(Read Mark 9)
This all started because of a song our church’s Worship team performs on occasion. To be clear, I’m not writing this to insult friends or anyone involved with worship performance — it’s just my opinion, and I’ll eat crow at the end of this devotional. I’ve often heard the song at church and intensely disliked it from the get-go. Musically, it sounds more like shouting or a football pre-game frenzy than a worship song. It’s not a solid anthem with an attractive melody. It’s just angry. When I heard the first few notes last Sunday, I knew what was coming, so I decided to pray and focus on the lyrics.
This song presents a narrative of spiritual warfare, emphasizing Satan’s active role and the necessity of “fearing God” for protection. While the lyrics touch on themes of vigilance and Christ’s return, the overwhelming focus on Satan as a “roaring lion” fosters a sense of fear rather than awe. This interpretation of “fearing God” deviates from the biblical concept of divine reverence, leaning towards a more anxiety-driven approach. While acknowledging the inevitability of trials, a central pillar of Christian belief, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13), the song’s emphasis on the threats of Satan’s power overshadow God’s ultimate sovereignty and omnipresence.
This song sparked a conversation among close friends, my wife, and me about the biblical soundness of specific Christian authors, performers, and preachers—a slippery slope when scrutinized too closely. And avoid YouTube comments, where every well-known Christian figure is claimed to be either a saint or a heretic. Within this conversation, a friend shared a “watchlist” of those with questionable theology—some I agreed with, others surprised me. A few even challenged figures I assumed all believers respected. Humorously, I admit I took it a bit personally, and I’m not even on the list.
So, I wondered if I should examine this dilemma from a biblical perspective. Was questionable theology written about in the Bible, and did Jesus have a take on the subject? The Bible doesn’t avoid anything, so the answer is yes and yes.
But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”
Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
Matthew 12:24-28;30
My reaction to the song is simply an observation, and I think God is using it to help me learn more about Him and my faith and to grow more. The discomfort sparked by the worship song echoes the Pharisees’ reaction to Jesus’ ministry and healings. The Pharisees, instead of acknowledging the Spirit of God at work, attributed Jesus’ power to demonic influence, a misinterpretation driven by their fear and resistance. Taken superficially, the song seems to misattribute power to Satan, fostering fear rather than awe due to God. Both scenarios highlight the human tendency to distort the truth when it challenges our preconceived notions.
Worship lyrics about Satan’s power and the fear of God should be handled carefully. But at the same time, am I rejecting something because it’s unbiblical or simply because it doesn’t resonate with me? We should evaluate what we sing and hear with humility and wisdom. Jesus’ response to the Pharisees reminds me that when we misjudge the source of spiritual authority, we risk rejecting what God is doing. In Matthew, Jesus exposed the absurdity of a kingdom divided against itself, illustrating that true power aligns with God’s unifying purpose.
The Pharisees’ flawed judgment wasn’t an isolated incident; it stemmed from a deeper issue of spiritual blindness. Just as Jesus challenged the Pharisees to re-evaluate their understanding of power and authority, I’m challenging myself and my circle of friends to carefully examine the messages we embrace, to ensure they lead to a deeper understanding of our Sovereign God.
And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
Acts 19:11-16
When I was a sophomore in college, I dated the younger sister of a fraternity brother. She didn’t attend our school; her parents only knew me as the boyfriend from the local college. One morning, she called me and said that her Dad insisted that I go to church with them as a condition of continuing our relationship. Well, I knew of Jesus then, but had no relationship with Him. “Are you saved?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” was my insensitive and incorrect answer. I knew.
It was a classic fire-and-brimstone Southern Baptist service—the kind that left an impression. We attend a Baptist church in the South now, but the similarities end there. Since this was 40+ years ago, I don’t recall all the details, but I do remember the preaching—and it was terrifying. The “fear of God” wasn’t about awe, wonder, or veneration but old-fashioned fear. According to the sermon, anyone who drank, did drugs, or had sex was a sinner bound for Hell. I already knew I was a sinner, but in my entire life, I had never felt so uncomfortable and unwelcome in a church. I’m not sure how, but he also wove in Martin Luther King, Jr. into his sinner sermon. I wish I could challenge that preacher today, to remind him of the fundamental truth: we are all sinners, saved by grace alone, with no hierarchy of sin.
