Yesterday in church one of our worship leaders, Pauline, shared a bit from her heart during one of the song transitions.
She spoke of our “marriage” to Christ as believers, and how you abandon all other relationships once you find your true love in Jesus. She gave a call for us to break covenant with other distractions, other loves, but she used a phrase I’ve never heard and it has rattled in my head ever since she said it:
“Some of us have made covenants with the enemy, but sometimes, many of us even just exchange a simple handshake with darkness.”
A handshake with darkness!
How true! A handshake isn’t necessarily a loving embrace or a sign of long term commitment – but it’s an exchange that signifies “I’m comfortable doing brief business with you” or “nice to make your acquaintance”.
Likely not many reading this are actively engaged in witchcraft or blatant demonic activity…
But how often we shake hands with darkness!
Thoughts, small actions, TV shows or movies we allow into our home…
What timing for this phrase, too, on halloween – as many self-professed believers and spirit filled saints participate in these “handshakes”!
I’m not going to tell you what you can or can’t do with your family, but I would caution you to be careful what you engage with and what you allow to influence your family.
I see seeds of fear being planted in my two year old’s heart by the decorations and spirit of this “holiday”…I hate it, I feel as a piece of her heart is tampered with by darkness as we walk through Target and she cowers and whimpers while I try to rush past the skulls and witch hats.
As believers, we claim to have the light of eternity on the inside – the bright and morning star! Why would we embrace themes of darkness at the same time? We can influence the world and impact our communities yes – but engaging the culture is one thing, participating in “handshakes with darkness” is quite another.