Power of Instruments – Hand of The Lord (part 5)

This week, we’re going to see that the anointed playing of music can bring deliverance from evil spirits, and it can bring the hand of the Lord upon you. But the most important part of music is learning to discern the anointing through the Holy Spirit. First, a quick recap of last week…

What the Lord is looking for in a musician:

Heman – he who is faithful

Bukkiah – proved of Yah (Yahweh)

Matta­niah – gift of Yah (Yahweh)

What anointed music can do for us:

Uzziel – my strength is God

Shebuel – captive of God

Jerimoth – being on a higher plane

Hananiah – Yahweh has favored

Hanani – gracious, kind favor

Eliathah – mighty power to come

Giddalti – “I have made great.”

Romamti-ezer – I have raised up a help

Joshbekashah – spiritual returning and spoiling the defeated enemy

Mallothi – I have spoken, overflow

Hothir – abundance or super abundance

Mahazioth – to see or have visions

Notice that as you go through the names, there is an increase in help. The names start off as strength, and by the end, they’re seeing visions. This tells us that prolonged time in His presence will bring about the deeper help of the Lord. This could be why one Christian may have more success communicating with the Lord than others. They may have found this secret place in the Lord in worship. They’re not asking as much, since they have learned how to let the Lord take care of them.

1 Samuel 16:14-23 _NJKV

¹⁴ But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him. ¹⁵ And Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely, a distressing spirit from God elohim is troubling you. ¹⁶ Let our master now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. And it shall be that he will play it with his hand when the distressing spirit from God elohim is upon you, and you shall be well.”

¹⁷ So Saul said to his servants, “Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me.”

¹⁸ Then one of the servants answered and said, “Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the Lord is with him.”

¹⁹ Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” ²⁰ And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by his son David to Saul. ²¹ So David came to Saul and stood before him. And he loved him greatly, and he became his armorbearer. ²² Then Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Please let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.” ²³ And so it was, whenever the spirit from God elohim was upon Saul, that 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.

Yahweh, the God the Heaven, did not send a distressing or evil spirit upon Saul. The Hebrew says ELOHIM, and it’s up to the interpreter to translate that into the appropriate word: God, god, Gods (in 3 parts), or gods. Keep in mind that Baal is also called elohim in Hebrew, so one word can have many definitions.

There are so many good points in this story. I really like where the Bible says that, “Saul’s servant,” is the one who mentions how he can be set free through anointed music. Every time I read this passage, I wonder how the servant knew this information. He wasn’t an anointed priest, teacher, scribe, or temple servant, but just a regular servant. Even better, it’s one of the unnamed servants who speaks up and names David as anointed player. It leads me to believe that this servant had seen or heard of David’s playing driving out evil spirits, so he was able to speak with confidence to the king. Don’t forget that one doesn’t simply run their mouth to the king, as there could be dire consequences to unfounded claims! Thankfully, music does carry a deliverance anointing again and again. The Bible says, “whenever the spirit was upon Saul,” not just in that one instance, the spirit would depart. That means for us, there is no limit on the number of times we can be delivered through anointed music.

Keeping the spiritual influence of David’s playing in mind, think about how there is music that’s all around us today. There is music in commercials, movies, TV shows, stores, elevators, even some doctor’s offices. Commercials hope to have a catchy jingle that sticks in your head (soul, a.k.a. mind). Movies and TV use music to help put you in a certain mood so that you’re more engaged in what you’re watching. If you have ever watched raw footage of films, it’s quite boring without the music. Even doctor’s offices and elevators have calming music because often, people get nervous in those situations. I don’t point this out for you to be afraid, but to be aware of what we’re subconsciously letting others pound into our souls. If anointed music can bring deliverance from a demon, then what does ungodly music have the ability to accomplish in us?

Through anointed music, the hand of the Lord can come upon those who are looking for Him. We have an account of this happening in 2 Kings 3:15 with Elisha. Moab rebelled against Israel after Ahab died. The kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom with their armies marched for 7 days in order to face the king of Moab. They weren’t able to find water, so they became afraid, thinking that the Lord brought them together to be taken over by Moab. Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, began to ask about a prophet that could inquire of the Lord. My favorite part is in verse 11 where one of the servants of the king of Israel told them where they could find a prophet. They called Elisha, and he responded to them, but only after a snarky remark,

¹⁵ But now bring me a musician.

