Sound Doctrine

Jeff Johnson: I am sure of this that just as a demon-possessed person who is delivered from those demons, if he doesn't receive Jesus Christ, seven more are going to come back and he's going to be in worse shape than he was before. And I'm also convinced of this: that if God's Spirit leaves a man, an evil spirit will come.

To reject God is to be open to demonic influences. To not have the Lord, to not know the Lord, you are open this morning to demonic influences.

Guest (Male): The danger of rejecting God. Next on Sound Doctrine.

Your Spirit leads me on and I'm running after you. I'll leave behind the worthless love and I'm trading them for priceless truth.

If you have someone's heart, you have every part, said the poet. That's an encouraging word if you have a heart for the Lord. If you don't, God can change your heart today on Sound Doctrine with Pastor Jeff Johnson, a ministry of Calvary Chapel Downey.

We'll hear of two kinds of hearts. There's King Saul; his heart was for himself. Then there was David, who had a heart for the Lord. Saul learned too late that to obey is better than sacrifice. From 1 Samuel chapter 16, here's Pastor Jeff.

So Father won't you speak to me. Oh Lord you know I'm listening. You know exactly what I need. So Father won't you speak to me.

Jeff Johnson: You are kept by the power of God through faith. Notice God's part: "I'll keep you by my power." Your part is through faith. Unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein we greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, we are in heaviness through manifold temptations because the trial of our faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto the praise and the honor and the glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen, you love. In whom, though now you see him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Isn't that great?

That's 1 Peter chapter 1, verses three through nine. I am sure of this: that just as a demon-possessed person who is delivered from those demons, if he doesn't receive Jesus Christ, seven more are going to come back and he's going to be in worse shape than he was before. And I'm also convinced of this: that if God's Spirit leaves a man, an evil spirit will come.

To reject God is to be open to demonic influences. To not have the Lord, to not know the Lord, you are open this morning to demonic influences. Saul, an evil spirit came upon him. Notice the Spirit of the Lord left him, but notice it says then the Spirit of the Lord or the evil spirit from the Lord came upon him. And he was troubled. He was not only troubled, but many people are troubled when they read this.

What does this mean? Is there an evil spirit from the Lord? Good question. It's hard to understand what this really is except by looking at it in a couple of ways. Remember with Job how God said with Job, Satan wanted Job, right? And Satan said to God, "If you just take the hedge out from around him, then I can get to him."

You see what that is inferring: that God protects His children. He always protects us. He protects us from evil. And all spirits, I believe, are subject to God. So this evil spirit came as God removed His protection away from Saul. Why? Because Saul was in rebellion against God. He didn't want to retain God in his mind. He didn't want God. He didn't want to go God's way; he wanted to do his own thing.

So God kind of turned him over to a reprobate. And an evil spirit came down upon him. That's a sad time when God turns a person over. In Romans, it says it a number of times in chapter 1. So Satan now has his opportunity.

So God kind of allowed this, as with Judas. We see it again. So with Saul. And the evidence was that Saul was going mad; he was going crazy. Now this is something when you think about it: what causes people to go crazy? What is that that comes down upon a man or a woman that oppresses them and depresses them to the point of losing it?

And let me submit to you: I believe that it's rebellion against God and holding on to sin in an individual's life and not giving it up. Saul was in rebellion against God. And there's times where even Christians—listen to me—even Christians are in rebellion against God and they hold on to these sins that they're committing. And they know they're wrong, and they won't let them go. And weird things come out of their lives, quirks; it starts to come out in one way or another because you've opened the door for the enemy to do a number on you.

We need to confess our sins. We need to get right. We need to be open for God to heal us and restore us. As David cried out, "Restore unto me the joy of my salvation. Forgive me of all my iniquities." And be honest and forthright. Homicidal, I mean, he just wanted to murder David.

Also, it could be, I believe, that Satan is God's servant. Now I know it sounds strange, but if you really look at the full picture, Satan was created by God as a fallen angel. He is in subjection to God. I believe that Satan is God's servant. He's on a chain and he's regulated by God, and God allows his existence.

