Halloween is often associated with gore, ghosts, and darkness. For many of us, this can be scary. While I never grew up with a scary Halloween, I did have a fear of the lore surrounding Halloween. Due to the stories of other kids at school, I learned that apparently, all the ghouls come out on Halloween, the werewolf prowls around, and vampires wait for their next victims. I’m old enough now to know none of these things happen during Halloween; however, it doesn’t mean I’m not often scared of the darker sides of life.
For instance, there are many things to fear in this world. There are criminals, bad circumstances, heights, and my mother’s biggest fear: bills. All of us will have our own fears in this world, but throughout my life, my biggest fear has always been darkness. There is something about darkness that is frightening beyond measure, as you cannot see what is creeping within it.
To this day, I must turn on a light before I enter a room because I’m afraid of the darkness. I want to think I’ve grown out of fear; however, the older I’ve gotten, the more apparent the fear has become. My sister got me a nightlight to help with my fear of the dark, and it has helped tremendously because it washes away the darkness. Where light shines through, darkness has to vanish.
Christians can approach Halloween by focusing on what is good, avoiding what glorifies darkness, and looking for ways to reflect the light of Christ in their choices and interactions during this holiday.
Addressing Your Own Darkness
All of us have fears, even if they might not be the same as someone else’s fears. Maybe your fear isn’t darkness, but it is heights or thunderstorms. Each of our fears is valid, yet we don’t need to live in slavery to them. We must address our own fear and rise above them by the help of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself has already told us that He is the light of the world (John 8:12).
As the light of the world, He can extinguish any fears. Even if this might feel impossible, know that all things are possible with God (Matthew 19:26). He can strike back any fear and help the darkness be made light once again. Once the darkness has been illuminated, it is no longer scary. We need to allow God to do this in our own lives, which is done by praying and trusting in Him.
Bring all of your concerns to God and set them at His feet (1 Peter 5:7). Give any fear you are holding on to Jesus. Even if the fear might feel small or “no big deal,” give it over to the Lord and ask Him to help you remove it from your life. God is greater than all things and can help you overcome this fear.
The Apostle Paul tells us, “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). The Holy Spirit inside of us does not make us give in to fear. Instead, He gives power, love, and self-discipline. Allow the Holy Spirit to work out His will within your life. He will change your fear and place a heart of confidence in the Lord within you.
Jesus is Greater Than the Darkness
The darkness or fear we face this Halloween is nothing compared to the Lord. He is greater than all things. The light of the Lord can illuminate the darkest night and bring hope back into our hearts. Whether the darkness creeping into your heart surrounds Halloween or something else, rest assured that Jesus is greater than the darkness.
Isaiah 9:2 says, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” Jesus is the great light that has dawned over the land. Through Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, we can experience eternal light. We no longer need to fear the darkness because the darkness flees from Him. The things in this world contain much darkness, yet the Lord is greater than all of these things, and He brings a brilliant light that endures forever.
Halloween Doesn’t Have to Be Full of Darkness
Within the realm of darkness this Halloween, we must ask ourselves, “Why do we have to make it dark?” Since the Lord has already triumphed over darkness, we don’t need to resort to evil or wicked ways. Sure, it is common to do different things on Halloween, but we must ask ourselves, “Is it right?” Maybe your friends think it will be fun to start a coven for Halloween or to do a seance.
Choose to turn away from this darkness and embrace the light of the Lord. You can still celebrate Halloween; however, keep it fun, whimsical, and full of light. The darkness will eventually be exposed for what it is, and we don’t need to have anything to do with it (Ephesians 5:11). The darkness associated with Halloween doesn’t have to dictate your holiday celebrations.
You can choose to celebrate Halloween as you would like. For many people, this may mean not celebrating Halloween at all. This is okay, but know that you can celebrate it. Avoiding the darkness, horror, blood, and gore is just as important. Jesus tells us that we are children of the light and must continue to live in the light of His love, regardless of the day of the year (1 Thessalonians 5:5).
Ways to Shine God's Light This Halloween
If you desire to be a light for Christ this Halloween, but aren't sure where to begin, here are some examples of things you and/or your church could do:
Stand up for Jesus this Halloween rather than shying away. Jesus has always triumphed over darkness, and we don’t need to live in fear of it. The practices of the darkness will be exposed one day. Live as a child of the light and continue to follow the Lord with your entire heart, mind, body, and soul as you seek to love your neighbors during Halloween.
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