Developing a Supernatural Lifestyle:
A Practical Guide to a Life of Signs, Wonders, and Miracles
by Kris Vallotton
Published by Destiny Image.
Reviewed by David Collins
After our whole church enjoyed Kris Vallotton’s first book, ‘The Supernatural Ways of Royalty’, I couldn’t wait to read this second title. I was not disappointed.
‘Royalty’ explored the themes of our identity as believers in Christ. ‘Lifestyle’, as the title suggests, takes us the next step – the expression who we are in the world.
Because Kris is recognised as a prophet in the ministry team at Bethel Church in Redding California, much of what he writes surrounds the hearing and expression of the voice of God. However, this is not a limitation – as I see it, the development of a life that expresses God in the world through “signs, wonders and miracles” is all about a hearing relationship with God, and then the wise implementation of what we hear from Him.
A vital element that touches the entire content of this book is the ascendency of grace in our life and ministry. Kris devotes a pivotal chapter (Chapter 5 - Living in Graceland) highlighting the importance of grace and defining New Testament judgement.
“The full revelation of what the Cross accomplished in history is so dynamic that those who experience it are literally translated from the province of bondage to the gates of “Graceland”. Leaving the old country of death and despair behind, these folks come into the new world of mercy and hope. The people who successfully leave the old paradigm and begin to live in this new reality are those who understand that there is a dramatic difference between the ministry of the Old Covenant and the supernatural ministry of the New Covenant. While the ministry of both covenants is marked by divine demonstrations of power, the driving purpose behind these displays is completely different.”
I love Kris’ up-front style – he is refreshingly honest, and isn’t afraid to tell of his own mistakes as he developed in a lifestyle and ministry of signs wonders and miracles. His honesty leaves little love for religion, but a great love for the church that is genuinely pursuing the presence of God and releasing grace to grow in the supernatural to believers. Bono once said, "Religion is what's left after Spirit has left the building”, and sums up what becomes of a church that has lost the heartbeat of a Living Christ and casts the works of the Holy Spirit into the dustbin of history.
‘Developing a Supernatural Life Style’ is subtitled “a practical guide … “, and so it is. For example, Kris includes chapters on: how to receive a prophetic word and how to ‘pastor’ the prophetic (Chapter 7 – Keeping Secrets); how God has created us to receive his voice (Chapter 8 – Mission Impossible); and the various ways we ‘hear’ the voice of God (Chapter 9 – Learning Foreign Languages).
As much as anything Kris writes here, I appreciate the local church perspective – the pastoral perspective. This is the supernatural and the prophetic of a very church-friendly kind. He is part of a five-fold ministry team at Bethel Church – not a disconnected travelling “gift” – and his advice and encouragement in this book has been produced in the real world of a local church.
Another good read from Kris Vallotton.
