Revelations 3:16 "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold or hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth"
Once upon a time, before fully submitting myself to Christ, I was engulfed in the world as a slave to sin. During these times, listening to secular music was a daily occurrence. I was the epitome of a lukewarm Christian; I ran to God in times of need, then back to the world. My attachment to this kind of music was the true definition of stronghold, and truth be told, I was comfortable with this way of life. Needless to say, the devil had me right where he wanted me. It was as if I was chained to the world and could only go so far out before I got reeled back in.
Secular music
2 Corinthians 10:5 "casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalted itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." (Our negative thoughts are not our own and we must always confront them with the word of God.)
Proverbs 18:21 says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue." Not every secular song is considered evil or negative, but we need to scrutinize the lyrics being used before bumping our heads and agreeing with them. Now, if we're being real, it's evident that most secular songs have nothing to do with God; the artists or musicians are either glorifying themselves, sex outside of marriage, money, materials, etc., and if you know the word of God, it's obvious we should avoid them. But the devil has a way of masking danger and making you think that everything is dandy when underneath the surface you’re being spiritually affected. I know, because I was once there. One day I was in bible studies, then the next, I was mindlessly submitting to my sinful thoughts and living outside of God's will for me. I wanted to engage in the activities that were being portrayed in the music and even imagined myself in those situations. Secular music implements negative thinking that could potentially become a pattern. One being constantly comparing yourself to others, leading to despair, greed, depression, and so on. Having said that, I didn't realize the danger I was in. When you're not following Christ, you become susceptible to the enemy's plans for you. The devil speaks, and he uses mankind to do it, especially through secular music where he can influence your mind to steer you from God's plans for your life. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end."
How it affects us
Proverbs 4:23 "Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."
My brother had a dream, and in that dream, he was told that if I continued listening to secular music, my life would change for the worst. Before this, I was lukewarm, but to some, including my brother, I was a devoted woman of God, so there's no way he could have known I was listening to those kinds of songs but through the Spirit of God (Matthew 7:22-23). At this point, clearly the music I was listening to was negatively affecting my heart and mind, which would eventually flow over into my life. And that is the enemy's plan for us; he uses these "feel good" traps that would only lead to our destruction. John 10:10 says, "The thief cometh not, but to steal, to kill, and to destroy.” The devil is subtle. To avoid being deluded, take some time to actually listen to the lyrics of the songs you have on your playlist, and you'll find that some of them go against the word of God, are affecting how you go about your life, and are opening doors for the enemy to get a foothold in your life (Ephesians 4:27). Furthermore, we can't open our ears to indulge in any song and then call ourselves believers and followers of Christ; the flesh is weak and will easily submit to satan’s will when it’s left vulnerable to ungodliness. 1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”
What we digest
Colossians 3:16 "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 life I live now reveals how far I was from the path that God had planned for me; it’s certainly not perfect, but this time, I allow Him to lead. 1 Samuel 16:23 is proof of the power of music; it says, “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.” If the music of the Lord has that power, imagine how the opposite can affect us. Secular songs that glorify anything outside of God is the breathing ground for evil spirits and a doorway for the enemy to enter your life. What I thought was fun was eventually going to destroy me. While listening to certain types of music, I was plagued with lust, anger, rebelliousness, pride, and more, living comfortably in a lukewarm state of mind. Not to say that I was under satanic influence solely because of secular music but it certainly did not help. The message my brother received from my Father, completely changed my life. He loved me enough to send a warning to save me (Proverbs 27:1). After removing secular music, asking for forgiveness, and completely surrendering my life to Jesus, He revealed Himself to me, and it's the most amazing experience one could have. To add, after these encounters with God, I realized that He was with me my entire life. And now, I live to do everything for the glory of His name.
John 14:21 "He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me that be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to Him”
Many many blessings to you.