ART: Whence It Cometh - Spirit in Motion

Spirit in Motion

"The wind bloweth where it listeth (wishes), and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit." John 3:8

The Scripture passage for this painting is John 3:1-21 where Jesus talks to Nicodemus about being born again, born of the Spirit. In Scripture, the Holy Spirit is compared to the wind. The Hebrew name for the Holy Spirit is Ruach Ha'Kodesh. (ROO-akh ha-KOH-desh) Ruach means wind or spirit. Kodesh means holy, thus Ruach Ha'kodesh literally means Spirit, the Holy, or The Holy Spirit.

HEBREW LESSON:
HaKadosh is a substantive that means "The Holy One" (as in Ha-Kadosh baruch hu, "the Holy One, blessed be He"). The accent falls at the end: ha-ka-DOSH. 
Ruach HaKadosh would mean "the spirit of the holy one" (as in a saint).  It is NOT used for the Holy Spirit... 
Ruach HaKo'desh means "the holy Spirit," just like har ha-ko'desh means "the holy mountain," admat ha-ko'desh means "the holy land," ir ha-ko'desh means "the holy city," and so on.



In the New Testament, the Greek word for Spirit is pneuma. 

• a movement of air (a gentle blast)
• of the wind, hence the wind itself
• breath of nostrils or mouth
• The third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit, coequal, co-eternal with the Father and the Son 
• sometimes referred to in a way which emphasizes His personality and character (the "Holy" Spirit) 
• sometimes referred to in a way which emphasizes His work and power (the Spirit of "Truth")

John 3:1-21 NLT
 1 There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”
 3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
 4 “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
 5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
 9 “How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.
 10 Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? 11 I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony. 12 But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.

 16 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

 18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”

THE CREATIVE PROCESS
When the Holy Spirit guided me through this painting, the piece began with broad horizontal strokes of green, blue, gold and purple hues. Then diagonal brush strokes, sweeping the hues across the canvas.The result is a painting that depicts the work of the Holy Spirit indwelling in born-again Christians, God's children.  

Green means new life.
Blue signifies the Holy Spirit, heaven, holiness.
Gold indicated the glory of God.
Purple represents royalty & majesty, robe of righteous, riches.

All my paintings begin with prayer. I ask for the Holy Spirit's guidance from beginning to end - from choosing the canvas and paint colors to the last brush stroke. I pray that the Lord's message would go forth through the art and that Father God would be glorified. 

I believe all prophetic art has a message, but what the Holy Spirit speaks to me about a specific piece of art, may be different than what the Spirit says to you. Seek Him for a personal interpretation.

Spirit in Motion by Christine Nichols

ART PRINTS NOW AVAILABLE! 

Find more Contemporary Christian Art 

on my website, Christine Nichols Fine Art.  

Look me up on Facebook and like the page 

if you have been blessed by the art. 

May the Lord be glorified and may the art speak to your heart!

Thanks for reading this blog. 

Feel welcome to comment below.

Blessings,

Christine

Copyright Notice
All images and texts are copyrighted and may not be copied, stored, used or adapted in any way, by any means mechanical or otherwise without prior written consent from the artist and author.

Ruach Ha'Kadosh - The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit - Christine Nichols

Ruach Ha'Kadosh is Hebrew for The Holy Spirit. In Hebrew, the word ruach means spirit, breath, or wind. Jesus compared the wind to everyone born of the Spirit in John 3:8. 

This painting shows the Holy Spirit moving like the wind but the Father and Son are also represented in the colors:

GOLD: The Father - glory of God
RED: The Son, Jesus Christ - His shed blood for our sins.
PURPLE: King Jesus - His majesty
BLUE: The Holy Spirit and Heaven.

There is an increased sense of motion as you rotate the painting. It looks like colored wind moving. The painting is signed on all four corners so the piece can be hung vertically or horizontally with the Spirit ascending or descending.

