The Days of Radical Worship
What was David truly doing when he danced and leaped before the Lord with all his might?
It was not something I had planned, not something I had thought about doing, not something that ever even crossed my mind. But everything changed the day a pair of worship flags were put in my hand. It was in 2016 at a small leadership meeting. A lady came up to me, actually looking for someone else to give the flags to. When she could not find the person she was looking for, she gave them to me and showed me how to use them, and that was the beginning of this creative worship expression I have found.
I believe that within all of us, there is creative expression. Our God is called The Creator. When the Holy Spirit hovers and the Word speaks, there is creative expression. The universe displays Elohim’s wonder and creativity. From the smallest blade of grass to the biggest galaxy, our God’s creativity is fully displayed. If we are made in His image, then we also possess creativity. Not everyone will have the same manifestation of creative expression, but it is in all our DNA.
I was having a conversation with a friend the other day and she was sharing how God is asking her to do some uncomfortable things when it comes to worship. Be the only one. Be willing to do what others are afraid to do. Not only will it break the fear of man off of you, it will set others free. That is what she is hearing. So, she is being obedient. Is it uncomfortable? Absolutely! But there is breakthrough in her life as well as in the worship atmosphere when her congregation gathers. Others are now going forward to worship alongside her. I shared with her that I understand her journey, for it is the same journey when those flags were put in my hands. The heart of this creative worship expression is the breaking off of the fear of man. Being willing to come under other’s scrutiny and judgment because of the religious spirit, to obey the Lord and usher in a new atmosphere. Be willing to look foolish in man's eyes to radically worship the Lord. David knows this well. For he did the same thing in 2 Samuel 6:12-23.
In 2 Samuel 6, the Ark of the Covenant was being brought back to Jerusalem. The Ark is a prophetic picture of God’s Presence. King David was full of gladness and rejoicing over its return. See, once you experience God's presence, you do not want to live without it. David experienced the highs and lows of being in God’s presence. He committed some of the worst sins but was also one of the most humble and worshipful. As the Ark was being brought back into the city, David was dancing before the LORD with all his might. He was leaping and dancing before the LORD (2 Samuel 6:14, 16). His wife, Michal, saw him and was offended, disgusted, and appalled that he would display such a radical display of worship.
Our worship can offend. But it must go forward in the hour in whatever way the Holy Spirit is telling you to worship. Our creative expressions of art, dance, surrender, laying on our faces, lifting our hands, and whatever means of radical praise is from the Holy Spirit must go forward. At the beginning of this year, I heard, “Revelations 4! No matter what you see in the earth, keep praising Me and declaring, ‘HOLY HOLY HOLY IS THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY!’ “ David’s example is the radical cry of HOLY HOLY HOLY!
When we dance, leap, and worship the Lord with all our might, what is taking place in the spirit?
The word dancing is Strong’s H3769. It means to dance and to whirl, but in the Hebrew letters, it is a picture of a person (resh) bending their will (kaf). Have I worried about what people would think over the years as I danced with the flags and worship banners? Yes. Do people question? Yes. But I do it in surrender. It is a bending of my will. Your dance may not be an actual dance. It could be like my friend who was told to go lie down at the altar during worship. That is a bending of her will. It could be simply raising your hands when the religious spirit has convinced you it was inappropriate. Whatever it is, a dance we do with the Lord will involve us bending our will.
The Word says David danced with all his might. In ancient Hebrew,* the word might (H5797) means David was making a strong and fierce stand, creating a place of refuge. Our worship is a refuge. Worship takes a stand for the presence of God and His goodness. Worship declares I will remain in the refuge of your goodness no matter what is going on in the world or in my circumstances. There are many times when our flesh does not want to worship, but when we choose to worship anyway, we are creating a place of refuge for our souls to get us through trials and tests.
David was dancing and leaping. The Hebrew word for leaping (H6339) can mean to solidify—it is a picture of refining! This Hebrew word is exactly the same as the word that means to be refined as gold and to be pure (H6338)! In ancient Hebrew, it means the “edge of a weapon.” What did I say was happening to my friend in her obedience? What happens to me? We are losing the fear of man and being refined! Our praise is a weapon against the things in our soul that keep us in the fear of man. Our praise is a weapon that reveals the beliefs of the heart in others as offense is brought to the surface. It is in the place of worship that leaps before the Lord, the heart is refined.
Michal despised David for his radical worship before the presence of God. Others may despise us as well. But our expressions of worship are powerful weapons for these days we are living in. You may not dance with flags, but you have a creative worship expression built into your DNA that longs to worship God. It is time to let those expressions out and be as David; yes, I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes! (2 Samuel 6:22, NLT) May we worship in radical obedience in this day and build a place of refuge for our souls. We will stand through all the tests and trials that are now upon the earth.
Blessings,
Brandee
*The ancient Hebrew meanings are found in The Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible by Jeff Benner.