Thoughts from Justin Rizzo on Prophetic Music

This post is continuing a series on my blog entitled "Prophetic Musician Interviews". Today's thoughts are from Justin Rizzo, a worship leader here at IHOP. I play keys for Justin's worship team, and I'm privileged to be able to post some of his thoughts.

Josh: Hey Justin. I know you would agree that there is a war raging in the spirit realm today through the common language of music. Just as we see the Satanic movement being raised up, we are entering into a time in history when the Holy Spirit is specifically setting apart musicians like never before. Give us some of your thoughts on what the Lord is doing on the earth today, and how you posture your heart as a worship leader leading musicians in the Lord's worship movement.

Justin: For so long we have settled for simply listening to the ‘other guy’ and playing whatever they play. But in this day and hour God is giving many musicians a higher vision and releasing the cry within them, “There must be more than what I’ve known.”

Around God’s throne in heaven we are told that there is lighting, thunder, and voices which are proceeding from His throne (Rev. 4). There are four living creatures and the twenty-four elders who never stop crying out, “Holy, Holy, Holy.” They are not robotically programmed to say, “Holy.” They are saying it because they are constantly seeing new expressions of God and fresh waves of His glory are being released. My point is that God is the creator of all sound and all music and He is not lacking in new ways to express Himself.

One of the primary ways that I believe the understanding and expression of Christianity is going to change in this generation is through musicians (and singers) who consecrate their ears and watch what they feed their spirits, and also those who are faithful in cultivating their life in the Spirit. More and more I am hearing about musicians who are shutting out other musical influences because they want the influence of heaven upon their playing. There is such dissatisfaction with what they’ve known and they are committed to spending time playing their instrument before the Lord and communing with the Holy Spirit. I have experienced times when the Holy Spirit is breathing upon a musician as they play and I am convinced that these times happen as a result of the hours spent before Him alone at home in their rooms; playing before Him when no one else is watching. (Isa. 42:10-13)

The most impactful thing for me and what has given me such a hunger to consecrate myself in the area of music was a dream that a friend of mine had several years ago. In this dream she was in a stadium full of people. As she watched the stage, she saw an electric guitarist playing his guitar. Surges of power were going through the stadium as he played and all of his notes were leading up to his final note, which would be a supernatural note. It was a very high pitched note, a note that could not be reached in the natural. As he began to play it, what happened next was almost indescribable, it was as though this whole stadium full of people were all escorted into a realm of glory that was nearly too great to behold. The man playing this note suddenly fell over dead. The stadium erupted in a standing ovation because this was the greatest thing that could have happened to someone after playing such a note. Any person who brought such a realm of glory would surely die in the wake of the power that was released through them. That was the highest praise, the most beautiful worship of all.

This is the vision that I have set for my own life and also the standard that I call my musicians to pursue. God wants to give musicians this kind of supernatural influence as they play and I believe we will begin to see the kinds of things described in this dream take place in the coming days.

God wants to give new melodies, new sounds, and new songs. He wants to influence musicians with the “stamp of heaven.” He will give more as we are faithful to ask for it and pursue it with our lifestyle, but this won’t happen overnight. I like to think of it as the same concept as the guy who wants to make the sports team. He can’t just work out one time and then automatically be in shape to make the team. Rather, it’s through the thousands upon thousands of practices and trips to the gym that will prepare him and equip him.

God is looking for musicians who will press into Him and embark upon a life long journey of searching out what He has gloriously hidden for us to find (Pr. 25:2). Will you be one of them?

I want to be one of them! Thanks for your thoughts, Justin!