If we take a look at the apple tree, a seed turns to roots which branch out to a small stem until it grows to a mature tree bearing the apple. The origin of the apple is rooted in somewhere. Origins and roots matter!
WHAT DOES SCRIPTURE SAY?
In Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that could only be interpreted by God through Daniel. Nebuchadnezzar called all his magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and Chaldeans to tell him his dream and then interpret it to prove their power- to which none could. Nebuchadnezzar orders the killing of all of them and, in the midst, Daniel intervenes by having a dream of what Nebuchadnezzar saw and the meaning of it. The dream is a prophetic interpretation of the kingdoms to come until The Lord returns, destroys it all and establishes a new Jerusalem for His people. Daniel 2:43 says “43 As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay.”. This is commonly known as mixture in the church.
Now more than ever we are seeing an intertwining of pagan practices from Halloween, Yoga, Meditation, Mindfulness, Centring, Stones, Incense, and elements within those practices being normalized and accepted by the body of Christ. This is the Iron and the clay, commonly acknowledged as ‘Mixture in the church’. Unfortunately it’s a false truth and ignorant belief that you can be involved with such things on a surface level. You can’t taste the apple without also somewhat tasting the roots.
Matthew 18:18 shows us the parallel interconnection between the heavenly realm and earthly realm declaring “Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
We can not deny that as human beings what we do, say and partake of in the natural has a mirroring supernatural effect on our lives irrespective of our motives and ‘heart behind it’. **That is why as Hope Church we believe that we don’t engage in these practices of the world.
A BRIEF HISTORY:
The Celtics in Ireland, Scotland and Wales were under the spiritual leadership of the Druids. From October 31st - November 1st on the Wikkan calander was when they believed it was the ‘thinnest’ separation between them and the realm of the supernatural. This was a heightened time for them to connect with the spirits of the de
ad and seek fortunes, prophecies and visions of the future. They were also sacrificing animals, performing rituals with the blood of the animals and using their bones to tell of the future. This is an open portal for their possession so that they might be more enlightened in a realm that is beyond what we see. The festival was accepted by the bishops in the early centuries of Roman occupancy in the land and believed the lie that the church would have protection of the spirits while having the aid of God.
SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR HOPE?:
We openly acknowledge that Halloween is connected to the pagan demonic rituals of the satatnic realm trying to mask itself as a form of entertainment and that it CANNOT be separated from it’s roots which celebrate the dead, worship fallen angels, practice witchcraft and the occult all the while filling you with sugar so you never thought there was anything wrong with it. The devils biggest lie is to make people believe that he doesn’t exist or isn’t real.
We believe openly that partaking of Halloween is yoking (bonding) with darkness, fear, witchcraft and sorcery. It is one of many practices that the Lord has asked every believer to abstain from being involved with to the point that they will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:
Revelation 21:8 NIV
But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars–their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulphur. This is the second death.”
Revelation 22:15
Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
Deuteronomy 18:9-14
9 “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. 10 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, 11 or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead. 12 Anyone 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. 13 But you must be blameless before the Lord your God. 14 The nations you are about to displace consult sorcerers and fortune-tellers, but the Lord your God forbids you to do such things.”
1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19-21
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
OT VS NT
Many christians will go and defend this celebration by saying thing like “Christmas and Easter were moved to pagan days so does that make them pagan too?” If you can believe that if we have to look at Halloween being a pagan ritual and throw the Christian celebrations wether they have landed on the assigned days or in history were hijacked and put on another day as your defence then by all means go and partake of this darkness that has been sold as a lie to the world that it’s something of light and entertainment.
Ps Vladimir Savchuk put it so well.
“If we imitate the world, we will lose our distinction; but, if we isolate ourselves entirely from the world, we will lose our influence.”
Christians need to engage the culture if we expect to make an impact, but the Bible is clear about not conforming to our culture.
Stand strong Christian, His grace is abounding, His love is reaching, He will never leave nor forsake you. But stand firm, this world is creeping into the church. and with Lack of knowledge, the people are perishing, stand for the truth that sets people free. Jesus Christ and His holiness.
He’s only a prayer away!
Hope, stand with brothers and sisters, people need you! Be the light and salt warts, bruises, scars and all. They're the testimony!
Matt
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