February 24, 2009

PROPHETIC THEATRE

By James Capers

Prophetic Theatre is part of the Prophetic Arts. Prophetic Arts is the use of art forms to represent, visually and audibly, the prophetic words of God.

Prophetic words come from multiple sources. One of those sources is human flesh. A second source is the human soul. A third source is the human spirit. A fourth source is the Spirit of God. Finally, an anti-source is the spirit realm of the demonic. For this reason, Apostle John (~A.D. 90) wrote, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1, King James Version). John’s warning enables us to understand that not only the audience of the prophet needs to evaluate the spirit attempting to prophesy, but the one prophesying needs to make sure which spirit is the source of their message. Thus enlightened, Apostle Paul (A.D. 56) empowered us, "The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets" (1 Corinthians 14:32). Notice the plurality of spirits subject to the prophets?

Many people think they wish to be prophets, but do not understand the sacrifice and endurance to which prophets are called. Modern believers have been misled into believing the prophetic office is glamorous and a thing to be desired. However, the prophetic office belongs only to those whom God, Himself, has called, with specific confirmations. These are those who have proven through faithfully and successfully negotiating trials by fire their willingness to make the sacrifices required by the call. The trials of this office are neither small nor short. They may last for years and unto decades. This is an office of social rejection and ostracism because the true prophet of God exposes sin and calls sinners to repentance. The foretelling by God's true prophets is about the judgment coming—as a result of sin—upon sinners who refuse to repent.

Moreover, the true prophet of God seldom issues prophecies to individuals or for hire, as Balaam discovered, "If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak" (Numbers 24:13). The Spirit of God empowers His prophets to speak to nations, rulers and leaders of many, and the spiritual condition of the times. Therefore, God’s messages issued through His prophets to individuals are generally to those with positions of great influence over many.

To repeat, the office of the prophet is one of sacrifice and social rejection, and the call to deliver God’s words to nations, rulers and leaders of many, and the spiritual condition of the times. We also see that prophetic words can come from different sources: Human flesh, human souls, human spirits, the Spirit of God, and spirits of the demonic realm.

On the other hand, the Son of God stated He was sending the Spirit of Truth to teach us and impart or distribute to each of us Gifts according to our calling. One of those gifts, the Gift of Prophecy, is a special gift imparted by the Spirit of Truth, who is often called the Holy Spirit. This spirit is referred to by Apostolic Writings in the masculine. He was sent by our Lord to empower His people, "Having then gifts differing according to the grace [Divine Touch] that is given to us, whether prophecy [foretelling], let us prophesy [foretell] according to the proportion of faith [our persuasion]" (Romans 12:6). This gift is available to anyone to whom the Divine Touch of God has empowered them to receive and activate it.

Please note: The Gift of Prophecy is not the office of the prophet nor does it call anyone to or empower anyone for the office of the prophet. It is what it is: A gift for the edification [building up] of the ecclesia [assembly of those called out of religion and sin]. Perhaps the term Prophecy Arts would be more accurate for artistic expressions used to reproduce these prophecies.

For our purposes, however, we term Prophetic Arts both artistic expressions of the prophet and artistic expressions of those with the Gift of Prophecy. Just understand that prophetic actually describes calls to repentance and warnings of impending judgment for those who fail to do so, and prophecy describes God’s foretelling of specific, future events. The difference is distinct. A prophet may prophecy, but the Gift of Prophecy does not make anyone a prophet.

In addition, there are those who use the expressionist art form to visually or audibly reproduce their interpretations of experiences, understandings, or what God has revealed to them. Others, yet, may use representative art to communicate what God has instructed them to communicate. However, neither of these uses of art is prophetic.

Prophetic Arts, then, is composed of artists who communicate through fine art, theatre, music, dance, and other art forms the prophetic images God reveals. Prophetic Arts is not a religion or about religion; it is about working together, learning how to please God, and imparting understanding to His ecclesia so they can clearly know the mind and heart of God.

Prophetic Theatre is one genre of Prophetic Arts. It includes plays written and performed by writers, composers, actors, musicians, dancers, supporting staff, front-of-house and backstage operations portraying the prophetic.

In addition to writing, performing, directing, and producing prophetic plays, Robin and I are passionate about working with other artists who operate in the prophetic and express themselves through Prophetic Arts. One avenue God has given Robin and me to express this passion is our project, Renaissance through the Arts.