I believe it began sometime in January when I would hear random worldly music playing in my head. At first, it was easy to wave aside, but soon it got harder.
The songs that were constantly playing were songs I used to listen to and sing before I got born again. They were like a playlist in my head; once a song ended, another began. I realised that during this period, I was vulnerable to worldly music in the sense that just hearing it while passing on the road would make it stick in my head, and it wouldn’t stop playing.
At first, I tried fighting it by singing aloud any gospel song that came to mind, but this didn’t work because soon enough, I would unconsciously switch back to worldly music. I found it very easy to stop singing godly songs. I equally tried rebuking the songs when they came to mind, thinking it was a spirit, but many times it wouldn’t stop. So at some point, I gave up rebuking and concluded it was just my flesh at work, or it was a bad habit.
During this period, I was constantly on YouTube doing one thing or the other, then drifting away from what I was doing to watching YouTube Shorts. This exposed me to these songs even more, including trending songs. Most times, I was tempted to watch the music videos, which I fell into sometimes. I equally found myself unconsciously dancing to the songs I shouldn’t dance to.
This affected me a lot spiritually. There were times I felt frustrated from the numerous songs playing in my head, and I would scream out, holding my head in frustration, telling God to make it stop. Other times, I was tired of fighting it, so I would just let them play, knowing that soon, when I didn’t expect or know, it would stop.
I realised it was a bigger issue for me when I began hearing worldly music playing in my head when I wanted to sleep, and the first thing when I woke up in the morning. This affected what I saw in my dream, too. There is this thing we do in the hostel during devotion, where we ask if anyone woke up with a song. It dawned on me that it had been a while since I woke up hearing any godly music. I became alarmed at this point because waking up to hearing worldly music used to be my story when I wasn’t born again, and I definitely didn’t want it to return.
However, probably because of what was happening to me at the time, I gave up on fighting thoroughly.
My Deliverance
On my way to the Friday general tarry that held on the 11th of April, 2025, I remember telling God I didn’t really have an expectation for the tarry because I wanted to give the visitors (those attending the meeting for the first time) a chance. But I also prayed that He should give me an expectation.
During the meeting, Pastor Ita taught on music, especially worldly music. During the prayers, I prayed that Pastor would pray about the issue. However, he didn’t, though he prayed for new minds and thoughts. I accepted it, believing God would purify my mind and thoughts from ungodly songs. On Sunday morning, I discovered that these songs were still playing in my head. They began playing from the bathroom till I was on my way to church. I asked myself, “These songs are still playing in my head?” I didn’t give it much thought, though, and just waved it aside since I was used to it already.
That same day, Pastor again preached about music, and during the prayer session, he prayed about my issue. He said, “You spirit that plays demonic music. You come at night and start playing music, leave now.”
I was surprised because I reacted to the prayer. It had skipped my mind that it was probably a demonic issue.
New Songs: A Confirmation of the Deliverance
The concept of new songs was very foreign to me when I came to God’s Lighthouse. The first time I believe I heard Pastor talk about singing new songs to God was from our music audio titled Shining Jesus. A verse in the song says, “Sing a new song unto the Lord, tell Him what you want only in your words…” From then on, I tried obeying and singing something new to God. It, however, always felt very dry and like it came from my flesh. I didn’t like the fact that it didn’t rhyme like Pastor’s own or didn’t have a good tune. I felt I needed to have instruments in the background, too. So I had struggles singing new songs.
There were very few times I was immersed in singing a new song to God. One I can remember was at home during the holiday, while washing plates—I just started singing something new to God and dancing to it. Also, at a particular time while I was praying, I received a song. This one didn’t really have verses, just a chorus and a good tune, which I recorded on my phone. Another time I can remember is this year, some weeks back, when Pastor prayed for new songs. But this new song came during the worship session while we sang in the Spirit. This was, however, more than two months ago. I hadn’t had such experiences since worldly songs occupied my mind most of the time, making it even harder to receive and sing a new song.
On Sunday, the day I received my deliverance, Pastor also prayed that we would receive new songs. Either on Monday or Tuesday, I was on my bed and singing a particular GLH song. Then I began hearing sentences in my head, and I paused. I began humming while contemplating whether I should sing what I was hearing. Just as I said earlier, I didn’t sing new songs a lot because I felt like I was singing from the flesh, or it must rhyme, or there must be a good background filled with instruments. So I was sceptical that the words I was hearing would come out badly.
Just then, I remembered Pastor’s instruction that we should open our mouths and God would fill them with songs. I began singing the sentences I heard. The tune changed and became more interesting. The words kept on coming, and when I didn’t hear any, I would sing in the Spirit, and words would come. Although I don’t recall all the lyrics, I do remember it had to do with praising God and was also related to the army of the Lord. It gave me comfort in that aspect. The lyrics didn’t all rhyme, and I was still very happy with it. It was just flowing freely without much restraint from me.
When Pastor told people who had gotten new songs to stand up and rebuked us for not testifying about it as though it’s a normal thing, I felt convicted instantly. Because truly, it isn’t a normal thing for me. I thank God I’m among those who partook in it, and also for the confirmation He gave me through it.
In addition to that, I received another confirmation. Now, it had been about two weeks since the question “Who woke up with a song?” was asked in the morning. However, on Thursday morning, the hostel head asked the question, and it suddenly dawned on me that I actually woke up with a godly song. I woke up hearing the hymn:
“Fill my cup, Lord, I lift it up, Lord,
Satisfy this craving of my soul.
Bread of Heaven, fill me till I want no more,
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole.”
I was so happy at this realisation. Also, since then, I sleep and wake up without hearing worldly songs in my head. I also haven’t slept and woken up to hearing any worldly music since then—only godly songs.
At different times, songs play, and I either rebuke them or sing a godly song. I realise the godly song that keeps on coming to mind in such situations is our song “Sounds of Freedom,” the chorus part of which says:
“For freedom, we were set free,
That we might free others, too.
We hear the freedom bells ring,
The Lord declares Jubilee.”
Instantly, the worldly song stops playing after this.
I’m thankful to God for this freedom. May His name be praised. Amen.
© GAM 2025
