Avoiding Spiritual Dangers and Pitfalls: an interview with Eddie Hyatt

Having recently read and reviewed Angels of Light by Eddie Hyatt, Pastor Larry Russi asks questions to clarify and go even more in-depth.

 

Larry Russi: Thank you Dr. Hyatt for agreeing to do this interview. I was greatly blessed by your book.

Larry Russi: What were the main factors that prompted you to write Angels of Light?

Eddie Hyatt: Having been in Pentecostal/charismatic ministry for almost 50 years and having done my doctoral dissertation on spiritual awakenings in church history, I was aware of the good in Holy Spirit movements but also the dangers and pitfalls. In contemporary prophetic and revival movements I could see many of the same trends that had led to entire movements falling into heresy and destructive practices. This is what inspired me to write Angels of Light. I wrote out of a deep concern that we learn from the lessons of history and not repeat the same mistakes.

 

Larry Russi: What has been the response to this work?

Eddie Hyatt: The volume of response has been moderate, but the quality of response has been very enthusiastic.

To cite one example: Before he passed away, T.L. Osborn read one of the chapters in the book, which was published as an article at the time. He strongly commended what I had written and went on to say how shocked and embarrassed he was at some of the things going on in the modern charismatic movement—particularly in people chasing signs and miracles, rather than preaching the gospel and letting the signs follow the preaching the word.

 

Larry Russi: As for the future of Pentecostal/charismatic churches, do you see this deception continuing and intensifying or do believe that we will return to our Biblical roots.

Eddie Hyatt: I believe the Bible teaches a mixture in the last days.

Acts 2:17 tells us that the last days will be characterized by a world-wide outpouring of the Holy Spirit. It is happening. In 2006 I was privileged to be part of the ministry team for Azusa-Asia/Indonesia where 70,000 Spirit-filled believers met in the soccer stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia, the capital of the largest Muslim nation in the world. They were celebrating the 100-year anniversary of the Azusa Street Revival and the 80-year anniversary of the Pentecostal movement in Indonesia. It was incredible! Nonetheless, Jesus, in Matthew 24, and Paul, in I Timothy 4, tell us that the last days will also be characterized by wide-spread deception.

Tags: avoiding, dangers, eddie, featured, hyatt, interview, pitfalls, spiritual

Category: Spirit, Summer 2019