Dancing in the Spirit

ByronArn · Oct 21, 2012

As some of you know, my wife and I are trying out a Charismatic Church. Up on the screen they used to display the words of the songs they displayed some acceptable forms of worship before service began. One was dancing in the Spirit. It urged us to worship however the Spirit led.

It reminded me of the earliest Spirit manifestation I had experienced. I was in my early teens. My family had just started going to a Charismatic Hebraic Roots church. During worship one Sunday, i first danced in the Spirit. It was incredible.

Anyways, have you ever experienced this manifestation? Does it ever happen in your church?

In case you were curious, I didn't dance this time. I didn't feel led to dance today.

Tigger45 · Oct 21, 2012

I think it's great! Even David danced before the Lord 2 Sam 6:14. Also where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty! 2 Cor 3:17

Bob Carabbio · Oct 21, 2012

"Anyways, have you ever experienced this manifestation?"

Once back in the '70s at a "Jesus Festival".

"Does it ever happen in your church?"

It does among some of the Freer members, but not in congregational fashion.

JimB · Oct 21, 2012

tigger45 said:
I think it's great! Even David danced before the Lord 2 Sam 6:14. Also where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty! 2 Cor 3:17

Um, David is not an example of how you should dance in church. Wasnt he unclothed at the time? (2 Sam. 6.20) An ephod doesnt cover much.

Frogster · Oct 21, 2012

liberal churches might actually like that.

Tigger45 · Oct 21, 2012

JimB said:
Um, David is not an example of how you should dance in church. Wasnt he unclothed at the time? (2 Sam. 6.20) An ephod doesnt cover much.

You should of kept reading. Sounds like you make the same mistake Michal did.

2 Samuel 6:22 & 23 "And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservervants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor." 23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.

JimB · Oct 21, 2012

I have. And I have a more sympathetic view of Michal when I consider her whole story.

Ajax 777 · Oct 22, 2012

Er, I feel certain the linen ephod was a priestly garment,
and not the skimpy little apron some suggest it was. Michal was punished justly.

Read this:

"An ephod was a priestly garment worn over a simple robe; there was nothing immodest about it. David just had simple (humble) clothing, not his kingly garb that would have designated him as above the others, he was dressed as the rest of Levites bearing the ark. David was humbled before his Lord and the ark.
David danced humbly before the Lord. Not in underwear, but in the simple ephod that everyone serving the Lord would wear. This was a humble person’s attire, not sinful or shameful. Michal accused David of dancing like a common man and beneath his station in life, no robe or crown to set him off as more important than others. An ephod was worn by the most simple servants of the Lord:

'Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy clothed with a linen ephod.'

- 1 Samuel 2:18 ESV

Wearing a linen ephod was symbolic of serving before the Lord,
it was the attire of the priests. David was serving just as if he was a priest."

(Source: The Berean Wife)

JimB · Oct 22, 2012

Ajax 777 said:
Er, I feel certain the linen ephod was a priestly garment,
and not the skimpy little apron suggest it was. Michal was punished justly. Read this:

"An ephod was a priestly garment worn over a simple robe; there was nothing immodest about it. David just had simple (humble) clothing, not his kingly garb that would have designated him as above the others, he was dressed as the rest of Levites bearing the ark. David was humbled before his Lord and the ark.
David danced humbly before the Lord. Not in underwear, but in the simple ephod that everyone serving the Lord would wear. This was a humble persons attire, not sinful or shameful. Michal accused David of dancing like a common man and beneath his station in life, no robe or crown to set him off as more important than others. An ephod was worn by the most simple servants of the Lord:

'Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy clothed with a linen ephod.'

- 1 Samuel 2:18 ESV

Wearing a linen ephod was symbolic of serving before the Lord,
it was the attire of the priests. David was serving just as if he was a priest."

(Source: The Berean Wife)

Actually, an ephod covered only the chest. And, according to Exodus 28, it was a priestly garment to be worn only by priests (Levites) on duty and only on certain days. David was not a priest; he was from the tribe of Judah. So, technically, despite the dramatic warning in vv.5-7, when Uzzah was slain for not obeying the Law, David himself was actually violating the Law when he donned (only) an ephod leaving his derriere exposed and danced wildly before the young women of Jerusalem. There is much more to this story than a superficial (Charismatic) reading will disclose. Read in the context of Davids life and David does not come out looking quite so good. He was a flawed man, and that is what we are to learn from 2 Samuel 6.

murjahel · Oct 22, 2012

What David wore was the garment that was designed like a long nightshirt. It was not a nightshirt, but to us would look like one. It was to be covered by the king with a royal robe, identifying him as the king. The priests wore the same undergarment, with a priestly overgarment to identify them as priests. Other professions had their own over garment.

In the hospitals of today, we see doctors with their overgarment, and if they removed that, they would not be 'naked' in todays understanding.

A judge of today wears an overgarment to identify them as a judge. Without it, I hope they would not be naked. LOL

Davids wife, Michal, did not appreciate Davids humility as king, and his boyish spirit. David had reverence for God, and she criticized his dancing before the Ark," wearing only his inner garment, with no outer robe to show himself to be king.

But David danced and rejoiced at the bringing of the Ark to Jerusalem. The outer robe would have identified David as King, but David was not going out to dance to be admired, and honored, so he went out in the clothes he wore around the palace, when not entertaining guests who needed to be reminded he was king.

