My life study of forty years has been on the topic of music in the Bible, but in the last five years spiritual warfare has been increasingly important for us as believers in a time when evil is so blatant. The connection between music and warfare is that our praise and worship help us overcome the enemy and his evil tactics.
An Afghan spokesman said last week that music will be banned in public. That statement bears the question why? According to the Taliban, it is sinful.
Afghan Ethnomusicologist Sarmask said, “There is nothing written in Quran against music. These are uneducated, illiterate tribesmen who are misinterpreting Islamic ideology.”
To prevent music and dances at wedding parties the Taliban will arrest and punish the head of the family if it occurs. All musical instruments are banned. If discovered by agents of the Office for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, they will be destroyed. The instruments will be burnt in public along with confiscated audio and video cassettes, TV sets and VCRs as a warning to others.
“Let them praise His name with dancing, and make music to Him with tambourine and harp.“ Psalm 149:3
These terrorists want to control Afghan lives and take away the freedom to listen and play music. This reveals to me they are under the influence and control of Satan. Their imposing mandate is opposite of God's ways for two reasons. First, God gave us freedom of choice and secondly, God gave us music for His and our enjoyment.
Freedom to choose is God’s will for you. The Holy Spirit does not manipulate or coerce someone to do His will. Only Satan does that to humans, he is not only deceptive but forceful and imposing.
God has created us with a freedom to choose life or death, obedience or consequences, and heaven or hell. We are also created to freely express our emotions, it is how God wired us as human beings.
God also loves music. He speaks of music over one thousand times in Scriptures. His Word says, “Let them praise His name with dancing, and make music to Him with tambourine and harp.“ (Ps 149:3)
God the Father and the Holy Spirit sing. It is part of their nature to initiate and inspire music. “The Lord your God is among you… He will delight in you with singing.” (Zeph 3:17 CSB). “He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.” Ps 40:3 (ESV)
All the devil and demons can do is howl and growl, and force their anger and control over others. When you see this occur you know the source is evil. That is when you can take a stand and sing, “No Satan you can’t have me, No, you can’t have my land. No weapon formed against me will prosper for God is in command.”
I encourage you to be discerning of when evil comes to manipulate you. You will know it is evil because it will be contrary to God’s will and God’s Word. That will show you of what kingdom it is part of.
I have sung this song, It Is Time, almost every time I've ministered in the last four years. When evil is in my face I can't stop proclaiming His promises to overcome it. You can sing it as well and take authority over your enemies!