Ruach Ha'Kadosh by Christine Nichols, 2009

Ruach Ha'Kadosh by Christine Nichols, 2009

Ruach Ha'Kadosh by Christine Nichols, 2009

Ruach Ha'Kadosh by Christine Nichols, 2009

There is ONE painting, NOT FOUR, but this presentation shows the four ways the painting can be displayed. It is signed on all four sides so there's no right or wrong way to hang it. There is movement in the single, original painting, but the four together creates a sense of directional winds, purposeful, powerful and intentional.

All my paintings begin with prayer. I ask for the Holy Spirit's guidance from beginning to end - from choosing the canvas and paint colors to the last brush stroke. I pray that the Lord's message would go forth through the art and that Father God would be glorified. I believe all prophetic art has a message, but what the Holy Spirit speaks to me about a specific piece of art, may be different than what the Spirit says to you. Seek Him for a personal interpretation.

>>>ART PRINTS NOW AVAILABLE!<<<

Find more Contemporary Christian Art 

on my website, Christine Nichols Fine Art.  

Look me up on Facebook and like the page 

if you have been blessed by the art. 

May the Lord be glorified and may the art speak to your heart!

Thanks for reading this blog. 

Feel welcome to comment below.

Blessings,

Christine

Wave of Glory!

Christine Nichols, 2012

This abstract was painted in March 2012 at First Love's Art Workshop in LeSueur Minnesota. All my paintings begin with prayer. I ask for the Holy Spirit's guidance from beginning to end (from choosing the canvas and paint colors to the last brush stroke), that the Lord's message would go forth through the art, and that Father God would be glorified. 

I believe all prophetic art has a message, but what the Holy Spirit speaks to me about a specific piece of art, may be different than what the Spirit says to you. Seek Him for a personal interpretation.

The Lord has given a few abstracts that can be displayed in multiple ways. Here's individual views, which I think, changes the feel of the painting. When hung horizontally, it reminds me of the curvature of the earth, God's glory, and the heavenlies.

Original Acrylic Abstract, 2012 - Christine Nichols

While a vertical view reminds me of a surfer riding a huge wave. It gives one pause to realize the raw strength and beauty of God's creation, but none stronger than the Creator, Himself. He in control. He reigns Sovereign over ALL!

A number of titles have been suggested for this painting such as Illumination, King of the Universe, and Sea Wave. My working title is "Mystery." I love a good mystery and this painting still intrigues me. 

One of my favorite passages of Scripture reveals a mystery! Paul writes, "Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— ⁵² in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³ For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. ⁵⁴ When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”^{[Isaiah 25:8]}

⁵⁵ “Where, O death, is your victory?
    Where, O death, is your sting?”^{[Hosea 13:14]}

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁵⁸ Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." 1 Corinthians 15:51-58

Wave of Glory - Christine Nichols, 2012

Find more Contemporary Christian Art on my website, Christine Nichols Fine Art.  Look me up on Facebook and like the page if you have been blessed by the art. 

^>^>^>ART PRINTS NOW AVAILABLE!<^<^<^

Wave of Glory - Vertical ^

Wave of Glory - Horizontal >

May the Lord be glorified and may the art speak to your heart!

Thanks for reading this blog. 

Feel welcome to comment below.

Blessings,

Christine

Untitled Abstact II

You Name It

Christine Nichols

I asked a Facebook group of Christian Prophetic Artists what the Holy Spirit spoke to them about this painting. The comments were many and greatly varied but three themes stood out: 

• The Lord's presence
• Worship
• Washing/Cleansing

I can see all three, but it mainly looks like a small snapshot of continuous praise to me as if the entire painting is too expansive to capture on earth and it goes on perpetually in breadth and length, depth and height, just as Christ's love for us is described in Ephesians 3. Perhaps the reason I perceive this piece in such a way is because found this gem as a photograph of the creative process, but I fully feel it is a piece of art on it's own merit.

 

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,¹⁵ from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, ¹⁶ that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, ¹⁷ that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— ¹⁹ to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

²⁰ Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, ²¹ to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:14-21

Untitled Abstract II, Christine Nichols, 2009

I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
² My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
³ Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together.

