Worship Music and the Human Spirit (Part Two)

The Bible says; “There is a spirit in man; and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding” (Job 32:8). Here we are told that it is the spirit of man that is given understanding. The materialist tells us that the spirit of man is the air that he breathes, and that man’s body is all there is to his personality. Such is not the case. The spirit of man is his personality and it is that which differentiates him from the lower animal creation. If “spirit” meant merely “breath,” God certainly would not deal with it as a personality. He is called “The God of the spirits of all flesh” (Numbers 16:22), and “the Father of spirits” (Hebrews 12:9). It is by his spirit that the Christian both serves and worships God. Paul testified: “For God is my witness, Whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel” (Romans 1:9). Jesus said: “God is a spirit; and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).

There are three basic spiritual longings which need to be satisfied: Fraternity, Destiny, and Mystery. In Ephesians 3:14-21 we find each of these three spiritual basics expressed in a most beautiful way.

The first is fraternity. In verses 14-15 we read of "the whole family in heaven and earth" and this family or fraternity is "named" from God the Father. Further down in verses 18 and 21, we find echoes of this in the words, "with all the saints" and "in the church". All of us need to feel that we belong to a "great family" and that on our path we are not alone but in a great company of brothers and sisters bound together in love. This sense of belonging is absolutely important. Its opposite is a feeling of alienation and loneliness. People today feel a deep need not just for identification and attachment to a group, but a deep melding with fellow beings. The problem really is alienation from God because of sin. Jesus shed his blood to reconcile us to God and his household (Ephesians 2:13,16-19).

The second is destiny. In verses 16, 20 and 21, we read of a power and glory which we can have in the inner being, and that leads to "immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine". All of us need, and long for, a great and lasting future. The expectation of this is essential to happiness. So many people, both young and old, long for, but have no expectation of, wonderful things to come. In fact, many expect something bad. How often do you hear, when something bad happens, the sentiment "Things were going too well I knew it couldn't last." The other sentiment, "Why me? What did I do to deserve this?" is really the same thing, and means, "There you are you see, I can't win, everything is stacked up against me". The problem here is really a feeling of unworthiness. To put it more bluntly, the problem is guilt. This is solved in Christ (Ephesians 1:7).

The third is mystery. Every soul thirsts to know the meaning of life and to be connected to that mystery and its revelation. In verses 17-19 the main point of life is "to know the love of Christ" for the love of Christ is the embodiment of the mystery, and the gospel reveals it to whoever will seek and listen. The only way you can truly know the love of Christ is to centre your life upon him rather than upon yourself. That will lead you into all wisdom and insight and true knowledge. In Christ the mystery of life is revealed, and you become connected to that mystery in and through worship. (Ephesians 1:9).

Ludwig Van Beethoven said and I quote; “Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life.” The most consistent and dependable way I’ve found to connect to my inner voice, lift my spirits and bring myself back into balance has been music. Music has turned the most mundane and the most challenging moments of my life into deeply resonating human, and often indescribably divine, experiences. The spiritual nature of music cannot be defined by religion, culture or genre. Music precedes and transcends all of those frameworks. To even compare music and spirituality as if they were independent concepts feels a bit odd to me. Music is, at its essence, the sound of spirit.

All of this makes music almost indispensable to worship. Think about this. When you wake up in the morning to have a quiet time with God or have your morning devotions as it is commonly called, you start with a song. Why? At the beginning of every corporate worship experience, there’s a song, a hymn or what is commonly called “praise and worship”. Why? When you are overwhelmed with joy, praise or thanksgiving you burst into singing and dancing. Why? When you are overcome with grief and in tears your heart finds a song to sing. Why??? Music bridges the gap between your soul and your spirit. Music interprets to your soul what your spirit is “talking about”. Jesus said to the woman at the well; “they that worship must worship in spirit and in truth”. Worship is the primary function of the human spirit. You can’t worship with your soul unless your soul receives the “instruction” to worship from your regenerated spirit. This instruction flows from your spirit to your soul seamlessly through music. Ever wondered why a sinner “cries” in an atmosphere of worship? At that moment, the music in worship gives expression to the deepest longings of his spirit. Worship! Worship music forces his soul to worship; even if it’s for a moment. Music is powerful!

Finally for this chapter let’s discuss sixteen ways in which Worship music and human spirit connects.

1. Worship Music lends voice to the human spirit. We can find this in the book of Eph 5:19….speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.
2. Worship Music creates for the human spirit a conducive atmosphere to express itself. We can find this in the book of Hebrews 2:11-12…. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren saying: "I will declare Your name to My brethren; I will sing praise to You."In the midst of the assembly.
3. Worship Music helps the human spirit communicate with The Holy Spirit in tunes that cannot be expressed intelligibly. We can find this in the book of Colossians 3:16…. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
4. Worship Music acts as a tuning knob for the human spirit. We can see this in Ephesians 5:18-19…. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.
5. Worship Music is a medium through which the human spirit can access the supernatural. We can see this in 2 Chronicles 5:12-13 …. and the Levites who were the singers, all those of Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, stood at the east end of the altar, clothed in white linen, having cymbals, stringed instruments and harps, and with them one hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets… indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying: "For He is good, For His mercy endures forever," that the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.
6. Worship Music gives the human spirit the opportunities to discover and realize its potentials. We can find this in the book of 1 Chronicles 25:1-2…. Moreover David and the captains of the army separated for the service some of the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals. And the number of the skilled men performing their service was: Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asharelah; the sons of Asaph were under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied according to the order of the king.
7. Worship Music enables the human spirit to worship with other human spirits in one accord. We can find this in the book of 2Sa 6:5…. Then David and all the house of Israel played music before the LORD on all kinds of instruments of fir wood, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on sistrums, and on cymbals.
8. Worship Music gives the human spirit focus and vigour. We can find this in the book of Psalms 108:1-2…. O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn.
9. Worship Music is medicine for a distressed spirit. We can find this in the book of 1Sa 16:16….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 is upon you, and you shall be well.
10. Worship Music connects our spirit to the deeper purposes of God. We can find this in the book of 1Ch 6:32…. They were ministering with music before the dwelling place of the tabernacle of meeting, until Solomon had built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, and they served in their office according to their order.
11. Worship Music opens the human spirit up to receive visions and revelations. We can find this in the book of 1Chronicles 25:1…. Moreover David and the captains of the army separated for the service some of the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals. And the number of the skilled men performing their service was: Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asharelah; the sons of Asaph were under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied according to the order of the king.
12. Worship Music gives expression to our intimacy with God. We can find this in the book of Ps 45:1…. <<To the Chief Musician. Set to "The Lillies." A Contemplation of the sons of Korah. A Song of Love.>> My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
13. Worship Music is a weapon of war. We can find this in the book of Joshua 6:5…. It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.
14. Worship Music brigs down the Glory Cloud. We can find this in the book of 1Chronicles 5:13-14…. indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying: "For He is good, For His mercy endures forever," that the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.
15. Worship Music drives the meaning of words deep into the human spirit. This can be found in the book of 2Ch 29:30…. Moreover King Hezekiah and the leaders commanded the Levites to sing praise to the LORD with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshiped.

Lastly-definitely not least on this- Worship music softens and fertilizes the “soil of our spirit” in such a way that we can receive the word of God into our spirits and allows that word to grow in our spirit until we become what the Word talks about. We can find this in the book of Col 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.