In today’s society, we love to be scared. To get our adrenaline pumping. Heart racing. We love Fear. Why? Why has fear become a drug in our society? And it’s not just the world either; it’s the Church. We, as the Church, love this drug as well. We love to be with the rest of society indulging in the drug, but does this help build up the Temple of God? Should Christians watch Horror/Scary movies? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he brings the first message of our new message series titled, ‘Oh Be Careful Little Eyes What You See.’
2 Timothy 1:7 Psalm 101:2–4 Matthew 6:22–23 Proverbs 23:7KJV 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 John 15:4, 7-8 Philippians 4:8–9 Matthew 6:33 2 Corinthians 10:4–6
More Information on Christians and Horror/Scary Movies?
According to a study done by Psychology Today in 2008,
‘And anxiety has been increasing. The average high school kid has the same level of anxiety as the average psychiatric patient in the early 1950’s. We are getting more anxious every decade. Psychologists have speculated about the possible reasons for this increase in both anxiety and depression over the last fifty years.’
Psychology Today
The average high school kid in 2008 had the same level of anxiety as the average psychiatric patient in the early 1950’s, and according to Psychology Today anxiety gets worse every decade. It’s now been over a decade since this study in 2008. So, how much more has our society become anxious? Why is anxiety rising at such a rampant speed in our society?
Could it be that we made a partnership with fear in the 60s when we introduced Creature Features? We no longer had to leave our homes to see horror films, we could turn on our television and tune in to watch classic horror films throughout the decades starting with the 30s. We no longer went to the movies, watched the film, and then returned to our home; instead we brought the horror films home with us.
The very definition of horror films should cause Christians to question their participation. According to Wikipedia,
“A horror film is one that seeks to elicit fear in its audience, for entertainment purposes… Horror films often aim to evoke viewers’ nightmares, fears, revulsions and terror of the unknown. Plots within the horror genre often involve the intrusion of an evil force, event, or personage into the everyday world.”
Wikipedia horror film definition
To elicit: To call forth, draw out, or provoke.
To evoke: To call forth or up.
I want you to keep in mind that fear IS a real entity. It is NOT just a feeling. The bible attributes fear to an actual real-life living spirit, but as Christians, we hold to the promise of 2 Timothy 1:7, “7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” So, as Christians, why do we try to evoke and elicit a spirit of fear into our lives by watching these horror films? Matthew 6:22-23, “22 The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” If you continuously fill your eyes with darkness and fear, will that not cause your whole body to be dark? And if your whole body is dark, how can you be the Temple of the Living God?
As time goes on, Halloween seems to become a bigger and bigger holiday, and more and more Christians seem to participate. But is that okay? There isn’t anywhere in the Bible that says, “Thou Shall Not Celebrate Halloween.” Yet something about this holiday seems to give some Christians the heebie-jeebies. Is Halloween evil? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he searches scriptures for answers to the big question, Can Christians Celebrate Halloween?
The origins of Halloween are in the occult, specifically the pagan festival of Samhain. Therefore, why are Christians celebrating this pagan festival? Because if it is pagan, then it isn’t of God. If it isn’t of God, then it is evil. Therefore, why are Christians celebrating and participating in Halloween if it’s evil?
14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, 18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”
2 Corinthians 6:14-18
Recap:
John Ramirez’ Five Reasons Christians Shouldn’t Celebrate Halloween:
1. Legal Rights 2. Eternal Mistake 3. Important Satanic Holiday 4. Grieves Holy Spirit 5. Demonic Candy and Costumes
How We Got Rid of Unwanted Spirits
How exactly did we get the demonic spirits out of our home? An entire night of prayer and worship as we walked throughout the home, anointing the different rooms and doorways with anointing oil. We also spoke scriptures of protection and peace over each room as we had our worship, such as Psalms 23, John 14:27, Isaiah 41:10, Philippians 4:7, etc.
As time goes on, we’ve noticed a shift in our culture. Things that were once weird, taboo, odd, creepy, dangerous, scary, evil are now normal, fun, empowering, inspiring, progressive, and positive. Things of the Occult once hid in the shadows, but now they have made their way to the forefront, making their presence known to all. Casting spells on the President is applauded instead of appalled. Marching as the Whore of Babylon is empowering instead of destructive. Playing the Ouija Board is an enlightening game for young children, instead of a dangerous door opener to the demonic. Witchcraft has been brought to the forefront and normalized in our society.
The Occult and all of its practices are becoming accepted more and more throughout our society, but does it matter? Are all practices of The Occult dangerous? Aren’t some White Magic? Isn’t that okay? Can’t Christians partake in some of these practices? Join ArieRashelle as she dives into some of the practices of The Occult, searching for answers.
Revelation 9:21 Matthew 24 Acts 16:16-18 2 Kings 21:6 Matthew 7:13-14
More Information on The Occult in The Bible?
