Spirit-filled Creativity and a Lifestyle of Worship

“Then I looked up, and there before me were four horns. I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these?” He answered me, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem.” Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. I asked, “What are these coming to do?” He answered, “These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no one could raise their head, but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter its people.” Zechariah 1:18-21 NIV

In the days we are living in, God is looking to raise up the craftsmen and craftswomen to dismantle, throw down and TERRIFY the enemy — the things that have scattered the people of praise (Judah). There is always a fight for our worship. The enemy knows the power of a praising people — a people whose gaze is fixed on Jesus. We know that we become what we behold…so as we behold Jesus, we reflect the fire in His eyes and with a shout, we advance the enemy and defeat him in victory. As I thought on this passage, I felt God lead me to Ezekiel's well-known vision (Ezekiel 1, 10) where he sees 4 living creatures transporting a throne with four sides and four wheels. These four living creatures have four faces (the face of a man, lion, ox and eagle) and four wings (1:6). Later in his book, Ezekiel is told to proclaim to Israel that an end is coming upon 'the four corners of the land'. The prophet is told to ask Israel's unrepentant elders to repent or else four sore judgments will come upon Jerusalem. They are the sword, famine, wild beasts or animals, and pestilence.

Here’s how/why I felt the Lord lead me to this passage and how I believe it could be linked together.

The four impending judgments are preceded by an opportunity to repent and further preceded by a vision of something/one greater that can overcome.

“Each judgment has a pre-ordained antidote or cure…found in the vision…a vision of the different “faces” or “postures we take before the throne” — our worship of Jesus.”

• 1. Famine’s cure is the Ox that represents the “work of worship”. Just as the Ox treads out and “does the hard yards” to prepare the ground for sowing…so in the spirit…when we are facing famine…we sow in the form of work-worship. We do the hard yards and praise before the breakthrough. Yes, sometimes that involves tears and pain…but remember…those who sow in tears, WILL reap in JOY!

• 2. The Wild Beasts or Animals are overcome by the king of the animals…the Lion.
  This is the roar of worship — the shout of praise, the earth-shattering, grave-rattling victorious “seated in heavenly places”, the “nothing’s-gonna-steal-my-praise” worship. There’s nothing greater than the deep-seated realisation that we’ve already overcome every attack and battle we face…and in Jesus we have all we need.

• 3. Pestilence (disease or disaster) is overcome by the eagle — soaring high above it all.
  This is the heavenly-perspective that worship and abiding in Jesus brings. Nothing gets to shake us when we’re held in His arms and cared for by the God of the Universe. What could conquer us when His love already has?

• 4. The Sword is overcome by the man.
  This is the hand-to-hand combat of worship. In the day-to-day, where we take the authority that we’ve been given to “do as Jesus did.” The sword of the Spirit IS the Word of God. It’s the spoken, double-edged sword of the Rhema (right-now) word of God to our hearts, that gives us clarity and freedom…that is found in worship.

So. Who are these men and women on the frontlines? Who are the ones raised up specifically for this task? The craftspeople! The artists, the musicians, the writers, the prophetic seers, the mums and dads, the miracle-workers in the hospitals, the lawyers and social workers…the prayers…the creatives…the worshipers. It’s YOU and ME, crafted uniquely and purposefully by Jesus…doing all we’ve been asked to do, empowered by Jesus with excellence and creativity…doing our part TOGETHER to over throw the dominion of the enemy here on Earth.

Look at that original wording; “…the craftsmen have come to TERRIFY.” That’s intense. That’s warrior language. We’re in a battle and there’s no demilitarised zone. That word terrify in the Hebrew is also used to describe an enemy cowering and running away in fear! Could it be that we’re called to live in such a devoted way to Jesus that such a powerful fragrance is released from our lives that it causes the enemy to pack up running and fleeing from us? Could it be that the work of our hands was actually DESTINED by Jesus to destroy the works of the enemy?  That as we join the work of our hands, to the work of our hearts…that it’s there that the power of God’s Spirit is released…terrifying the enemy into retreat?

Now that’s spirit-filled creativity and a spirit-filled lifestyle!

Craftspeople, arise! If you’ve fallen or stumbled, REPENT. Turn from your stumbling ways…seek His face and His healing grace…but get up! Don’t wallow in the shame or pain for there’s no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus! Jesus’ blood and resurrection have already won — and He’s looking for people to partner with to establish His Kingdom here! It’s time to go deeper and follow further. To do the hard yards of repentance and discipleship…to go through the valleys that are required to prepare us for the glorious mountain tops. To completely abandon ourselves to Jesus and risk it all to see His Kingdom established and His Presence and glory fill the earth…as the waters cover the sea! The time for Kingdom-Identity is here and now. The earth groans as it waits for us to take our place as the rightful co-heirs and people of purpose and authority we were created to be!

IMAGINE the creativity created from that identity!

No wonder the enemy wars against the worshipers and creatives…you have his old job!

Do what he can’t…do it right!