The Bottom Line: God wins!

This week as another Halloween comes and goes, the Christian community will again generate a lot of heat and little light arguing about how they should approach the day.  In a poll today on Streaming Faith, 52% of respondents said Halloween was a "tool of the devil," 30% said it was "potentially dangerous spiritually," while only 12% said it was "harmless fun for children."

For what it's worth, I think it's somewhat a moot point.  Let me tell you why.

When I was a boy, the movie "The Exorcist" first came out.  I was a very young believer and was naturally curious about the devil and demonic activity. Plus, all my friends were going to see it. So despite the fact I was too young to be admitted into the theatre (the film was rated R), I went to see it.  Bad idea.  Although by today's standards the movie's special effects are primitive and almost laughable, that movie scared me silly.  I didn't sleep with the lights off for weeks!

The truly sad part was that for a period of time after seeing the movie, I gave the devil way too much credit.  I worried that he was just waiting for some sin in my life, some rebellion against God, any crack in the dam of my faith and he would charge in and exploit that — maybe even possess me just like he did little Regan in the film.  The devil's mission is to steal, kill and destroy, and I let him steal from me my peace, kill my joy, and destroy my effectiveness for Christ for a time. 

I'm afraid that many of us do the same thing — we give the devil too much credit.  And we're old enough to know better!  When Jesus Christ is Lord of your life, the devil's power over you is limited. His schemes are only as effective as you allow them to be.

A gifted Bible teacher once told me he could sum up the book of Revelation in two words: God wins.  I like that, because I know that because He lives, I will live; because He reigns, I, too will reign; because He wins, I win.

That's the bottom line: God wins!  Through Him I can be more than a conqueror.  In His strength, I can resist the devil and he will flee from me.  And I can rest in the assurance that greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world.

Comments

[Silvia Gonzalez]

When I saw this devotional I was in shock because I was another kid affected so much by the Exorcist. I would lay in bed and pray to God that my bed would not start to shake. I told my children about that movie and my oldest son would put on the begining of it when it would come on tv and I would scream from the kitchen, turn it off! He was like, you know the music to the movie and I was like no. Well, I sure did and hadn't even realized it until that day. However, I became saved and born again about six months ago and you are right God Wins, no fear.
God Bless
Silvia

[Annette Bledsoe]

Hello Minister Alan,

Thank you for sending me this encouraging email. Trully Jesus is the way truth and the life and we all have access to the Father through him. I realize that Holloween is near and many people have little or no knowledge of how deadly this time of year is. We as Christian ought to walk as Jesus walked and abide soley in him. My prayer is that all the body of Christ would have the mind of Christ and live out our God given purpose on earth. As Jesus said being about our Fathers Business.

God Bless,

Annette

[kirsten white]

In seeking the kingdom of heaven and His righteousness and though a 1ooo may fall at my right and 10000 behind I shall not fear nor shall I be moved. Until saved by the most Merciful fear held me in bondage.

1 John 4:4
"You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."
Therefore put on the full armor of God
and "do not be afraid and only believe" Mark 5:36
For He Himself crosses over before you" Dueteronomy 31:3
matthew 22:29 Jesus says "You are mistaken, not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God"
The thief has come to kill steal and destroy but I have come so that you may have life and have it more abundantly.
The truth, the Sword, the Word Oh how magnanimous our Heavenly Father is!!!!!The love....yes the love.
The Word contains every victory our victory over the enemy, for he is truly a defeated foe and in Christ Jesus we are victorious.....Bottom line.....God Wins!!!!

[LeeLee Crow]

Dear Rev Alan
I grew up in an Asian country with parents who were idol worshipers. When I was a young girl, I watched the Exorcist. I was besieged by nightmares for a long, long time. That movie was a huge stumbling block for me to becoming a Christian because of the death of the Catholic priest, I thought God was not there to protect him. I was deceived into believing that God was not a powerful God. Instead, I saw the power of Satan and I feared him. I thought that if I believed in Jesus, I had to believe also that Satan exists. So I made up my mind not to become involved in any kind of religion especially not Christianity. When my brother shared the gospel with me,I questioned him about the movie and he explained to me that the devil had used the producer to make these kind of movies to put fear in us and to deceive us. He told me that death and especially Satan cannot keep Jesus in hell. Jesus has conquered death and set us free from the fear of Satan. Praise be to God in the Highest, Jesus has won my heart and soul and mind. I have conquered my fears and my doubts. I believe He is the Almighty God. God always WIN !!!!