Maybe Hip Hop Made Demons Cool, and the Church Hit Snooze?

While we've been binge-watching exorcisms and vibing to hell's greatest hits, somebody forgot to tell us the spiritual realm didn't get the memo that it's all just entertainment

In a world where horror flicks have us reaching for popcorn instead of prayer books, we've comfortably rebranded a profound spiritual reality. What Hollywood markets as "exorcism" is actually something much deeper – it's deliverance, and as Pastor G. Craig Lewis's powerful testimony reveals, the difference isn't just semantic.

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12)

Let's be real, friends – America has masterfully used entertainment to dilute spiritual warfare into something between a punchline and a party trick. We've turned deliverance into blockbuster fodder, complete with spinning heads and pea soup. All while the genuine spiritual realm operates unchecked around us.

This entertainment-induced spiritual amnesia is exactly what Scripture warns about: "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ." (2 Corinthians 4:4)

The tragic irony? The very people meant to be awakening others – yes, I'm looking at us, church family – are often just as spiritually unconscious. We're called to be liberators, yet sometimes we're snoozing right alongside everyone else. Jesus reminds us in Matthew 15:14, "If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit."

Perhaps most concerning is how the music industry has composed the perfect demonic lullaby. These catchy tunes do more than top charts – they rock souls into spiritual slumber so deep that even Sunday's most fire sermon can't break through. As King David knew, music carries spiritual power – it soothed Saul when he was tormented (1 Samuel 16:23), demonstrating that melodies can minister to our spirits for better or worse.

The Holy Spirit revealed this truth: "He had to be played out because he was played in."

Let that sink in. Music can either bind or loose our souls – a profound reality that explains why what enters our ears matters just as much as what enters our hearts.

Our salvation through Jesus Christ remains the ultimate deliverance. As Isaiah 61:1 declares, He came "to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners."

So, here's my question that keeps me up at night: If music helped usher in these spiritual forces, what might happen if we changed the soundtrack?