I was standing outside ready to release the kids from school for the day when a student approached me with a huge grin on her face. I asked, “Why are we all smiley today?” She said, “Because! It’s October and Halloween is coming up soon!” “What will be your costume?” “I am going to be a robber, and my sister will be dressed as a police officer!” the student shouted as she ran to join her friends.
Every October brings a refreshed enthusiasm for Halloween. Children boast of their new costumes and yards are transformed into haunted graveyards, littered with skeletons and fictional characters from popular horror films. Soon, the neighborhood resounds with excited calls of “Trick or Treat!” While this isn’t a reflection of Halloween itself, the tradition of wearing costumes offers a striking metaphor: deception thrives in disguise. And on a spiritual level, the greatest masquerader of all is the Devil.
On April 3rd, 1965, broadcaster Paul Harvey delivered a chilling monologue titled, “If I Were the Devil,” exposing the calculated and subtle blueprints of evil. Harvey didn’t portray the Devil as a cartoonish figure with horns, a pitchfork, and a mischievous look on its face. Rather, he considered him as a master in manipulation- deceptive, conniving, seductive, and a menace to society. Harvey’s intent with sharing his message was to arouse his listeners and plead with them to recognize the Devil’s “tricks and treats” behind the mask of cultural norms and moral compromise.
Harvey imagines himself as the Devil, saying, “If I were the Devil, I’d want to engulf the whole world in darkness…but I wouldn’t be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree…Thee.” The rest of the monologue outlines how the Devil’s deception infiltrates:
- Churches: Infiltrates with whispers of “Do as you please”, undermines the authority and validity of Scripture, replaces divine truth with science and psychology, and corrupts spiritual leadership through scandal and greed.
- Public Education: Encourages intellectual growth while neglecting emotional discipline, leading to chaos and the heightened security measures in every school.
- Government agencies: Removes God from public institutions, promotes moral confusion, and overwhelms prisons with dysfunctional individuals
- Families: Introduces vices, glorifies sinful material in different forms of media, and converts homes into battlefields that ripple through society
- Culture: Redefines marriage, erodes work ethics, idolizes celebrities, and glamorizes gambling and instant gratification
These revelations reveal the Devil’s tactics to be precise and calculated, not sporadic in their nature or design. The Devil is not boisterous in his interactions; he whispers. He doesn’t conduct an assault at the city’s gates; he targets its weak spots and slips in unnoticed.
God warns His children to not be naïve. John 8:44 labels Satan a liar and murderer. 2 Corinthians 11:14 reminds us that he can appear as an angel of light. His mannerism and techniques leave no room for errors. He is manipulative and his subtlety can be misconstrued as progress. In 1 Peter 5:8, Peter urges Christians to be sober and vigilant – because the Devil prowls like a lion, seeking whom he may devour. God has given us the ability to discern, to see through the mask. Charles Spurgeon said, “Discernment is not a matter of telling the difference between right and wrong; rather it is telling the difference between right and almost right.” Practicing spiritual discernment provides clarity to detecting the Devil’s tricks despite his attempt to present them as treats.
In conclusion, Paul Harveys message has proven prophetic. Churches falter on truth and doctrine. Family units are divided. Schools face violence. Entertainment glorifies sin. Mental health is medicated without healing. Wars rage. Addiction and greed dominate. It is a worldwide pandemic. But Christ-followers are not powerless. Though Satan is active, he is defeated. The cross has abolished his authority and Christ’s return will end his reign. As we eagerly await Christ’s return, we must not be found silent and complacent.
Discernment is our shield. Truth is our sword. Vigilance is our duty. Arouse Christian! The masquerade is over.
Spark a conversation!