Psalm 34:1-3 

 

I was told by a few artists that the painting reminded them of the song, 
"Wash Over Me" by Jami Smith.

 
Deep calls to deep
    in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
    have swept over me.

Psalm 42:7

My Painting Technique

All my paintings begin with prayer. I ask for the Holy Spirit's guidance from beginning to end (from choosing the canvas and paint colors to the last brush stroke), that the Lord's message would go forth through the art, and that Father God would be glorified. 
I believe all prophetic art has a message, but what the Holy Spirit speaks to me about a specific piece of art, may be different than what the Spirit says to you. Seek Him for a personal interpretation.
You can find more Christian Abstract paintings that the Lord has given me on my Facebook page, Christine Nichols-Art, in a Photo Album called "FOR HIS GLORY" 

 

ART: My Spirit

This prophetic painting is entitled "My Spirit" as in God's Holy Spirit. 
 
Painted in 2009, I've forgotten specific details about this painting, but the creative swiftness and anointing of the Spirit remains ever-present in my memory.  The painting process from beginning to end was no more than a half an hour tops. I was amazed how quickly the piece was completed. I remember applying a heavy coat of Gesso for the undercoat and then placing dabs of colors as directed by the Holy Spirit. Long, curved brush strokes from one side of the canvas to the other created the water or wave-like effect on the bottom half of the canvas. Shorter, straight brush strokes in a fan-like motion finished the top of the painting. The distinctive orange in the middle is a dove. If you look closely, you'll see an eye and the beak. 

Interestingly enough, when I took this painting to share at the church I was attending, some of the congregation saw a dove while others saw an orange boat. I can see both. The glory above the dove like heaven opening and the sweeping curves of blue beneath the dove could represent Jesus' baptism where the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus like a dove. On the other hand,  the boat angle and the motion of the water reminds me of the storm where Jesus calmed the wind and the waves merely by His commanding words, "Peace! Be still!" His disciples went from fearing the storm and losing their lives to fearing the Son of God with holy reverence. They exclaimed with wonder, "Who is this man that even the wind and the waves obey Him?" The painting could also represent the boat that was tossed about by the sea and Jesus appeared to the disciples as He walked on the water. 

Examine the painting, read the Scriptures, and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance and wisdom. It may well be that He will reveal a new revelation about this painting meant especially for you.


JOHN BAPTIZES JESUS
Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. ¹⁴ And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”
¹⁵ But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.
¹⁶ When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. ¹⁷ And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:13-17

 Prophetic painting by Christine Nichols ©2009

 
WIND AND WAVES OBEY JESUS
On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” ³⁶ Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. ³⁷ And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. ³⁸ But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”
³⁹ Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. ⁴⁰ But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” ⁴¹ And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!” Mark 4:35-41


JESUS WALKS ON THE WATER
Immediately (after feeding the 5,000 with five loaf of bread and two fish) Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. ²³ And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. ²⁴ But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
²⁵ Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. ²⁶ And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.
²⁷ But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
²⁸ And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”
²⁹ So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
³¹ And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” ³² And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
³³ Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.” Matthew 14:22-33

 

The common denominator of the three stories is that Jesus is clearly declared the Son of God! Jesus is part of the Godhead: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Three in one.

ART: Holy Flood of God's Love

QUENCH NOT THE SPIRIT!

All my paintings are lead by the Holy Spirit and this piece is definitely no exception. "Holy Flood of God's Love" was my first larger prophetic painting. It measures 24"x30". The first step was to apply many layers of multiple colors. Then while the acrylic paint was still wet, I was directed to a new dry brush and told to use long, sweeping curves across the canvas. As the Lord directed my hand, He spoke a powerful message: "To receive the holy flood of God's love, DO NOT restrict the Holy Spirit!" Prompted to repeat the message as I moved the brush across the canvas, I began to see a shape develop. Each brushstroke and spoken word grew stronger, bolder as I moved down the canvas. By the time I reached the end, I was shouting, "TO RECEIVE THE HOLY FLOOD OF GOD'S LOVE, DO NOT RESTRICT THE HOLY SPIRIT!" It was a profound and powerful experience in the presence of the Lord! I was so excited when I finished the painting that I called my sister, Janel to share the experience with her. I couldn't keep the message to myself!


