Interview with Gabriel Hancock, part 2

This post is continuing a series called "Prophetic Musician Interviews". If you haven't yet read part one of Gabriel's interview, make sure you check it out.

Josh: Gabe, how do you keep things fresh for you and for those worshipping with you day after day? And are there any other thoughts you want to pass along to your fellow drummers?

Gabriel: As a drummer, I find it so easy to get caught up in the pursuit of the next cool drum lick. Or even worse, simply checking out and falling into cruise control. Lately I have been feeling the weight of what the Lord desires to do through music and rhythms.

It takes much more energy to communion with the Holy Spirit and seek to communicate what is on the heart of the Lord then to try to fall into a pocket. (A pocket being a tight groove.)

But I believe that the Lord is calling musicians to ask for melodies and rhythms from heaven. These melodies and rhythms will bring forth healing and deliverance.

Drums have always been an instrument used for communication dating back to the ancient tribes. Even those in the world know this and recognize its power to communicate to people. The problem is that apart from the word of the Lord, this communication is infinitely shallow. The highest vision is to simply communicate to folks that it is time to dance and be happy or stressed.

But for the sake of what? Being happy for a moment. To bring a temporary fleeting patch to the wound of emptiness and depression? So what if someone gets up and dances to my drum beat? When they get home they will still be tormented by the same demons and their eternal fate will remain unchanged. Yet a drummer operating under the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit brings an entirely new dynamic. Now the roof has been lifted and the possibilities become infinitely high rather than shallow. Instead of trying to come up with the new fresh beat, all that needs to be done is simply to commune with the Lord. It’s so simple that any drummer in the world can do it. For this original goal is foolish and in vain since of course there is nothing new under the sun. The vanity quickly fades through this holy communion, for He makes all things new. For constantly seeking to impress the crowd by coming up with a cool beat is exhausting. All you need to do is breath deeply and drink from the well of life.

Settle it in your heart that you have nothing to prove to anyone. By seeking a new rhythm anointed by the Lord you heart is distracted from the fleshly desires to sound cool and to impress everyone and is wonderfully re-directed to the Lord. For after all drums are clearly an instrument of communication. My desire is to hear the Lord's voice which moves my heart and then communicate back to Him which moves His heart. And out of this swirl of love the Lord with use my hands to communicate to His people what is on His heart and then to move in power to bring healing, deliverance and salvation.

Now the dancing is no longer shallow. And the same person now goes home without the demons they had before and now feel the Lord’s love upon their heart.

My vision is to play the drums as a signal of communication to God’s people that it is time to get up and dance and praise Him, for He is holy and worthy.

Amen! Thanks again Gabriel!

Upcoming interviews include Seth Yates, electric guitarist, Justin Rizzo, worship leader, and Paco Arteaga, drummer. Stay tuned!