Dancing Under the Fivefold Mandate=
By: Taquetta Baker
As dancers, it is essential that we break the strongho= ld of performance over our ministries and in the kingdom as a whole. We must build up a mindset that da= nce is ministry and that it is a vital release for the 21st century church. If we are going to effectively establish dance, we cannot go forth as performers and entertain= ers, nor can we allow people to treat us as such. We can no longer minister for the = sake of showcasing talents or being seen or letting others use our gift for religious amusement. We can no longer go to churches without fasting and praying first and seeking God for= His purpose.
The main difference between a dancer and one who minis= ters through words is that one who ministers through words receives more time to= get his/her point across, is viewed as a messenger of God and is treated with t= he esteem of one who has come to deliver a word of God. A dancer also carries the mandate = of presenting a word, yet because of spirits of performance and entertainment,= and the stigma and perversion of dance in the world, the ministry of dance has often been tainted and watered down to something that fills space in a program. It is the responsibi= lity of the dancer to come against this mentality through intercession, while seeking God for strategies. By carrying the fivefold mantle, God’s work can be restored through dance. There is a message of restoration and release activated by rhema understanding of the mission of dance.
We must know without a fleeting doubt that our dance i= s more than filling a slot in a program or being just another pretty, graceful or = fun thing to do at church. We must grasp that dance does effective work in the spirit and natural realms and i= f we continue to remain ignorant of those dynamics, we will never walk in the fullness of our calling. Consequently, we will not manifest the ministerial fruit that God is calling us to show. We will o= nly ever receive hand claps and people telling us how beautiful our dance is and how they were just so blessed. People will never be saved or transformed. Demons will never be cast out. Strongholds will never be cast down. Principalities of relig= ion, traditionalism, control and charismatic manipulation will continue to contr= ol the move of God in people’s lives and in churches. The fullness of praise and worship= will never break forth with freedom and kingdom liberty in the earth realm. Until we grasp the vision that dan= ce is not about who is more talented, our perfected moves, or how we can be as cl= ose to the world in using our gifts but still remain saved, people will only see our dance as a talent. The re= al reason God manifested the arts of dance and performing art gifts will conti= nue to be perverted and counterfeited by the enemy and used as performance and entertainment with no fruit of its true purpose.
In order for people to discern our purpose, we must wa= lk in our calling of not just being a dancer but the intention to which God gave = the earth for the perfecting of the saints and saving lost souls. This purpose is found in the passa= ges in Ephesians 4 and states as followed:
King
James: Ephesians 4:10=
-16
10=
He that descended is the same al=
so
that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill F9
all things.) 11&nb=
sp;And
he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some=
, pastors
and teachers; 12&n=
bsp;For
the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifyin=
g of
the body of Christ: 13=
Till
we all come in F10
the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perf=
ect
man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness
of Christ: 14 =
;That
we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with
every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, wher=
eby
they lie in wait to deceive; =
15 But
speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the
head, even Christ: 16<=
/b> From
whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every
joint supplieth, according to the effectual wor=
king
in the measure of every part, maketh increase o=
f the
body unto the edifying of itself in love.
It is crucial that we embrace this fivefold mantle and= go as ambassadors of Christ. The word says that Jesus gave some apostles, prophet= s, etc. As dancers we carry the = same giftings in our ministry. We = are not set apart or distinct from this just because we use our bodies to minis= ter the will of God. If anything,= we are in a position to be even more effective in bringing to life God’s purpose for every given ministry engagement. I declare this because, we have the capacity to not only be the voice of God, but we= also are literal representations of HIM. My God! We are the thr= one room example made flesh. Yes Lord! We, the dancers, are His word, His breath; His sound waves made flesh. When we minister, we physically demonstrate what God is stating, and doing in th= at particular setting. We are instruments that bring the spirit realm and our invisible God to life. We create and make real the tangible the unseen hope. We are a demonstration of the phys= ical heavenly kingdom manifested in the earth realm. We must know who we are and who we= are and walk accordingly so that the restoration of dance can go forth with miracles signs, and wonders, following and people are not just touched by t= he beauty of our dance but transformed by the image of God radiating from our dance.
For more on this subject please view Taquetta’s
book entitled “Dance and the
Fivefold.”
Contact Info:<= o:p>
Shekinahexpres=
sions@yahoo.com