A holy spirit take-over on halloween (and free Bible Bookmarks for kids)

Halloween is nothing short of a controversial topic in Christian circles. You probably have seen, heard or know about it, too! But we rarely hear of the Holy Spirit on Halloween.

Some engage in Halloween as harmless, community fun. Others are staunchly against all it stands for and represents. 

And then there are others–like me, for such a long time–who are unsure about the whole thing. It’s not an exhaustive list, but some reasons for this uncertainty are a lack of knowledge on the origins of Halloween, it’s not a widely celebrated event in one’s society/culture or the fact that there are a lot of competing opinions about it…especially on social media!

All this combined makes it feel easier to steer away from it all. Ignorant bliss, perhaps?

Here in Australia, this annual event has only started to gain popularity in the last several years. Its popularity is more common in retail stores and hospitality venues than everyday people roaming the streets trick-or-treating. Halloween where I live is more about merchandise (like spooky characters and outfits), shelves bulging with chocolates and lollies (candy for my international, friends!) and special ticketed Halloween events are marketed all for commercial gain.

And if I look at with a heavenly lens, the time is ripe for a Holy Spirit takeover on Halloween!

That one time I did Halloween

The only time I actively got involved in Halloween was before my family became Christians. 

As a 10-year-old, my next-door neighbours invited me to dress up and trick-or-treat with them. We were the only kids going around trick-or-treating. We had no tricks to offer, and the neighbours had no sweets to giveaway—that’s how uninformed and uninitiated Aussie culture was to this thing called Halloween in the 90s.

After getting married and moving into my own home with my husband over a decade later, we easily avoided dealing with Halloween or trick-or-treating. working 9-5 jobs and then spending most evenings with church ministry through Bible study groups, church music team rehearsals and youth group events, meant we were rarely home.

An empty house would greet any neighbourhood kids knocking on our door on Halloween.

But as our little family came along, I found myself at home every 31 October with my young kids, getting them ready for dinner and an early bedtime. 

Not wanting to participate in Halloween, I’d close the curtains and try to keep the house so quiet that trick-or-treaters would retreat quickly. Or even better, not even bother to knock on our door. 

BUT THEN I thought about all those children walking around on Halloween, visiting my street and my house, unsaved and unaware of jesus…

When things really changed…

Something happened last year in early October.

As usual, I saw all the debates and opinions on Halloween from different Christian figures appearing on social media, along with all the packets of chocolates and candy stacking the shelves at the supermarket. 

And it prompted reflection on all the years I would avoid opening my door and hiding in my home on Halloween. 

I recalled one of the more recent years when my school-aged child asked me one Halloween why I was closing the curtain blinds at 3:30pm. He was particularly curious, as it didn’t get dark until after 6 pm!

And I was confronted with the thought:

How am I being salt in the world? 
How am I shining light on this day when so many are walking—right up to my door—in darkness?

It challenged me. 

Because I don’t like Halloween or what the day now commonly represents: spooky, ghoulish activities and paraphernalia, and horror and evil as something normal or worth celebrating.

(Side note: I’ve learned it originated from the pagan, Celtic religious festival All Saint’s Day on November 1, whereas All Hallows’ Eve, was celebrated the day/night before).

Still, I thought about all those people—children, mostly—walking around on Halloween. So many of these kids would visit my street, my house, unsaved and unaware of Jesus and the greatest gift of salvation and eternal life with Him.

And this is when things truly changed in my approach to Halloween.

we would do something different this year; something to be salt and light on Halloween.

Making the most of every opportunity

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭15‬-‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I will openly confess, I am not too smart at all. Any good ideas are always a prompt of His Spirit leading me and I am more than happy with that!

So in the week leading up to Halloween in 2023, I felt urged (by His Spirit) to make the most of this opportunity on 31 October. To let light shine in the darkness, especially from my home. And to bring some evangelism into this opportunity; a Holy Spirit take-over on Halloween!

I let my kids know we’d do something different this year; something to be salt and light on Halloween. To make the most of this opportunity where young children and tweens who didn’t know Jesus would see His goodness in a small way.

So I shared the Good News plan for Halloween with my two young boys.

The Good News Plan for Halloween

It was a simple plan and we had a small part. Holy Spirit would orchestrate everything else; He is the One who knows all things and does the saving!

Our part was simple and specific: to pray for those coming to our door (the most crucial part of this plan). We would then offer a chocolate and Bible verse bookmark we quickly whipped up on Canva that same week.

My then-10-year-old was keen to make a Bible verse bookmark, which I printed and laminated at home so they had some longevity. And my youngest, then-six-year-old, was happy to be the boss of all the chocolates. I’m pretty sure we had fewer chocolates before the neighbourhood kids arrived!

