MUSIC & IT’S IMPORTANCE
THE IMPORTANCE OF ANOINTED MUSIC IN MINISTRY
I want to begin with 3 scripture texts and try with the Lord’s help to bring forth a teaching on: 1. THE IMPORTANCE, 2. THE POWER, 3. THE SPIRITUALITY of anointed music in ministry.
Let’s begin with out first text: II Kings 3:14-15.
And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee. 15 But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.
Second text: II Chronicles 20:22.
And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.
Third text: II Chronicles 5:13-14
It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD; 14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.
You might be saying, "This doesn’t effect me." "I am not a singer or a musician."
Apparently neither was Elisha!
IT DOES EFFECT YOU!
THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC
The prophet Elisha said, "Now bring me a minstrel." (II Kings 3:15)
I want to try and make us see how important music is to ministry.
Why did Elisha call for a musician?
If we look back into the text, we find that he was called into a mess, and he was aggrevated. The music helped seal off all the outside distractions and unbelief around Elisha, and brought him into a frame of mind and spirit where he could receive from the Lord.
How important is music to ministry?
I Samuel 16:23
And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
We find the account of King Saul and how when he was tormented by an evil spirit, David would play on the harp and the evil spirit would depart.
AT THE SOUND OF ANOINTED MUSIC DEVILS BACK UP!
If the devil has been hanging around in our home, maybe we should see what kind of music and what kind of atmosphere we are setting forth there.
HOW IMPORTANT IS MUSIC TO OUR SPIRIT?
Matthew 26:30 - Jesus and the disciples sang a hymn at the last supper.
Ephesians 5:19 says: Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.
Colossians 3:16 says: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
The word psalm means a song accompanied with music.
We are told over and over again in the scripture to lift up our voice and to make music unto the Lord, in both the old and new testaments.
Music is so important that we are told in the Word to include it in our worship and praise.
POWER OF MUSIC
In our first text (II Kings 3:14-15) we saw music used to push back the cares and unbelief of the world and prepare Elisha to hear from the Lord.
In our second text (II Chronicles 20:22) we saw how singing and praising and worship in music brought intervention by God’s hand.
I hope you are following this closely now, because this gets very exciting!
In our third text we saw what happened when the musicians and singers became as one and lifted up their voice with the cymbals and instruments and praised.
IT BROUGHT A MANIFESTATION OF THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD!
How much power is in music and praise?
Acts 16:25-26
And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises and it brought the manifestation of their miracle.
Psalms 32:7 speaks of songs of deliverance.
Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.
We have already read how when David played on the harp, the evil spirit departed Saul.
Anointed music in our worship service has the power to push back those spirits that might come to bind a service. As with Paul and Silas, there is power in anointed music to set us free.
We should at this point mention that it is important to realize that if the anointed music of God has power to set us free and to bring us into a place of praise where we can receive from God, that the music of the world and the music of the devil also has an effect on our spirit, and also causes certain manifestations. It also has a certain drawing power, and a certain effect on our spirit. I hope you can say Amen to that, and realize it is important what we feed our spirit on, and what the atmosphere is in our home.
SPIRITUALITY OF MUSIC
MUSIC IN CHURCH AND WORSHIP IS NEVER, NEVER, NEVER TO BE CONSIDERED ENTERTAINMENT!
Music is spiritual in nature. All music effects your spirit in one way or another. Songs of darkness bring a manifestation of that realm. We immediately begin to point our finger at hard rock and such, and rightly so, but saints have sung songs in church that are so unscriptural and full of death and darkness, that they are as deadly to our spirit and our worship as any hard rock song, because they have been accepted and the danger is more hidden. They are songs of defeat, sorrow, trial, and affliction.
The Bible says in Isaiah 51:11: Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
Be aware of the words we sing, because we are snared by the words of our mouth. Sometimes we are very careful about the words of our confession where our health, and so in, is concerned, but then we turn around and sing some song of defeat all day until it creeps into our spirit. We should be singing: I HAVE BEEN REDEEMED and THE JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH.
In closing, I hope these words will cause singers and musicians to realize the importance of their calling, in reaching the lost and in helping to bring the church to a place of entering in to God’s presence.
I hope it will cause the rest of the body to realize that it is important that the special singers and musicians in our service be anointed, and that the music and the songs that we listen to in our everyday life have a great effect on our spiritual strength.
