Here’s an article I stumbled into online and I found it insightful and very helpful on the subject of prophetic praise and worship.
Do you want to hear God’s purposes for your life and ministry, or receive a fresh infilling of His Spirit? Do you desire to encounter God and know Him more?
Prophetic worship is one way that you can have a face-to-face meeting with God—or provide a means for others to encounter Him. ‘Prophetic praise and worship enables God’s message to be brought, or His purpose to be accomplished, in a worship setting.’ [1]
Here are 6 benefits of prophetic worship, followed with some ways that you can put this into practice in your personal life with God.
6 Benefits of Prophetic Praise and Worship:
1. It Facilitates God Encounters.
God created us for face-to-face relationship with Him.
Our worship honours God and brings Him pleasure. However, if we view worship as being solely a one-way giving of our love and adoration to Jesus, we have not attained the highest purpose of worship.
When we encounter God in a time of prophetic worship, we are transformed and brought closer to Him. We leave that place knowing that God has touched our lives personally and that we will never be the same again.
2. It Enables us to Receive an Impartation from God
When we are yielded to Jesus in an attitude of love and worship, we are more receptive and open to Him than at any other time.
‘Impartation’ means a release of God’s power into our lives. This can be an infilling of His Holy Spirit, or a specific attribute of His nature; for example, He may desire to infuse us with peace, strength or faith.
We can have an expectation that as God leads us in praise and worship, we and others will be healed and set free from oppression. Psalm 107:20 says, ‘He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.’
The young David was employed by Saul to play the lyre. As David played, the anointing of God on his music caused the demonic oppression to lift from Saul. (1 Sam 16:14-23).
3. It Breaks open the Atmosphere for God to Move
We know that an open Heaven is our inheritance. However, there are times when we have to contend for it, whether in our personal lives or in the Church.
This is where prophetic praise is especially helpful.
Praise is prophetic when it is directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit to accomplish God’s ‘now’ purpose for our lives or a particular meeting.
Prophetic praise is the Spirit-led proclamation of who God is, of His attributes, of what He has done and what He will accomplish.
Prophetic praise penetrates the atmosphere and pushes back oppression, apathy, fear or any other effects of spiritual warfare. (See 2 Chron 20, Psalm 149:5,9).
4. It Prepares Our Hearts for God’s Word
Prophetic worship is, at its foundational level, Spirit-directed and Spirit-empowered worship. (John 4:23-24).
During a time of prophetic worship, the Holy Spirit has begun to speak to us and our hearts are opened towards God.
When the preaching or personal study of God’s Word accompanies or follows prophetic worship, the two merge together and a continuum of inspiration from the Holy Spirit takes place.
5. We can Receive a Prophetic Message from God
In prophetic worship, God uses a song, instrumentation or other prophetic communication to speak His purpose into our lives—and that word has creative ability. Your Father may have a specific word of encouragement or instruction for you to receive.
Whether personally, or corporately in a meeting, prophetic worship provides both the expectation and the opportunity for God to speak to us. (1 Cor 14:26).
6. It is Powerful When Specific Breakthrough is Needed
Prophetic praise celebrates the fulfillment of God’s promises before they are manifested in the natural realm. Prophetic praise is one vehicle that God uses to release His power and bring about His purposes in our lives and in the Church.
We see examples of the power of prophetic praise in the Bible.
King Jehoshaphat sent singers and musicians out ahead of his army to celebrate the victory God had promised through His prophet. The battle was won as God routed the armies in front of the praisers. (2 Chron 20).
A song of prophetic praise was also significant to releasing God’s provision (Num 21:17-18), transforming barrenness into fruitfulness (Isaiah 54:1-3) and overcoming obstacles and persecution. (Acts 16).
How to Incorporate Prophetic Worship into your Personal Life
Last week I looked at prophetic worship in the Church setting. However we can also use prophetic worship in our personal life with God.
Note that any prophetic revelation (beyond general encouragement) received during personal times of worship need to be weighed up and followed through with leadership.[2]
1. ‘Soaking’ worship means positioning ourselves before God in a dual attitude of worship and of receiving or hearing from Him. As we yield to His Spirit, He fills us, empowers us and speaks to us.
Discover the unique way of connecting with God that suits you—for example, finding a quiet place accompanied by a worship CD, or walking outdoors in an attitude of worship and receiving. The key is to take time and to be intentional.
2. Develop a playlist of songs that are God’s ‘now’ encouragement for you personally, and listen to them regularly.
3. If you are a musician, take time with your instrument to worship God without a practice agenda. As you do, wait on Him for fresh inspiration, believe He is filling you with His Spirit, and allow Him to fill your heart and mind with the Father’s personal message to you and others.
4. When attending a worship gathering with others, enter in wholeheartedly and with the expectation that you will personally meet with God and receive All He has for you.
Source:
http://www.enlivenpublishing.com/blog/2013/03/19/6-benefits-of-prophetic-worship/