The Spirit-filled life is no option for the Christian. We are commanded in Scripture: “Be filled with the Spirit.” While no evangelical would deny or refute the command, many struggle with the idea of how it may be implemented in their own life. There are a number of elements that make for a life rich in the Holy Spirit; one of those elements is music.
The Scriptures make it plain that there is a special relationship between the Holy Spirit and music. It is amazing to think that the stretching out of sounds and the arrangements of tones and sometimes words can trigger an incredible response from the mighty Third Person of the Trinity, but it is undoubtedly so. There is an undeniable link between the Holy Spirit and certain types of music.
A classic example of this is found in the Old Testament story of Elisha. This fierce prophet somehow became part of an army that was on its way to attack the nation of Moab. After marching seven days and finding no water along the way, things became desperate. It looked as though the Israelites would perish before they ever arrived for the battle. Jehoshaphat, king of Judah heard Elisha was among them, and appealed to the prophet to do something.
The old prophet demanded, “Bring me a musician.” A musician was brought, and the Scriptures tell us, “Then it happened, when the musician played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him.” Elisha told them to dig ditches, for a flood of water was soon to follow.
This passage never fails to amaze me. Clearly the prophetic anointing that Elisha ministered with worked best in the presence of music. When the musician played, the Spirit moved. The Holy Spirit likes good music! His power is released, His mind is known, and His presence is felt when the right type of music is played (and sung).
Another example of this is found in the life of David. As a young man, he was gifted in playing the harp. After King Saul fell away from God, an evil spirit frequently troubled him. Wanting to be freed from this oppressing spirit, Saul would call for David to come and play the harp for him, and we are told, “David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him.”
We find the release of God’s Spirit and power through music in the New Testament as well. When Paul and Silas were arrested for preaching Christ, they were severely beaten and thrown in jail. Undaunted, these two men turned the prison into a church. We read, “But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.”
This was no ordinary earthquake. The earth itself couldn’t keep still; it trembled in the presence of the mighty Holy Spirit as His obedient servants sang praises to their God. Once again music brought power. Chains were loosed and doors were opened when the Holy Spirit showed up. Thus it will always be.
Earlier we quoted Paul’s famous command to “be filled with the Spirit.” But often we neglect to notice the rest of the passage. Let’s look at what follows:
… be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord… (Ephesians 5:18,19)
Singing and worship are both a cause and a result of the Spirit’s filling. As we sing we are filled, and as we are filled we will sing. During the great Welsh revival there were two primary ingredients in these Holy Spirit-charged meetings – testimony and singing.
Singing, music, and worship should not merely be something we experience on Sunday morning, however. The Spirit-filled life must be a daily, hourly, and even minute by minute experience. Our generation has an advantage over every other generation of the church since the day of Pentecost. Jesus Christ died on a cross and rose again the third day not only to forgive our sins and enable us to live with Him in heaven forever, but also to give us a tremendous gift of infinite value – the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is through the Holy Spirit that our Lord Jesus makes Himself known to the world, and sets the captives free. He promised that those who believe on Him would experience rivers of living water flowing from within. He was speaking of the Holy Spirit. Anything we can do to enhance the free flow of those rivers, we must by all means do. Soaking our spirits in praise and worship music, as well as beautiful instrumental music, is one of the ways we make the Holy Spirit comfortable in our lives, and promote the release of those living waters in and through us. All who desire to glorify the Lord Jesus through their lives and to share Him effectively with others should take advantage of the powerful, God-ordained blessing of music.
SOURCE: Pollock, D. (2018)
Facebook Page: Music Psychology Research (MPR) 2010 / Psychological Assessment and Research Evaluation (PARE) 2014 / Assessment, Counseling, Alumni and Placement (ACAP) Center 2017