And there's a reason for that; it's because man has the freedom to choose. We can reason. So God allowed Satan to do his thing. Why? So we could make a decision. There's a choice to be made. God just didn't make us as puppets. And when he wanted us to praise Him, just pull a string, "Praise You." I mean, that's not real exciting.

God wanted free choice. He says, "Here's evil and here's God. What are you going to do, man? Which way are you going to go? Are you going to serve God? Are you going to love God?" And God just goes "Wow" when, after all that darkness is around them and all that junk that's going on at their work and all the stuff that they're up against, they still love Me. They still come to Me. And that just wipes God out, man, because you're loving Him free. You haven't seen Him, yet you love Him, and you want to serve Him.

The testing of our faith. God allows things to happen in the world, the flesh, and the devil. I believe they are all working for God. In fact, they worked for good in my life. They brought me to the end of myself until I finally said, "Yes, I want the Lord. I need the Lord. I don't know what it's all about, but I'm willing." And I was bottomed out. Thank God for the world, the flesh, and the devil because they're working on our relatives and our friends, those that we love and care for, to bring them to the end of themselves.

What a heavy prayer. "Lord, whatever it takes, bring them to the end of themselves." Sometimes it's pretty heavy for certain individuals, but they'll get saved. In 1 Peter 4, he says in verse 12, "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is about to try you as some strange thing is happening, but rejoice in as much as you are partakers of Christ's sufferings." And yes, we're going to be tried as with fire sometimes. I mean, heavy things are going to happen in our lives. And it's a testing of our faith. Do you love the Lord? He can sure find out.

So this spirit was allowed to exist and it was directed by God to come upon Saul, the evil spirit of the Lord. That's how I can explain it to you. I don't know any other way. God is in control though. And you know, this really shows me that God is in control of my life. And whatever comes into my life was allowed by God to come into my life.

I mean, when I gave Him my life, I gave it to Him, and He said, "I take it." And His plan is coming from there on out. So whatever comes into my life, no matter what it is, God allowed it to happen. So in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus, right? In everything give thanks. "Well, Lord, there must be something good coming out of this." All things are working for the good. And all of a sudden you catch the picture.

Let's go back to our story. Listen. The Spirit of the Lord left Saul. An evil spirit came down upon him. And notice what it says in verse 15. And Saul's servants said unto him, "Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubles you." They saw what was going on. "Let our Lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man who is cunning player on the harp. And it shall come to pass when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand and thou shalt be well."

First thing I noted here was that these guys knew something about the power of praise. Notice they're saying, "You know, we just need to get a guy in here that can really play. And you're going to be all right, Saul. Just give us the okay." The ministry of worship is spoken here.

I thought of 2 Kings chapter 3, in verse 15, where Elisha said, "Bring me a minstrel. Bring me somebody who can play." And it came to pass when the minstrel played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him and he began to prophesy. There's something about worship. There's something about Christian music and praises to the Lord that causes inspiration.

It's therapeutic, man. You come in here and you just sit here and you just start to worship the Lord. And what are you doing but preparing yourself to receive His word, preparing your heart? Singing. I know some of you don't like to sing. And you come in here late because "oh, they're worshiping," you know. But oh are you missing it.

And oh it's not that we're just trying to fill time here. "Okay, we got some time, so let's just fill it." No, it's a part of the whole ministry and work of the Holy Spirit in our midst. And anytime you see someone come out on a Wednesday night and share from their ministry of music, we have people coming from all over the world. Listen to their words. Listen to what they're saying. They are prophesying, bringing forth comfort, edification, encouragement to you that you would be encouraged.

And so this music soothes troubled hearts. So the same way, non-Christian music will do what? The opposite, then. It'll make you uptight. It'll get you down. It'll wear on you. You say, "Well, why's that?" Because of the lyrics. Listen to the lyrics that you're listening to. You know, the guy that went out and he divorced her and got her pregnant and then divorced her and then he go on and the hate and the anger that's in kids' music today is unbelievable. The hatred that they're bringing forth to the kids as they're listening to this music.

