In recent times, there has been arguments and controversies on how a Christian ought to dance or what dance is acceptable to the Lord. So, let’s talk about the dance.
Dance involves moving the body rhythmically, often in a choreographed way and usually to music. Dance is very expressive and it expresses emotions, releases energy and tension, helps to connect with others, entertains, keeps the blood flowing and is highly spiritual. The Bible tells us to praise God with the Dance.
Dance is mentioned throughout the Old Testament as a means of worship to God. “Praise Him with the timbrel and dance” (Psalm 150:4). Psalm 149:3 says, “They shall praise Him with dancing.” David danced with all his might before the Lord wearing a linen ephod (Psalm 149:3). Miriam the prophetess, Moses and Aaron’s sister, also one of the leaders of the Hebrews at the time, led the women in a victory dance with their tambourines (Exodus 15:20).
Dance is physical, spiritual and soulish. An effective dance involves the tripartite nature. Dance was incorporated to the worship of deities in various parts of the world especially in the Far East, Middle East, Africa, and Greco-Roman world. The Egyptians did their belly dance to ra, their sun god, the Greeks danced at the Temple of Diana, the Indians danced to their Hindu gods, the Chinese danced the Dragon dance, the Romans danced to Bacchus, the Canaanites danced to Ashtoreth, the Africans danced to Sango and other African deities, the Hispanics danced to the Mayan gods, while the Native American Indians danced to ancestors, the dead, and the elements.
The progenitor of the Jewish race was a Canaanite from the region of Mesopotamia, a people who worshipped idols and deities other than Yahweh the Living God. Dance was a very significant part of worship and celebration in the Jewish culture. They had the Hora dance, the Mayim Mayim (water dance) and several others. During the Simchat Torah, held at the last day of Sukkot, the Rabbi would dance with the Torah in his hands wrapped with the Tallit and pointed it to the sky while the congregation danced around him in circles clapping and raising their hands.
Since the New Testament did not make mention of dancing as found in the Old Testament, it is possible to conclude that there probably was no dancing in the Early Church. However, it is important to note that the early church was Jewish in origin and would have incorporated dancing in their worship especially during the High Holy Days and festive period.
Dancing has also been proven to be the best form of exercise to combat depression. Effective dancing involves the whole person – the body, spirit, and soul. A dancing church is a happy church. Dancing helps to release mental and emotional tension. The atmosphere of worship and high praises with dance is the best treatment for depression and anxiety. “In the presence of God there is fullness of Joy and at His right hand there are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).
Characteristic of the Christian Dance
Dancing should be God-honoring
Dancing is physical, physical energy is exerted
Dancing is soulish
Dancing is cognitive
Dancing is spiritual
Dancing should be celebratory
Dancing is worship
Dancing should be joyful
Dancing should not be self-exalting and self-focused
Dancing should be sacrificial
The right question to ask is this? Who is your dance dedicated to? And what is on the throne of your heart while dancing? If Christ is on the throne of your heart while dancing and your goal is to honor Him in your dance, then your dance is holy. If self is on the throne of your heart while you are dancing, then your dance is towards self. If lust is on the throne of your heart while dancing then your dance is sensual. If man and how to please man is on the throne of your heart while dancing then your dance is prideful. Dancing is a vital part of our worship and wellbeing. If God can rejoice and dance over me (Zeph. 3:17), then I will dance for Him unashamedly and unhindered without holding back because my dance is my covenant of worship unto the Lord and my celebration of victory.
I will dance, shout, jump and sing to my Lord for He has given me victory. Psalm 149:1-9.
May you never stop dancing for joy in Jesus’ name. Amen!
A man once said and I quote, “Tough times never last but tough people do.” (Robert H Schuller, 1984). Life is full of curves and turns; some curves can throw you into an eternal ditch while others can bounce you off the way. Understanding how to navigate curves and turns in life is very crucial.
Adversities are turns and curves which we have to navigate with wisdom. Some situations hit you like a tornado that occurs without prior notice. How do you handle them when they come?
