At my old church, there was a deliverance ministry. For those who are unfamiliar with the term, deliverance; it is a word used to describe a person being freed from ungodly spiritual bondage. Through my times of worldly living, I developed some habits that were not instantly broken when I committed my life to Christ. It required some serious prayer, desire to change, discipline to live, and Holy Spirit to obey. Throughout the struggle of letting go of an unhealthy spiritual identity, I realized the power of God to change lives. One of the biggest struggles I faced was my love for secular hip-hop music.
In reaching out for help from my church, I met with three older Christian men. I exposed personal vulnerabilities with the intentions of receiving prayer and guidance. My expectations were met. During the meeting, I remembered informing the guys that I loved ‘hip-hop’. Without any hesitation, they quickly said that my passion for secular music would go away. Don’t ask me why, but I felt (at the time) that they were too lax in their approach regarding my concern for this matter. Before this church, I was a member of two different churches that taught about the power of words (speaking and listening). The music that I preferred was not edifying my spirit for Kingdom thinking. I needed to be free, now. This is what I expressed, but there was no stress; they simply reassured me.
I left there feeling unchanged in this area. Confirmation of change would have been nice. Months later, I can recall watching a Jay-Z video and becoming emotional because of how much his music moved me. I loved Jay-Z. However, as I matured in my Christian walk, I started noticing different emotions when listening to hip-hop. My spirit would become uneasy, irritable, and righteously upset with the words spoken. I realized how Satan was using music to deliver evil spirit-filled words that were contrary to God’s word. My eyes were opened to what was really going on. The music (sound of instruments) was still enticing, but not the words. The deception of the words behind the music was revealed to me in a way that made it distasteful.
The assurance of my deliverance from the ministers emerged. I was free, indeed. In the realm of music, my spirit was aligned with God’s word. God liberated me to a point that today my IPod is only filled with Christian preaching. I believed that my true desire to honor God in my hearing manifested into this habit. The biblical words of death and life are in the power of the tongue, let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, and that, men will have to give account for every foolish word they have said had come alive in my heart.
Please do not take what you hear and say lightly. In this media age, it is a constant battle not to be engulfed in sinful words. Comedies, Dramas, Music, and even the news provide the opportunity to begin speaking and thinking in an ungodly way. Unless you are planning on becoming media-free, the task of speaking and hearing only biblical principles is near impossible.
This is the case for most that choose to live a godly life. Christians are constantly provided with opportunities to live contrary to God’s will. No matter your stand for God, you will face opposition. If you are unaware of God’s help through the Holy Spirit (John 14:26) to enable you to live a blameless lifestyle, you may become overwhelmed. Living for God takes more than claiming a religion and asking Jesus to come into your heart. It takes consistent word reading, godly accountability, prayer, and a desire to serve the Lord. God has commanded that we live separate and not to love anything of the world (1 John 2:15-17). Quite frankly, this is a difficult commandment to consistently live on your own.
As you read this blog, the Holy Spirit may bring to your attention a few opportunities to exemplify your love for the Lord. It is your job as a Christian to deal with these issues. Freedom can be yours, but it first must begin with your repentance and confession. Acknowledging how the world has a grasp on you is the beginning of deliverance from any issue. Aligning your thoughts with the Word (Proverbs 23:7) of God will grant you more freedom than you can ever imagine. Trust God to do His part and meet you where you are (James 4:8). With your consistent seeking of His will for your life in this area, He will renew your spirit to align with His plan (Hebrews 11:6). Trust the Lord’s ability to change your life for I am a living witness.
