Interview With Derek Prince (Part 9)

Geoff Buck: What do you look forward to about heaven?

Derek Prince: Well if I’m to be very honest, and I don’t think this is the right priority, I really look forward to being reunited with my two wives. But I realize much more important than that is being in the presence of Jesus. But because of my deep personal involvement with each of my two wives I think that’s the thing that means the most to me about heaven. And I’m so grateful to God that we are not finally parted. I mean, my heart aches for people who pass through bereavement and don’t have the assurance of a reunion in the next world. I, I feel so sorry for them.

Geoff Buck: Just a couple more questions. What kind of a personal devotional pattern do you have, if there’s any kind of a pattern?

Derek Prince: There’s a very definite pattern with me. One of the things that became vivid to me early in my life was that God fed Israel in the wilderness with manna, but if they didn’t gather it before the sun got hot it melted. And I’ve always made it a principle to begin my day reading the Scripture and in communion with the Lord. I also seek to end the day that way.

Another thing I find is that a lot of Christians only know half of what’s in the Bible. There are portions of the Bible they’ve never even read. I think that’s a tragic really who knows where you’ll find what God has for you. I remember I met some people who never bothered to read the genealogies, these long lists of names. But I remember, I think it’s in 1 Chronicles, being confronted with these genealogies, but I thought I’ll plow through it. And then I came to these verses about Jabez; he was more honorable than his brethren. And he prayed to the Lord and said, “Enlarge my coast and bless me etc.” and I thought that’s a good prayer. Now that must have been about 1953. So I prayed the prayer that Jabez prayed. Well, God has done exactly what He did for Jabez, but if I hadn’t read that I would have missed it all. So my advice to all people who sincerely want to walk with the Lord is get to know everything that’s in the Bible and ask the Lord to guide you.

Geoff Buck: One thing I’ve heard you say as far as some of the legacy that you’ll leave is if you had one book to leave you would leave the Foundation Series or now known as The Spirit Filled Believers Handbook. What is it about foundations that’s so important to you?

Derek Prince: Well foundations are essential. I mean if you would take it from the analogy, if you don’t have a foundation you can’t build a house. And I believe that Scripture reveals there are six foundational doctrines all stated in Hebrews chapter six: repentance from dead works, faith toward God, the doctrine of baptism, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And I believe those are the basic foundation truths which every Christian should have in his life if he’s going to build a solid Christian life. So that’s what motivated me to write that book which was the Foundation Series and then became The Spirit-filled Believer’s Handbook. And there are some churches here in the United States where every leader has to read that book and take a written examination on it. And believe me they’re doing pretty well. I think it’s tragic when people try to build without a foundation.

Geoff Buck: What concerns do you have about the Body of Christ in America today?

Derek Prince: Well, if I’m to be frank with you and not being self-righteous I think the greatest single problem that I see, I’m not saying there are others that I don’t see, is personal ambition in leaders. To build the biggest church, to have the longest mailing list, to hold the biggest meeting, I think it’s very, very easy to become sidetracked by personal ambition. And I think it tends to build up barriers between one minister and another.

I heard a man give his testimony once. He discovered a certain way to release the gift of the word of knowledge. And it was working so well for him he wasn’t going to share it with any other any minister because they’d be as successful as he was. I mean what struck me was that seemed to him so natural. He wasn’t apologizing for that. That was the way he looked at it because it’s obviously an unspiritual approach. I mean we should want to share success with as many other people as possible.

Now nobody is free from the temptation for personal ambition. Certainly not myself. But I have seen the temptation and I do guard against it.

Geoff Buck: As you’ve watched the church, the Body of Christ, in many nations over many years, are you encouraged or discouraged when you look at the average Christian’s character?

Derek Prince: I wouldn’t say I’m discouraged, but I’m disappointed. There’s very little real emphasis on character in the great majority of Christian operations that I know of. And I don’t know them all, but the ones I know there’s more talk on success and prosperity and… I believe success is God’s will and God promises success, but His standards of success are totally different from the carnal mind. Success is not building the largest church, or driving the smartest car, or having a swimming pool, or whatever else, or flying your own jet. I mean if that was the standard of success then the people that are held forward as examples for us in the New Testament we’re abysmal failure.

Geoff Buck: That’s right.

Derek Prince: Let me suggest to you that many contemporary standards of success are greatly at variance with the Bible.

I was preaching in Ghana one time about the ministries, apostles, prophets, and there were a number of very fine young men there and I said, “How many of you would like to be apostles?” And quite a number stood up. I said, “Hold on, wait a minute. Let me give you the job description before you reply.” So I went to 1 Corinthians chapter 4 and read these verses beginning at verse 9.

For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men. We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored! We are dishonored. To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.

So having read those words I said to the same young men, “Now how many of you would like to be apostles?” Only about half of them stood up that time. That’s God’s standards of success. I believe God wants us all to be successful, but I believe his standards are totally in variance with the standards of the modern age and we have to decide whose standards are we going to be guided by?

Geoff Buck: This is Geoffrey Buck. This interview with Derek Prince was such a highlight for me. I fell in love with Derek as a father figure in the Lord and a Bible teacher twenty-five plus years ago. And then to sit down across the table from this man that I so esteemed to fellowship and to ask questions and see his relentless curiosity, his passionate interest in spiritual things, to share some fun memories and more than anything to see that Derek has not remotely quit but is leaning forward to apprehend everything that God has for him, that is such a lesson to someone like me. I believe there are people across America who in listening to someone like Derek need to take note of the fact that they have a contribution to make, that they have a destiny, that they have a purpose. When I look at Brother Derek’s life over these many years and his fathering of my generation, his passionate interest in the Scripture, his exposition of the original Hebrew and Greek words which impacted me as a young man, I just have to give God the praise and the glory for His faithfulness and for Derek’s faithfulness. And I want to encourage you as you listen to these messages, take heart to the fact that God can use any ordinary man like Brother Derek to change the world.