Who doesn’t want more blessings in their lives? We all hope for more of them, even pray for more of them. Yet we find in a Scripture a powerful truth that we can be the voice of blessing, stirring God’s hand to bless.
In “The Power of the Prophetic Blessing,” Pastor John Hagee promises to reveal the power of blessings, not just from God and His promises, but from His people to others. It has “the power to revolutionize your life, and the lives of your children and grandchildren” (4). But you almost forget that the book is supposed to be about how you prophetically speak blessing into the lives of others because He spends so much time talking generically about blessings.
He spends time on the blessings of the patriarchs on their children, but that principle isn’t applicable because it was a deathbed blessing. It was a sort of spiritual inheritance that could only be passed on at the end of their lives. There are ten tests of Abraham and his blessing that are detailed, God’s promise to bless/curse those who bless/curse Israel, and the fulfillment of blessings on the sons of Jacob, but again all of this has little to do with the prophetic blessing. I feel this could have been a book on its own, the truths of blessings, instead of a labored groundwork for the topic of discussion, the prophetic blessing.
A on-topic great chapter is when Hagee takes on the Beatitudes as Jesus’ prophetic blessings, “offering His congratulations to the person who lives in the anointing of these eight Prophetic Blessings of the Sermon on the Mount” (167). He hit the nail on the head with the point of these blessings!
The personal use, both speaking and receiving the prophetic blessing, doesn’t come until page 205! As my first Hagee read, I didn’t know what to expect, and this book may be atypical. But I almost put the book down because I felt like I was the victim of false advertising, reading a message that I had not asked for.
In the final section we are first reminded of the power of words. He notes: “There is no middle ground; everything that comes out of your mouth produces hope or despair, a blessing or a curse, life or death” (207). We should be mindful of our words over every person, action, relationship, and circumstance, because we have power in what we say. This is directly related to the prophetic blessing!
But then we go into the power of touch. While I understand the point, it is not a new concept. Healing, anointing, the delivering of the Spirit, and other spiritual practices involved touch. In our transient culture, physical touch is difficult, yet the prophetic word can be spoken regardless of physical presence or touch. I have to disagree that this would be a prerequisite for the prophetic blessing to be properly spoken over someone. After all, Hagee used the example of Daniel praying for the peace of Jerusalem from his home in Babylon. This one example breaks several of his “requirements” for the blessing.
At the end of the book are several blessings that can be spoken in various times and for various reasons. They are clearly labored over and Scriptural, and are the best resource in this book. However, I would add that each of the blessings in Scripture were personal and unique. This is a huge point when it comes to the prophetic as well. The only repeated blessings were the Levitical blessings (which Hagee is quick to point out as being different) and those that God repeats from generation to generation, from Abraham to Isaac and then to Jacob.
It is hard for me to recommend this book for those hoping to discover truth and application based on the title. You will learn a lot about blessings and cursings. As far as the “prophetic blessing” goes, you have to keep your eyes open and grab the pieces as they come. But don’t be surprised if you find yourself disappointed.
Chris MacKinnon 