Haunted by Fear?

 

Have you ever been to a haunted house, spooky night at a theme park, or a horror film? Why did you go? Do you enjoy being terrorized? Did you get pressured into going because all your friends went? Did you regret it? Or did you stand against the peer pressures and stay home, or go to see "The Wilds" with your little siblings instead?

Why do people want to do things or go places that will make them afraid? Fear is not of God. The Bible says, "God hasn't given you a spirit of fear, but a spirit of love, power, and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7) Why would you want to expose yourself (or others) to things that will make them afraid?

Fear is not of God, so let's avoid things that will make us afraid...

Please check out these verses on fear:

Psalms 56:11

Psalms 91

Proverbs 3:24

Isaiah 12:2

Philippians 4:4-8

James 4:7

These verses have helped me through a lot when it has come to battling fear.  We do not have to live in fear.  God has sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for us so that we may be His children forever.  Children of God have no need to fear: "What can man do to me? The Lord is with me; He is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies!" (Psalm 118:6-7)

What verses do you use when battling fear?  What other tactics have you come up with to defeat the devil?

I have found that praising God is a great way to get the devil to leave you alone.  Every time you think of that thing that scares you, or every time you think about that sickness or disease in your body, give thanks and praise to God for what He has done for you.  He is our Healer; He hasn't given us a spirit of fear!  We don't have to live with these things, for God has sent the ultimate Redeemer, Jesus Christ!  Let's choose not to live in fear anymore!!

Blessings!

~ S*

Witchcraft

Witchcraft... Some of you may be wondering what is witchcraft? Is there such thing in today's world? What qualifies as witchcraft? What things in this world (toys, movies, books, etc...) depict or encourage witchcraft? Does the Bible really say that witchcraft is bad?

Definitions*:
Witchcraft:1: a : the use of sorcery or magic b : communication with the devil or with a familiar 2: an irresistible influence or fascination

Witch: : one that is credited with usually malignant supernatural powers; especially : a woman practicing usually black witchcraft often with the aid of a devil or familiar : sorceress.

Divination: : the art or practice that seeks to foresee or foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge usually by the interpretation of omens or by the aid of supernatural powers.

Sorcery: : the use of power gained from the assistance or control of evil spirits especially for divining

This Week's Scriptures:

Exodus 22:18, "Do not allow a sorceress to live." (NIV)

Pretty obvious...

Leviticus 19:26b, "Do not practice fortune-telling or witchcraft." (NLT)

Can't get much clearer than that...

Leviticus 19:31, "Do not defile yourselves by turning to mediums or to those who consult the spirits of the dead. I am the LORD your God." (NLT)

Consulting mediums or witches can separate you from God; it puts your relationship in jeopardy.

Leviticus 20:6-8, “I will also turn against those who commit spiritual prostitution by putting their trust in mediums or in those who consult the spirits of the dead. I will cut them off from the community. 7So set yourselves apart to be holy, for I am the Lord your God. 8Keep all my decrees by putting them into practice, for I am the Lord who makes you holy." (NLT)

Do what God says, and He will protect you. Don't jeopardize your relationship with Him for a whimsical fortune telling...

Leviticus 20:27, "'Men and women among you who act as mediums or who consult the spirits of the dead must be put to death by stoning. They are guilty of a capital offense."' (NLT)

If we did this stuff now a days (putting sinners to death for capital offenses the real capital offenses), we wouldn't have near as many problems in this world as we do... You can't go wrong when following God's Word!

Deuteronomy 18:9-14, “'When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, be very careful not to imitate the detestable customs of the nations living there. 10For 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, 11or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead. 12Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord. It is because the other nations have done these detestable things that the Lord your God will drive them out ahead of you. 13But you must be blameless before the Lord your God. 14The nations you are about to displace consult sorcerers and fortune-tellers, but the Lord your God forbids you to do such things.'” (NLT)

If we would stop sinning against God, we would be a nation safe and blessed by Him. But instead we follow or engage in the detestable things, and we pay for it. All the things listed in the above scripture are things God hates. Why would you want to do something that dishonors Him; something He forbids?

1 Samuel 15:23, "'Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.'" (NLT)

If you think about it... Witchcraft is rebellion... Along with a lot of other things...

2 Kings 21:6, "He [Manasseh] sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the LORD, provoking him to anger." (NIV) (Repeated in 2 Chronicles 33:6)

It makes God angry when we practice evil things.

Galatians 5:19-21, "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." (NIV) (emphasis added)

I think they are obvious, but a lot of people in this world don't know right from wrong. Look in the Word and learn what God blesses and curses.

