The subject of prophetic drumming has an inherent mystery to it, as its source lies in the power of the Holy Spirit. It has only been 5 years since I began exploring its mystery and I am still on the fringes of understanding how it all works. I do not have a comprehensive definition of what it means for a drummer to have a prophetic spirit or how to get it. However, I desire to encourage and cast vision to drummers in the powerful pursuit of gaining a prophetic spirit behind the drums.

The striking of drums and cymbals has the power to change the atmosphere and shift a person either into immorality or into the place of intercession. There is a unique release of power that can only come through drums and cymbals. As a drummer, it is terrifying to consider what emotion you are provoking in those who are listening. I have read that there is much fear within the hearts of those who work in factories and make those large gongs used by Buddhist monks in the temples of the eastern world. They have a healthy fear in even the making of these cymbals, since they know that they are used to release evil spirits. The creative power behind the drums is crafted by God and destined for His glory. As a drummer plays under the anointing and inspiration of the Holy Spirit the atmosphere will change. The Lord loves to use drums and cymbals to release physical and emotional healing, salvation, deliverance and the breaking of strongholds. Asaph set the precedent for this concept in the tabernacle of David. He had much insight into the heart of God to release power through the foolishness of simply hitting a cymbal. The very nature of the instrument can cut through the stale air and move the human heart to engage in battle or to dance for joy.

“Asaph the chief…….Jeiel with stringed instruments and harps, but Asaph made music with cymbals; – 1 ch 16:5

“So he left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD to minister before the ark regularly, as every day’s work required.” -1 ch 16:37

“…the levites and all those of Asaph…..stood at the east end of the altar, clothed in white linen, having cymbals, stringed instruments and harps, and with them one hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets. Indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying: “For He is good, For His mercy endures forever,” that the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.” -2 Ch. 5:12-14

It has been said that the next wave of music to make an impact on the culture won’t be based on a particular sound but rather on authenticity. The reality of what is going on inside of your heart comes through as you play. If your eyes are full of light then your whole body is full of light and therefore light will be released in your playing. Some of the most respected drummers in the world are godless men who have fully given themselves to the evil desires of their heart. They are profoundly cold and wholehearted in their wickedness. You must understand that darkness too can be released though drumming. In the arena of prophetic drumming, I suspect that there is a correlation between the level of surrender to the Lord in a drummer’s heart and the level of authority in the Spirit that they carry in their playing. It is difficult for a lukewarm heart to carry a prophetic Spirit, yet a heart that is kept in the fear of the Lord and authentic in its pursuit of God will inevitably partner with God’s heart while drumming. The spirit of prophecy is often placed in a box. The prophetic does not always equal spontaneous. There is no need to wait for a crazy musical interlude to prophesy, rather you can begin while simply keeping “time” during an arranged worship song. Just ask the Holy Spirit to release His power as you play and try to connect with the fact that with each hit He actually is releasing light.

Likewise, creative does not always equal spontaneous. Of course creativity can be found in spontaneity but it is important not to make them one and the same. Creativity also does not have to equal busy and in turn, the prophetic does not have to equal busy. Less is not always more and more is not always less. I believe that simplicity can often be profoundly creative. With that said I also long for an increase of creativity in spontaneous drum oracles. It is essential to have the discernment to know what and when to play though communion with the Holy Spirit and to press into the prophetic in all forms of rhythms.

Most importantly, I believe humility lies at the very core of this subject. If you are playing drums in the context of a worship team I am convinced that the increase of the prophetic will only come through humility and submission to leadership. I recently found myself becoming preoccupied with being known as an innovative drummer. Then the Lord began speaking very clearly to me about the need to become more concerned with preferring the other musicians on the team and to submit to the preferences of the worship leader. This was a painful struggle within my heart but I eventually gave in and sought the Lord’s wisdom. In the middle of this swirl I heard the Lord say that as I laid down my striving to become creative and instead simply served the team and the prayer room, He would actually send a much greater increase of the prophetic spirit and creative spontaneous flow. The principle of humility lies at the foundation of every subject of the faith. You have to lay down your life in order to find it. You must become poor in spirit and lowly of heart.

As you set sail into the mystery of prophetic drumming and the power which lies behind it, I encourage you to join me in seeking an authentic heart that lives in the fear of the Lord and communion with the Holy Spirit. Ask Him to increase the spirit of prophecy on your playing to break the heavy yoke and to soften many hearts in the love of Christ. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the spiritual atmosphere will be changed.

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“Well, we are excited about 2012 and have a lot of ideas ready to fly. The only thing that is hindering us from this is that we have no funds to accomplish these ideas. This is where you come in!! By December 31st, 2011 we are looking for 1000 folks that will donate $30 each to help us raise $30,000. Our goal is to record 5+ professionally done projects that, of course, we would give away for FREE!!!!” – Tim Cone, President of Churchyard Records

One of the greatest and most valuable lessons that God has taught me this past year is to come to Him with my need. Many times a day I would find my needy heart crying out and would catch myself pulling on people around me to meet those needs. I never felt satisfied because these cisterns were broken. I would try to draw water from them, but they were consistently dry.