It'll affect you. I mean, by the time you get to Phoenix, you'll be crying. It'll wear on you. Those of you listen that get depressed many times are overwhelmed by the demonic voices and the lies that he tries to lay on you. Let me encourage you to start playing praise music in your car on your way to work, in your home; music that will get your eyes upon the Lord, music that will comfort you, music that will ease the oppression of the enemy that he's trying to bring on your life.

Jesus said, "Be careful what you hear." I thought that was interesting. Take heed of what you hear. I think we need to be a little bit more careful on what we're listening to. God inhabits the praises of His people, doesn't He? Scripture says it. God's music brings victory over the enemy. 2 Chronicles 20:22: as they began to sing, man, the Lord went before them and wiped the enemy out as the praisers came up to sing and to worship the Lord.

In Psalm 40, verse 3, "He put a new song in my heart, even praise unto our God. Many shall see it and fear and shall trust in the Lord." I mean, look at the victory of the new song in our hearts. In Psalm 42, verse 11, "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? Why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance and my God."

He'll pick your face up. If you're dragging on the floor, he'll pick it up. He is the health of my countenance. He lights me up. You know that song that Debbie Boone sang, you know, "You light up my life." Jesus lights up our lives. He's the health of our countenance. Paul and Silas in prison, they began to praise the Lord and what happened? The walls came down. They were delivered. There is tremendous power in praise.

Now, going back to our scripture again. Look at verse 17. And Saul said unto his servants, "Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me." Then answered one of the servants and said, "Ha, it just so happened, you know, behold, I have seen the son of Jesse, the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing and mighty valiant man, a man of war, prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him."

Here, if there ever was the qualifications of a music minister, it's right here. A worship leader, what must he be like? Well, he needs to be able to play well. I mean, if he hits off-keys, it'd be terrible, right? He needs to play well. He needs to be a mighty and valiant or brave man, able to step out and do things led of the Spirit. He's able to be a man of war; in other words, he understands spiritual warfare.

He needs to be a man who communicates well. He's good-looking and most importantly, who the Lord is with. And girls, this guy was single. Most importantly, who the Lord was with. What a great letter to have with your resume, you know, as you're handing it around, to have the Lord say this of you or have people say this of you. "This is what this guy's like." What a neat thing.

Look at verse 19. Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse and said, "Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep." And Jesse took an ass laden with bread and a bottle of wine and a kid and sent them by David his son unto Saul. Jesse must have been shocked, I'm sure he was excited, but you know, I knew he knew that he was going to have to send his son away. You always know your children are going to leave. One of these days your children are going to grow up and they're going to say, "Bye-bye."

And it's hard on parents, you know, the empty nest syndrome. And you're just going, "Well, I wonder when they're going to leave, God, when are you going to call them forth." But it's neat. It's like not only did Jesse know this, but it was ordained of God. And God through Saul said, "Come to me, David." And notice, not only was it directed by the Lord, but Jesse sent David. He was sent by his parent. A blessing with him. "Go, serve the Lord. Do your work, David."

And in verse 21. And David came to Saul and stood before him. And he loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer. Saul liked David. He liked David. And he kept him in the palace. And eventually, he would become his armor-bearer. But David was at a very impressionable age and he loved Saul. He kind of was overtaken. Here's the king, you know, and he's a big guy and he's the king and he's running around like a king and David at that impressionable young age kind of looked at him and had a tremendous respect towards him.

And in fact, if you watch their relationship as we go through here, he always has this love and respect towards Saul, even though their relationship at times was strained. And it's going to get strained. But I want you to see he held on to that love and respect.

And finally, verse 22 and 23. Saul sent to Jesse saying, "Let David, I pray thee, stand before me, for he hath found favor in my sight." And it came to pass when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took a harp and played with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

Now nobody knew that there was a new king in Israel. You know, I mean, he's there. He's in the palace, right? But nobody knew it. And so it was that every time that Saul was attacked by this demonic spirit, he'd go off in a fit of rage or whatever came upon him, great fits of depression and he would just withdraw. And everybody knew it in the palace.

