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INTERCESSORY, WARFARE, WORSHIP AND PROPHETIC - DANCE
Sandi Ramsey
May 11, 2000
A NOTE REGARDING DANCE --AND THIS ARTICLE, By
Steve Shultz:
The Elijah List is working on a PROPHETIC and
INTERCESSORY DANCE conference. We'll let you know when it comes
together. One of the teachers will be Sandi Ramsey, who has written this article.
INTERCESSORY, WARFARE, WORSHIP AND PROPHETIC
--DANCE! "Will you join HIM in Dance?"
The Lord is extending an invitation to dance!
Webster's definition of dance is simply to move
the feet or rest of the body rhythmically, especially to music -
to skip, leap, etc. as from excitement or emotion - to bob up and
down - to perform or take part in a dance.
NOT ONLY AN EXPRESSING OF PRAISE
That is the extent of significance the word
"dance" has in its daily application. If dance is even
recognized in the church today it is usually limited to our
expression of praise to the Lord. Although dance is a vital,
necessary part of our worship, there is a depth of significance
in the dance that we have not fully realized. Dance when done
with purpose takes on prophetic authority.
PROPHETIC DANCE -- PROPHESYING THE ENEMY'S
DEMISE
There are times that we express with specific
gestures the prophetic word of the Lord. The prophetic gesture
increases the impact of the word being released because it
reinforces the audible with the visual. To prophesy means to
predict with certainty. When we dance to such songs as
"Making War in the Heavenlies," we are prophesying -
predicting with certainty - the eminent demise of the kingdom of
darkness. There is power behind our dance because our words are
not empty, but are backed by the will of God, the unction of the
Spirit, and the agreement of our actions with the words of our
mouth.
We must worship the Lord not only in word, but
in deed. John 4:23-24 says, "But the hour cometh, and now
is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit
and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is
a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit
and in truth." Church, we must worship Him in spirit and in
truth, in word and in deed. If we are saying with our mouth that
we bow down, we should also do it with our bodies. Anything less
would not be the truth. The truth must be alive in us and
expressed through us.
THE LORD OF THE DANCE--WANTS TO EXPRESS HIMSELF
The church (at least to some degree) has
expressed itself to the Lord in the dance, but the Lord is asking
for something more. HE wants to EXPRESS HIMSELF IN US through the
dance.
John 1:1 declares that in the beginning was the
Word. The Word was with God and the Word was God, same as was in
the beginning. John goes on to tell us in verse 14 that the Word
was made FLESH and dwelt among them. How does Christ reveal
Himself to us? Through the Word. How does He reveal Himself to
the world? Through the Word made flesh in us. What does the Word
have to say about dance?
GIDDY BEFORE THE LORD
If you will study dance through out the Bible
in both the Hebrew/Greek roots and in scriptural context, you
will find a wealth of information. Because the scriptures do not
describe in detail the dances that were being danced, let us look
deeper into the original meaning of the dance. The word
"chagag" means to move in a circle, to march in a
sacred procession, to observe a festival; to be giddy: celebrate,
dance, keep or hold a solemn feast or holiday, reel to and fro.
To "chagag" includes celebrations, dances to observe a
feast, circle dances, line dances and good ol' playful dances.
David danced and played before the ark as it was returning. (I
Chron 15:29) I like the meaning "to be giddy". Have you
ever just danced your heart out and found yourself (and many
times those around you) out of breath and laughing? Just giddy
before the Lord? If you haven't you should try it, it's
wonderful.
MILITANCY IN DANCE
The New Testament word "orcheomai"
like "chagag" refers to dances done in a row or in a
ring. It also connotes rank like or regular motion. There is a
militancy behind the dance many times. "Mechowlah",
also translated "dance" means a company or dances. The
definition of "company", or "machaneh" lists
"army of dancers" as one of its definitions. We are His
army and we must take our place in the ranks. That includes all
of us. The men danced. (Jer 31:13) The women danced. (Ex 15:20)
Even the children danced. (Job 21:11) You may not be physically
able to leap and dance around, but you must not be passive in
worship. It is not a spectator sport. He is worthy of your
praise.
COOL!
There is one Hebrew word that has a wealth of
significance that the Lord is shedding light on today. That word
is "chuwl, khool", pronounced "cool" It
means:
To twist or whirl in a circular or spiral
manner To dance to bear To wait, to tarry to writhe in pain (as
in child birth) To bring forth to drive away To fall grievously
in pain to form, make, or shape To rest to be sore or in much
pain To shake to tremble To trust to be wounded
God asks us to give our lives as living
sacrifices. We are called to give our bodies to Christ, allowing
the Word to be made flesh. Not only must we come to the
revelation that in Him we live and move and have our being, but
HE LIVES AND MOVES AND HAS HIS BEING IN US.
THE DANCING INTERCESSORS
As intercessors, we must be willing to bear in
our bodies that which the Lord is trying to release. We are
called to be the vessels through which "His kingdom comes
and His will is done on earth as it is in heaven." This flow
may cause us to tremble or to shake. We often stand in this place
where heaven touches earth during worship and we see similar
manifestations. The "Quakers" knew that place long ago
and the entire body of Christ was birthed into a completely
different era because of their hunger for God and their
willingness to yield to Him.
SPIRITUAL LABOR
Many times intercessors will begin to writhe in
pain and find themselves in the depths of spiritual labor. This
is not a strange or new thing. This is the Word of God. We must
yield ourselves and work with the birth pangs in order for the
work of the Lord to be birthed.
In its first definition khool is defined to
twist or whirl in a circular or spiral manner. In Revelation the
"twisted serpent Leviathan" was defeated. Perhaps one
way we can wage war against that twisted, lying, hypocritical
spirit is simply by un-twisting. That may seem too simple, but
the Lord has placed significance on our movements and our
obedience. The Word says that we will know the truth and the
truth will set us free. Many times during praise, people will
begin to spin. Although I am not attempting to make a doctrine
out of it, it is possible that the spinning untwists the lies
that have bound us, setting us free.
WARFARE DANCE
The Lord uses dance hand-in-hand with warfare
praise and intercession to drive away and push back the enemy.
Allow God to use the expression of your hands and arms to
illustrate His will. One root word for praise, "yadah"
literally means to use the hand, to cast out. You can push back
and drive away with your hands. He may also use you to form, make
or shape things into existence as you cooperate with the Creator.
Are we willing like Christ to be wounded, to be
sore or in much pain or even to fall grievously in pain for the
sake of another? Perhaps you have felt this sudden and great
pain, but did not know what to do with it. Do not be afraid and
do not dismiss it. If you have asked the Lord to do with you what
He will, then know that He is entrusting you to yield to the
process. Allow it to happen. Pray it through and relax in faith
knowing that God is working in you for the sake of another.
THE DANCE HE IS ORDAINING
One of the greatest and most effective ways
that the Lord uses man is to bring us to a place in which we are
to wait, to tarry, to trust and to rest. Let us learn to hear the
drumbeat of the Lord and to dance the dance that He is ordaining.
We must discern His times and seasons, then cooperate with Him as
He fulfills His plans on the earth. We do not want to be like the
children calling in the marketplace in Matt 11:16, 17 "We
played a flute and you did not dance."
Will you join Him in the dance?
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