"In the unity of faith, love, and the Spirit,
the power of the name and of the presence of
Jesus acts more freely, and the answer comes
more surely. The evidence that there has been
true, united prayer is the fruit - the answer,
the receiving of the thing for which we have
asked. 'I say unto you… it shall be done
for them of my Father which is in heaven.' What
an extraordinary privilege united prayer (and
worship) is! What a potential power it has!"
Andrew Murray
There is a harmony that God is creating among
His people throughout the earth, and you and I
are a part of it. This harmony that is beginning
is powerful as 24-7 prayer is spreading from city
to city and nation to nation. And within the circle
of prayer that you are involved in, creating this
harmony is of extreme importance. The enemy loves
to bring disharmony and disunity, but the new
thing God is creating is a beautiful song of unity
that will break through tremendous spiritual strongholds
of the enemy. So as you attempt harmony in your
own prayer room, remember you are part of a bigger
whole that will bring tremendous effect in the
spirit realm all throughout the earth. And in
your city in particular, you are the ones called
to bring the release and freedom of the Kingdom
of God into your sphere of influence. This is
absolutely exciting.
"Again,
I tell you that if two of you on earth agree
about anything you ask for, it will be done
for you by my Father in heaven. For where two
or three come together in my name, there am
I with them." (Matthew 18:19-20)
God
is a musical God, and He has created us as people
who function best when there is a song in our
heart. Music motivates us. The greatest entertainment
in the world is music, because the human spirit
is musical. There is power released in song. If
you question this, for some of you in mid-life,
think back to the songs you heard on the radio
as a teenager. If the music comes on the radio
now, you know the words to the songs just as if
it were yesterday. The devil wants to rule the
domain of music because he knows that there is
power in it. This is why intercession combined
with music and the Word is a dynamic combination
and of utmost importance at this time. When the
Word of Christ dwells in our hearts richly through
psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, nothing will
stop us from God's purposes in our lives both
individually and corporately. Music combined with
words of truth move us deeply into spheres of
active commitment that we would never imagine
otherwise.
"Let
the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you
teach and admonish one another with all wisdom,
and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual
songs with gratitude in your hearts to God."
(Colossians 3:16)
Antiphonal
Singing
"Speak
to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual
songs. Sing and make music in your heart to
the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father
for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ." (Ephesians 5:19-20)
Antiphonal
singing is responsive singing. The antiphonal
singers interact with the intercessors and musicians
in singing the Word. 24-7 prayer is team ministry
where the team works together. Nobody gets the
spotlight except God Himself. This is the beautiful
thing that God is doing with his end-times church.
He is beginning to get all the glory. Therefore
everyone takes part in 24-7, and nobody takes
the spotlight. Everyone gives way to one another
because there is the understanding that all
of us in harmony are better than one of us alone.
This is a learning experience for some of us who
like to be up front because we are good musicians
or strong intercessors. We realize that we must
give way to others. But in the end God brings
a beautiful harmony that we couldn't have done
on our own. There is no more room for lengthy
ten-minute prayers or a personal concert showing
off our musical talents. No, it is all for God
and Him alone, an audience of one, and we all
work together to bring about His will in the prayer
room for His glory. It is time that we join
in unison as with one voice.
"The
trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as
with one voice, to give praise and thanks to
the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and
other instruments, they raised their voices
in praise to the Lord and sang: 'He is good;
his love endures forever.' Then the temple was
filled with a cloud, and the priests could not
perform their service because of the cloud,
for the glory of the Lord filled the temple
of God." (II Chronicles 5:13-14)
God
will invade your prayer environment with His presence
and power. This will eventually spill over
into your city and nation. This team ministry
is God's end-time way. He uses musicians, antiphonal
singers, spoken intercession and proclamation.
Worship and prayer become dynamic. It makes prayer
enjoyable and not boring. It brings about intensity
without exhaustion. And revelation takes place
right in the midst of it all. Every meeting becomes
a joyous occasion. I say this because I see it
happening and personally experience it myself.
I have seen worshippers and intercessors come
in with the burdens of the week and leave with
the joy of the Lord. Some find it hard to wait
until the next prayer meeting. This corporate
setting for 24-7 is so important because there
needs to be an actual place where God's presence
dwells because the world is getting uglier by
the day, and we need this breath of fresh air
to carry us through with power. This also enhances
our own prayer times during the week. 24-7
"harp and bowl" prayer is not a burden;
it is a gift of God for the end-times church.
Singing and praying the Word partners with
God's heart. The worldwide prayer movement
needs to learn that this is key in the final days.
The Word of God provides fuel for prayer and keeps
it alive. His Word is His will. Praying the Word
connects with the singers in singing the Word,
and there is a powerful interaction that takes
place. I am an intercessor and when the singers
sing what I have prayed, it moves me into more
intensity and faith in my next prayer, and this
goes on and on. The prayers and singing together
rise up to a new level. This really does happen
in a most marvelous way. You will see it yourself
as you begin. There is no greater strength than
the power of the Church with one heart and one
goal united before the throne. The diversity of
types of intercessors, the diversity of different
musicians, and different singers intensifies this
oneness. It's powerful, it's dynamic, and it inspires
awe in God because He creates it, and it's all
of Him.
"Christians
cannot reach the full blessing God is ready
to bestow through His Spirit until they seek
and receive it in fellowship with one another.
It was to the hundred and twenty praying together
in full agreement under the same roof that the
Spirit came from the throne of the glorified
Lord. In the same way, it is in the union and
fellowship of believers that the Spirit can
manifest His full power." Andrew Murray
What
happens when intercession and singing is combined?
When these two come together with the Word, then
revelation increases, the intercession hits the
mark, the body of Christ is encouraged and empowered,
and evangelism takes place as one leaves the prayer
room. For example, as I left a prayer meeting
for Israel, I went to the post office. I could
not contain the joy from that prayer time and
began to witness to a woman standing in line.
She accepted the Lord on the spot and two other
Christians standing in line were greatly encouraged.
I felt the glory of the Lord in that post office.
24-7 prayer is definitely going to lead to dynamic
evangelism because the human heart will not be
able nor want to contain what happens in the prayer
room.
5
Keys in Antiphonal Singing
"They
held harps given them by God and sang the song
of Moses the servant of God and the song of
the Lamb: 'Great and marvelous are your deeds,
Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways,
King of the ages." (Revelation 15:2-3)
- Sing
short - This is not the time for singing
a whole song. Short phrases are the key and
should be only a few words in length.
- Stay
on the same theme - Keep with the theme
that is prayed in the Word.
- Pay
close attention to what is happening - Remember
you are a team, and the Holy Spirit will give
you a natural flow. It may take time but stay
in tune with what is happening.
- Sing
one at a time
- This will keep from confusion. Antiphonal
singers alternate in their singing. The prayer
meetings I have been involved with usually have
three or four antiphonal singers. Especially
in learning, it is good to go from one to the
next and then the next.
- Echo
phrase, paraphrase, repeat or develop the phrase
- The singer may want to sing exactly the same
phrase as the last singer or what the intercessor
prayed. A repeated phrase can be powerful. A
singer may want to paraphrase or summarize the
phrase. He may want to develop the phrase by
expanding the same idea or repeat a phrase for
impact.
"And
when he had taken it, the four living creatures
and the twenty-four elders fell down before
the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were
holding golden bowls full of incense, which
are the prayers of the saints. And they sang
a new song: 'You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals, because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased men for
God from every tribe and language and people
and nation." Revelation 5:8-9
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