Developing Your Prophetic Gift

This book is the best, most balanced guide to prophecy and the development of the gift in individuals and the local church I have read to date. It's hard to single out any one aspect but I especially appreciated discussions around the prophet working WITH the pastor and teacher, the evangelist and apostle to build up the body and bring glory to Christ. The book provides ample encouragement and guidance for individuals seeking to develop their gifting, and an extremely practical set of guidelines and suggestions for churches wishing to create an environment for God's voice to be heard in this way. Conversely, much damage has been done by misuse or mishandling of prophecy; Cooke sounds a warning (in love) for those situations where 'prophetic' ministries are being exercised in an unaccountable and uncontrolled manner. We should not treat prophecies with contempt, but we should also test everything (1 Thess 5:20-21) One very minor point is that it's written with a US target audience in mind, and as a result some of the narrative was longer than necessary in an attempt to contextualise some of the anecdotes. That said, I heartily recommend this book to anyone who wishes to grow in this area - it's without doubt the most significant book I have read in 2006 (apart from the Bible!)

Let me just say that I've always been open to the person of the Holy Spirit. That being said the key word is "open." I don't currently speak in tongues and I have not prophesied. I graduated from a southern baptist seminary but my own denomination is the christian missionary alliance which means we are missional in our outlook, and theologically it varies from church to church in their practice of the gifts. Reading this book was refreshing. I am someone who has seen mishandling of gifts for self glory, but Graham Cooke is very firm on his desire to see the body edified and Christ glorified. His description of prophecy is from the Bible and not made-up. He gives practical steps for how to seek God (and the gift of prophecy since Paul tells us to do so). What I like most about this book is that Cooke doesn't just focus on an individual learning how to prophesy but his passion is to help the church learn how to create accountability, judge what is being said, and allow prophecy to really bless and not head the wrong direction. That's awesome. He wants to see pastors, elders, prophets, and the whole body come together and work together. he's not really for that whole prophet being a show deal. He gives practical examples for individuals seeking the gift and then gives a framework for how to utilize the gift in the local church. He gives a lot of good warnings, things to avoid or watch for, so that we do not get in the way of God speaking. Very comprehensive. Lastly, even if your skeptical it's a good read and a good balanced perspective on the gift(s). At the very least it will give you a great appreciation from the other side of the spectrum. I never felt like there were any good or real arguments for dispensationalism anyway. Sorry if you are passionate about it. There's just no biblical evidence for it and I have friends and pastors who are dispensationalist and I just see a lacking of vibrancy and empowerment outside of themself. Be blessed.

As I progessed through this book, I was very impressed by how thoroughly Graham Cooke addressed every major issue concerning prophesying. This book can help the beginner, but a book like James Goll's Beginner Guide might be better to get started. This book contains "strong meat" for those who are serious about further developing their gifting. This is a manual to keep on hand to use to "check yourself" from time to time. I love his character building advice; he is very sensitive to the Holy Spirit, and has a very seasoned perspective. I would recommend this book to anyone who is in leadership or feels they will be in leadership especially. This is a must read.

Graham Cooke is a great prophet of God and an excellent teacher. He also has a lot of revelation in his teaching. This book is excellent, easy to read and has lots of information. I read it years ago and when I read it now I even get more out of it. His other books are hard to come by out here in USA. He is from England. I highly recommend anything from Graham Cooke.

Finding a book about prophecy isn't that difficult. Finding a good book about prophecy (other than The Good Book) is very difficult. Graham's book is a refreshing change from most of what is currently available.Keeping a balanced and thoroughly scriptural approach to an often misunderstood gift, Graham gives a practical overview of dealing with the prophetic, from gifting to office. He deals extensively with the prophetic's role and relation to local church leadership, and lays out a common sense method of employing, judging, and encouraging sound biblical prophecy in a local church setting.I highly recommend this book as a guide to pastors and others who are interested in better understanding the role and meaning of the prophetic in their everyday lives.