Ernest B. Gentile, Your Sons & Daughters Shall Prophesy: Prophetic Gifts in Ministry Today (Grand Rapids: Chosen Books, 1999), 432 pages.

In the foreword to Your Sons & Daughters Shall Prophesy, C. Peter Wagner says that this book could qualify as a textbook on the subject of prophecy. I wholeheartedly agree. There are a number of good books available today about the gift of prophecy. One of these books is Wayne Grudem’s The Gift of Prophecy In The New Testament And Today. Grudem’s book is a theological work that seeks to supply the biblical basis for belief in the contemporary existence and exercise of the gift of prophecy. Another good book is Graham Cooke’s Developing Your Prophetic Gifting, which focuses on giving instruction regarding the practical exercise of prophetic gifts. Both of these books are excellent in their respective approaches. Gentile’s book brings together both theology and practice; in this book he cites both scholars and those who are involved in prophetic ministry. Gentile is uniquely qualified to write this book since he has a M.A. in biblical theology and has himself been involved in prophetic ministry.

The biblical information in this volume is quite extensive. Gentile examines the prophetic ministry from the Old Testament through the New Testament. Among the topics addressed, with reference to Old Testament prophecy, are the definition of a prophet, the traits or characteristics of a prophet, how prophecy came to prophets, and ways that prophecy was expressed. Among the topics covered with reference to the New Testament gift of prophecy are the definition of Christian prophecy, the difference between Old Testament prophecy and New Testament prophecy, the different levels of prophetic gifting that can be found in the body of Christ and channels of prophetic expression in the church.

In moving on to support the continuation of the gift of prophecy beyond the apostolic period Gentile addresses the cessationist argument. He examines five biblical texts that are sometimes used by cessationists to support their belief that the gift of prophecy has ceased. After addressing each text Gentile says that if one properly understands the function of the gift of prophecy in the church then they will not see prophecy as compromising the unique authority of the Bible.

While a strong advocate for the continuing exercise of the gift of prophecy in the church, Gentile does acknowledge that historically there have been problems associated with the gift. He cites three different prophetic movements in church history and highlights some lessons that we can learn from each of them. The three movements that he mentions are: Edward Irving and his followers, the Apostolic Church of Great Britain and the Latter Rain Movement.

The Power of the Cross: The Biblical Place of Healing and Gift-Based Ministry in Proclaiming the Gospel

15. Why do people speak directly to demons today and command them to leave, rather than just praying and asking God to drive the demon away? Isn’t it safer just to pray to God about this?

In a way, this is similar to asking why Christians should share the gospel with another person rather than simply praying and asking God to reveal the gospel to that person directly. Or why should we speak words of encouragement to a Christian who is discouraged rather than just praying and asking God Himself to encourage that person directly? Why should we speak a word of rebuke or gentle admonition to a Christian, whom we see involved in some kind of sin, rather than just praying and asking God to take care of the sin in that person’s life?

The answer to all these questions is that in the kind of world God has created, He has given us an active role in carrying out His plans, especially His plans for advancing the Kingdom and building up the Church. In all of these cases, our direct involvement and activity is important in addition to our prayers. And so it seems to be in our dealing with demonic forces as well.

As a wise father who does not settle all of his children’s disputes for them, but sometimes sends them back out to the playground to settle a dispute themselves, so our heavenly Father encourages us to enter directly into conflict with demonic forces, in the name of Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Thereby He enables us to gain the joy of participating in eternally significant ministry and the joy of triumphing over the destructive power of Satan and his demons in people’s lives. God could certainly deal with demonic attacks every time we prayed and asked Him to do so, and He no doubt sometimes does. But the New Testament pattern seems to be that God ordinarily expects Christians themselves to speak directly to the unclean spirits.

We see this pattern of speaking directly to demons first in the ministry of Jesus. He spoke to the demon troubling a man in the synagogue, saying, “Be silent, and come out of Him!” (Mark 1:25). He commanded the demons in the Gadarene demoniac, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” (Mark 5:8). When Jesus encountered a young boy severely afflicted by a demon, “He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, ‘You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again'” (Mark 9:25). This was Jesus’ general pattern, for people said about Him, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out” (Luke 4:36).