Isaiah 43:25 "I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.

Jeremiah 31:34 … I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

Micah 7:19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

Paul spoke of knowing Christ and becoming “perfect”. (Philippians 3:12 “perfect”) “Perfect” includes the meaning of spiritually mature, full grown.

In the midst of Christ’s sufferings, and at his death, Christ forgave. In verse 3:13, Paul spoke of “forgetting”. When God forgives, he forgets.

Philippians 3:10   That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 

Philippians 3:11   If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 

Philippians 3:12 ¶ Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 

Philippians 3:13   Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before…

Philippians 3:14   I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Becoming “perfect” includes becoming forgiving and forgetting others evil towards us.

Matthew 5:44   But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 

Matthew 5:45   That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust… {Note: sun and rain are BOTH blessings from God}

Matthew 5:48   Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.    

Joseph - All things work together for good

Joseph had faith and trust in God knowing "that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)

Joseph was envied by jealous brothers and thrown in a pit, hauled out and sold into slavery, falsely accused and thrown into prison. From start to finish, he was innocent, and faithful to God.

It was by these trials and tests... that God perfected Joseph, preparing him to be used in a great way.

The Lord was with him through it all, elevating him in every situation. Finally, God elevated him to rule over all of Egypt, making him a savior in a world wide famine.

When Joseph was given the opportunity for vengeance upon his brothers, he responded with mercy.

Joseph's crowning statement:

Genesis 45:4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I [am] Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Genesis 45:5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life...Genesis 45:7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. Genesis 45:8 So now [it was] not you [that] sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.