The same way we recognize the work of their leader...fear. Hebrews 2:14-15 “14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” The fear of death is the bond of slavery that Satan has on the world. The fear of death is just the fear of an unknown future and the “what if?” Fear and death. Does that remind you of any specific holiday coming up at the end of this month? Halloween is a celebration of fear and death. It is Satan’s big day. So why in the world would christians join in the celebration? It’s because they don’t really believe that satan and demons are real. Or maybe they just refuse to believe that demons are active and have a real influence in the world today. You don’t have to take my word for it. I want you to listen to a guy who was a satanist for 25 years and understands the work of the devil. (Play John Ramirez video.)
Last year when we taught on the dangers of Christians celebrating halloween we had some folks who went home and got rid of all their halloween decorations. My prayer is that if you have halloween decorations in your home or work you will remove them, in order to remove the demonic influence. You have to ask yourself this: Do you believe halloween is really a celebration of evil or have you been deceived into believing this is just an innocent time for kids to get candy? Do you just look the other way when the obvious signs are right in front of you. How difficult is it to see that demons are behind horror movies, haunted houses and parties that celebrate witches, ghosts, skeletons and magic spells? But why are we drawn to those things that celebrate fear? Why would we pay money to go to a haunted house and be scared? It’s because we like the feeling it gives us. According to research from Medical News Today, we like a good scare because of the chemical reaction our body has after the scare is over. After the initial shock, our body is flooded with endorphins, the hormone that makes us feel good. It’s the feeling that we associate with overcoming and winning. We survived the situation and our body rewards us with a chemical cocktail that is full of the stuff that create feel good emotions. So, if fear is fun, why don’t we have the same reaction to almost being in a head on car collision? It’s because the danger is real and the possibility of death is actually on the table. In a haunted house, we believe that it’s not actually haunted and that no one is actually going to kill us with a chainsaw. The fear is temporary and our flesh is chemically rewarded over and over as we go through the house. Fear without danger is why we enjoy the fearful situation. The difference is what you believe about the situation. Is it real or fake?
We completely dismiss the fake danger of the fake chainsaw and at the same time also completely dismiss the very real danger of the very real demons behind the entire event. It’s easy to justify going to the event by saying, this won’t actually physically hurt me. But the damage is not meant to be physical...it’s spiritual. And it will absolutely damage you. So I’ll ask again is the danger real or fake? We were shocked that 40% of people who call themselves christians don’t believe the devil or demons are real. But do our actions at Halloween say the same about us? I wonder what the percentage would be if it included christians who say they do believe that demons are real, but actually live as though they don’t? Your actions will always show what you truly believe. Could it be that Satan has lied to you about the real danger behind celebrating his big day...halloween? So let’s say that you completely agree with the concept that Satan is real, demons are real and that halloween is a celebration of evil and that demons are behind it. That’s a good place to start...but that’s not where it ends when it comes to looking for evidence that we are aware of the schemes of the enemy. Our everyday life holds plenty of evidence of our beliefs. I’m about to stop preaching and start meddling. If you took the time to write down everything you listened to and watched online or on TV...and what’s sitting around in your house...what would it say about your belief in the power of demons to influence you? Let’s start with an easy obvious one. Music. Do you remember last week when we talked about Satan being the worship leader in heaven before he sinned? He had instruments built into his body, when he moved he was producing music.
