Charismatics, Revelations, and Prophetic Ministry Books

This is the most recent bibliography on these subjects I’ve developed. I might need to make it annotated. I’m more familiar with Dr. Deere’s and Dr. Grudem’s teachings on the gift of prophecy. Both Deere and Grudem show an awareness of John Knox and the Covenanters and cite them as legitimizers of the gifts of dream interpretation, word of knowledge, and foretelling in Reformed churches. Many charismatic teachers on the gift of prophecy wrongly have antinomian hyper-grace ideas based on “prophesying in love,” an interpretation of 1 Corinthians 14:1 that rejects John the Baptist-oriented repentance revelations as an “Old Testament mindset.” Repentance-focused, Hell-focused, or wrath of God focused dreams and visions are always rejected by such antinomian charismatics, and are always shoved aside, being put into the mean-spirited and hateful category. Of course, these are also the charismatic churches that usually end up with sexual scandals more often, because of their lack of ethical restraint. Mark and avoid such teachers whenever you can! Anti-repentance teaching in any form goes against the teachings of Jesus and the apostles. Look no further than the Book of Revelation to see for yourself that the dreams and visions of Acts 2:17 certainly can be in the hellfire, wrath of God, and repentance category! Any charismatic prophet, trainer, or pastor who teaches otherwise, is simply mistaken, or deliberately teaching against Scripture in order to excuse sexual sin (Jude 1:8). Let’s also remember that Agabus accurately predicted a famine (Acts 11:28) and Paul’s arrest in Jerusalem (Acts 21:10-11). Not all dreams and visions from the Holy Spirit are marked by a happy, joyful, super-gentle, overtly positive character, nor likely will there be anything that’s going to be mawkishly effeminate, childishly emotional, nor any love theme of a sentimental or even romantic nature.

In fact, many prophetic dreams are urgent warnings, and speak of God’s holy wrath against sin, and are not only found in the Old Testament. Too much antinomian dispensationalism mixed into charismatic prophecy results in a hyper-grace prophetic culture that is sexually immoral and cultlike. Charismatics need to learn from their mistakes! Let’s not have another IHOP scandal! Let’s do this thing right. What does prophesying in love mean then? Paul defines it like this: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part” (1 Corinthians 13:4-9). As you can see, the Spirit of Love which is also the Spirit of Prophecy is here described with about fifteen ethical facets. There’s nothing hyper-grace or anti-law in Paul’s understanding of love. Especially when he says that “love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth” (1 Corinthians 13:6). So, we can conclude that Paul’s concept of love is not in opposition or contradiction to John the Baptist, Jesus, Paul when he rebuked Elymas (Acts 13:8-12), or any of the rebukes and warnings of the Old Testament prophets. Any charismatic teacher who teaches an anti-Hell, anti-wrath of God, anti-repenting, non-judgmental love perspective, which comes down to a dispensationalist cheap grace view of prophecy, is truly confused; and is probably not a good person to learn about the spiritual gifts from. Such teachers are more likely to come out as perverts or alcoholics down the road, as was the case with Paul Cain, Bob Jones, Todd Bentley, and Mike Bickle. –J.B.

Dr. Jack Deere, Surprised by the Power of the Spirit (Zondervan, 1993).

—. Why I Am Still Surprised by the Power of the Spirit (Zondervan, 2020).

—. Surprised by the Voice of God (Zondervan, 1996).

—. Why I Am Still Surprised by the Voice of God (Zondervan, 2022).

—. The Beginner’s Guide to the Gift of Prophecy (Regal, 2001).

Dr. Wayne Grudem, The Gift of Prophecy In the New Testament (Crossway, 2000).

Dr. Archibald Alexander, Thoughts on Religious Experience (Banner of Truth, 1998).

Jeff Doles, Miracles and Manifestations (Walking Barefoot Ministries, 2007).

Augustin Poulain, The Graces of Interior Prayer (Kegan Paul, 1910).

Ira Milligan, Understanding the Dreams You Dream (Treasure House, 1997).

Charles Finney, “The Self-Hardening Sinner’s Doom,” 1.3. Refers to belief in Hell dreams – adhered to by both Jonathan Edwards and Finney.

Daniel Jennings, The Supernatural Occurrences of John Wesley.

—. The Supernatural Occurrences of Charles G. Finney.