Some years ago, I innocently stumbled across some videos of an old soap opera from my high school days.  When I saw the name “Dark Shadows” across the front of them, I was astounded.  It had been one of my favorite after school programs. “Did that ever bring back memories,” I thought, as I walked out of the store packing six episodes. 

After watching several, I began to feel a familiar stir of the Holy Spirit strongly upon my heart and knew that I had grieved Him.  I had that “inward knowing” and decided that the videos had to go.  So I watched no more and gathered them to return. 

I learned a valuable lesson through that ordeal.  In the first place, I knew that I had felt God’s touch of love upon my heart when He nudged me with His precious Holy Spirit.  That alone assures me that I am a child of the Living God. 

Secondly, later as I studied God’s Word, I saw that I had been called out of the evil deeds of darkness and was to have nothing more to do with it and that included watching horror programs or movies.  Ignorantly, I watched the videos, not realizing what I was doing was wrong.  But when I learned my lesson, I knew that it was over.  What does light have to do with darkness anyway?  (2 Cor. 6:14)  After all, we've been called out of darkness:

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.  1 Peter 2:9

I wondered how I could expect to go forward for Jesus Christ if I continued to partake of what the enemy offers.  I also saw that if I was not supposed to participate, then there must be a reason, and the Holy Spirit must have been trying to safeguard me.  

Ephesians 4:27 tells us that “we're not to give the devil a foothold.”  Why do you think we have been given such instruction from God’s Word?  He knows that we have enough trouble with the enemy without giving him an open invitation to take over any part of our lives.  We have enough to deal with without asking for more trouble and we don't want to give the devil a chance to take over one thing from us. 

You might be wondering how watching frightening videos could possibly have that much of a negative effect on us.  Did you know the human mind is the most likely target of the body for the enemy’s darts?  He uses his strongest weapons against the minds of the children of God.  One way he does that is through presenting frightening events to cause fear to work in our minds to distract us.  That type of diversion can cause us to fear being alone, fear going outside, fear of the dark, fear of someone hurting or killing us, fear of someone breaking into our homes, fear of harm coming to our families; and many other fears.  When we have fear like that, all we want to do is stay hidden under the covers! The enemy loves to set traps because we're inhibited from being free in Christ and free to do His will.   

Fear does not come from God because He is filled with love and gives us power and a sound mind: 

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.  2 Tim. 1:7

We as Christians are oftentimes far too ignorant of Satan’s devises.  Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.”  We cannot allow the wool to be pulled over our eyes any longer.  When we come to Christ, we’re not to have anything more to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather to expose them, and expose them I will!  (Eph. 5:11)  

We can be assured that God is not a God of horror and terror, but a God of peace and love.

Peace I leave with you.  My peace I give to you.  I do not give peace to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.  John 14:27 (New Life Version)