What industry do you think he has sent demons out into the world to run in order to influence people? That’s right, the music industry. Let’s just take a stroll down memory lane in the recent past. We can go back to the 1960’s and see the influence that music has had on the culture. The 60’s brought about lot’s of change in America. This is the event that began those changes. In 1966 the Church of Satan was formally organized in San Francisco, by Anton LeVay, a devout occultist and author of the sanatic bible. Sex, drugs and rock and roll became the overall theme and it shifted the morality of our culture dramatically. The occult became mainstream. Sex, drugs and rock and roll wasn’t just a catch phrase, it was the method by which Satan began to take over the culture in the US. The sexual revolution was ruled by drugs and rock and roll. Satan didn’t hide his intentions, he led with them. Why is that? They appeal to the flesh...they are fun. Rock music has been heavily under the influence of demons. Let’s just look quickly at a few bands through the years. The Grateful Dead were started in 1965. Guess where? San Francisco. Their original band name was The Warlocks. They made no attempt to hide what they were promoting. They got a following by playing LSD experimentation parties. Their song “Friend of the Devil” is a catchy tune that sounds innocent enough. But does a message about being a friend of the devil sound like something that moves you closer to living for and honoring God? Or is it just an appeal to the flesh that makes friendship with the devil sound like fun? How about we move down the musical timeline to the 70’s. What band do you think stands out as an occult/satanist representative? Does KISS seem like a band who promoted a
Christ centered lifestyle? Now in multiple interviews they denied that they were satanist. I’m sure the Grateful Dead did also. As did AC/DC who sang “Highway to Hell”, The Rolling Stones who recorded “Sympathy for the Devil” and Black Sabbath with their tune “The devil Cried.” But their actions always speak louder than their words. Can you really look at them and believe this is all just innocent fun? Regardless of an individual band’s claims of innocence, we have to look at the bigger pattern. Is it a message that is contrary to what the Bible says? If so, who do you think is behind it? Should you allow it into your mind, just because it sounds good to your flesh? Maybe you didn’t listen to drug culture or metal rock back in the day, but how about pop music? Do you remember Duran Duran and their hit “Dance into the Fire?” What do you suppose that was about? These are extreme examples, but an artist doesn’t have to be singing specifically about the devil to be pushing his agenda. OK, enough about the music of my generation, how about today’s music? The glorification of sex and drug use in rap and pop music is overwhelmingly obvious. There are no hidden messages there. It’s all out in the open. Is today’s music getting more God honoring or less God honoring? Why is that? Who is behind the agenda to normalize sex and drugs for kids? 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 “3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
Do you see the reality? Artists deny that they are used by Satan, because he has blinded them to the truth. He has them convinced them it’s all just a fun show to make money. Has he convinced you of that also? The reality is much darker and the stakes are much higher. Do you believe you can listen to secular music in any style and not be influenced by the demonic spiritual forces behind it? Or do you not believe that demonic forces are at play in music? How about the things you have in your home or office? Do you know where they come from and what they represent? Have you invited spiritual forces into your home without knowing it? I heard a comedian recently making fun of christians for what they put in their homes. This guy was Indian and a Hindu. He said that he went to a friends home who was christian and saw a piece of art that represented a Hindu god. He said to them, “I didn’t know you worshiped this hindu god.” The christian was surprised at the comment and said they just bought it because it looked cool. Then he said it would be like him having images of Jesus on the cross in his home just because he thought Jesus looked cool hanging there. Are you willfully ignorant of your own home decor just because it looks cool? Are you careful or even concerned at all about what you bring into your home? Just because something is not offensive to you because you are ignorant of its origin or meaning, does not mean that it is not offensive to God. Halloween decorations certainly fall into this category. I would also include, new age crystals, dream catchers, as well as eastern religious items. All of these represent spiritual forces that are not of God.
