I’ll start off by saying that if you’re reading this post on its own and you have not read the first four in this series, [ part 1 ], [ part 2 ], [ part 3 ], [ part 4 ] make sure you read them. I give a lot of context for why I am so strong about what I say. I trust that as you read the first four posts you’ll agree with my points in this one.

I’ve taken several posts to establish the setting for prophetic music at the end of the age. As a quick summary, the Lord is raising up two major worship movements that are global in scope. One will worship the antichrist and Satan, and the other will worship Jesus and the Father. Music will be at the core of each of these movements because of its ability to move the human heart. Antichrist will use music to deceive many into worshipping him, and likewise Holy Spirit will anoint prophetic musicians and singers as the first line of defense against the assault of antichrist’s worship movement and persecutions.

In this post, I want to address the issue that has always been hotly debated among believers. There is much confusion in the body of Christ today about music and what is "acceptable" to listen to as a believer. Many claim they can move in and out of listening to dark music and listening to music anointed by the Holy Spirit effortlessly, claiming the grace of God. But because many simply do not understand the heights to which these things will progress to, there is a lack of discernment and a lack of understanding about music that the average believing musician or singer has. With the level of deception that is coming, we should not be left asking the question of how much dark music we can get away with listening to, but rather how abandoned to God we can be in everything we do, including the music we listen or don't listen to.

The great falling away of the faith at the end of the age that Paul speaks of in 2 Thessalonians 2 and 1 Timothy 4:1-3 is centered around a deep deception that will easily sway many believers into a twist of Christianity that is demonic and full of the antichrist spirit. This coming deception will be so powerful because it will openly profess the name of Jesus and say many positive things. It will be powerful, emotional, humanistic, and will exalt the glory of man. It will have so many emotions to it. An angel describes this coming “Harlot Babylon” system to the apostle John in Revelation 17-18 to be like a seductive woman that allures many away from the truth with her temptation of beauty, honor, wealth, and position. I believe we are seeing the beginnings of that system now making its way into our ears, minds, and hearts through music. As I established in the first post in this series, all music has some sort of spirit on it. No believer would argue that some secular music is demonic. But I believe there is even some Christian music that is demonic. It is born in hell, just like antichrist’s coming global worship movement. We falsely assume that just because the lyrics are “positive”, or even because they say “Jesus” means it is born of the Spirit. I believe a lot of music, even “Christian” music, is darker than we think it is. A lot of it is pointing us in the absolute wrong direction.

When the power of the Holy Spirit touches the human heart, we want to be meek and rid ourselves of compromise. Does the music we listen to, “Christian” or otherwise, disconnect us from Jesus by making us feel good, even subtly, about our own efforts or ourselves? Or does it cause us to desire and long for a greater heart connect with the Lord? In Matthew 7:15 in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns us to beware of false prophets. Many of these false prophets I believe will be excellent musicians. They will prophesy with their music and what they play and sing will come to pass. People will even feel power and get healed. It’s clear that there is a spirit behind their music, but it is an evil spirit that will say nothing but the love of mankind. Man disconnected from Jesus is the abomination that confronts Jesus. Humans made in His image will be cursing Him forever in the lake of fire, always increasing in their rage and hatred of Jesus. This is something far worse than Satan and his demons hating him forever. And music is one of the vehicles that will bring many there before all is said and done.

So how does one determine whether or not the music they are listening to is born of the Spirit? I think it’s so practical. We simply ask the question “does this make me want to love Jesus, read the Word, pray, fast, be meek, and humble?” John tells us in 1 John 4:1-3 to test the spirits:

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.”
(1John 4:1-3 NKJV)

Our discernment and ability to test the spirits follows our revelation of the Word. Our discernment will be far better if the Word of God instructs our consciences. We must seek out and pray through the importance of the end-time worship movement in God’s strategy. If we give ourselves to the Lord in prayer, fasting, serving and loving our enemies, meekness, obedience, and all of the virtues the Lord values, our discernment will skyrocket over time.

So don’t get me wrong - this is not about being legalistic about what we should and should not listen to. It’s about seeing where things are going and purposely choosing to separate ourselves from anything with even a drop of darkness attached to it. For what fellowship does light have with darkness? (2 Cor 6:14) I want to build a fence that is miles away from the drop, river, or cesspool of darkness and not even go near it. As a musician, I want to fully give myself to the Lord’s purpose at the end of the age. I want the Holy Spirit to anoint my music, and I want to fill my mind and ears with music that pushes me into true love and meekness and to give myself to Jesus wholeheartedly.