An Encouraging Word: Trick or Treat?

Rejoicing that God has overcome the wicked one!

Where did Halloween even come from? Anytime you have something good, Satan tries to pervert or corrupt it. For example, the rainbow is a symbol of God’s beautiful promise that He would never again flood the earth with water. Sadly, now it is a symbol representing the LGBT community, for whom we need to pray and shine our light. But what is celebrated on November 1? Not many believers know that it is All Saints’ Day. It is a day commemorated for when Martin Luther stood up against the corruption in the Church of England for adding all kinds of laws, rules and regulations to the Bible. Martin Luther himself was struggling with trying to earn his righteousness by his good works and as a result, became very exhausted. One day the Lord spoke to him so clearly, ‘Martin, why are you beating yourself up? For the just shall live by faith!’ He quickly wrote down 95 points about the true meaning of the Gospel and how man should not corrupt it or add to it. He then nailed them to the Church door.  So we celebrate that Christ is our righteousness and we can rest in Him! 

Of course Satan tries to corrupt this. October 31 was known as All Hallows Eve or Oh Holy Evening, but it morphed into Halloween. This put the emphasis on witches, ghouls and goblins. So what are we to do with Halloween?  I like to tell my grandkids that Halloween just means that God overcame the wicked one, and since we live in this world, let us use it for our advantage! When do you have people actually coming to your door? Hand out tracts and good candy! Use it for sharing the Gospel! Also, rejoice in the bounty of the harvest and celebrate all the good fruits that God gives us to enjoy, both spiritually and physically.

Consider some Biblical truths that we can remind ourselves, and our families, this year as we hear the words "trick or treat":

Trick: We are not ignorant of the schemes and tricks of Satan and how he operates. He is called the father of lies and is a master deceiver. He deceived Eve in the garden and got her to believe that God was holding out on her. Can you imagine living in paradise, permitted to eat from every tree except one, but being so deceived that you believe God is holding out on you? That’s how tricky Satan is! He can turn himself into an angel of light. How does a banker recognize a counterfeit bill? Does he study them? No, he handles the real thing day in and day out and then when a counterfeit bill comes through his hands, he recognizes it immediately. How important it is to familiarize ourselves with the Word of God, then we will know immediately when something is not right.

Treat: Oh taste and see that the Lord is good! Delicious food tastes even better when you share it with someone, but you have to partake of it first! Are you feasting on the Bread of Life? Are you drinking deeply of the Living Water and letting Him quench your thirst? Are you beholding the beauty of Jesus? As the Queen of Sheba traveled with her entourage to see King Solomon, there was no more spirit in her! She heard all about the fame of Solomon, his awesome temple and unmatched wisdom, but when she saw it for herself she said, “The half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame of which I heard!”

So, let’s be wise and beware of the tricks of Satan. Keep yourself in the love of God who is able to keep you from stumbling (Jude 1:24). Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4).  No good thing will He withhold from those who walk with Him (Psalms 84:11).  What abundant blessings (treats) God has for you!

Check the web for further research on Martin Luther and All Saints’ Day and see how God used this man to set many people free from trying to secure a relationship with God through good works!

We would see Jesus,
Karen Pulley
–John 12:21