Music: What Are We Letting In?

Let's dig into mainstream music first—because this is one area people love to justify, or downplay its effects.

Think about it: when a song from 2006 comes on, and it used to be your jam—what happens?

That feeling hits you instantly. Nostalgia. Emotion. Your body reacts before your mind even catches up. It's like time travel through sound.

Now let's take that deeper—how did God create the world?

Most would say He spoke it into existence—and yes, that's true.

But go a layer deeper: my personal belief is that creation itself began with sound.

My personal belief is that the sky, the earth, the heavens—even us—were formed by sound waves that carried His Word into reality.

And if sound is what formed us—and the devil only imitates—then how do you think the enemy tries to influence or even control us?

Scientists have studied how sound waves can change the physical behavior of materials. Researchers have investigated the effects of acoustic waves on matter at microscopic scales.

There are also experiments like Chladni patterns, where vibrations arrange sand into intricate, organized designs.

Those experiments illustrate physical effects of vibration. My personal belief is that they also offer a way to think about the power of sound and the Word of God. That is my interpretation of their spiritual significance.

So what the Bible hints at, I personally see reflected in the way sound interacts with the physical world.

That brings us back to music.

A "harmless" song can layer multiple octaves, rhythms, and frequencies… and then overlay words we memorize without effort—words we're chanting with our own mouths.

And what does the Bible say?

So how powerful is it when we're singing, repeating, and declaring lyrics—even years later—over carefully engineered sounds?

I won't beat a dead horse here… I think you see the picture.

Protecting Our Children's Ear Gates

So let's pivot: what do we do about it?

We protect our children's ear gates.

If the term "ear gate" is new to you, I want to reference a couple verses to show the impact I believe the gates God created have on our hearts.

My personal belief is that this shows turning our ears to God's Word is directly linked to guarding our hearts.

That alone tells me our ears are pathways, or gates, to our hearts.

And there's one more verse I have to mention—Romans 10:17:

My personal belief is that this confirms what we hear has the power to shape what we believe.

There's so much more I could unpack here. The concept of ear gates and eye gates deserves a conversation all on its own.

Replace: Don't Just Remove

Okay, so how do we actually protect these ears as parents thoooo!?

When I say lean into the Lord, I mean really lean in—because the closer you get to Him, the more these mainstream songs start sounding disturbing.

Like… what we once thought was just a catchy beat? Starts feeling off.

And honestly—I didn't even scratch the surface yet. I held back, because I don't want to overwhelm you in one article.

My personal belief is that some artists openly incorporate demonic imagery or messages into their work. To me, it's not just about the lyrics anymore—it's about the spirit behind it.

But let's keep it simple for now:

Start by removing the music from your home and your playlists.

It's really not as hard as it sounds—especially now, when we've got so many anointed artists like Forrest Frank, Hulvey, Tasha Cobbs, and so many more bringing truth and power through music.

Because if we just take from our children without giving something back, without replacing it with something better—it'll feel like punishment.

And the last thing we want is for our children to feel like walking with God is some kind of restriction or punishment.

But when you start playing these new songs—whether it's an artist you love or a style they vibe with—they'll feel the shift. They'll feel good.

Will mainstream music still try to creep back in? Absolutely.

But that's where the next part comes in…

Equip: Teach Your Kids to Discern

Equipping.

And this—this is my absolute favorite part.

Teach your kids to discern.

Don't be scared to talk about the ugly truths. Be open. Be honest. That's what empowers this next generation.

You don't need to say "Cut it off" without context.

When my kids come home singing something wild they heard on the bus, I don't yell—I say:

And every single time, it makes them pause and reflect.

When they're having a bad day, when they feel off, I teach them to pray.

And not just teach—I model it.

When chaos hits the house—because let's be real, mine isn't always peaceful—I'll lay my hand on their forehead and pray out loud for them to hear and receive.

We have to show our kids faith in action.