The Occult in The Old Testament
Horoscopes
10 You felt secure in your wickedness; you said, ‘No one sees me’; your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray, and you said in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one besides me.’ 11 But evil shall come upon you, which you will not know how to charm away; disaster shall fall upon you, for which you will not be able to atone; and ruin shall come upon you suddenly, of which you know nothing. 12 Stand fast in your enchantments and your many sorceries, with which you have labored from your youth; perhaps you may be able to succeed; perhaps you may inspire terror.
13 You are wearied with your many counsels; let them stand forth and save you, those who divide the heavens, who gaze at the stars, who at the new moons make known what shall come upon you. 14 Behold, they are like stubble; the fire consumes them; they cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame. No coal for warming oneself is this, no fire to sit before! 15 Such to you are those with whom you have labored, who have done business with you from your youth; they wander about, each in his own direction; there is no one to save you.
Isaiah 47:10-15
The LORD is speaking to Babylon in this verse, telling them that all the things they thought would protect them, give them power, and take them to the next level, would actually be their downfall. The LORD even taunts them, saying, “Stand Fast in your enchantments and your many sorceries… perhaps you may be able to succeed… let them stand forth and save you, those who divide the heavens, who gaze at the stars, who at the new moons make known what shall come upon you…” Babylon’s sin isn’t just doing witchcraft, but also dividing the heavens and gazing up at the stars for things to be revealed to them. Does that sound like anything familiar? Maybe Horoscopes? Horoscopes are read daily by many people, including Christians, yet that would be one of the main things that incur the wrath of God upon Babylon. Are we incurring the wrath of God upon ourselves when we read our horoscopes?
Child Sacrifice
27 Then he [the king of Moab] took his oldest son who was to reign in his place and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall. And there came great wrath against Israel. And they withdrew from him and returned to their own land.
2 Kings 3:27
“If I had not had that abortion, I’m pretty sure there would have been no Fleetwood Mac,” she said. “There’s just no way that I could have had a child then, working as hard as we worked constantly. And there were a lot of drugs, I was doing a lot of drugs … I would have had to walk away.
“And I knew that the music we were going to bring to the world was going to heal so many people’s hearts and make people so happy,” she continued. “And I thought: you know what? That’s really important. There’s not another band in the world that has two lead women singers, two lead women writers. That was my world’s mission.”
Today we don’t sacrifice our children on a direct alter outside. We don’t burn them in a fire. We murder them while they are still in our wombs. During the time of the Old Testament Prophets, they murdered their children to win a battle, gain control of other nations, world dominance, etc. Today, we murder our children for the sake of a band making music. Let me be very clear on this; there is no difference between murdering a baby outside of the womb and murdering a baby inside of the womb. The baby is a baby no matter where it is, no matter how small it is, and no matter how little anyone thinks of it. The baby is a human life, and to end that life is murder. Period.
If those of the Old Testament murdered their children and a spirit responded, when we murder our children wouldn’t those same spirits respond? If so, then wouldn’t abortion then be witchcraft? We sacrifice our children so that we can gain something that WE deem is more important. There is no reason to murder an innocent life. This is indeed witchcraft alive and well in our society. The only difference is we’ve painted it as healthcare and a civil right. Instead of throwing them in a fire, where everyone can hear their screams and their cries, we tear them limb from limb in the mother’s womb so no one can hear them cry and no one can see them try to squirm away. While the ancients were honest in their murder and called it for what it was and still is, child sacrifice, we’ve called it, Abortion.
The Occult in The New Testament
We all know the story of the Seven Sons of Sceva, they were Jewish Exorcists who heard of Paul and the miracles he was doing. So, they began invoking the name of Jesus, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” But the evil spirit responded, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” And the man, whom the evil spirits were in, overcame them all, leaving them to run out of the home naked and wounded. But we often ignore what happened next.
17 And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. 18 Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. 19 And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.
Acts 19:17-20
This story led to those who had recently been practicing witchcraft or magic arts to not only give up that lifestyle but burn their books in the sight of all. Keep in mind those books weren’t cheap either, to give you a little idea of what they were worth, depending on the type of piece of silver, they could be worth anywhere from $5.5 million to $1.5 billion. Either way, those books were worth a lot of money, yet they saw the difference between right and wrong, and they burned their books and repented. If they, 2,000 years ago, saw a problem with magic arts and Christianity, why don’t we in today’s world? Why don’t we see the problem with mixing The Occult and Christianity?
The Occult Conclusion
You can’t have your cake and eat it too. Neither can you have The Occult and Christianity, for what does light have in common with darkness? Choose today whom you shall serve, for tomorrow, is promised to no man. Today is the day of Salvation. Those who practiced magic arts, The Occult, saw the Truth could not be paired with a lie and repented. Nothing has changed; the Truth still cannot be paired with a lie. If you would like to accept your free gift of Salvation, all you have to do is repeat this prayer,
“Dear Jesus, please forgive me of my sins and cleanse me of all unrighteousness. I accept Your free gift of Salvation and declare You as LORD of my life. Thank You for dying on the cross to save me. Thank You for Your forgiveness. In the Name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.”
