Unique Prophetic Voice

Something I have wrestled with for some time, is the pressure for each of the prophetic words attached to my artwork to fit a specific mould. Now, God doesn’t do anything without purpose and anytime you are creating with Him, there will be purpose attached to it (you can read more about that here), but there will be a difference, for example, in the artwork of someone who is highly prophetic (think Zechariah 4 like imagery) versus someone who is highly evangelistic.

When I started out creating with God, I was mentored by someone (and still am) who is very highly prophetic and someone else who is highly evangelistic. At the time, my paintings kind of took on their “flavour.” I have some paintings that are very symbolic with specific prophetic words for people or people groups attached to them. I have other paintings that are evangelistic in nature and were created with the intent of bringing someone who doesn’t know Jesus into an encounter with Him. However, I started to become frustrated, feeling like there was something in me that needed to be expressed differently. Art has always first been worship for me, and in the pressure I was feeling to have my prophetic art resemble that of my mentors, I felt like worship was being pushed to the side (please note that I wasn’t feeling this pressure from my mentors – my understanding of the prophetic was limited and so it was pressure I was putting on myself). Exasperated, I plopped down on the couch one day and asked the Lord, “Does everything need to be prophetic? Does every painting need to have a meaning that someone else can understand? Can’t I just worship you and let the art speak for itself like I do with music?”

“Why don’t you find out?” He replied.

Huh.

That painting, which you can read about here, was a defining moment for me. That was the start of discovering how each painting can have its own, unique prophetic voice.

When we use the word prophecy today, we refer to anytime God speaks through us in order to strengthen, encourage, and comfort others (1 Corinthians 14:3). It doesn’t necessarily refer to speaking of future things although that can be part of it. What it does refer to is Christ in us, the hope of glory. Let me explain that further: in the Old Testament, under the Old Covenant, prophecy typically pointed to the future work of the Cross; in the New Testament, under the New Covenant, it points back to the finished work of the Cross. In other words, the lens we prophesy through is the lens of “what has Jesus done or is He doing in this person.”

Prophetic art all points to Jesus, but I think there are many different “voicings” that it can be expressed through. Think of it this way: instruments have different voicings - take a saxophone, for example. Baritone, tenor, alto, soprano… all for the same instrument. Each saxophone has characteristics different from the others that make its voice unique, but they are still all saxophones. In the same way, the instrument of prophetic art has different voicings.

Some art pieces may have an evangelistic voicing or highly prophetic voicing as expressed earlier. Some may also have a word that has healing voice or worshipful voice. Sometimes, you may even see something you’re anointed for be a common prophetic voice in your work. For example, I have a gift for teaching which means I have a gift for unpacking the Word of God and helping others understand it. So, it’s no surprise that I have multiple paintings that have a revelatory voice. The words with those paintings unpack biblical passages in a way that’s similar to a sermon. Some of my worshipful paintings don’t even have meanings that can be expressed in words. That said, your artwork doesn’t have to reflect your anointing. Even for my mentors, not every art piece was evangelistic or highly prophetic (again, Zechariah 4 type imagery).

Progress on Heaven is Upside Down which has a revelatory "voicing."

My point is this: there is no mould that the meaning of your artwork has to fit. A prophetic art piece doesn’t have to meet specific criteria. All it needs to do is point to Jesus. I don’t want you to feel the pressure for it look a certain way. If the Lord has given you one word or sentence that goes with your piece, that is all it needs. Heck, I don’t even want you to feel the pressure to identify it’s “prophetic voicing.” Rather, just allow yourself to feel the freedom for your artwork to have its own, unique voice.

Be blessed!