Dancing is innate, just as it is innate to breathe, dance is an innate abilities that God had deposited inside me. It is natural for me to move when music is played. I best express my emotions and feelings through movement. From discovering that I express worship best through dancing, through journeying all these years, and finding a place as a worship dancer. From where dance as a form of worship is mostly misunderstood, mostly relegated to the closet, to discovering that there is a verse in Amos 9:11 and Acts 15:16 that there is to be a restoration of David’s tabernacle which is a tabernacle of worship in the last days.
What is the tabernacle of David?
David had pitched a tent and brought back the ark of the covenant from Kiriath Jearim after the Philistines decided to return it. (2 Chronicles 1:1-4) Instead of sending it back to the tabernacle of Moses in Gibeon, David decided to erect a tent at Jerusalem and brought the Ark of the Covenant with him. (1 Cor 16:1)
The difference between this tent and the tabernacle of Moses, is that, there is no Holy of Holies separating the ark from people. And significantly there was continual (possibly 24/7) worship happening before the ark.
1 Chron 16:37 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;
Amos 9:11-12 talks about the restoration of the Tabernacle of David which has fallen down.
“On that day I will raise up
The tabernacle of David, which has fallen down,
And repair its damages;
I will raise up its ruins,
And rebuild it as in the days of old;
That they may possess the remnant of Edom,
And all the Gentiles who are called by My name,”
Says the Lord who does this thing.
Amos talks about the restoration of the tabernacle of David in the last days, where Jews and Gentiles are called. Many argued that the tabernacle of David represents worship. In recent times, worship through songs and music prominently practiced in many churches.
This brings me to another point. Is that all there is to it? Singing and music?
When David brought back the ark to Jerusalem, David being an accomplished songwriter, singer, musician (who even designs and creates instruments) did not do any of the above. Instead, he led the procession back to Jerusalem dressed in fine linen and a priest’s linen ephod and he danced his way back to Jerusalem.
2 Sam 6:14 Then David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod.
At this juncture I would like to point out, there is 1. dance as a performance (and many churches does this, and there is nothing wrong with it!) 2. prophetic worship dance. I will categorise free-style dancing and flagging under this category.
Although to move dancers from 1 to 2 is not difficult.
But from here when I mention dance, I would be talking about 2, prophetic worship dance.
Why do I dance?
In Psalm 150:3-6
3 Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn; praise him with the lyre and harp!
4 Praise him with the tambourine and dancing; praise him with strings and flutes!
5 Praise him with a clash of cymbals; praise him with loud clanging cymbals.
6 Let everything that breathes sing praises to the LORD!
Praise the LORD!
That is enough verses for me to know, that God is so pleased when we worship Him in dance.
Is dance distracting?
Some have the opinion that dance/flagging is distracting, because it is attention grabbing. However if you have a choice, keep your sight or keep your hearing, just 1, make a pick. 99% will pick they want to keep their sight, why, because our sight is very important, we interact with our world mostly through sight!
We are often told to close our eyes and worship God. Close our eyes so we won’t get distracted and try to focus on God! Yet nowhere in the bible mentions closing our eyes in worship. Not a single verse I can think of. So it is largely man’s tradition. Instead the bible often states, open your eyes and see, what the Lord is doing, and tell me what you see!
For example in Jer1:11 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” God asked Jeremiah to see! What the Lord is doing. Ezekiel 40: 4 And the man said to me, “Son of man, look with your eyes and hear with your ears, and fix your mind on everything I show you; for you were brought here so that I might show them to you. Declare to the house of Israel everything you see.
If music and singing is largely an audio experience, then dancing and visual arts is largely a visual experience!
It is not distracting, in fact it is powerful, because dance is a language, visual arts is also a language, and in this language lies intercession, worship, healing, deliverance and breakthrough. However, it cannot be something done hidden in a corner in the dark because it is something that we just make some room for somewhere in church, so everybody is happy and we are not disturbing the main crowd, and we keep the dancers happy so they don’t complain. Dance as a visual language, it has to be seen for it’s power to be released. Just like a song, can you sing it silently? Is there any power in it? Why do we mic it up and amplify it? Because we recognise that there is power in the lyrics and music. So we want it to be heard! Likewise dance has to be seen!
