What Is Prophetic Worship?

To many church musicians, the idea of prophetic worship may be a bit of a foreign concept. If you’re familiar with the idea, maybe you’ve solely thought about it in context of what the worship leader does. However, it is much more than that.

Before we dive in, just as a general definition, prophetic worship is a form of worship that involves the spontaneous and prophetic singing, dancing, and praying in response to the Holy Spirit’s leading.

It’s a type of worship where you allow the Holy Spirit to speak and sing through you, expressing praise and adoration to God in a unique and personal way. The purpose of prophetic worship is to bring us into deeper intimacy with God, allowing us to hear His voice and respond in obedience.

It’s a powerful form of worship that can be both personal and corporate, leading to spiritual growth and transformation.

Examples of Prophetic Worship In The Bible

1. David’s Dancing: In 2 Samuel 6:14-15, David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a linen ephod. He worshipped with prophetic dance and praised God with all his heart.
2. The Psalmists: The book of Psalms is filled with prophetic expressions of worship. Many of the psalms were written in response to the Holy Spirit’s leading and are filled with prophetic insights and declarations.
3. Deborah’s Song: In Judges 5, Deborah and Barak sing a prophetic song of victory after defeating the Canaanites. Their song expresses God’s faithfulness and declares His victory over His enemies.
4. Miriam’s Tambourine: In Exodus 15:20-21, Miriam led the women in a dance with tambourines and singing after the Lord saved them from the Egyptians. Their worship was prophetic, expressing God’s faithfulness and victory over their enemies.
5. Paul and Silas’ Worship: In Acts 16:25-26, Paul and Silas worshipped God through singing and prayer, even while in prison. Their worship was prophetic, declaring God’s faithfulness and power to save.

Demystifying Prophetic Worship

In any case, I want to help demystify what prophetic worship looks like for everyone on stage. To do this we will hear from various musicians at The Belonging Co. in Nashville, TN, where prophetic worship is a significant component to our ministry.

I believe that the more that musicians and leaders around the world walk in prophetic boldness in their worship, the more we will be unified and see greater kingdom realities here on earth.

What does prophetic worship look like for you in your role on stage?

AUSTIN DAVIS – Drums ( Kari Jobe, The Belonging Co.)

“For me, it’s like knowing what the worship leader or room wants/needs before I’m told to do it. I guess that’s Holy Spirit guiding me through playing.

It’s definitely something you have to lean into though. I could easily just go on stage and only play when the worship leader or MD tells me to. But that’s where the prophetic is stifled. You have to be attentive to the Holy Spirit in the room.

Knowing your authority on your instrument makes all the difference in a worship situation. But just like giving someone a prophetic word, you have to use wisdom in knowing how and when to give that person that word.

The same goes for playing prophetically. Just because I feel like I need to play something on drums in service, doesn’t mean I should override what the worship leader wants to do. You have to use wisdom and maturity in knowing when to step out.”

ANDREW HOLT – Worship Leader/Pastor (The Belonging Co.)

“Prophetic worship is being sensitive to what The Holy Spirit is doing or saying in a particular moment and then giving voice to it. It’s an opportunity to declare the promises and truths of who God is into the atmosphere so that people can receive and proclaim those specific things over their lives and circumstance.

Prophetic worship causes hope, faith, and expectation to rise as a group of people come into agreement with who God is and how He is moving.”

MATT STANFIELD – Producer/Keys (Corey Asbury, Kelly Clarkson, Michael W. Smith, The Belonging Co.)

“Prophecy is anything that injects or introduces the heart of the Father into a situation. A prophetic word brings life, speaks truth into what is possible, and gives birth to spiritual potential. The same holds true for music.

Sometimes in the early am before my house is awake, I play softly over my family, any sickness that may be in the house, or any darkness that may be trying to come against my family or friends. In church, it could be when the worship shifts and begins changing the atmosphere of the room. It’s when we make room for Holy Spirit.

It’s when a spontaneous thought or word or phrase comes to the leader and they are brave or sensitive enough to begin singing it over the church. I think it happens more than we realize, especially in the context of musicians. If I am playing behind a speaker, I am listening to what is being said and letting those prayers define what I’m playing.”

JORDAN HOLT – Guitar (Kari Jobe, The Belonging Co.)

“Music is a language. Every note or percussive hit has meaning and emotion just as a lyric does. How I play a note on the guitar – the effects chosen, context, space, aggression, tenderness, etc. –  is the equivalent to shaping our voice’s tone – which has the ability to communicate more than the actual words.

I don’t see music as simply supporting the vocals as some may think. I see it as “speaking” the prophetic just as powerfully as a worship leader singing on stage. There is power to break chains in just one note played. There’s a lot of authority as a musician that I don’t want to take lightly.

I believe prophetic worship should pull from the future – what isn’t yet. God is always bringing us forward to something new. So as a musician, I see it as my duty to not just do what is comfortable but to let Holy Spirit guide me where He is going. That involves trying new effects combinations I have never tried or being open to sounds not heard in current church culture.”

MCKENDREE TUCKER – Keys (Kari Jobe, The Belonging Co)

“A lot of people joke with me and say ‘man, keys is the hardest job in worship because you never stop playing’. However, after the songs are done or between songs, that’s when I feel the most comfortable and creative. I choose in that situation to let the Spirit speak to me and guide my creativity.

I feel that when that happens, there is a prophetic creativity happening in the room because I’m resting within the Spirit of the Lord. The voice of the Lord can speak through that…even speak prophetically into the hearts of those worshipping in the room.”

What does prophetic worship mean to you? How do you hope to see your team grow in prophetic worship? Tell us in the comments below!

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