Setting the painting on top of a large cabinet in the dining room, I saw it every time I walked out of the living room. One day, I stopped to study the piece and I heard the Holy Spirit whisper, "Flip the painting around." I did as I was told and tears began trailing down my cheeks. I saw a close-up section of a huge rolling wave with sunlight glittering on top of the water.In Scripture, Gold represents God's glory and the brightness of His presence. - Ezekiel 1:4; 1:27-28; 8:2 (KJV) Christ as the glory of God - Ezekiel 1:28, II Corinthians 4:6, Revelation 21:23 
 

Our loving God knows everything about us. What we like and don't like. He knows the desires of our hearts. Nothing is hidden from Him. Before leading me to paint this piece, God knew that one of my favorite things to do is sit by a lake or river and watch the sunlight dance across the waves. It mesmerizes me like the flames of a campfire. 

I live in Minnesota, the Land of 10,000 Lakes, but I don't know how to swim. Even so, this painting makes me want to take a leap of faith and dive into the holy flood of God's love! It wasn't long after I finished "Holy Flood" that I heard Steven Curtis Chapman's song, "Dive" for the first time. I was amazed at the how closely the lyrics match what the painting means to me. 

  DIVE! by STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN

The long awaited rains
Have fallen hard upon the thirst ground
And carved their way to where
The wild and rushing river can be found
And like the rains
I have been carried here to where the river flows, yeah
My heart is racing and my knee are weak
As I walk to the edge
I know there is not turning back
Once my feet have left the ledge
And in the rush I hear a voice
That’s telling me it’s time
to take the leap of faith
So here I go 

I’m diving in, I’m going deep in over
my head, I want to be
Caught in the rush, lost in the flow,
in over my head, I want to go
The river’s deep, the river’s wide,
the river’s water is alive
So sink or swim, I’m diving in 

There is a supernatural power
In this might river’s flow
It can bring the dead to life
And it can fill an empty soul
And give a heart the only thing
Worth living and worth dying for, yeah
But we will never know the awesome power
Of the grace of God
Until we let ourselves get swept away
Into this holy flood
So if you’ll take my hand
We’ll close our eyes and count to three
And take the leap of faith
Come on let’s go

PAINTING SCRIPTURE
1 Thessalonians 5:19
Do not quench the Spirit. NIV
Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. NLT
Do not put out the Spirit’s fire.TNIV


Ephesians 4:30
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.


GREEK WORD STUDY: QUENCH  
sbe'n-nü-mē 
metaph. to quench, to suppress, stifle

1) of divine influence

Romans 5:5
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
 
2 Corinthians 13:14
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Prophetic painting by Christine Nichols ©2009

Do you remember reading that I called my sister Jan when I was finished with this painting? She shared my excitement, but later I learned that when she mentioned the phone call to her husband, Gary, all he said was that he hoped I continued with the art. I got the feeling that he thought I wouldn't. That the art was just a passing fad in my life. That was in the fall of 2009. Fast forward a year and half later to the summer of 2011. 

Jan and Gary attended my son's high school grad party. When Gary came in the house, he was struck by all the paintings on the walls as our home looks like an art gallery. Gary took the time to walk through the rooms and view the art. When he was done, he came back to this painting which is hung in the kitchen. As he stood gazing at the art, he said, "the painting drew him back and he couldn't take his eyes off of it." 

Before the grad party, I prayed that the art would glorify God and be a blessing to everyone who saw it. The one person I thought who wouldn't get it, got it. I was so blessed by Gary's comment. It's like that was the moment I arrived as an artist because in my mind, it's truly art when the painting affects someone that deeply and draws them in. Praise be to God! I couldn't have done it without HIM!

