A recent letter to Victor:
I read and enjoyed your writing on this subject on the net. (Editor’s note: The writing referenced here is attached to the following hyperlink: That Devilish Spirit of Christmas.)
I have battled with this, actually declaring for several years that we would not celebrate Christmas. It was then I found out how powerful this spirit is, as you well know.
I am taken with this again. If only people would ponder this: This spirit is a real spirit, bringing with it very real feelings of warmth, goodness, and a certain hope.
This is amazing to me. If this is truly a spirit (and who could deny that it has that effect), and it is not the Holy Spirit, then this is truly a dance with the Devil (in his most wonderful and benevolent form.) It’s all astounding to me once again.
If you have any more thoughts or resources along this line …………. the fact that this is a very real and even a “good” spirit that is manifesting, I would appreciate it.
Bless you,
Dennis
Victor’s reply:
Greetings in the Lord Jesus Christ, Dennis,
I am thankful that you were helped and strengthened by the writing on Christmas. Yes, it is indeed a demonic spirit. Charles Dickens and others have been able to “capture” it, not knowing that they were the victims and not beneficiaries, and leading others into the “wonderful” bondage after them. I recall how good I felt at Christmas. It was that certain feeling very peculiar to that event and time of year. However, one always found the letdown, or the contradictions, even from a worldly perspective. When I became a believer, particularly after receiving the Spirit of God, the Lord soon revealed to us the nature and significance of this great event, loved worldwide by all. Satan does indeed come as an angel of light, with “glad tidings,” with “joy,” with “peace and goodwill,” with “generosity” and, with “godliness” of a sort. How powerful a hold that spirit has on many, including so many who profess to be Christ’s, born again, and “walking in the light!”
There is much literature on the web to discuss the pagan origin and substance of Christmas. Jehovah’s Witnesses, former and present Worldwide Church of God groups, Jewish groups, particularly Messianic Jews, independent writers, groups and others have plenty to say on that subject.
I take it though, that you are not asking me for historical information so much as for more on the spiritual substance of Christmas. Am I right? I must confess that for the moment, I am not aware of anything that can expand on what I have been given in spirit, though I would expect that as you search, you would find. This is a matter of revelation and not study, but I know we are not alone in knowing these things. God is our Source of understanding and wisdom, and if you seek to obey Him, He will give you what you need.
You are very right when you say that celebrating Christmas is “a dance with the Devil,” but it is more than that, especially if one knows better. It becomes a matter of hopping into bed with him. God condemned as adultery and fornication the participation in celebrating other gods and partaking of their festivities.
It is interesting how people will even agree with much that can be and is spoken against Christmas, yet they are quite reluctant to give it up. For my part, Dennis, I struggled some with it, in the first years after scrapping it, and it is only the grace of God that brought and kept me out. I was hooked. Yet He is faithful, and when one takes a step of obedience toward Him, forsaking his or her own pleasures and will, God gives grace to the weakest and most bound. There is no lack of hope and no excuse. There is something else: As Christmas feels so good, and is so desirable, though evil, so the things of God can feel so bad, and so undesirable, though good, but I promise you, it is more than well worth it in the end. The Bible is filled with such testimony.
We need to confess our love of Christmas, acknowledge that it is evil, and ask God to give us the desire and power to repent of it. We must then believe, and act as though He has answered (it is His will, and if so, He has heard and granted our request) and the victory is ours. It takes forsaking, and standing against the tide, at the risk of losing careers, business, social benefits, even being divided from dear loved ones, but if that is what must be, then that is what must be. If we are not willing to part with these things, including loved ones, we are not worthy of Him.
Christmas is only one of the many things people enjoy and truly worship, that are ungodly and grievous to God. Those very same gods of Old Testament times are today actively worshiped in Christendom…Baal, Ashtoreth, and others. This too did the Lord reveal to me. Many things people believe and do in the Name of Christ and Christianity are pagan and diabolical. If you will, read of these things on our site, particularly in Diabolical Doctrines.
Thank you for your blessing, Dennis, and may the Lord grant you grace as needed. He is all that counts, now and forever. He is also faithful. One can never go wrong trusting and obeying Him.
Lord willing, be in touch, and tell us more about yourself.
Victor