"Happy 'Hallo-wicked'"
Blatant Satan
The
Firpo Files
(October 25, 2012)
"Halloween is a major satanic
ritual day," says one magazine with a multi-lingual, international circulation. "‘It's
a religious holiday for the underworld, with satanists performing sacrifices and witches quietly celebrating with prayer
circles or meals for the dead,' according to a USA Today article. It quoted Washington
witch Bryan Jordan as saying, ‘[Christians] don't realize it, but they're celebrating our holiday
with us. ... We like it.'"
I hate when that happens.
Satan is blatant as he hides in plain sight. Here's the dish on the Devil.
Master Manipulator & Deceiver: He's blinded atheists to his existence, and deceptively
presents himself as an angel of life to professed believers. (2 Corinthians 4:4; 11:14)
Satan
wanted to "be like God," and he deceived Eve, the mother of us all, into thinking that she,
too, should want to "be like God." (Genesis 3:5, 20, New World Translation)
So we all inherited that "I-want-to-be-like-God" gene. That's why we have to
fight the sometimes irresistible competitive urge to be better than the next person. Humility is hard. Arrogance is easy.
Will we choose wisely?
Satan sees the freedom
of choice in spirit and human creatures as a flaw, a God-given vulnerability, but is powerless to violate the Creator's
precious gift of free moral agency.
And since Jehovah has never--and would never--repossess
such a gift, an irrational Devil feels it's incumbent upon him to exploit that freedom by seducing,
or attempting to seduce, all of us by using what the Bible calls "the deceptive power
of sin." (Hebrews 3:13)
Though it's your choice, you're manipulated
into thinking Halloween is harmless fun; yet, authorities strongly recommend that little ghosts and goblins be accompanied
by an adult.
"The Devil Made Me Do
It": Since Satan can't hijack our innate freedom of choice, he tries to get us to want to do what is
bad (James 1:22-25), appealing to the fleeting "desire of the eyes." (1 John 2:15-17) Christians are cautioned
against even wanting "to be a friend of the world." (James 4:4) It all has to do with choice.
So, although Flip Wilson (1933-1998), that outstanding comedian who died right
here in Los Angeles (Malibu), made the phrase, "The Devil made me do it" popular, in truth,
the Devil made him want to do it.
And when Shorty Long of
Motown fame wrote the original Devil with the Blue Dress On (1964), he had in mind a vixen that made him want
to have her. Scary!
No Fear: When Jesus was
on earth, average demons were afraid of him. "Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth?" they fearfully
inquired. "Have you come to destroy us?" (Mark 1:24, New International Version)
And the "more wicked" prince demons angrily resisted him. (Matthew 12:43-45;
Mark 9:14-29, NWT) Satan, on the other hand, had no fear whatsoever of Jesus.
In fact, while the typical demon retreated away from him,
Satan aggressively ran to him--even thrusting three tests at the Son of God! (Matthew
4:1-11)
And although Jesus successfully passed these tests, an undaunted Satan
sought a messianic rematch at "another convenient time"! (Luke 4:13,) But the Devil's
fearlessness toward Jesus should not be surprising.
While regular demons "shudder"
at the very thought of God (James 2:19), Satan is never characterized as fearing anyone--including
the Almighty himself! In fact, while Jehovah was holding heavenly court, Satan entered uninvited, openly
challenging the "Judge of all the earth"--on two separate occasions! (Genesis 18:25;
Job 1:6-13; 2:1-7)
Satan hates Jehovah.
Not
only is the thought of such incomprehensible to the minds of right-hearted people, but, if dwelled upon
too long, even the potential of this reality leaves the soul in disarray!
Incensed Serpent: When a resurrected Jesus ("Michael")
unceremoniously hurled a recalcitrant Devil ("the original serpent") from heaven to earth,
the latter had "great anger," not "great fear." (Revelation 12:7-9)
Earlier, this same Serpent Devil--this livid lion--had an indignant confrontation
with Michael. (1 Peter 5:8; Jude 9) And even a couple of the aforementioned prince demons rumbled with
Michael in heaven. (Daniel 10:12, 13, 20, 21) Apparently, that's how they roll in the spirit realm.
Conclusion: We, too, have a battle against "wicked
spirit forces in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:10-15) And with God's help, it's a winnable
war. (Romans 8:31, 32; 16:20)
So, recognize the fact that it's "Happy ‘Hallo-wicked'"
for devil worshippers. Choose wisely. (Deuteronomy 30:15-20) Or, will you be licked in defeat by this
"trick or treat?"
Peace and blessings to all. Amen.
