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Creator God, thank You for inspiring people in creative ways to pray. Thank You for the special ministry of these special intercessors.

Prayer is a universal language. Almost everyone knows what prayer is, whether they are Christians or not. I was thrilled to learn about a form of prayer I had never heard of before called “enacted prayer.” Enact means to act out. Enacted prayer is acting out prayers, rather than verbally speaking them.

I was recently introduced to IFA intercessors, a lovely couple, Rich and Joyce Swingle. Rich is an award-winning actor, teaches workshops, and was even nominated for a Tony Award.

In 1992, Rich was in seminary when he became sick. It was during this time he received his call from the Lord; the Lord instructed him not to pursue the pastorate, but to pursue ministry through the Arts. He got an M.A. in theatre, thinking he would fulfill his calling as a theatre professor. However, in 2001, Rich learned about enacted prayer from Jeff Barker.

Rich and his wife Joyce are fulfilling the great commission ministering through the Arts. They have been to Cuba, Australia, Romania, Canada, Bethlehem, Taiwan, and Lichtenstein to enact prayers over the nations.

How does enacted prayer work? I will do my best to describe it, but I will also include a link for you to watch.

First, Rich & Joyce will receive a prayer request. One of the intercessors represents the person who needs the prayer. Another intercessor represents Father God, with one more as the Son Jesus Christ, and another as Holy Spirit. Without words, they will act out the prayers, whether they are prayers of physical healing or whatever need it may be.

It is exciting to watch prayers come to life right before your eyes. Because they are unscripted, there is freedom and space for the Holy Spirit to minister prophetically to the people who are watching the prayers. Joyce explained that this type of praying becomes a prophetic act much like the prophets in the Bible. For those who may question this, consider the prophet Ezekiel. He acted out most of his message to the people of Israel as instructed by the Lord. Did you know Habbukuk recorded his prayer as a song to be sung. You can sing prayers. Ezekiel acted out his message. You can act out your prayers. In a simpler term, Enacted prayers are prophetic wordless prayers.

The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. (Rom 8:26 NLT)

Enacted prayers encourage the body of Christ. Those who need prayer and those watching the prayer see God communicate in a new way. This builds faith. They have also seen doors open to evangelism as people watch a live demonstration of the Godhead interacting with people through these enactments. We see both a building up of the body (Ephesians 4:11,12) and fulfilling the great commission (Mark 16:15).

Rich and Joyce also do enacted praise. This is a form of worship. They don’t petition God in this form, rather they act out worship and show God exuberant praise for what He’s done and for who He is. Praise and prayer go together. Praise is just as powerful as prayer.  Praise is a breaker that goes before us. Praise is a weapon that we do not utilize as much as we should. Praise brought Jericho’s walls down, flung wide the prison gates for Paul & Silas, confounded the enemy before Jehoshaphat went into battle. Many Christians don’t realize the connection to praise and prophecy. Often the act of expressing praise opens the door for prophetic utterrances and acts. Thank God for enacted praise!

I was so moved by some of their testimonies and miraculous answers to enacted praying. At the Toronto Arts Festival, a prayer request came in from a grandson who was concerned for his grandfather who was beginning chemotherapy. His prayer was that his grandfather would be able to take the chemo well. They enacted this prayer request. A phone call came in that the grandfather was up and out of bed marching around and declaring he was healed. Wow! God is in charge of how the healing happens, and God did it. This is just one of the amazing stories the Swingles shared with me.

Enacted prayer is a beautiful form of intercession before the Lord. It is no more powerful than verbal praying, but there is a definite act of faith taking place in the actors and viewers alike, and we know that faith requires action. We also know that faith moves mountains.

I am very thankful for and blessed by the ministry of Rich and Joyce. They are a living testimony of how God uses our talents for his glory. Many complain about how the arts have been compromised by the enemy. The Swingles are redeeming the arts. God is using the Swingles to pray in a new way, build up the Body of Christ, and evangelize. I encourage you to look up Rich and Joyce Swingle and watch their videos. They have enacted prayers. They have skits reenacting Bible characters and reformers, and so much more.

For more information on Rich and Joyce Swingle,  for teaching workshops near you, or to book them. You can find them here: http://www.blog.richdrama.com/p/updates.html?m=1

I’ve included a link to their prayer at the Vadus Castle in Lichtenstein. This was enacted upon finding out this mostly Christian nation, had leaders who wanted to turn away from their faith.

http://www.blog.richdrama.com/2018/09/the-word-is-fire-and-hammer.html?m=1

For more information on Rich and Joyce Swingle,  for teaching workshops near you, or to book them. You can find them here.

http://www.blog.richdrama.com/p/updates.html?m=1

https://m.facebook.com/RichDrama

https://www.youtube.com/c/RichSwingle

https://instagram.com/richswingle?igshid=1kk1ziyj3bgi4

http://www.blog.richdrama.com/2005/06/improvisational-worship.html

 

Author Gloria Robles is a passionate intercessor with a prophetic voice for today. For more from Gloria, go to Spotify or Anchor to listen to her podcast Something To Share. (Photo Credit: Pikist.)

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Rich and Joyce Swingle
October 26, 2020

We did an enacted prayer at the Lincoln Memorial just before Let Us Worship yesterday: http://www.RichDrama.com/EnactedPrayer

Rich Swingle
October 6, 2020

Gloria, thanks so much for this article! Joyce and I have been so blessed to lead enacted prayer all over the world. We haven’t posted many of them online because they’re typically quite personal.

If you go to http://www.RichDrama.com/EnactedPrayer you can see some examples, including one we did for the nation of Liechtenstein, that it return to its Christian roots.

