MY “BEEF” WITH SECULAR MUSIC

I’ve heard a lot of things about secular music and musicians over the years e.g. “it’s a sin to listen to secular music”, “all of them are members of the Illuminati” “anyone who listens to secular music ends up in hell” etc. That’s not what this is about. Neither is it actually about beefs. For me, it’s about what God’s Word (not the media, not Christians/churches, not traditions, not anybody else, but Truth Himself) has to say about music, especially secular music.
Beyond the most commonly recognized uses of music such as ENTERTAINMENT (Job 21:11-12), CELEBRATION (1Samuel 18:6) and the WORSHIP of God (1Chronicles 6:31) and of idols (Daniel 3:5), there’s so much power in music that not only is it used for COMMUNICATION (Colossians 3:16) and for evoking strong EMOTIONS (Luke 7:32), it can actually be used to INTERACT with the SPIRIT realm by creating an atmosphere that is conducive to the supernatural, whether positive or negative. Music can literally open up the listener to the realm of the spirit. Let me give you a marvelous example: David played on his harp and Saul was refreshed, made well, and the evil spirit that was tormenting him left him, at least for that season (1Samuel 16:23). Another perfect example is found in 2Kings 3:15 where a minstrel played music, and the hand of the Lord (the Spirit of God) came upon Elisha the prophet, he gave a prophetic word that saved 3 nations (2Kings 3:15). If music so ushers in God’s presence (Psalm 22:3), can it not just as easily usher in a demonic presence?
Consider please, WHERE does music come from? Music can be purely from the imagination or from the spirit realm. 1Corinthians 14:15 and Ephesians 5:19 make it clear that you can sing songs inspired by the Holy Spirit (both in tongues and in understanding). If the Holy Spirit can inspire songwriters, the devil can also give the corrupted version, it’s what he knows how to do best, counterfeiting.
Finally, consider this, Joshua 1:8 and Proverbs 4:20-22 tell us what to keep constantly in our speech, sight, hearing and thoughts.....the WORD of God. In this generation, one of the things that most commonly fills or intrudes into our speech, sight, hearing and thought is music. We sing it, we see the videos, we plug our ears with it (I know I do) and it fills our thoughts. How vital is it, then, for us to ensure that the music we allow into us is filled with the Word of God! And you and I know that music soaks into the mind and heart like nothing else does. That's why you can still remember your marching song from primary school even when you're 50 years old and you sometimes wake up singing or humming a melody you haven't heard for years as though you heard it in your dreams!
All things are lawful, but all things are not expedient (profitable).......all things edify not (1Corinthians 10:23). How does that apply to secular music? There’s no record in scripture of a law or rebuke against music in any form or adaptation. Interacting with secular music, therefore, would be regarded as lawful (right), but is it expedient for us, the blood-washed temples of the Holy Spirit? Does it edify us, does it build us up? That is a question each one has to answer for himself (Romans 14:5), but here are a few SIMPLE and ABSOLUTE TRUTHS you and I would do well to consider in choosing what we sing, watch, listen and dance to:
1. Scripture does NOT talk about the lawfulness/otherwise of any kind of music, except for exhortations on HOW to use music (Psalm 9:11, Colossians 3:16, Ephesians 5:19)
2. Music can be used to worship God or the devil (1Chronicles 6:31, Daniel 3:5)
3. Music can be inspired by the Spirit of God, by demons, or can be from the human mind (1Corinthians 14:15, Ephesians 5:19)
4. Music can open up the listener to the spirit realm and spiritual influences (1Samuel 16:23, 2Kings 3:15)
5. Music can be a vehicle for getting the Word of God (or other things) into our minds and hearts (Colossians 3:16).
I submit to you, therefore, that the kind of music you listen to is as important as the kind of food you put into your mouth! I make bold to say it's even more important!
Thank you for taking the time to read. By God’s grace, I’ll share more truths over time. I hope you’ll stop by and read and be blessed (and share too)! Great grace!