look for ways to illustrate the prophetic word

[HelenaZF]

It seems like a simple concept....the prophetic word is coming forth, either in a song or in spoken words. As you hear it, the language might be invoking images.....the king in His court, streams of water, fire burning, climbing a mountain, gathering the wounded....



Think about how much more memorable the words will be if they are illustrated by a visual component. If we are really in the moment and perceive that this is a theme of the Spirit in the word that is coming forth, we can move out and provide that visual illustration. Sometimes with mime, sometimes with flags or banners or holy objects, sometimes with expressive dance. For example, an ongoing prophetic chant inspired by some of the throne room proclamations in Revelations could be the occasion to bring out a kingly banner, some crowns and a scepter.



We had the opportunity to bring the visual to the prophetic word in a recent worship gathering. A prophetic song came forth about the streams rushing out, going forth and bringing refreshment to the people. I led the dance team up to the front as we all made grand sweeping movements, as if we were flinging the refreshing waters out toward the congregation. At another point, there was a word about how we are like arrows who need to submit to the archer so that we can be properly aimed and lauched with power and accuracy. The prophecy was followed by a song called "We will stand". The song provided a perfect vehicle for the dancers to each take an arrow and present it to the Lord as if we were presenting ourselves for service. Just a few simple offering-up motions, and the point (so to speak!) was powerfully illustrated.



<IMG content="http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/2418/arrowsdanceconvowi0.jpg">



I think the key to ministering this way (aside from knowing you have the freedom to do it!) is to be in the moment....something that is easier understood than actually accomplished. Our minds tend to go in many directions at once and are not always focused on the thing right before us. It takes discipline to keep our attention ever ready to grasp that sometimes split-second oppportunity to move out once we have discerned the moment.



But it starts with awareness. Awareness that we have the power to bring life through this type of ministry, and the awareness that the Lord will use us this way if we make ourselves available.

[flaglady]

A conference I was at had a prophesy given in the morning session about Israel (or is it Palestine - I can never remember - sorry!) and in the afternoon session they had a whole group of ladies with great long lengths of fabric stretched nearly the length of the gangway. Four of them came, each down a different aisle and met up on stage where they did some awesome stuff wafting the fabric this way and that until the entire stage was covered in the fabric. I have some photos somewhere, i believe. I'll try and hunt them out for you.





BTW, these were the self same ladies that, the very next morning at the church I now belong to, prophesied over me that I would have a ministry of flags at that church.

[HelenaZF]

Palestine was the name given by Rome to the territories which the UN designated as the sovereign state of Israel in 1948. Today, Israel is still called Palestine by people who wish (at worst) to destroy her, and at best, to deny Israel's exclusive claim to the land as given by the Lord. People who refer to the country as Palestine are generally not Israel supporters.



The fabric movement you describe sounds lovely....did it have something to do with the prophecy of the morning, or was it prophetic in some way on it's own?



{ah....found a pic that was taken during the prophetic "arrow" dance...posted above.]

[flaglady]

Oh it was directly from the morning prophecy. I wish I could remember it for you but that was the only conference that wasn't videoed in full. Prior to that, I have all the vids of the entire sessions from opening to closing but this one was taken over by the God Channel and they got all bent out of shape about the copyright of the songs that were used during worship (oh perlEAse!!) so we only had the messages of that conference. Consequently there is no record of this beautiful and moving event where the whole stage was covered in these huge banners with the Israeli flag in the centre. One lady, who had been worshipping in a wonderfully beautiful and evocative way with signing, turned out to be of Jewish extraction and was invited onto the stage to stand in for the Jewish nation. It was the most moving worship of the entire series of the Sunderland Refreshing conferences.