Last evening, we ended out VMI Brussels 2010. VMI was mainly a time of training musicians and worship leaders to serve within today’s church and the world. Big vision, but we were all about making it practical from music theory to band training to songwriting to worship leading to the work of the Spirit. Some may hover a few inches (or centimetres) above ground, but most of us live on terra firma earth. So, even during intense training times, we need it to be made real for walking out the things of God in our own lives.

Thus, last night’s session began with Visible School’s Academic Dean, Shannon Kropf, teaching on prophetic worship. She looked at 1) what prophecy is, 2) the purpose of prophecy, 3) who can prophesy, and 4) the benefits of when we see this in our midst. Very powerful, but again, very practical.

We then ended out with a time of gathered worship, responding to God and to the word. It became clearer and clearer to me that God wanted to communicate something about His holiness. But that communication was in a little different way than expected.

When we think of God’s holiness, we tend to solely think of His moral perfection, His righteousness. And, of course, that is absolutely true. But I began to be stirred of the reality that to be holy means to be set apart. God is set apart in all of His ways. Not just in moral perfection, though that is true. But in every single way.

And a particular aspect that I sensed God wanting to highlight was how He is set apart when it comes to being able to do things that only He can do. There are things that only He and He alone can accomplish. I understand the general graciousness of our Father and that every good and perfect gift comes from Him, that it is merely by His generous grace that we live and move and have our being. But I sensed God wanted to highlight that He is the set apart one who does.

Scripture testifies to this clearly. History testifies to this clearly. His people testify to this clearly.

I also sensed that we needed to get a fresh perspective on the word able or ability. Usually when we say that God is able, we mean that He can, but He might not. Of course I believe in the sovereignty of God. I believe He is King over all and nothing happens outside His oversight. And He can so choose not to act in a situation. But when we say God is able to do something, this is connected to the nature of who He is. We are not to make a proclamation that He is able and then wonder if He might or might not come through. His ability points to actually accomplishing that which He is able to do. And many times it is far beyond all we could ask or think (Ephesians 3:20).

So we took a step of faith in responding to the prophetic word that was stirring and we prayed into some situations – situations that only the Set Apart One could accomplish, which included prayer for healing. As we continued to worship, we gathered around a few, laid hands on them, listened to God, spoke the word of God, and asked that He accomplish what only He is able to do.

It was truly a prophetically stirring time. Powerful. Makes me hungry for more.

We finished out the evening by sharing testimonies of change in our lives from the past few days culminating with taking the bread and wine of communion. The sacrifice of Christ has given provision for reconciliation with God, and one another, which we celebrate at the table.

A fantastic ending to a fantastic few days. I can only ask that God continue to stir and move us forward in such prophetic worship.

For those interested, you can listen to Shannon Kropf’s message on prophetic worship below. Or you can download it from our podcast or iTunes.