Bible bookmark gifts

We designed the Bible bookmarks for primary (elementary) school children. We had four designs in total for boys and girls. After seeing teens gladly come to our door, we realised we needed designs for a bigger age group. But they happily received our bookmarks anyway, and we lived and learned for next time.

Each design had a different Bible verse that was clearly written and encouraging for the soul. We knew these would be a seed planted into young lives who didn’t know Jesus yet. 

☛ Pssst… get our template for these bookmarks for free, below!

Any child who knocked on our door that evening would be offered a chocolate. And we would proactively and purposefully say, “we also have a gift for you. We want to give you a bookmark we made just for you!”

I went through the plan with my kiddos so they knew their part. One would offer the chocolates, the other would show the bookmark and offer a choice of design to the kids when there was only one or two at the door. For groups of six or more, my son would show them all the bookmarks and randomly add either a boy/girl bookmark in their candy bag or bucket.

But the most essential and strategic part—the Holy Spirit-led part—was the prayer beforehand and how it unfolded on Halloween. 

And this was the most incredible thing of all, when you hear how He perfectly orchestrated it!

the most essential and strategic part—the Holy Spirit-led part—was the prayer beforehand and how it all unfolded on Halloween. 

a holy spirit take-over on halloween

The day before Halloween, we prayed as a family for those precious souls who would come to our door.  

It was a beautiful moment to share with our kids the day before Halloween; to teach and guide them in how to handle this event that has shaped up to be something that so many Christians (including me, for decades) hide from because they’re not sure what to do, or dismiss as a lost cause.

I’m reminded of His Word that every day is the day the Lord has made and we are called to rejoice and be glad in it! ^{_{(Psalm 118:24)}}

So on 30 October, we prayed intentionally with our precious little ones, that:

1. Since Holy Spirit knows who has soft hearts for Jesus now, or in the future, He would only direct those soft-hearted people to our door.
2. Anyone STEPPING ONTO our property would be marked by the Holy Spirit and gladly receive theSE Bible Bookmarks. 
3. Anyone without a soft heart for Jesus, now or in the future, would bypass our property that evening
4. These bookmarks would be a good seed TO let them know of Jesus’ love for them.
5. He would do His salvation work within them in His timing.

what god did next!

On Halloween afternoon, we had our curtains and windows wide open, our car parked in the driveway and the house lights on. 

Around 12-15 kids came and knocked on our door that evening. Most were in smaller groups of two or four, but we had one larger group of seven, mixed with tweens and early teens. 

They were all so excited to hear my oldest son say we’d made bookmarks just for them, and they gladly received them…along with the chocolates.

Interestingly, two of the teens from that larger group came back with a friend who wasn’t with them the first time so he could get a chocolate bar and a bookmark.

But let me tell you another incredible thing. 

We had over 30 kids pass by our home that evening, but only 12 knocked on our door!

As we ate dinner in our dining room that overlooked the street, we could see and hear a big group of 15 or so tweens and teens, with a few parents. They gathered right out the front of our house on the street, deciding their next stop.

that large group of tweens and teens did NOT come onto our property at all. It was like they didn’t even see our house, even though they were in front of it!

IMPOSSIBLE, EXCEPT FOR GOD

For context, this is a huge uncoincidental thing that they missed our house even though they were right in front of it. 

Because my house is freshly painted in farmhouse white, sits on a slightly sloped hill, and no trees block the view of our house. And it’s the only white house on the street. Besides that unique and obvious fact, we have bright farmhouse lights on our house. What’s more, they can be seen halfway down our long street when they are switched on. It’s impossible to miss!

After that large group bypassed our home, no other kids came around and it was getting dark.

My kids got ready for bed and we were so excited and overjoyed to be part of God’s plan and work that evening.

It was especially wonderful to pray with our kids that evening for those very children who came to our door–to picture their faces–and pray for their salvation and God’s good grace to fill their lives. 

It fills my heart with gladness even now, thinking about it.

the harvest is ripe

And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

MATT 9:35-38 ESV

Well, it’s no surprise we will do the same thing this year and prepare for a Holy Spirit takeover on Halloween.

Prayerfully and purposely, we’ll hand out bookmarks that we pray and believe will meet these children (and teens!) where they are, when they need it most. 

They could potentially tuck this away in a book or drawer and find it in a few years when their soul is desperate for something this world cannot give. And that’s where Jesus will be waiting for them in their future.

I’m not an advocate for celebrating Halloween with my family. I am all in favour of following His sweet Voice every day, especially when it comes to His greatest affection and desire: that none would be lost.