Revelation 9:21, "And they did not repent of their murders or their witchcraft or their sexual immorality or their thefts." (NLT)

Guess what's going to happen to them? (read the next scripture)

Revelation 21:8, '"But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars--their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."' (NLT) (emphasis added)

Pretty serious stuff... I don't think we want to be practicing witchcraft. I personally wouldn't get near it with a ten foot pole!

What things are witchcraft that might effect you? Anything with sorcery or revolving around death probably isn't a good idea. Including some of the following: Harry Potter, Twilight, Wizards of Waverly Place, Ouija boards (pronounced weegie board), Tarot cards, Horoscopes, etc... Let's face it... The only one who knows the future is God. We don't need to waste our time trying to figure out what tomorrow will bring, for God knows the plans He has for us (Jeremiah 29:11). I encourage you to put your trust in the Lord, not in a Ouija board. He will bring the best out of you!

Extra Scriptures to look up: Isaiah 47:9, Micah 3:7, Micah 5:12-13, Nahum 3:4, Revelation 18:23

Blessings!
~ S*

*definitions came from merriam-webster.com/dictionary/

Halloween To Participate or not to Participate?

A lot of people want to know what the Bible says about Halloween... Should they participate in the dress up day at work?  Should they let their kids go door to door to get candy?  What about those "Halloween Alternative" parties that churches put on to keep kids "safe"?

While I was growing up I wasn't allowed to trick or treat.  I had some Christian friends who did an annual "Halloween Alternative" party at their church, but I wasn't allowed to go to that either...  Is dressing up in costumes bad?  Some of my friends would say, well, we only dress up as Bible characters... As if to justify it...  I didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing, but I never participated in anything on Halloween... So in the end, I guess I didn't really care.

Now that I am older I have adopted my own, personal, point of view on the holiday, based on what I have read and learned from the Bible and other sources.

I personally am against any form of participation in Halloween.  This includes those church alternative parties.  Let me be clear on something... Dressing up in costumes isn't bad... Playing games for candy isn't in itself bad...  Carving a face in a pumpkin isn't bad...  A lot of the activities or things that people do on Halloween or "Beggar's Night" aren't in themselves bad, but what they represent on this night in particular, to me, makes it bad...  "Why does doing it on that night make it any worse than doing it any other time?" you may ask...  

It's what they represent...

After researching the history of Halloween and some of the things that are done on or around this holiday here is what I have come up with:

Bonfires were used to drive Satan away...

Bobbing for apples had to do with superstitions regarding who a girl would marry...

Costumes were originally worn by people to make themselves appear dead so, in turn, evil spirits wouldn't bother them...

Black cats are historically associated with witchcraft and evil; at one point in time, they were considered to be reincarnated witches...

The Jack O' Lantern originated with an old story of Jack tricking the devil into a tree. He traded the devil's freedom for his never going to hell.  So when Jack died he just roamed around the dark places of the earth with a carved turnip lit by an ember from hell.  People used these vegetable lanterns (now usually pumpkins) to ward off evil spirits (especially Jack's)...

Other words and phrases associated with Halloween: voodoo, mischief making, ghoulish visitors, bribe with candy, ghost stories, satanic rituals...

Here are some of the most common costumes that people dress up as this time of year and their meaning*:

Witch: a woman thought to have magic powers (wears back and rides a broomstick); a woman practicing black witchcraft often with the aid of a devil; sorceress

Warlock: a man practicing black arts (male version of a witch)

Ghost: an apparition of a dead person that is believed to appear or become manifest to the living; spirit of a dead person; demon or spirit; a returning haunting memory or image

Devil: the chief evil spirit, Satan; a subordinate evil spirit; a demon; a wicked or malevolent person; an outstanding example, especially of something difficult or bad

Zombie: originally a snake-deity of west Africa or Haiti; a soulless corpse said to be revived by witchcraft; a snake god of voodoo cults; a supernatural power or spell that in voodoo belief can enter into and reanimate a corpse

What the Bible has to say:

1 Thessalonians 5:22, "Abstain from all appearance of evil." (KJV)

Ephesians 5:8-11, "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them." (NIV)

(For more on Witchcraft please visit my previous entry by clicking here!)

Everything about Halloween is negative to me...  Everything I have listed above has something to do with witchcraft, evil spirits, or the dead.  Why would we want to condone or associate with anything like that? 

And as for those "Halloween Alternative" parties that churches throw...  I think their intentions are good, but to me those parties represent the church accepting the holiday or condoning it.  Just look at some of the things I listed above... Do you want to participate in what all of those Halloween oriented things represent?  I know I don't.

What are some things we can do to be the best example we can be this Halloween season?  If I choose not to wear a costume to work, that may bring a lot of attention to myself...  But what better way to be an example and shine God's light to others!?!   I look forward to hearing from you!

Blessings!

~ S*

*some definitions taken from google.com and thefreedictionary.com