A Light Shines in the Darkness

As Halloween approaches, skeletons and jack-o’-lanterns appear on sidewalks, and ghostly figures haunt our yards and imaginations. Our thoughts turn from the bright day of summer to the cold darkness of winter. The realities of the dark and mysterious seem to press ever closer, as the shadows of long nights make strange what is familiar in the day. The modern, secular world dismisses the supernatural, thinking that it only exists in our minds or in movies. Yet as Christians we affirm that reality is more than the material, more than just “stuff.” There is a spiritual world that we cannot see, creatures that are invisible to our eyes. Angels watch over us and protect us; demons seek to lead us into temptation and drag us down to the depths of Hell. Yet through it all, we who are in Christ can rest confident in the promises of God. He has won victory over the demonic hordes of the Enemy.

That angels and demons exist and are active in our world has been a belief shared by Christians throughout all ages. It is only modern, “enlightened” minds who deny this, thinking that the mysteries of the universe have been solved. Skeptics claim that we can explain demonic activity with science; that the demons that Jesus cast out were not real beings, but psychological issues that the people of long ago did not understand. But the Bible does not speak this way. The Scriptures warn us that Satan and his allies are dangerous – Peter warns us to “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). We are not to imagine that we are wiser than the apostles, who saw first-hand the miracles of Christ. Satan is a very real threat to us as long as we are in the world, and he seeks to lead us away from our saving Christ.

Yet Satan does not have victory – he has been cast down by Christ. The Son of God took on flesh “that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Heb. 2:14-15). By His dying Christ has destroyed death, and by rising again He has restored to us everlasting life. We are no longer slaves of death, subject to the rule of Satan and his demons.

Though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, surrounded by enemies, we shall not fear, for our Lord is with us. Through the darkness, our Lord protects us and leads us to safety. He gives us His Church, that we may build each other up, pray for one another, and receive all His gifts. He gives us His Word, that it may be for us a light that shines in the darkness and shows us the Way to everlasting life. He gives us His Sacraments, that they would strengthen us in faith and keep us united with Him. If you suspect some demonic influence in your life, you can speak with your pastor. You can ask for a house blessing, in which your pastor will come to your house and speak the Word of God, rebuking evil spirits and sanctifying the space with prayer. Satan and his demons have no power over those who are in Christ.

The only protection against Satan is to be connected to Christ in the Church. Christ works through the Church to proclaim the pure Gospel, forgive your sins, and distribute the Sacraments. The devil may try to scare you or remind you of your sins, trying to keep you away from Christ. Know that since you have been made a new creation, he cannot harm you. You belong to your Father, who has called you out of the darkness into His everlasting light.

-Pastor Pope