Thursday, October 18, 2007

Favorite Book on the Prophetic

I recently asked Jon Cressey a question on his blog, The Days Are Coming, concerning what is his absolute favorite book on the prophetic. Jon Cressey is a guy that I've met via email about two years ago through my good friend Cesar Nieto. Jon is a prophetic voice in England and has extensive knowledge and understanding of the prophetic movement.

This question that I posed to Jon was prompted by my recent pursuit to understand more clearly the prophetic calling from a biblical perspective, and not simply through my own Western, charismatic lenses. It is a journey that I anticipate will take me well into 2008 and beyond as I seek the Lord for the greater understanding of this precious gift to the body of Christ.

What are book(s) that you would recommend regarding those who desire to walk in the fullness of their prophetic calling? Please take a moment to respond by sharing with readers of this blog what you would suggest for them to read. I too, will submit my top list once we have a few responses.

For the Cause,

Brian Francis Hume

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

This Jon Cressey seems a really good prophetic dude - I don't think the world is ready for him yet though! :)

Thanks for the generous and kind comments.

Jon

Christin said...

Hey Brian...sorry our families didn't get to meet up last weekend! Maybe soon?

Well, since you asked me... :)

The book that I'd most highly recommend reading? The Bible. Yeah yeah, I know. It sounds like I'm not taking your question seriously. But I am. I know there are countless books out there that I could recommend. But I think it's ALL TOO EASY to forego reading THE book in lu of picking up something else.

The Bible is THE Authority on the prophetic. And I highly recommend reading IT again and again and allowing the Holy Spirit to speak through it regarding your specific calling in the prophetic.

Other books should be an afterthought in my opinion.

Karen said...

HA!

Interesting that Christin said that bc I was going to say something similar in that one's own personal intimacy with the Father is where it all begins. NOT the head knowledge junk where you can quote and read but a deep penetrating of the SPIRIT into the crevices of our souls so that we can find healing and deliverance from all the JUNK that would interfere with the PURE word that He wants to speak through the prophetic.

From there - and I say this with hesitancy bc, as she implied, we want to quickly run to our gifts rather than be honed, in the secret, in our character - I would recommend anything by Graham Cooke. His teaching has really encouraged me and challenged me (and others I have directed to his stuff) greatly.

Karen

Anonymous said...

I share similar sentiments to those of your previous contributors. I have read dozens of books over many years, about prophetic ministry, many from household names and those at the forefront of prophetic ministry (some of whom I've rubbed shoulders with). Yet to date, none have taken me any place near the understanding I’ve gained through time spent with the Lord—in intimacy with Him.

Interestingly, there are a handful of books beyond the Word, that have grown my understanding of the prophetic, but they were not about prophetic ministry. Rather, they were, collectively, about living the Crucified Life and a life of intimacy with the Lord. Three such books stand-out as Kingdom jewels: The first is titled, The Imitation of Christ, by Thomas a Kempis. This one must be chewed slowly, and savored, like a rib eye steak. The second is titled, The Autobiography of Madame Jean Guyon. I have read Experiencing The Depths of Jesus Christ, by Madame Guyon, which is great, but it doesn’t hold a candle to her autobiography—which happens to drip so heavily with anointing that you could smother your pancakes with the syrup. The third is titled The Heavenly Man, by Brother Yun. If you're not laying prostrate on the floor after reading this one, you have a few critters on-board.

Karen said...

Along the same lines that David said I have to add Andrew Murray to the mix. Humility. Absolute Surrender, etc. I am so excited to hear other posters say what was on my heart - "forget" becoming more prophetic. Just let HIM do a complete work in your character as you sit alone in hiddenness with Him for days/months/YEARS....Be spiritually fathered....Learn to find HIM at that place - as you say, Brian, in your identity. Find contentnment in being a son of God as opposed to "needing" the gifting to affirm you.........
ok i will stop here....:o)

Darrian said...

Brian,

Interestingly enough I haven't read alot of books on the prophetic. Probably two that dealt with the subject by ministers you'd know immediately, but still those two didn't "bring me in" if you will, to a greater level of understanding and insight that I could say truly satisfied me.

On the otherhand, I'd say for me my prophetic sensitivity comes from a combination of two things - the grace from God to be around devout, dedicated and Godly leaders whose lives are yielded and wholly given over to God -- BUT ultimately what has always been my constant baptism into this dimension is Holy Spirit, the Divine Illuminator and Revealer Himself.

I believe it is a privelege to be around consecrated men, one in particular who strikes my prophetic chord all the time is my pastor - Bishop Wellington Boone.

His life, teaching and standard of living all point to inner holiness of heart and humility, living crucified to Christ and modeling out our lives to others-- that's US (the body of Christ) spiritually washing the feet of carnal christians, the unsaved and other worldly pagans all from a servant's perspective --

So for me it's the substance I experience privately in my relationship that I've always been able to come out with -- gaining a new sense of confidence, authority and insight and that's where I get a witness that there is something new that has been ENTRUSTED to me.