I wrestled with the Lord on this issue saying, “You say that You are my Shepherd and that I shall not want. Yet, I find myself constantly in need. Why?” He spoke to me and said, “Come to Me with your need.”

So I determined that in the moments when I found myself craving attention, affirmation, approval, acceptance, or whatever it was, I would stop, close my eyes, look up to Jesus and say “Lord, I come to You with my need right now. I don’t turn to broken cisterns but I look to You. Meet my need. You are my Shepherd. I shall not want.” And then I would determine in my heart to stop pulling on the people around me. There were times I had to do this repeatedly because within moments, I was back at those broken cisterns again trying to drink.

When I came to the Lord, I did not always feel immediate relief but as I stayed with it, I began to see the Lord breakthrough in my life, filling my hunger in a satisfying and lasting way. To my surprise the Lord often used the body of Christ, those around me, to meet my need. However, the difference was that He was the One orchestrating it, moving on hearts to speak an encouraging word to me. No longer was I manipulating my circumstance to benefit myself. I then noticed that people were being drawn to me. I realized when I went to people with my need, it put an unseen burden on them that actually produced the opposite response that I was seeking. But when I went to the Lord, that burden was lifted off their shoulders. And God had room to move on their hearts to speak a life-giving word from Him.

One day, as I was in the prayer room, I was craving a hug. So I prayed, “God, I come to You with my need for a hug. Meet my need.” Thirty seconds later, as I was sitting in my chair, someone came up from behind me and hugged me. I burst into a smile, happy mostly because God had heard my prayer and responded immediately. I love when He does that! I told the lady, “I just asked God for a hug and He sent you!” We smiled together. It was a sweet reminder to me that God was listening to me and that He cared. He was attentive and aware of what I was feeling and it mattered to Him.

This beautiful truth has freed my heart from fear and insecurity. It has also brought a new richness to my relationships because I no longer put the burden on others to meet my needs but rather upon the Lord. I have a new confidence in Him because I’m beginning to believe that He is my Shepherd and I shall not want.

I want to take you through some of the reasons I have committed to stand with and pray for the Jewish people.

1. God commands it.  I know it’s simple but it needs to be said. Ps. 122 says⁶Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.In Isaiah 62 God commands His people (You who make mention of the Lord) to give Him no rest until He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.  We have been grafted in and inherit some of the promises to Israel  however the primary application is for the literal city of Jerusalem and the nation of Israel.
2. It’s partnering with the Lord’s heart. He is consumed with great zeal for this city and nation.  We pray for Israel because we love Jesus and love what He loves.  Zechariah prophesied ‘I am zealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with great zeal. I am exceedingly angry with the nations at ease .  All that God does is connected to fulfilling promises to Jerusalem.  He will not rest until her righteousness goes forth as brightness.
3. It’s about His glory filling the whole earth.  Why is God so passionate about this little city in the Mid East? This is the place He has chosen for Jesus to return to and rule from.  It is from this city that Jesus will reign and restore all things (Acts. 3:21.)  Jerusalem is the most controversial city on the earth.  As the return of Jesus draws near nations will rise and stand against them (Zech. 12:3, 14:2, Ps 83:2-8)  It is at the center of God’s plan to establish His Kingdom and fill the earth with His glory (Is. 11:9, 61:11)
4. It’s about the Israel turning back to God and their Messiah, their Salvation. Jesus’ return is contingent upon Israel’s acceptance of Jesus the Messiah.  Merely being a biological descendant of Abraham will not gain salvation.  Jesus is the only way for the Jew to be saved and so we are called to pray for them even as Paul prayed.  Paul was so zealous for their salvation that he wished he would be cut off from Christ if they would receive their Messiah, Jesus.  Let us run with the same passion that Paul had to pray and cry out for the revealing of Jesus to Israel as their long awaited Messiah.

I will soon be posting on how to pray for Israel.

The day I began leading my own worship team at IHOP-KC a desire consumed me to have a place online to equip & train worship leaders, church’s and houses of prayer as well as a place for you to connect with the individuals on my worship team.

So that is my heart for this website. I hope that it would be a landing page to connect you with my team mates who have a wealth of wisdom but even more i hope it would be a place of learning and training for anyone who wants to grow. Coming here you will get a raw view of what it looks like to be in the house of prayer day to day, the struggles, the glory, the disappointments and excitement that come with the job. You will read blogs on practicals of prophetic worship, singing, worship leading, song choice, gear, etc. from myself and the lovely members of my worship team.

Come back often to hear news, updates, blogs and more as we go on this journey together.