What was the message being preached that day? Was the preaching about spiritual warfare or more about this guy’s personal crusade? Was he preaching Christianity or a thin version of it? I’m not saying that the Preacher was an imposter, but Acts portrays a similar encounter between Paul and what the sons of Sceva were trying to do. The sons of Sceva attempted to use the name of Jesus to cast out demons but failed dramatically. Acts said the demon-possessed man recognized Jesus and Paul but not the itinerant Jews. If we’re not representing Christ properly, are we recognized as His children? I realize I’m being hard on the Pastor who preached that dark message, but was he preaching in Jesus’ name? Whose spiritual power was he preaching from? The story in Acts emphasized the importance between genuine spiritual power and its counterfeits.
“Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”
“Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.
Mark 9:38-39
Jesus’ response challenges His disciples’ territorial mindset. He told them not to hinder this person, affirming that anyone doing actual work in His name is not against Him. Kingdom work is bigger than anything we do for our own cause. If they’re not with us, then they shouldn’t be doing this. But Jesus prioritized faithfulness over affiliation—the man acted in His name and had spiritual fruit (success in casting out demons). We must be careful not to limit God’s work to our own denomination, church, or group.
Faithful ministry is measured by Jesus, not by our standards. The power of Jesus’ name is not a magic formula—if this man successfully cast out demons, God worked through him. Instead of competing, we should celebrate when God moves through others. A healthy faith is kingdom-focused, not exclusive. Jesus’ response corrected divisiveness. His kingdom is not about an elite group but about God’s power at work wherever He chooses.
This passage reminds us to evaluate ministry based on Jesus’ name and fruitfulness, not on who is in our “circle.” Instead of asking, “Are they with us?” we should ask, “Are they with Jesus?”
The Watchlist
Many on the “watchlist” surprised me, such as JD Greear, Max Lucado, C.S. Lewis, and even Billy Graham. Some were on there because of guilt by association with someone else the list-writer didn’t favor. And there were some on the list who, in my opinion, distort Biblical truth and teach false doctrine. Joel Osteen preaches a strawberries and cream version of the Gospel. He’s known for his “gospel of nice.” While I disagree with the approach that we’re all doomed to Hell and there is no hope for us, this quote from Osteen’s website appalled me. “Jesus came that we might have a more abundant life. He came to carry our weaknesses, our sickness, our pain, so that we can walk in total freedom, peace, power and purpose.” There are truths to it, but it speaks more about flourishing in a worldly, temporary way than anything Jesus claimed.
Two long-time friends and I have been sharing the teachings of various messages with each other for years. Most of the time, we gain valuable mustard-seed insights from this knowledge. But sometimes, one of us will lightly condemn it to the effect of you gotta watch this kind of thought or that’s not Biblically accurate. I think it’s meant with good intentions, although sometimes, I think it’s personal preference.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.
John 14:12
My friend’s research revealed the song’s writer was a former Hillsong contributor, a revelation that shocked me. I am a confessed Hillsong fan, featuring at least twenty or thirty of their songs on my Spotify playlist. While their theology has faced scrutiny and the parent church has drawn recent criticism, I’ve always found their music conducive to prayer and worship. This particular song, however, struck me as uninspired, lazy, and formulaic.
This experience reinforces the crucial truth that diverse artistic expressions, regardless of individual preferences, possess the potential to guide all hearts toward Jesus. While clear doctrinal deviations and harmful influence are undeniably wrong, music, writing, preaching, and anything else that honors God in Jesus’ name, even if personally unappealing, echoes Jesus’ sentiment: “Whoever is not against us is for us.”
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.
Psalm 100
Key Applications:
- We should avoid a “turf war” mentality in our service to God. Just because someone’s methods or affiliations differ from ours doesn’t mean their work is invalid.
- God is not limited by our boundaries or preferences. He can and does work through diverse individuals and groups.
- Remember, here is authority inherent in Jesus’ name. When acts of service or healing are performed in his name, they carry power, regardless of the person performing them.