REFERENCES:
Bible Gateway: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Thessalonians%205:19,%20Eph%204:30&version=NKJV
Blue Letter Bible: http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=1Th&c=5&v=19&t=KJV#conc/19
Steven Curtis Chapman: http://stevencurtischapman.com/
http://stevencurtischapman.com/music/songs/dive-259
Christian Lyrics Online: http://www.christianlyricsonline.com/artists/steven-curtis-chapman/dive.html 
Riding The Beast: http://www.ridingthebeast.com/articles/colors/

ART: Simply Love

LOVE ONE ANOTHER

Jesus said, “A new command I give you: 

Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” 

John 13:34-35

Video of painting stages and Scripture for prophetic art, 

"Simply Love."

Painting Stages:

The painting began with splotches of purple and blue on the canvas followed by vertical and horizontal brush strokes. Then symbols of a bird, heart, circle, an "X" or a cross on it's side with a squiggle showing the horizon, and Hebrew letters: Alef, Dalet (backwards) and Yod were added in gold.

Hebrew Letters
Since Hey is formed from Dalet and Yod, it can also be a picture of returning to God by means of the transforming power of the Spirit. Dalet stands for brokenness, and Yod stands for a hand. Opening the door of the heart then is a picture of the Spirit of God indwelling the believer, and this image also coheres with the idea that part of Aleph (God) is joined with Dalet to form the Hey. The number 11 could be written as Yod-Alef, Alef-Yod, Heh-Vav, Dalet-Dalet-Gimmel or many other combinations of letters. 

We love each other because He loved us first. 

1 John 4:19

The gold was spread across the canvas with horizontal brush strokes. Gold represents the divine nature of God., His GLORY! The Bible also takes about being "refined as gold." Blue means faithfulness, Heaven and the Holy Spirit. Purple represents royalty. Jesus is the King of Glory and King of Kings!

Red painted was sprayed over the canvas. Red represents the precious and powerful blood of Jesus, It is His ransom for our sins. "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow."   Isaiah 1:18

We all know that hearts mean love. Believers of Christ Jesus are to love one another as He loves us to show the world that we are His followers. This is NOT a suggestion or request. It is a NEW COMMAND FROM JESUS!

Horizontal brush strokes blur the lines of individual hearts. Where does one begin and another end? "Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other." Romans 12:4-5

The Holy Spirit lead me to place plastic wrap over the painting and then lift it off. This technique of lifting off wet paint created the effect you see below.

The finished painting is an abstract with compelling eyes (do you see them?) reminding us to SIMPLY LOVE as the Lord loves us. This prophetic art was inspired and lead by the Holy Spirit. I believe there is a specific message that He wants me to tell. There is also an individual message from God to you. Pause and ask Him for your personal interpretation and insight.

WHAT IS LOVE?

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. 

1 Corinthians 13:4-7,13

Love means doing what God has commanded us, and He has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.  

2 John 1:6

Let The Art Talk

Prophetic art is created by Christian artists submitting to God and seeking His Will in the arts. The Holy Spirit guides the creative process from start to finish. I believe prophetic art has two main objectives: The first is to glorify God and the second is to send forth His message, thus the "prophetic" label of the art genre. 

This video is a collection of art the Lord has given me since September 2009 - 2011. The video is similar to the blog entry For His Glory Art Gallery, with the addition of art titles. Notice that the majority of the paintings are alphabetized and yet the art tells a story. I'm amazed how each individual painting holds a message as well as the art collection as a whole. I've also found that by putting selected paintings together, as lead by the Spirit, reveals Biblical truth. 

The point of these videos were to "get the art out there" and seen by the public, but also to remind me that my job is to follow Jesus and submit to Him concerning the art. It is the Holy Spirit's job to use the art according to the Father's Will. God reminded me of that when I wanted to preach about the art with Bible verses and He said, "Let the art speak."

"For His Glory" Art Gallery Video

A video I made showcasing the prophetic art collection thus far. Well, that's not entirely actuate, there are more paintings that I haven't photographed yet to include in the collection, but this is a good sampling. "For His Glory" Art Gallery is an online photo album I created on Facebook for the group Steen Art. 

