Submerged in the Prophetic
A Guided Exploration into the Depths of Prophecy
Buckley’s concise text devoutly details the process of enhancing revelatory wisdom in accordance with the Christian faith.
Jocelyn Y. Buckley writes knowledgeably about the process of developing prophetic skills as prescribed by the tenets of her Christian faith. Submerged in the Prophetic: A Guided Exploration into the Depths of Prophecy offers guidelines derived from biblical text as well as from the author’s extensive service as a minister of prophetic operations.
Buckley’s inherent gift for prophecy emerged during her early-childhood religious education in a small Baptist church in Mississippi. In this book, she specifies the steps recommended to refine prophetic ability, and emphasizes the need for sincere study, patience, and obedience to God’s will. Quotations from the Bible support the phases of training she describes, which focus on teaching students to recognize prophetic occurrences and to follow church protocol for sharing them for the good of others. Each of the eleven chapters begins with an appropriate biblical passage. Sidebars in bold italicized print reinforce some significant ideas stated in the narrative, such as, “Faith is the supernatural ability to see in the dark.” A bibliography and appendix conclude this short but informative book.
The author effectively uses Biblical verse for metaphorical comparison to human experience. In one instance, she cites Joshua 5:8–9, which tells of a place called Gilgal. Buckley explains that Gilgal represents man’s separation from the material world as he moves into deeper spiritual understanding, and goes on to say that “Gilgal is your initial training ground in the School of the Prophets.”
As counterpoint to the theological text, the author refers to the spiritually nurturing influences of her rural childhood and her mother’s practical wisdom. She notes that students will be tested during their prophetic training by many temptations, which they must learn to resist. Quoting her mother’s common-sense solution for refusing to dwell on distracting concerns, she writes, “Don’t add fuel to the fire (test) [by focusing on and constantly discussing the fire] because it only makes the fire bigger.”
Occasions of levity lighten the book’s serious tone. Buckley cautions more advanced students to avoid using their new ability to foresee and influence situations for selfish or opportunistic reasons. “It also doesn’t mean that we are to give parking lot and bathroom prophecies to the people of God.”
The carefully-organized content and Buckley’s conversational first-person voice contribute to this book’s readability. Her concise text devoutly details the process of enhancing revelatory wisdom in accordance with her Christian faith. Those who might disagree with certain aspects of this particular belief system may still benefit from reading her thoughtful explanation of an alternative point of view.
Submerged in the Prophetic offers valuable information about training in Christian prophecy for those interested in the subject or in development of their own revelatory potential.
Reviewed by
Margaret Cullison
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