The word 'naked' identifies not 'nakedness' as we think of it in our day, but only the lack of the identifying robe that indicated one's profession. Today, we see ministers in shorts, jeans, t- shirts, and other everyday clothes, and in Bible days, they would have been called 'naked' for that choice of garments in a church service. So, all you 'naked' ministers out there, be careful how you criticize David... LOL

ServantJohn · Oct 22, 2012

ByronArn said:
Anyways, have you ever experienced this manifestation? Does it ever happen in your church?

In case you were curious, I didn't dance this time. I didn't feel led to dance today.

Yes, I've been led to dance to the Lord. Jumping with hands raised to God is more common in the church I go to now. Sometimes I wish I knew sign language so that I could use it during worship.

Glad you didn't dance today. I would have been really sorry I missed that LOL.

tturt · Oct 22, 2012

to me it means exercise extreme caution if I want to criticize how someone else worships Yahweh.

Willie T · Oct 22, 2012

I love to watch dancing in the spirit.

However it does bring some questions as to why so many people feel they need to be dancing "unto the audience", up front-and-center focused.

It often smacks a little too much of "watch and see how spiritual I am." "Everyone can see me real well, right?"

K2K · Oct 22, 2012

murjahel said:
The word 'naked' identifies not 'nakedness' as we think of it in our day, but only the lack of the identifying robe that indicated one's profession. Today, we see ministers in shorts, jeans, t- shirts, and other everyday clothes, and in Bible days, they would have been called 'naked' for that choice of garments in a church service. So, all you 'naked' ministers out there, be careful how you criticize David... LOL

Wow - I and so many others have been dancing naked and we didn't even know it!!

HUMMM???

I guess we all live naked too, like back in the garden before the fall??

Then Adam and Eve must have been given priestly robes and not jeans and such??

It all starts gettting confusing when naked does mean naked and such. It's like anything could mean anything. Did Isaiah walk around naked or just in non-priestly cloths?

It's sure nice to have a Christian Forum to clear everything up!

ByronArn · Oct 22, 2012

ServantJohn said:
Yes, I've been led to dance to the Lord. Jumping with hands raised to God is more common in the church I go to now. Sometimes I wish I knew sign language so that I could use it during worship.

Glad you didn't dance today. I would have been really sorry I missed that LOL.

When I was a kid (shortly after the Dancing in the Spirit incident mentioned above), my church formed a dance team for worship, which I joined. It was just kids, and the dance instructor, but I learned that cchoreographed dance can be just as worshipful as Dancing in the Spirit.

However that was many years ago. Even though I occasionally free-form dance to worship music at home, I'm not sure I could do it in front of a congregation again. I am a big clutz now, and would probably trip all over the place and distract the worship.

jiminpa · Oct 22, 2012

JimB said:
Um, David is not an example of how you should dance in church. Wasnt he unclothed at the time? (2 Sam. 6.20) An ephod doesnt cover much.

He is a great example of the God appointed king of Israel humbling himself before God, in uninhibited joy. I don't recommend dancing half naked in church today for the sake of others, but some people on this forum could really benefit from that level of humility. I can't think of anyone who wouldn't benefit from that level of humility before God.

And yes I remember your unbiblical belief that King Saul's like-minded daughter is more righteous in her pride than King David in his humility, but I see that as another of your special interpretations.

jiminpa · Oct 22, 2012

I've never danced in the Spirit. I admire it though.

Forge3 · Oct 22, 2012

I too shall dance
watch me as I prance
At one with the glory of the Lord
Who cuts through my doubts like a sword.

ByronArn · Oct 22, 2012

Willie T said:
I love to watch dancing in the spirit.

However it does bring some questions as to why so many people feel they need to be dancing "unto the audience", up front-and-center focused.

It often smacks a little too much of "watch and see how spiritual I am." "Everyone can see me real well, right?"

Perhaps those that are truly dancing in the Spirit (and not doing it for the attention) are led by the Holy Spirit to the "up front and center" (or other visible place) to bless those who love watching dancing in the Spirit. If other people are blessed by seeing someone dance in the Spirit, than the dancer is acting as a praise leader, and is serving the People of God. And, by extension, also serving God.

God bless!

jiminpa · Oct 22, 2012

Willie T said:
I love to watch dancing in the spirit.

However it does bring some questions as to why so many people feel they need to be dancing "unto the audience", up front-and-center focused.

It often smacks a little too much of "watch and see how spiritual I am." "Everyone can see me real well, right?"

Do you say the same of the preacher, or worship leader? They are up front. I understand your point, and that is certainly a danger to be guarded against. I have seen good anointed per-rehearsed dance performances that added to the service. One that stick out in my mind is a song about the blood of Jesus, (I don't remember which song now), with dancers moving red banners over the entire congregation as an affective graphic representation of being covered by Jesus's blood. It worked for me anyway.

There is always a certain amount of love for being center stage among those gifted to minister to crowds. That's what defeats the fear, and confirms the gift. It should always be balanced by Godly humility. I question the motives of more preacher than dancers. Ever heard of a preacher who didn't consider the sermon to be the central part of the church service? They say that is delivering God's word, but imagine a preacher who got up to the pulpit and didn't add a single word or elaboration of his own to his message and just literally gave only God's word. You can't picture that can you? Because it never happens. I'll bet you don't question a good preacher's pride. I think it is the same for anyone who ministers in front of people. If they are anointed and humble a practised presentation is fine.

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