When my husband and I chose our wedding date — 31 October 1992 — we were very intentional. We wanted a day unshared by birthdays or other special events, a date that would belong solely to us. Back then, Halloween hadn’t yet reached South African shores, so the idea of our anniversary clashing with it never crossed our minds.

Three decades later, it still saddens me that this sacred day — once a pure celebration of covenant love — has become surrounded by imagery that glorifies fear, death, and darkness. What was meant to honour union and life now often echoes with a message that celebrates the very things Christ came to conquer.

My awareness of spiritual darkness began long before that, though. As a child, my mother — desperately seeking comfort and direction — turned to fortune tellers and mediums. I remember her taking us with her once when I was about ten. She was searching for light in places where only shadows dwell. One of those fortune tellers told her that my father would die, and that I would one day become a teacher.

In my little-girl heart, fear and confusion took root. I decided that I would never become a teacher, just to prove her wrong, because I didn’t want Dad to die. What I didn’t realise was that, in that moment, I had unknowingly made an inner vow — a silent agreement with fear — and in doing so, came into alignment with the enemy’s lie.

For years, I suffered nightmares — nights filled with terror so thick it felt like the air itself turned against me. I would wake paralysed, unable to move or cry out. A heavy presence would press against my chest until, through trembling lips, I could whisper only one word:

The moment His name was spoken, the darkness fled.

Those encounters taught me that the spiritual realm is not a game. Curiosity can become captivity when it drifts from truth. Yet through that darkness, I discovered the incomparable power of the name of Jesus — the Name before which every demon trembles, every curse breaks, and every chain falls away.

Spiritual compromise always carries consequences. When we seek truth and entertainment outside of Christ — even in what seems innocent or cultural — we trade holy ground for haunted ground.

The unseen cost of such compromise is often borne by those who follow us, because we have given the enemy a legal foothold through our involvement. For years, I resisted the very calling God had placed upon me. Every opportunity to teach or speak stirred something deep and uncomfortable inside me, as though I were fighting against my own purpose. Only recently did I understand why. The enemy had used a seed of fear to silence the gift God intended for good.

Yet this is the beauty of redemption: what fear distorts, grace restores. God, in His mercy, peeled back the layers of my resistance and revealed that the “teacher” I once rejected was part of His divine design all along. The anointing I ran from was the very one He meant to use for healing and truth.

It took years to understand that spiritual compromise — even in seemingly innocent ways — opens doors we were never meant to walk through. The spiritual realm is real. Curiosity or comfort outside of Christ’s truth may feel harmless at first, but it carries unseen consequences. What begins as curiosity can become captivity when it drifts from His Word.

Yet in His kindness, God turns even our darkest agreements into opportunities for restoration. Through repentance, prayer, and surrender, He redeems what deception once claimed. The name of Jesus still holds absolute authority — breaking every chain and silencing every false prophecy spoken over our lives.

Looking back, I see now how the enemy tried to bury my purpose under fear — but God resurrected it through grace. My teaching anointing has become a source of healing, not harm; light, not loss. The enemy may have written fear into my childhood, but God has rewritten it with freedom, purpose, and truth.

For me, 31 October will never be about Halloween. It will always represent covenant — the sacred union of marriage and the faithfulness of God who redeems every story, even the ones shadowed by fear. I will always say NO to any Halloween-themed invitations.

🕊️ A Loving Caution:

If you’ve ever entertained what seems like harmless fun around Halloween or sought comfort in things that promise light outside of Christ, I encourage you to take it to prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal anything in your heart or home that doesn’t belong. Repentance isn’t about shame — it’s about freedom. God’s love doesn’t condemn; it restores.

But don't just take my word for it. Read this account from an ex-satanist on Halloween: "People have been desensitised about the occult and the realities of satanism." if you don’t believe me.

When you meddle with the demonic, its effects do not stop with you. The doorway you open can echo through generations — touching your children and your children’s children. I know this not merely from Scripture but from experience.

💡 Reflection:

• Have you ever made an inner vow or agreement rooted in fear? 🤔

• Are there words spoken over you that need to be broken or redeemed? 🤔

• What gifts or callings have you resisted because of past pain or fear? 🤔

🎺 Affirmation:

I walk in the light of Christ. The blood of Jesus covers my life and cancels every agreement made in fear. My inheritance is freedom, and my calling is blessed.

🙌 Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your mercy that rewrites every fearful story with grace. Forgive me for the times I’ve resisted Your calling or sought safety outside of Your truth. I renounce every false word, every inner vow, and every lie that has silenced Your voice in my life. Redeem what was stolen, Lord, and awaken the gifts You placed within me. I choose Your truth and Your light. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.