All of the paintings were inspired and created through the Holy Spirit in the time span of Autumn 2009 - Spring 2011. When making this video, I wanted to preach with Bible verses for each painting, but the Lord said, "Let the ART talk." So be it. 

May God be glorified and may you be blessed! Enjoy.

How is Prophetic Art Created?

I believe Prophetic Art is created by the Holy Spirit as a believer of Jesus Christ submits to His lordship in their lives and in the arts. The Christian artist seeks not their own will in creating art but the will of Father God. The Holy Spirit, who knows the heart of God and man, may then give a vision or dream according to the Father's Will, or may alert the artist that's time to paint and lead them through the creative process. Music can also be used for God's glory in prophetic painting. More and more churches are now including Worship Art as part of the praise service. Whichever supernatural way God chooses, the Holy Spirit is ever present as He inspires and creates the prophetic art. The process is essentially a partnership with the Holy Spirit and believers to create works of art that will glory God and send forth His message. 

What's Your Story, Christine?

I've been doing prophetic art since the Lord called me to paint for Him in 2009. When called, I understood that God wanted me to paint but the "prophetic" part was new to me, and if truth be told, kinda scared me. I thought, "who am I to speak for God?!" Then He began giving me visions of paintings. I dragged my feet for about a month because I didn't really know how to begin. Then on one sunny, but crisp Autumn day, Jesus told me, "If you don't paint now, I'll give the paintings to someone else!" That really motivated me to step out in faith. 

I have been creative for as long as I can remember but the only formal art education I've received is two Community Education classes on watercolors. Since 1995, I've dabbled in watercolors doing mostly landscapes and contemporary art cut-outs with a watercolor insert or backing. One genre that I've always been drawn to is abstract art but I never tried it on my own, other than mimicking other abstract artists' works.

Where To Begin?

The first time I went shopping for art supplies, I asked God to guide my purchases. To my surprise, instead of watercolor paints and paper, He directed me to acrylics, canvases, larger brushes and palette knives, and a sturdy art easel. Again, I've always dreamed of painting on canvas with an easel like a real artist, but never had the courage to try given the expense involved.

"My love for You." ©Christine Nichols, 2009

The first prophetic painting started with an intense leading of the Holy Spirit that it was time to paint. Obeying, I assembled the supplies on the dining room table and asked in prayer that God would guide my mind and move my hand. I prayed that His message would go forth and that He would be glorified. Then I simply took a leap of faith and submitted to Him. The Holy Spirit lead me to the table and directed my eyes to the supplies He wanted me to use for the painting. He gave knowledge of brush strokes and art techniques I had never known. There have been times when I actually felt Christ's hand on mine moving the brush or splattering paint on the canvas with more force than I could muster on my own. 

More than seventy paintings later, each new piece of art begins with the same leading from the Holy Spirit and a similar prayer asking for guidance and glorifying God. Most of the time, I don't know what I'll paint but the Lord has never failed to lead the creative process from choosing the colors to the last brush stroke. Early on in starting the Prophetic Art ministry, Jesus gave a Scripture verse for the collection of art that would follow: 
Because Your love is better than life itself, my lips will glorify You! Psalm 63:3 Along with a simple but powerful mission statement: "It's all about My love."  

What is Prophetic Art?

My intention for this blog is to share the prophetic art God has given me with whomever the Holy Spirit leads to this tiny blimp on the vast internet. You may ask, "What is Prophetic Art?" I asked the same question when I first heard the terminology. I have read many definitions online, most with the prose of a poet, but I believe the term simply means Christian art with a message from God. 

As with all art, no matter the genre, the interpretation of a specific piece is individualized. The same holds true for God's message when viewing Prophetic Art. What the Holy Spirit reveals to one person may be quite different from the next person who sees the painting, sculpture, etc. My prayer for the art is that God is glorified and His message goes forth. My prayer for all who view the art is that each of you will be open to the Holy Spirit to see and hear a new revelation of the triune God: the Father, the Son - Jesus Christ (Yeshua Ha'Mashiach), and the Holy Spirit. A message straight from God's heart to yours. May His words spoken in your heart take root and flourish!