Rees Howells: Worship as Warfare and Prophetic Declarations of Praise in the Heavenlies – The Legacy of Vision Hymns
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth and a two-edged sword in their hand. To execute vengeance on the nations and punishments on the peoples; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute on them the written judgment – this honour have all His saints. Praise the Lord!
– Psalm 149:6-9
Rees Howells embraced worship as warfare and participated in it daily. The Holy Spirit taught him the power of prophetic declarations. As a unique powerhouse of faith, intercession and prophetic praise, Rees Howells and his intercessors at his Bible College composed and compiled a selection of songs, hymns, declarations and poems. These were originally typed sheets of paper and later in-house published hymn books. They encapsulate the promises God gave them as a centre of intercession at the Bible College and have been compiled in the book Rees Howells, Vision Hymns of Spiritual Warfare Intercessory Declarations by Mathew Backholer and Rees Howells.
These songs of intercessory warfare contain the promises the Lord gave them by the Holy Spirit. The defeat of Hitler is promised. The dictators will be overcome and there will be freedom and liberty to proclaim the Gospel.
In his meetings, Rees led his intercessors through the Bible in prayer and found guidance for spiritual warfare in worship, praise and celebration. In 2 Chronicles 20, we find the Moabites establishing a powerful confederacy of evil nations. Under Satan’s influence, they dedicate themselves to the genocide of God’s people (as did Hitler). Outnumbered by the enemy, King Jehoshaphat of Judah humbles himself before God and the Spirit of God led him into worship as warfare.
The people of Moab with the people of Ammon and others with them besides the Ammonites, came to battle against Jehoshaphat…he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying, “Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever.” Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.
– 2 Chronicles 20:1-23
Following the example of King Jehoshaphat of Judah, Rees Howells and his teams of intercessors prayed, worshipped and declared God’s will. The defeat of Hitler and the Nazis is near. Armed with prophetic precision, Rees worshipped God with the promise of freedom’s return, the Gospel’s prevail and Israel’s restoration.
These hymns, intercessory declarations and poems of prophetic praise reinforce the spiritual agenda given by God the Holy Spirit to Rees Howells. There is no room for unbelief. The heavenlies and the principalities of darkness echoed daily in song with the promises of God, as revealed to Rees Howells. Strongholds fell as intercessors worshipped in prophetic declaration.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places
– Ephesians 6:12
Find out about Rees Howells’ books here.
By Mathew Backholer.