David would come. And David would play his harp or guitar. And as he played—and you know, it seemed as I was reading this—not only was David an accomplished flautist, because he was out there with the flute or flautist or whatever with the sheep constantly practicing, you know? And sheep really respond to that music. And it just causes them to be quiet and to settle. All we like sheep, you know. It just causes them to quiet down.

And not only was he into that instrument, he was in the harp and other instruments as you look through the Psalms. So he was an accomplished musician. As he played, it says that Saul was refreshed and made well. I just learned this: that music and music's influence goes first to the nervous system. I didn't know this. Which then in turn affects the mind.

Isn't that interesting? It hits the nervous system and then it goes to the mind. And so what you're hearing will minister to your mind or will torture your mind. The evil spirits, notice, would depart. I don't know how long this went on, but I know that it was a while. Their relationship though would fall apart very quickly as we're going to see.

And David's story, as I was thinking about it, is a lot like Joseph's. Remember how Joseph was set up in the courts? How God brought him there? So David is brought into the palace. But when I thought of this and I called this message "Spirits Music," and I thought about this: the blessing of worship. For those of us that know the Lord, we have such an opportunity to get into it, to understand it, to let it minister to us and so we can minister back to the Lord through worship. It's awesome.

But not only is it great for the Christian, but for the non-believer. And I started to think back when I first came into a church. And I remember as I walked into the church, they were worshiping the Lord and I was watching them as they raised their hands up. And there was this one girl in the front and there was this song they were singing, "I lift my hands to thy name, thy loving kindness," and she says "my lips..." and she went [kissing sound], you know, "will praise thee." And I go, "Wow, she's really into this song, man," you know?

But I mean it had such a witness, you know, in to me that I mean look at all these people, they're all singing together, first of all. And that was amazing, that they were all just really worshiping the Lord. And it had an impression on me that I said, "This is there's something good about this." Look how God used praise and worship in the past; I mean, it's awesome. And yet, it's just as powerful today as we watch God use Christian music throughout our fellowship in the harvest crusades, throughout just the world, God is using Christian music. Thank God he's got some of the greatest artists that used to be playing for the devil that are now playing for the Lord Jesus Christ.

And yet what He's going to do in the future, I mean how He's going to continue to use music to comfort us, to prepare our hearts to receive His word until He comes to take us home. Thank God for the anointing and the using of Christian music.

There is power in praise, but I want you to know this, and I want to end with this thought: the evil spirit left Saul, but did he come back? There's power in praise to a point. And then comes that there's more power in the blood of Jesus Christ to forgive you of all your sins. Yes, there is power in praise, but there is nothing like the power of God through Jesus Christ for you to receive salvation.

Guest (Male): The great battle between David and Goliath headed your way next time on Sound Doctrine with Pastor Jeff Johnson, a presentation of Calvary Chapel Downey.

So Father won't you speak to me.

Jeff Johnson: Ephesians chapter 5 in verse 19. Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns, spiritual songs, singing, making melody in your heart to the Lord. Giving thanks always for all things unto God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

What a beautiful, beautiful instruction to us as believers. May His music play and His presence be in our cars, in our homes, in our church, and may it go throughout the year as we worship the Lord and are ministered to through this awesome music.

There is power in praise, but I want you to know this and I want to end with this thought: the evil spirit left Saul, but did he come back? There's power in praise to a point, and then comes that there's more power in the blood of Jesus Christ to forgive you of all your sins. Yes, there is power in praise, but there is nothing like the power of God through Jesus Christ for you to receive salvation.

Guest (Male): Have you ever thought about music that way? It really is one of the greatest expressions of love for God that we have. Pastor Jeff Johnson will be back in a moment with more about music and worship here on Sound Doctrine.

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So Father won't you speak to me. Oh Lord you know I'm listening. You know exactly what I need. So Father won't you speak to me.