Supernatural Torches and Musical Mantles

Supernatural Torches and Musical Mantles

Ray Hughes

You were not created by God to sit on the sidelines of History. A star reflects the light of the sun. In America, being known and being recognized has become the American Christian goal. Being known and recognized, and making disciples of the nations are two very different things.

Fame represents permanence to a lot of people, but this is not the Kingdom. Many people are created for greatness but often end up being made captive by fame and never make it to greatness. In the world, we live in today popularity represents power, but that is not God’s way.

Mantles are never given to anyone if it is about them. Mantles are always about those you have the opportunity to touch.

1st Chronicles 25

David and his leaders separated some men to be solely for the purpose of prophesying on instruments. Ray gives some insight with Hebrew terminology into the connection between praise (“Judah”) and hands, and the ability to prophesy with instruments.

A mantle: “One generation with the authority of the covenantal promises of God to lay hands on the next generation and anoint them to carry a continuance of an eternal song that was birthed in the heart of a covenant-keeping God who said “I will be your God, you will be my people, and I will be in your midst”. And to carry the presence of God, part of it was a musical mandate”

When David played the harp for Saul, he was instructed to play with his hand, not a plectrum. It was significant for the blessings and prophecy of the music.

The hand was a very important part of the impartation that would take place - the laying on of hands.

The Generation Gap (a new terminology as of 40 years ago) came as a result of a revolt in the heart of a generation. Music, military, politics, and war defined it. A new sound was being unveiled to a generation, and due to new technology in the 1920s, the songs of subcultures were being broadcast across the nation via radio. A generation lost their song because they stopped singing and started buying singing.

The commercialization of music has shifted our sound. Down through the years, culture began to define its expression of creativity upon the misery of the last generation. Even in King Saul’s day, he required that King David play his music with his hand to appease the demonic issues - the misery of the last generation. Our music was never intended for that. Music is not to deal with the loss of the last generation, music is intended for fathers and those that are carrying something that you actually accelerate and multiply when you pick up your mantle.

Ray shares stories of revivalists who preached with such authority the people who heard them experienced Heaven or Hell. We need a generation who will take up the mantle that God has chosen for this generation to step up and preach the Word of God - not about sales or appeasing, but about the Goodness of God that brings people to repentance. There's "a new" creativity that’s coming and the church will no longer be 20 years behind the world in the cutting edge of creativity. We’re created for the cutting edge. We have to wear the Glory of the Lord on us. There’s a new anointing that’s radical, raw and weird coming.

When culture began to change 40 years ago, musicians began to define culture in every blatant way E.g. Elvis Presley, there was no such thing as a “teenager” before Elvis defined the demographic. The Beatles wrote an anthem for the drug culture that was emerging. Spirituality was now being interwoven in this new song that was being heard. Music had become the language of a generation.

Ray shares the journey of The Beatles, and how they shaped culture and the world.

Woodstock - over 500,000 people show up. They converge on a farmers field in Bethel, and a generation converges to release a new sound. They were calling out “freedom” from the last generations’ messes.

Ray discusses the different types of song/singing according to the bible.

The church in that day missed the calling on a generation of people, but these people were going to find "their" calling no matter what.

There are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet. There were 22 strings on the harp. Each string corresponded to a letter - a numerical value, a "tonal" value, and a light value. There are no vowels in Hebrew, only consonants. The strings were made from the gut of the sacrificial lamb, so when the harpists plucked the strings of God’s name the presence of the Lord was manifested. God has a song and a sound and He’s waiting for a generation that will step up and walk in the authority and the power of the Spirit who will shift all of humanity’s understanding of who God is. This is a redemptive generation. Zion is going to become a reality in our heart first, and when we begin to play we’re going to be carrying the reality of God.

There are some prophetic fathers alive today who are saying “we’re not going to sit down until you come… you are the ones who are carrying the sound for the next generation.”

Ray shares his personal journey of realization that he was to be a songwriter. We’re in a generation where mantles are being passed out. God has created the desires in the depths of who you are.

Ray closes in prayer for students.