I lost my mother suddenly at the age of 23, one week she was alive and the next week she was gone. I remember my last physical encounter with her in her conscious state, I was working out of town during my National Youth Service Corp year (a mandatory service to the nation after college). I would come home every Thursday and leave for my base on Sunday. This particular Sunday before leaving, my mom asked me to stand in front of her and she poured out her heart in blessings to me, her prayers were unusually long that day. She had never done that before, although she was a praying woman, that occurrence was very unusual; that week she went into a coma.
As the oldest child, I had no time to grieve, I had 3 younger siblings – one young adult and two teenagers – to care for and I swung into action. I became a parent to young adults as a young adult myself. The journey was hard and tough but with God on our side, we navigated several curves and bounced back from many knock downs.
Adversities and setbacks help us to rethink and strategize. Pit times are not party times but they are learning times. There is always a way out, your determination, resilience, and will to live and succeed will give you the strength to always come out of every pit. While in the pit, master the pit and discover the escape routes; someone somewhere will need it.
The best counselors are the ones who have been deeply wounded and have received healing through the hands of the Savior. Because they have been there, they will give you the tips and teach you how to walk through the curves and turns of life.
Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
Rejection can be traumatizing. It starts with a seed that is planted in our lives as a result of situations and circumstances we have experienced. Rejection is the sense of being cast aside, or discarded. Sometimes when as child you are have heard more NOs in your life than Yes’ you might begin to feel that there is something wrong with you. A sense of worthlessness, poor self- image and hopelessness might set in.
Rejections might be hard to bounce back from and could be paralyzing. There is a paralyzing effect of rejection which if care is not taken might be difficult to recover from. Rejection can make you doubt your ability to succeed at anything. Some forms of rejection could be subtle in nature. One good example is an individual who is very diligent and carries out his duties with excellence but never receive a commendation from the organization they serve while others around them are being recognized, they are overlooked. Another example is when you have had a broken relationship or a divorce and the devil speaks some lies into your subconsciousness that you are unlovable and you decide to lower your standards and be a people pleaser.
No matter how much rejection you have experienced you can move forward and flourish. The first thing to do is to discover your origin in Christ and acknowledge that the God of the Bible is your Father and your Mother (the source of your origin). Forgive and release those who have rejected you and renew your mind with the truth of God’s Word.
Rejection is a temporary setback; you can always bounce back “the righteous man may fall seven times and rise again” (Prov. 24:16)
Rejection does not determine your self-worth, you were bought with a price, Christ has determined that you are worth dying for;
Reach out for help; talk to a Christian counselor or coach;
There is a purpose in your rejection, learn from your experience and look forward to your best years which are ahead of you. Forget the things that are behind and look ahead; (Phil 3:13-14)
You will surely come back stronger and healthier if you do not give up.
Limiting beliefs are beliefs that are self-deprecating. They are thoughts that 10 out of the 12 spies had when they went into Canaan to spy the land. The giants looked bigger to the 10 spies than the God who parted the Red Sea and brought the Hebrews out of Egypt, the giants of Canaan looked bigger than the God who provided them with Manna, Spring Water and Meat in the wilderness.
Sometimes, limiting beliefs come as a response to past traumatic experiences. It you’ve had to fight hard to achieve various milestones in your life or you’ve had to deal with obstacles and challenges that have paralyzed your faith, you might begin to have beliefs that are limiting. The Fear of Failure is a limiting belief. For several years in an abusive marriage, I was told how much of a failure I was and how worthless I was because I didn’t bring in much income as a Pastor. In my sub-consciousness, I began to see myself as a failure and had to fight the voice in my head that kept telling me how much of a failure I was no matter how much I tried. The fear of failure crippled me. I published books, developed courses and was gifted in many areas, highly cerebral, intellectual and Spirit-filled, but the fear of failure kept me bound. I learnt to conquer those destructive limiting thoughts with the Word of God. I do speak life over myself and constantly replace the negative thoughts with God’s thoughts about me.
