On the Highway of Sanctification

[Slug1]

I have not listened to the rock band AC/DC for several years now. An element of the "world" that the Holy Spirit convicted me about while singing out, "I'm on the highway to hell..." Over the loud music in the truck, I perceived that God had asked me, "ARE YOU?" I stopped the CD that was playing and I actually said, “NO,” in response.


Here is how I understood God’s ministering to me that day, “Then why do you praise yourself of being on a highway to hell and allow yourself to proclaim yourself on a highway to hell, with all others who sing along with the message and meaning of that song?"


The conviction was intense and I entered into a new chapter, in sanctification. In short, sanctification is to be set apart to a sacred purpose, to consecrate, to be freed from sin, to purify. All who have faith in God, are being sanctified during the remainder of their physical lifetime.


During this period of my walk with Christ, this conviction was a struggle for me and until I relented and surrendered the struggle over to God, I was always in a tug-of-war with God. I enjoy rock and heavy metal music! Once I surrendered, I was led through the process of purging all music that I had collected for many years.


I did tell God I enjoyed the music but understood the spiritual side of "proclaiming" the message of the lyrics when I voiced (quite loudly) the very words and thus gave authority for the meaning and message of the lyrics over my life.


James 3: 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.


I began to understand how I was double-minded, proclaiming one moment, "Praise God, for He is Holy" and in a breath later in the day proclaiming, "I'm on the highway to hell..."


Once I understood this ministering and applied what I learned as I studied Scripture, God answered a prayer that I voiced during this time. I was led to a Christian “Rock” station on the internet and found many artists and bands that praised and worshiped the Lord through the rock and heavy metal genre of music.


A point that needs to be made, until I surrendered to what God convicted me about, I didn't understand how I was proclaiming curses and living double-mindedly. Once I surrendered, then the Holy Spirit began to walk me through the Bible and He illuminated both what and why I felt the conviction for.


We are all convicted in the ways we are convicted in accordance of Scripture. It has been years since I was convicted about the specific bands I listened to. Today I have a greater understanding of why God had to convict me long ago as He began to place me where I am today in the Body of Christ.


Back then, I didn't have a clue concerning the "spiritual" side of being a member in the Body of Christ. I never understood, let alone believed, how the tongue can both bless and curse. Nor how such lyrics are a “wile” or a scheme of the devil.


Ephesians 6: 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.


I didn’t know and truth be told, did not believe that music is influenced by the devil, who strives to devour me.


1 Peter 5: 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.


Music was just one of his means of destruction and I was deceived into believing there was “nothing” wrong with cursing myself as I sang along with the lyrics of so many songs.


I was blind to this at that time in my walk with Christ. Many are blind about all this while they proclaim cursing words of lyrics as they sing along. In church I called out LORD, LORD, and after church, proclaimed, "I'm on the highway to hell!”


Such was the devouring deception of the devil.


When you are convicted, be obedient to that conviction. If you don’t understand or are struggling with the conviction, seek God for wisdom and understanding.


James 1: 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

[RandyPNW]

So very true. I could write a book on this. God is patient as we make this transition from the Kingdom of the World to the Kingdom of God. Sometimes it's difficult to tell what is strangling our spirituality and what is purely "cosmetic."

I think the important thing is to not let anything get too strong a grip on us, no matter what it is. After all, are we going to hold on to our habits if there is someone before us in real need? Are we unable to drop having our favorite food and be unwilling to help our wife or our child?

Yes, the Kingdom of God is more about serving others, and sometimes just serving God Himself by doing what we think pleases Him. We may even have to give up, for a while, somethings that we're free to do. Maybe it isn't a bad thing to drink wine at the dinner table. But if it disturbs a non-Christian who is watching us, or even if it bothers our wife, we should be able to forgo doing things like this. It isn't going to kill us, and giving up something for somebody else is good for the soul.

Good word, brother!