But now bring me a minstrel. And while the minstrel played, the hand and power of the Lord came upon [Elisha].
—2 KING 3:15, AMPC
PROPHETS AND INTERCESSORS love and pursue the presence of the Lord. God’s presence is the oxygen prophets breathe. They hate it when the presence of God is not in the church. They can’t abide programs without presence. They can’t stay in places where the glory of God has departed. They don’t have a problem being in long services when the presence of God is there.
Because prophets love God’s presence, they love worship. Worship is a way of entering into God’s presence. Jesus said true worship will cause the Father Himself to seek out the worshipper (John 4:23). Obviously, worship does not require music, but music can function as a ladder that helps us access the presence of God.
Prophets are inspirational by nature. Their spirits are stirred by inspired worship, which stirs and unlocks their capacity to receive and release from God. David was a prophet who loved God’s presence, and his prophecies came out of times he spent with God.
Prophets make great worship leaders. In fact, some of the greatest worshippers in the Bible were prophets. David established worship on Mount Zion with the prophetic families of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun—they were worshippers who were also prophets (1 Chron. 25:1–6). Heman, a singer, was the king’s seer. The prophetic level in Israel in David’s day was extremely high because of the ministry of Samuel and the school of the prophets.
In 1 Samuel 10, a company of prophets are seen as coming down a road, preceded by those who played psalterys, tabrets, pipes, and harps (vv. 5–6, 10). By the preceding of anointed music, not only did the prophets prophesy, but the spirit of prophecy came upon Saul, and he also prophesied. It was the presence of music that quickened the prophetic word to Saul and the prophets.
Music is not only important in worship but also in training prophetic people. Worship is connected to the spirit of prophecy as we see in John’s encounter with an angel in the Book of Revelation.
I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you not do that. I am your fellow servant, and of your brothers who hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
—REVELATION 19:10
So do not be surprised to see many prophets being trained in church music departments, where they will develop a listening ear and the sensitivity they need to hear the voice of the Lord accurately through music.
Worship creates an atmosphere for the spirit of prophecy to flow. Prophets and prophetic people thrive in the atmosphere of worship. Prophets can function as worship leaders, psalmists, and minstrels. They release prophetic sounds and prophetic songs that bring deliverance, healing, restoration, revelation, and refreshing. Prophetic musicians release the sound of heaven.
Whether skilled as singers, musicians, or both, prophetic minstrels can release the word of the Lord through songs and sounds. Anointed minstrels help release the prophetic flow and keep it strong in an assembly. The secrets of God are opened upon the instruments, as the psalmist declared: “I fine-tuned my ear to the sayings of the wise, I solve life’s riddle with the help of a harp” (Ps. 49:4, MSG).
Prophetic minstrels should be Spirit-filled, skillful, and consecrated. The public use of your gift should be undergirded by the private sanctification of your character. When your gift is devoted exclusively to the Lord, you will carry greater power because you have honored Him and His anointing upon you.
Prophetic minstrels must also work with the singers to bring forth the song of the Lord. We need prophetic musicians as a part of the worship team. If the members of the worship team are not prophets, they need to be activated in the prophetic anointing to some degree. Prophetic people are sensitive to the word of the Lord, which can be either spoken or set to music.
To prophesy simply means to speak or sing by inspiration. This is often spontaneous and comes as the anointing flows from within or rests upon. Inspiration is the result of the breath of God. The strength of the spirit of prophecy in your midst will always be determined by your level of worship.
You can grow in your ability to yield to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit by privately singing or speaking the Word of God to musical accompaniment. The Spirit of God will always rest upon His Word. As you yield yourself to Him, you will increase your capacity and fine-tune your ability to flow with the anointing.
Good people, cheer God! Right-living people sound best when praising. Use guitars to reinforce your Hallelujahs! Play his praise on a grand piano! Compose your own new song to him; give him a trumpet fanfare.
—PSALM 33:1–3, MSG
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, “O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips” (Ps. 63:1–6, NKJV).
Lord, I love Your presence. It is only fitting that I praise You (Ps. 33:1), for You are great and greatly to be praised (Ps. 96:4). Heavenly Father, I present myself before You as a holy instrument. May the sounds of heaven be released through me, and may revelation, wisdom, healing, and joy flow out of the sounds. I consecrate myself to Your exclusive use. Use me to carry the sounds that open the heavens so angels can descend and ascend in the midst of Your people and You might sit enthroned upon our worship.