Another limiting belief is Perfectionism. Perfectionism is an obsession with flawlessness and perfection. It is always concerned with what people will think. Perfectionism comes with critical self-evaluations, self-doubt, unrealistic expectations and excessive concern with mistakes and errors. Perfectionism wants to prove a point to others. Yes, we are called to excellence, and, excellence allows for imperfections and mistakes. Excellence is concerned about the process and the lessons learnt on the journey while perfectionism is concerned about the outcome which has to be flawless. Many perfectionists suffer from anxiety.
Give yourself grace, you are not out to please man but God and God sees you where you are. Do not be afraid to fail; failure is not when you get it wrong, failure is when you quit and refuse to be all that God has called you to be. Do not allow your beliefs to limit you. God has more for you and you need to trust His process.
God’s intent for the family is for both parents to be present in raising their children. A child needs both parents to flourish and to be whole.
Sometimes, what we see on the outside to be a perfect marriage could end up in divorce, so what happens to the children? Never use your child/children as a bait to get back to your ex. You have chosen your own path your children are a gift from God and did not choose their parents. Even if you and your spouse decide to go your separate ways, please take care of your children. Do not speak evil of your ex to your children, even if he or she was a monster.
We sometimes forget that our children are human beings although little in size and younger in age, they have eyes, ears and brains. They also have emotions and can perceive things. They will one day grow up and figure things out by themselves, but please do not damage their tender emotions by speaking evil of each other, be civil.
I have seen some couples thrive better as friends rather than as married couples and although they have gone their separate ways, they chose to be civil and be respectful towards each other for the sake of their children and for old times’ sake. “Lo children are the heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb its reward” (Psalm 127:3).
Dos and Don’ts of Co-Parenting Allow each parent to enjoy visitation rights, except in an abusive or life-threatening situation. Do not deprive the child or children of love, care, provision and shelter. You can still make joint decisions about the welfare of your child or children. Avoid unnecessary drama, do not scar your child/children. Swallow your pride or ego and make the child/children your priority. Child support is not a punishment, it’s your financial responsibility towards your child/children; be faithful and God will reward you. Don’t lie about your income so as to reduce your financial responsibility towards your child/children; God is watching and you will reap whatever you sow. If one parent cannot meet certain obligations for genuine reasons like health challenges or financial challenges and you have the ability to, please pick up, especially if you have the ability to. Its no big deal.
Be kind to one another; kindness is the fruit of the Spirit. Pray for your children, they are mighty arrows; do not allow your situation to break them. Never speak evil of your ex to your child/children. Make the home a safe place for your child/children especially when they are visiting. Your child/children can still enjoy both worlds if done with wisdom, love and the fear of the Lord.
The soul is the dimension of the person that interrelates with all the other dimensions so that they form one life – Dallas Willard.
The soul encompasses and organizes the whole person; it is the deepest part of the self. Just like a computer, it operates quietly until there is a defect; the soul can be reprogrammed.
The word ‘psuche’ in the Greek term which also means the human soul is a gift from God. It is a vital force because it is life. “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Gen. 2:7). The soul is our inner being.
Our soul, though created in the image of God can be damaged, defiled and distorted due to the sinful nature, therefore it needs to be restored. Our damaged emotions and painful memories need to be healed. Jesus Christ is still in the business of restoration of the soul by the power of His Holy Spirit.
The Freedom Walk Book is Self-Help Scripture-based material designed for two overall purposes: first to equip the readers with the tools to assist them in their journey towards emotional health and healing; and second, for spiritual formation and discipleship.
Dr. Tope Ade has been able to list and identify 6 different walks needed to attain the freedom intended by God for His children; Walking in Love, Walking in Peace, Walking in Victory, Walking in Authority, Walking in the Spirit and, Walking in Alignment. You will be challenged to the following: Understand the God kind of love, Walk in Forgiveness, Heal from Past Wounds, Appreciate your uniqueness in Christ, Exercise your authority as a believer, Learn how to walk in the Spirit and much more.
This material can be used in Bible Study Groups, Discipleship Classes, Pastoral Counseling Group Settings, or by individuals.