Then it happened, when the musician played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him. ¹⁶ And he said, “Thus says the Lord:

When the anointed music plays, the hand of the Lord will come upon you. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you will prophesy, but whatever gift God has given you can flow out. The hand of the Lord came upon everyone. The glory was there, but Elisha was the only one who was looking for His hand and responding. You might think, “Oh no! It’s Elisha, the prophet! He was special!” Read it again. When the musician played, that means it started with the music, and the musician, and then flowed out to everyone. Elisha was the only looking for the power of God, and he knew how to respond to it. That is the reason why you see some Christians on their knees in anointed music and others have that look on their face like, “We sang the bridge three times already. Hurry up or I’m gonna check my messages.” That’s why the Bible teaches us in the New Testament that we are all the same body of Christ, and that no one is more important than another because whomever is playing the music is just as important as the one pouring out the gift. No musician, no prophecy.

Hopefully now you’re really excited about anointed music. You might be wondering at this point how to tell the difference between anointed and unanointed music. As John 16:13 says, the Holy Spirit will guide you into all the truth. I cannot teach you, but only point you to the way. Start with an anointed song. I think a good choice is Raise a Hallelujah by Jonathan and Melissa Helser. The story behind the song is really good. I don’t know anything about their church or what they believe, but I do know the song. Listen to the original version, and then ask the Holy Spirit to teach you. Listen to the same song being sung by different bands. You may feel like you’re more into the song by one band, but not so much another. That’s it! That’s your anointing detector, which is the Holy Spirit, and your spirit working together. The more you ask the Holy Spirit and focus on finding anointing, the easier it gets. You’ll soon find that there are times when you sing a song like Way Maker, and it makes you want to get down on your knees and worship. Then, there will be other times you sing Way Maker and think that you might as well be singing Oh Christmas Tree. That’s the difference between anointed music and non-anointed music.

Don’t forget that it might just be your flesh! There are times when I feel like the band or singer isn’t anointed, but really, it’s just my flesh that’s agitated. “We war-shep you. How-lay-luu-yah.” Even worse, “Come Low-red Jeresus come.” I thought the singer was born in another country but turns out she speaks perfect English when not singing. Flesh agitation!!!! As for music, with and without lyrics, I regularly listen to an unknown band that I often use for prayer music. They have a heavy anointing on their music, and they play written songs as well as songs made up in the moment under the direction of the Lord. If someone were listening for skill level, they might say it’s a garage band and totally dismiss it, but I want to encourage you to lean heavily on the Holy Spirit so that you don’t miss what the Lord has for you in anointed music. Remember, the disciples were called, “unlearned men.”

Those of you that play an instrument, if you’re wondering how you can play anointed music, again, I can’t tell you, but only point you in the direction. Treat the Holy Spirit like a dance partner.  You’re going to do this together, but let Him lead. I am not anointed or gifted to play music; however, I am anointed to sing, but not on stage!! Start out with your instrument and just play by faith. Expect at least a few notes to be there. If humming the song first works better for you, then start with that. The song is already prepared for you by the Holy Spirit. Just remember that before you start, the Holy Spirit is excited to communicate with you, and to play your instrument with you. After you get a couple of notes, keep playing them and keep expecting more. If you’re struggling with hearing the notes, sit under some anointed music by anointed musicians, and then work from their flow of music. The more you play and invite the Holy Spirit to play with you, the longer the song will become, and the stronger and stronger the anointing will become.

Thank you for going through this study with me. I hope you’re more excited about praise and worship music and the anointing. Ask the Holy Spirit to pick up where we left off, and He will take you to a deeper place in worship to the Lord.

The Lord bless you from Uzziel all the way through Mahazioth as you worship Him in anointed music. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you in quiet times, continuing to teach you and guide you into all truth.

   Christi