So sorry Brian, I wish I could say that I had a book in mind, but I can't. However, I will say for those who would like to read interesting book that will impact them for Good -- Read "The Final Quest" By Rick Joyner

Anonymous said...

When Brian asked me to comment on what is the book that has most impacted me, my first thought was JEREMIAH. I know he was asking about extra-biblical authors, and I'll get there further down in my remarks. But, Jeremiah speaks volumes on the life of a prophet. Since there is such a dynamic range of how the Spirit gives rhema insights to individuals, no two prophetic persons are the same. There are "forms and types", but not a one-size-fits-all methodology. Therefore, I strongly recommend we start with the Scriptures and our own time of prayer with the Lord. It starts there. Beyond that I recommend the examples given by Rick Joyner in The Final Quest, Jim Goll in The Seer, the biography of Alexander Peden in the Scots Worthies...and it would be somewhat self-serving to mention that I've written some on this in Praying Faith (and my next book), but that might be perceived by some as a plug for my own book.
Blessings - Tom Dooley

Anonymous said...

Brian~

Regarding prophetic reading...

I am NOT being cheeky when I say that I find Isaiah to be most impactful because the prophet demonstrates the heart of God so profoundly.

(I know you mean BOOKS, but...)

I also love anything written by John the Beloved---because he's the man!

OK, I am adding Jonah because he is REAL with God about the prophetic call. "OK, God---just chuck me overboard!"

BOOKS TO READ IN TWO REALMS:

All Watchman Nee

All Brother Lawrence

All Bishop Fulton Sheen

New Mystics John Crowder

All Bill Johnson

All Graham Cooke---I am looking to befriend another person who finished "A Divine Confrontation" which may have saved my sanity four years ago.

Would some of you gen X-ers and digitals please READ MY BOOK????

Get a wonderful response from over 30 crowd...

You guys must enter in:

JESUS IS REALITY

I will send free books to 4 people who e-mail

Oh, the book is "THE PARABOLA Experiencing Jesus Christ as Reality."

ddeppen1@comcast.net

Shameless self-promotion?

Please don't go there...

Just got a word from Bob Jones taking that accusation off of me!

Just have a Christ-child word for the earth realm.

My name means "bold and brave" in Hebrew.

Book just translated into Swahili.

Cover the Earth with His GLORY.

Love to all

Kelly Deppen

Anonymous said...

Hey all,

I would definitely and highly recommend reading Wayne Grudem on prophecy. I read his excursus in the larger "Systematic Theology," (definitely worth your time!) but he has a separate book dedicated to the topic which, though I have not read it, would certainly be worthwhile. I would also second those above who mentioned Rick Joyner, as someone who was very inspirational for me in works such as the "Final Quest" and "The Surpassing Greatness of His Power." Of course, neither of the authors present views I entirely agree with, but I think like Jesus said, "Take heed how you listen," one needs to read with both openness and with discretion. While the Bible must be the primary source of our doctrine and the primary informant of our faith, I think it would be a little fool hardy to pass over what other great men have experience and passed on to us. Both humility (the openness to hear from others, even those long dead or those with who we disagree) and imagination (the openness to receive the unexpected and participate in the previously unimagined) is needed.

As a different sort of recommendation, I would also recommend reading those with whom we may entirely disagree. Read a classic which is entirely "against" the gift of prophecy as we know it, or some one who disdains because of some experience in their past (see http://mexc.blogspot.com/2006/10/prophecy-101.html) . If we are firm enough in our faith, reading such materials may actually help us refine our own beliefs, help us guard against becoming a stumbling block, and help us interact and empathize (important!) with others.

May God lead us into truth and make us prophets in our day,

Noah

ChriS & Yvette Ferguson said...

Graham Cooke's book Developing Your Prophetic Gifting! Bill Johnson teaches on the subject too! Mike Bickle's Growing in the Prophetic. Also loved Grudem's stuff too as has already been recommended. Also Steve Thompson's You May All Prophesy.

Everyone who sugested the Bible or a Biblical prophet is right on except...the we view the Prophetic through such a distorted image because of abuse or fear or ignorance. That's why the Holy Spirit gives the five fold ministry to equip us...yes they use the Bible but all by itself the Bible does not equip but the five fold ministry does.

Cathy said...

Yes, I just came back from a conference with Graham Cooke in Vancouver WA..I so agree withe the Fergusons' comments about how we view the prophetic...and the importance of the 5 fold ministry gifts working together..not emphazing one as more important than the other..and having mutual accountability....

We should all desire to prophecy..for the building up of each body part.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone no when prophet Cressey will be speaking in the uk i would like to here more of him

Jan Sorgen

Unknown said...

This is Ronnette. I want to suggest a book on prophecy that is not a how to-prophecy book. The scripture says that the Spirit of Prophecy is the Testimony of Jesus. Therefore, the book that teaches me the most about loving Jesus, walking with Him, communicating with Him is the one that teaches me about prophecy. So, I highly recommend "Desperate For His Presence" by Rhonda Hughey. It's all about Jesus and all for Jesus. To me prophecy is nothing more than giving people an invitation to know Jesus more and to come to the wedding that His Father is throwing Him!