I have more information at http://www.RichDrama.com/Workshops.

FYI: I’ve never won a Tony Award.

J.F. Meyer
October 4, 2020

How can you post this? This type of stuff makes me seethe. The enemy is at the gate and we Christians promote this blather.
J.F.

INTERVIEW: CAN YOU VOTE FOR TRUMP WITHOUT DAMAGING CHRISTIAN WITNESS?
OCTOBER 4, 2020 | FROM THE STREAM

Father, continue to protect our nation and help us to call on Your name. Give us wisdom as we vote in this upcoming election.
I Prayed
114 People Prayed
Watch this interview with Dr. Michael Brown on Christians voting for Trump. (Excerpt from The Stream. Article by James Robison. Photo Credit: White House flickr.) What do you think?

    Rich and Joyce
    October 28, 2020

    Dear J.F.,
    We really appreciate your passion for defeating the enemy, and we agree he is at the gate. We just posted an enacted prayer for the ending of abortion at the Lincoln Memorial yesterday at the Let Us Worship event: http://www.RichDrama.com/EnactedPrayer

    We hope you’ll see that enacted prayer has great potential in spiritual warfare.

    In Christ alone,
    Rich & Joyce

    1
Karen Secrest
October 3, 2020

Glory of zion International Ministry in corinth,Texas has a dance team that performs each Sunday with the worship ministry. It is fascinating to watch them war prophetically as well as worship.
As this ministry has expanded, music and dance has become a community outreach and they have waiting lists for classes. One that appealed to me was 7-10 year old boys learning to minister through music and dance.
Two weeks ago the teacher did a service on the history of dance in the church. A video was made of 8 different countries and their dance. The different expressions were memorable.
I agree with you about the effectiveness of different forms of creative worship in this season. It certainly is worth pursuing!

3
Aretha
October 3, 2020

I really love how my Heavenly Father moves among His People! I have learned so much since I joined IFA, and I know my faith has increased. I will have to check out Rich and Joyce Swingle. In spite of all the shaking and chaos that has occurred in the nation and the world, I am so encouraged to seek GOD like never before. I love the articles on worship, prayer, and praise. The Body of Christ is truly in the Army of the LORD as I see the saints of GOD mobilizing in praise, worship, prayer and the prophetic (4 Ps)! The tents of David have been restored!

3
Toni Kushner
October 3, 2020

I can see this form or expression of prayer as a sincere manner of bringing ones heart before God, but I find having taught and encouraged prayer in the Body of Christ, many would have a hard time identifying with this form of prayer. I believe this would come from the Holy Spirit within and difficult to teach. It is very hard to get people to pray in a public setting, especially if not established in an intimate relationship with a personnel God. This is birthed within by His Spirit and may not be a gift all have. the Lord has given me opportunity to teach on Prayer this fall and He has formed a class that will be line upon line teach, most importantly learning abut God’s Divine Order and the role we each have within the frame He has set up. May His people pray as we seek His face, “Lord teach us to pray.”

1
Darlene Estlow
October 3, 2020

God uses our talents to His glory. I would love to see their work, but the link didn’t show me any of their work.

4
    Gloria A Robles
    October 3, 2020

    Hi Darlene,

    If you click the link, it should take you to his page. On the bottom it has small icons with his Facebook, instagram, and YouTube channel.you should be able to see videos of him & Joyce on there.

    1
    Rich Swingle
    October 6, 2020

    We haven’t posted many of them online because they’re typically quite personal.

    If you go to http://www.RichDrama.com/EnactedPrayer you can see some examples, including one we did for the nation of Liechtenstein, that it return to its Christian roots.

    I have more information at http://www.RichDrama.com/Workshops.

Fay Wallage
October 3, 2020

I LOVE THIS! I have not ever heard of Enacted Prayer, ans would love to hear more. I do not see the link for the video. There’s an info link for their agenda and updates.

Thanks for sharing.

1
    Gloria A Robles
    October 3, 2020

    If you click the link, it should take you to his page. On the bottom it has small icons with his Facebook, instagram, and YouTube channel.you should be able to see videos of him & Joyce on there.
    You have to click the little icons.

    1
    Rich Swingle
    October 6, 2020

    We haven’t posted many of them online because they’re typically quite personal.

    If you go to http://www.RichDrama.com/EnactedPrayer you can see some examples, including one we did for the nation of Liechtenstein, that it return to its Christian roots.

    I have more information at http://www.RichDrama.com/Workshops.

Jeane Whiteside
October 3, 2020

Powerful voice for the Lord. I have seen and been a part of what we called standing in the place of someone needing prayer. It works but I see this as more powerful as there are more putting their whole selves in the picture of prophetic prayer.

3
Mary Naggatz
October 3, 2020

Where is the video to watch enacted prayer?

1
    Darlene Estlow
    October 3, 2020

    I wondered the same thing.

      Gloria A Robles
      October 3, 2020

      If you click the link, it should take you to his page. On the bottom it has small icons with his Facebook, instagram, and YouTube channel.you should be able to see videos of him & Joyce on there.
      Just click on the little youtube icon.

    Rich Swingle
    October 6, 2020

    We haven’t posted many of them online because they’re typically quite personal.

    If you go to http://www.RichDrama.com/EnactedPrayer you can see some examples, including one we did for the nation of Liechtenstein, that it return to its Christian roots.

    I have more information at http://www.RichDrama.com/Workshops.

Donald Petersen
October 3, 2020

We need and want more of this.

3
Cathy
October 3, 2020

Excited to read more about this orality based sharing of the Good News.

3

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