The congregation, needs to understand that it is OK to open their eyes and worship and see what the Lord is doing!
Why dancing with flags?
I think most people can understand dance. But dancing with flags is something that takes it a step further. This is nothing new in churches. Although it takes different forms in different times. But God is eternal, and from time to time, He brings back resurgence of different styles of worship. And things take on a new form, dancing with flags is one of them. The flags we use today are very different than the ones I used 20 odd years ago. Much more fluid, much more visually attractive.
Just like nobody can give a real definite reason why laughing in the spirit is okay, what is the biblical basis for that really? I can’t really give a very definitive reason why dance with flags. Flags are largely symbolic, as are the colors of flags used.
All throughout the scriptures, especially in the old testament, dance is always mentioned as a form of worship. And the reason why I flag is simply because I am a dancer, and dancing with flags is a way I found extend my movements to the space around me, and I found it is aesthetically pleasing and effective. I believe God tells us to dance and worship Him, then He leaves the form to us! Do we want to dance using contemporary style? Street dance? Ballet? Use fans? tambourines? Flags? Scarves? Or some other tools? He lets our creativity take over.
Why do I dance with flags?
I find that when I worship God through dance, I can release God’s presence into the atmosphere. A heavenly portal opens, and angels dances with us, and as I proclaim through my movements healing, deliverance, freedom, angels bring these to the congregation.
When I dance with my flags, my movements extend beyond my fingertips, I understand the flags as a weapon of spiritual warfare. I have always called it a tool and subsequently a weapon, because a weapon is also a tool. Image fighting with your bare fists and fighting with swords or guns, which one is more powerful? When I dance and wave over the congregation, it is symbolic of what God wants to release into the atmosphere, and I can release it into the atmosphere by faith. Dance and dancing with flags is a language of movements. We put meaning into our movements and consciously release those meanings when we flag.
For a "non dancer", it is a simple way of expressing worship to God through waving a colourful piece of cloth to Him! For instance, when I dance, sometimes I will feel that God wants to break through a certain area, so I will purposefully do strong movements that signify a breaking of chains, bondages etc.
When I feel God wants to heal, I flag a blue river of life flag over people and consciously release healing. Just like we can lay hands on people and not even say a word, and people get healed, simply because we release God’s presence towards them, how much more will an action, though loud visually but silent, can release God’s presence as well.
What is lifting up a standard?
A flag is called various names in the bible. It is also a banner or a standard. Most famously in Exodus 17:15 God is called Jehovah Nissi, the Lord our banner.
So shall they fear The name of the Lord from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.
Isa 59:19
A standard is a a military or ceremonial flag carried on a pole or hoisted on a rope. It can also be called a flag, banner, streamer, ensign, an ensign also signify the nationality of the army.
Flags are used as a rallying point for soldiers to give them hope. In battles, it is placed on the front line. I’m sure you have seen war movies especially period dramas where if the banner of the army fell, it means they have been defeated.
The banner would also be placed on a high place so that people can see it and gather to it.
When we flag, it is symbolic of a rallying point for God’s people. I am symbolically raising God’s standard against the enemy. Because the enemy is also called prince of the air (our earth’s atmosphere), when I wave a flag in the air, I displace his authority and fill it with the atmosphere of heaven.
A few purpose of dancing with flags. (not an exhaustive list)
1. Worship to God
2. Prayer and intercession. Movement is a language, therefore it can express prayer and intercession. Intercession is not just through words, it really depends on how we best communicate to God. As a dancer, I dance before God is when my channel to God is the clearest and I can hear Him best. Therefore I can intercede through movements and God can understand it as well as any other language or melody.
In Psalms 20:5 (NLT), May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory and raise a victory banner in the name of our God. May the LORD answer all your prayers.
Here, as we raise our victory banner to the Lord, He answers our prayers!
3. Spiritual warfare. Just like in the past when armies carries their banners/flags to war, I wage war with my flags and banners in the spiritual realm.
4. Ministry. When I dance/flag, I release an anointing into the atmosphere, I can release healing, freedom, deliverance and more!
5. Shift atmosphere, by pulling down heaven’s atmosphere to earth.
I am mindful that it is not the flags and the dance moves, but it is the heart of worship that releases God’s presence. So step boldly into your calling and dance with all your heart!
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