Anything that seeks wisdom or help from any spiritual force other than the true and living God is demonic. Let me slaughter a “sacred cow” that the church has embraced. Yoga has been practiced by christians for years and churches even have yoga classes all in the name of exercise. But Yoga is a Hindu practice meant to open up your mind to spiritual forces. And by spiritual forces, I do not mean the One true God. Here is a quote about yoga from the Hindu American Foundation: “This commercialization is problematic in general, but it is of particular concern to Hindus who see yoga being delinked from its roots. And though yoga is a means of spiritual attainment for any and all seekers, irrespective of faith or no faith, its underlying principles are those of Hindu thought.” What sort of spiritual attainment is achieved without faith in God? Do you turn a blind eye to what your kids are watching? Disney has cashed in on the Halloween money grab. Coco was released in 2017 and it celebrates the “day of the dead.” In 2014 they released “The Book Of Life.” Sounds biblical doesn’t it? But it’s not about that, It’s about the dead coming back to life. This not even the tip of the iceberg of Disney’s promotion of Satan’s agenda. How about what you wear? I’m not even talking about modesty. It should be obvious to a disciple of Jesus who is being led by the Holy Spirit what they should or should not wear when it comes to revealing clothing. I’m talking about symbols and sayings on the clothes we walk around wearing. For instance, this tee shirt was in my closet. I bought it several years ago, but I stopped wearing it a year ago when I was doing
all the research surrounding halloween. You may not be able to see it, but there is a skull in the design. I bought it because it looked cool, but I didn’t give any thought at all to wearing a symbol of death. Last year the Holy Spirit convicted me of it and I stopped wearing it. It will not go back in to my closet, nor will I give it to someone else to promote death. Do I believe there is a satanist designing tee shirts to trick christians into promoting death? No, I do not. Do I believe there are demons at work in the fashion industry influencing designers...yes. Do I think there are demons at work in the music industry influencing artist? Yes. Do I believe there are demons at work in the entertainment industry, yes. Do I believe there are demons at work in the advertising industry influencing the commercials we see? Yes. What do the most effective commercials use to sell you a product? Sex. If you spend any time watching the cable news networks, you’ll notice an abundance of commercials for pharmaceutical companies and their drugs. Do you know where we get the word pharmacy? It comes from the Greek word pharmakeia, but what does it mean? In the Bible we see that word used. It’s found multiple times, but we’ll just look at one of those passages. Galatians 5:19-21 “19 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.” Well, I didn’t see pharmakeia in those verses. It’s because I read it in English. In this passage, the greek word pharmakeia has been translated into the English word...sorcery. It means magic, sorcery or witchcraft.
There it is again...sex, drugs and rock and roll. All of these feed the flesh and they all align with satan’s agenda. Am I going overboard? How far is too far? What does it take to be conformed to the image of Christ? Are we even willing to ask that question? Have you convinced yourself that you can celebrate halloween, listen to music that glorifies everything that Satan stands for and decorate your home with demonic symbols...and still believe that you are being conformed to the image of Christ? Romans 8:29 “29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” Romans 8:12-17 “12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” When Peter preached on the day of Pentecost, the crowd was overwhelmed by the conviction of their sin and they cried out in response to his message.
Acts 2:37 “37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” They were so overcome by the weight of their sin they had to know how to deal with it immediately. Today, sin doesn’t seem to have the same effect on us when it is pointed out. Too many christians have stopped asking “What must I do to be saved?” And started asking “What can I do and still be saved?” We seem to believe there is a grey area that is on either side of the line between life and death. Let me say clearly, there is only life in Christ on one side and death in Satan on the other...there is no grey area in-between, or fence you can sit on. If you are not actively trying to conform yourself to the image of Christ and are engaging in practices and celebrations that promote Satan’s agenda...guess which side you are on? You cannot play in the fire with demons and not get burned, or at least have the smell of smoke all over you. Is that the behavior that will get Jesus to say: “Well done, good and faithful servant?” Let me ask you this: Does what you believe about God, change who He actually is? No, of course not. What you about supernatural evil does not change what it is. You may believe that the things you are involved in are just innocent fun...but that does not mean that it is. It is demonic, regardless of how you feel or think about it. You could be saying this to yourself right now: “I believe that some people use those things for evil, but that’s not what I use them for, so it’s OK for me to have.”
This is just a lie of the enemy. He wants you to believe that you can love God and still love the things of the world. Satan’s agenda is simple: walk the isle, pray the prayer...but change nothing. Because that means you didn’t actually repent. You’re still living on his side of the line. Are we willing to seriously examine our life and see if we are honoring God or participating with Satan and his agenda? If you have to constantly justify the things you do or have in your home, to convince yourself or others that they are Ok to do or have...you may need to re-evaluate those things. As well as your motivation for wanting to do or have them. Is it satisfying a desire of your flesh? Is that conforming to the image of Christ? Galatians 5:16-18 “16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” We are supposed to be led by the Holy Spirit. He won’t lead us toward the enemy, he will lead us to righteousness. But we have to listen to him.
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