And I'm real with them about spiritual warfare. I don't make everything "spooky," but I make it clear:

It's not always spiritual…

…but my personal belief is that a lot of the time, it is.

And this—this is how we fight.

News, Culture & Difficult Conversations

News?

We can't hide it—but we can fight it.

I don't sugarcoat. I don't hide things from my kids.

Because again, we equip.

I teach them why, in my personal belief, what I call the "alphabet mentality" is rooted in confusion.

But I don't teach them to hate anyone. I teach them to have compassion.

To pray for those who are lost in sin—because it's the ones in sin who need prayer the most.

The name of the game is teaching your children to trust the Spirit within them.

To discern.

If something doesn't sound right, look right, feel right… we don't twist the truth to fit the moment.

We trust the Holy Spirit that's guiding us through the noise and into truth.

Because if we just lock them in a closet and shield them from everything, we've done nothing to prepare them for the world they'll eventually face on their own.

They won't know how to fight when they're out of our house—and that's not protection, that's delay.

Train Them in the Way

So train your children in spiritual matters.

Train them in the truth.

Train them even in worldly matters—so they can recognize the lies.

Train them to discern.

Train them to pray.

Train them to read the Word.

Train them to stay on the path.

And that's exactly why I emphasize training rather than just controlling.

My personal belief is that we aren't simply raising children to obey us while they're in our homes. We're preparing them to recognize truth, exercise discernment, and walk with God even when we're no longer standing beside them.

Scripture also shows us that teaching our children about God isn't something reserved for Sundays or Bible study.

That means when we're home, when we're out, when we're having difficult conversations, and when our children come to us with questions.

We're teaching.

And the way we teach matters, too.

That's why I don't believe every teaching moment needs to become a punishment.

Sometimes the greatest opportunity we have as parents is simply to sit down, explain, listen, and help our children understand.

And when they begin recognizing things for themselves?

That's when we start seeing the fruit.

What We've Covered So Far

We're replacing secular music with music that feeds the Spirit.

We're teaching our kids to question what they're hearing in the news—not just accept it.

And we're training them to discern—not just obey.

Because honestly?

We can't replace everything.

We can't take away everything.

But we don't have to.

Video Games: When Discernment Bears Fruit

Now when it comes to video games—that's a whole other challenge.

There aren't many Christian alternatives to these massive mainstream games.

But when you train your kids?

You see the fruit.

My son has a PS5. He started playing Assassin's Creed Valhalla.

On the second day, he came to me and said:

I didn't get mad. I didn't snatch the system up.

Instead—I celebrated the win.

Because my son's spirit was stirred. He recognized what was off.

He came to me because he felt the conviction.

And I used that moment—not to shame—but to teach.

I explained the time period the game was portraying.

It wasn't easy truth, but it was still truth.

And that moment reminded me exactly why I believe teaching discernment matters.

He didn't need me to notice it for him. He noticed it himself.

Television & the Eye Gates

So the last topic I wanted to cover is television.

Man o man, where do I even start?

I'll be blunt—my personal belief is that scary movies should be a hard line. Fear-driven visuals into our eye gates should be a major red flag.

God isn't the author of fear or confusion. So… whose script are you watching?

Now listen, if you haven't already been training your children, start with remove and replace.

And as they grow in their spiritual journey—as they gain discernment—you can let the Holy Spirit lead you in what's appropriate for their season.

But in the beginning? I recommend starting with platforms like Angel Studios, Minno, or PureFlix.

These are Christian-based platforms that may offer more content aligned with your family's faith. As always, use your own judgment about what is appropriate for your children.

This transition might be harder—especially if TV has been a comfort zone—but again: explain, equip, and replace.

A Final Word

If any part of this article left you with questions, ask away in the comments.

If there's something specific you'd like me to go deeper into, drop it below.

My platform exists to serve you, and to serve all my brothers and sisters in Christ—no matter where you are on your journey.

And as always, I hope this helped you today.