Prophetic Ministry [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

Ok. The title of this book is "The Prophetic Ministry", but that is NOT to imply that the book is written for, nor about prophets. Certainly, Sparks (the greatest writer and anointed teacher since Paul!), uses the prophets' lives to demonstrate the right way of walking with God. But he does all this to demonstrate how all of us, the church as a whole, should be following in like manner.

Many of the other reviewers, as is obvious, write and come from a "charismatic" background. This book is also NOT about prophetic gifts or the prophetic (a word which has taken on very specific meaning in this past century) .

Anyone who wants to truly walk with Jesus, who truly wants to learn love for and of God, must learn that the natural life (fleshly, soul-life, self), must undergo death. That is, the death of the cross, that Jesus spoke so pointedly on. The cross is not man's cross. It is God's cross. Jesus, crucified from the foundation of the world. It is God's divine instrument, or tool, to bring about in His people the formation of Jesus Christ upon you. The cross is to be embraced, not resisted.

The prophets that Sparks writes about in this book, are by way of demonstrating how a crucified life unto God, looks, and that people who are going on in Christ, are going to come against every type of obstacle, natural and demonic. And the life of a believer, like a prophet of old, must say no to the self-life, no to the voice of reason/rationale, and no to every other voice. Only God's voice will do, which is the voice of the Holy Spirit, now.

Prophets had supernatural vision, which helped keep them focused, regardless of circumstances. Their spiritually trained ears heard only from God, and not from men. God raised up the prophet, and they underwent training and discipline (just like all Christians SHOULD). The way of God was their life, and not just a teaching. Sound familiar? It should. Because the apostle Paul echoes all these same points through his letters to the various cities of brethren to whom he wrote.

It is true, that the prophet's role is declared in many ways throughout this book, but it is most certainly doing so, for the purpose of bringing right knowledge and understanding to the church at large. If every saint understood like the prophet, then their would be much to rejoice about. To quote Ravenhill, I believe it was, who said "When the church is rejoicing, the prophets weep, but when the church is weeping, the prophets rejoice."

Back on point - this is the time of the Holy Spirit, Who was given to us by the Lord. He said, "It is necessary, expedient, to your advantage, that I go, so that I can send you the Holy Spirit Who will guide you into all Truth."

The Holy Spirit takes the believer (each and every one of us) to the Cross, so that the natural man will learn Christ. The Cross, in turn, takes us back to the Holy Spirit, for strength and power. This is the key, the resurrection principle, that the whole Body must learn. So that we glory in the Cross, for it is the power of God. You will begin to get excited about suffering! I kid you not.

Each believer of Jesus, must learn of Him direct, by revelation. This is the way in which the believer starts to go onto maturity. Read 1 John 2:26-27.

As Sparks takes the reader along throughout this book, show-casing important aspects of various prophets' lives, it is ever to show us how we, too, should be walking the same way.

It could be argued that this is so that the rest of the church should be able to identify a true prophet when one is in their midst, which certainly would be a good thing. But that is not the purpose of this book. It is to bring those godly, Divine, qualities that had become the character of the prophets (by God's work and dealings with them at all stages of their lives, and not by those men's nature!), into the lives of all Christians, causing them to grow into the fulness of Jesus.

Read my other review of Sparks' "Things of the Spirit", to see more.

This edited book brought forth a profound outlook for me as one searching to gain a closer Image and Likeness of Christ.

A Seasoned Minister sharing his heart which was changed through the Spirit of Our Lord. An excellent study guide and tool of expressionism within the heart of God. I thought it was a profound insight - it was the book I needed at this time in my life. Christ revealed Himself to me through the II Corinthians chapter 3 teaching. Look no further, this is one for your personal walk. Pass it around.

In Christ' Sonship,

Tom

T. Austin Sparks reminds the prophet that his person and his message can't be separated. A true prophet does not change his message for fear of job security or the judgment of men. A true prophet "restores" and "reminds" the church of God's standard. If you find yourself teaching and preaching one unpopular BIBLICAL message after another... or if you find a lot in common with Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, etc... you might be a prophet. This book will encourage you to press on.
I do believe the book starts off stronger than it finishes.