Defeat of Death

Let’s Talk Halloween

Hey everyone and welcome to another The Faith Filled Friends devotion. Today’s devotion we will discuss Halloween which is rather a different topic for a Christian website run by Australians. Well I think it’s time we talk about this ‘holiday’ and get the facts right. Of course this is a different devotion but it’s Message Monday… anything goes!

Message Monday

Halloween Special

So Halloween is seen as a pagan holiday, and I have always seen it this way. Creepy costumes, bats, ghosts, spooky themes and trick or treat. I understand why kids love Halloween and that’s because you get free candy and treats, but why is this day celebrated and why does it give me the creeps.

I have never celebrated Halloween and it’s because it wasn’t a big thing in South Africa or here in Australia. Often we will go out for dinner or do something away from home to avoid any kids running around our house, but last year not one kid showed up!

I really don’t consider Halloween as a ‘holy-day’ or ‘holiday’ because if we are honest, there is no relation to Jesus or God. But the day of Halloween is just another day to celebrate the dead, the lost. When I think of someone close to me who lost their life I think of Jesus on that cross straight away.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

This life is not the final stop because Jesus died for our sins. We have a hope and a promise in Jesus. I am so fill of joy because I know I will rise again in Christ and I will see my family and my good friends again. But, we know we won’t see everyone. Some of our friends or family members don’t believe in the sacrifice Jesus made and sadly they won’t live in eternity with Christ. This is one great reason to live unashamed because if we don’t share the truth then what chance or hope do they have. We must let the world know about Christs great love and His incredible sacrifice.

In this life we can fix our eyes on worldly things and find pleasure in fleshly desires (Yeah this fits with Halloween (sarcasm)!). So you will all know this verse as it gets pretty juicy and rather scary but we are going to go there.

Galatians 5:16-21

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to one another, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

The desires of the flesh are not the desires of God and chasing after these thing will leave us lacking. I know that can often fall into a few of these desires of the flesh, as you could all agree with me, there are a lot of people who love to push my buttons. I mean, they really test my patience. But if we look at verse 21 it can be pretty scary. “…I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” God tells us that we should not do such things as we will not inherit the kingdom He is preparing for us! It’s easy to just say, “Well I don’t qualify, what’s the point?” I know that none of us qualify but the equation is not finished yet… enter Jesus. He saved us and forgave us. We are now washed clean and saved by His scandalous and amazing grace. The Holy Spirit now fills our lives and we can fight against these desires and all the sin. Here comes the equals of the equation. One of my favourites.

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no Law.

We need to let the Fruits of the Spirit grow in us and shine out of us. The same power that rose Jesus from the grave lives in us, we just need to admit weakness and fault and allow God to lead us and shape us. And at the end of all of this, we have the result which is Jesus ruling our lives.

Galatians 5:24-26

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another.

We were dead but we are now alive in Christ. On Halloween people acknowledge the dead and remember them. We must acknowledge that we were dead but now, like Jesus, we live and we live life to the full. Lets step out full of faith, as friends, united under the mighty name of Jesus and be full of hope and courage. Don’t let fear hold you back, don’t let exams steal your life and joy, don’t let the desires of the flesh rule your life but rather live in the desires of the spirit, always growing your Fruits of the Spirit.

Luke 12:34-  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Having eyes that are always fixed on Jesus is the best thing we can do. Don’t treasure money or success or even sweets, but rather treasure Jesus placing Him first and giving Him all the glory. I have one last Halloween themed topic to talk about before I close… and that is the Halloween Pumpkin.

People carve creepy faces into pumpkins for Halloween but some people do really cool crosses and other Christian symbols, but that’s not my point. We need to be like a Jack-o-lantern or a pumpkin. The pumpkins have a candle or a light inside them and this brings light, the more you carve the more light you get. We have the light of Jesus inside us, He picked us from the pumpkin patch washing all the dirt off of us and scooping out all the disgusting stuff like doubt, fear, fleshly desires and all sin replacing it with His light. Carving a new smiling face on us we are now a new creation shining to all the lost people searching for something to satisfy them (kids looking for treats.). Our light draws them close and they come and knock on the door or our creator who put the light in us. We can be the change to this world, the light of God inside us will draw the searching in. They may look scary in some creepy costume but they are wearing a disguise just to go searching for something to make them happy, to satisfy.

We need to be the light to the lost. You may be bruised and you may have scars but that is where the light shines through. The new face and appearance God gives us makes more appealing and the light shines through and the lost can see that you have been through a lot but the creator still made something beautiful out of you.

So I now have a song to finish on. It is the amazing Jason Gray with the beautiful song, “I Will Rise Again”. We may be down, we may be broken, we may be scared and fearful but we know that God is always with us, so we can say… “I Will Rise Again, Stronger in the End!” Jeremiah 29:11- “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” God will make us whole and we just have to trust Him in everything.

I Will Rise Again- Jason Gray

‘…who I was, You won’t recognise me, Love came down and redefined me, And piece by piece put me back together differently. And the perfect plan to try to bring me down, Has been put to shame it’s been turned around, as I come so alive that death is afraid of me…’ Love has come and changed us, set us free. Death has no hold on us because Jesus broke all the chains that held us and He defeated death. Don’t fear or worry because this life is short and people come and go, we just have to pray that they go knowing Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:8- We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

Revelation 12:11- They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.

This is not where we belong. God is our rock and our hope. We need to love strong while running wild and living free. Jesus has saved us and remade us. This Halloween shine the creators love to the lost and the searching, be unashamed sharing His good news. Don’t go out for dinner but rather pray that God will lead the lost to your door step so you can show His love and grow in the Fruits. We are strong in the love of the Lord. We are Found, We are Free, We are Forgiven!

God Bless

The Faith Filled Friends