Destined to Reign: The Secret to Effortless Success, Wholeness and Victorious Living

by Joseph Prince

Discover the secret of reigning over every adversity, lack and destructive habit that is limiting you from experiencing the success, wholeness and victory that you were destined to enjoy.

Find out how it is not about what you have to do, but what has already been done. It is not about what you must accomplish, but what has already been accomplished for you. It is not about using your will power to effect change, but His power changing you. Start reigning over sickness, financial lack, broken relationships and destructive habits today!

Find everything you need to know about the Gospel of grace in one definitive book.

Genres: Christian, Christianity, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Faith, Religion, Inspirational

336 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

JOSEPH PRINCE is a leading voice in proclaiming the gospel of grace to a whole new generation of believers and leaders. He is the senior pastor of New Creation Church in Singapore, a vibrant and dynamic church with a congregation of more than 33,000 attendees. He separately heads Joseph Prince Ministries, a television and media broadcast ministry that is reaching the world with the good news about Jesus’ finished work. Joseph is also the bestselling author of The Power of Right Believing and Destined to Reign and a highly sought-after conference speaker. For more information about his other inspiring resources and his latest audio and video messages, visit JosephPrince.com.

Reviews

[Larissa Fauber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must confess I couldn’t stop laughing whilst reading this book. Maybe due to the fact that it talks about “Grace” (joke that only Brazilians may understand). And just like the song from the “Phantom of the Opera” I would catch myself singing to it: “where in the world have you been hiding, really you are perfect?” A 10 out of 10 book.

Well, it must be very simple to say that we live under “Grace” now because of the death of Jesus on that cross. Yet, even having been Christian for almost 10 years, the coin hadn’t dropped for me. I’ve always felt condemned by sinning even knowing that I don’t live under the law nowadays. You may, sometimes, feel the same. All the time you sin it is just as if you “had lost your salvation”. Joseph Prince is here to erase this misunderstanding. He is here to say that “condemnation kills” and by citing the verse in Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”.

The author mentions how pastors are still preaching about the Old Testament and not giving enough emphasis on Jesus. He explains how the Old Testament points to Jesus, who is the only One who could fulfil the Law. In addition, the Law was given so that we can understand that we are UNABLE to live under it, accomplishing EVERYTHING that it demands.

The Old Testament, or the period in which it was lived under the Law, makes reference to our Saviour, because Galatians 3:24 says “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith”. And, allow me to write here in full what Joseph Prince states “What do all these verses tell you, my friend? They tell you that the law was designed to lead you to the END of yourself, and cause you to despair in your own efforts to achieve God’s standards, so that you will see for yourself that you NEED A SAVIOUR!” (page 124).

So, you mean I do not have to live under the Law anymore? YEAH! So, that’s why many people have Bibles that only have the New Testament (the time of Grace)!? YES!!! And yes to all. I think this is one of the main questions one has in mind. And I just thought of daring you to try to live under the Law. Go and try to fulfil ALL the specifications of the Law in the Old Testament! IMPOSSIBLE, right? Therefore, why waste your time by doing something you cannot achieve? The point here is to understand that our salvation in Jesus Christ comes by FAITH and NOT by actions.

I’m from Brazil and it is very easy to see how much effort we put into our careers to be the best, to receive acknowledgement by the degrees I have or the prizes I got. It’s MY OWN EFFORT in it. However, God is telling you that you do not need to do much to obtain salvation. It’s very simple: BELIEVE! Simple like that. It’s not your EFFORT that will bring you salvation... IT’S NOT HOW MANY PRAYERS YOU DO, NOT HOW MANY SACRIFICES YOU HAVE MADE... It’s whether you BELIEVE in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, who came to this world to die for you as a human sacrifice to save you and lead you to God.

If you open the Old Testament you will see that we had to offer a sacrifice for the sins you had committed by offering an animal without imperfections (maybe this is the real origin why we think that we have to do something with our own hands, a sacrifice, to feel “justified”). However, raise your hand if you did not sin today. Thank you for seeing ALL hands down. This person doesn’t exist. And we do not have to make sacrifices any longer, Jesus has already offered himself as a living sacrifice on the cross. He has already paid the price so that you can be justified by faith. Joseph compares it like a debt you have in the bank. Jesus paid for this debt. Now, go and enjoy your life by believing in the work of Jesus.

And once again I need to use Joseph Prince’s own words: “My friend, stop being preoccupied with yourself and your self-efforts, and disqualifying yourself. Start being occupied with Jesus and His finished work. Begin to search the Scriptures for all the things concerning Himself and feel your heart burning within you as the Holy Spirit unveils to you just how beautiful He is. You have a wonderful Savior”. (Page 202).

Preach about Grace and people will have enough strength to change their attitude. Preach about Grace and not LAW because no one is able to fulfil it. Preach about Grace and people will feel that they do not have to struggle to be saved anymore. Prince also outlines that some pastors do not preach about Grace because they are afraid that if “believers knew that they were forever righteous, they would go out and sin” (page 138). But the author strongly believes that this is sad because the power to overcome sin is found in knowing that you are righteous (ibid). And I’ll give you for free the extracted part from the book:

“When a believer is struggling with sin, it is a case of mistaken identity: He thinks that he is still a dirty rotten sinner and as a result, he will continue to live as a dirty rotten sinner. But the more he sees that he has been made RIGHTEOUS apart from HIS WORKS, the more he will be empowered to live righteously” (page 138).

I love you, Joseph Prince.
I felt like I’ve taken the burden out of my shoulder after having read this book. It’s not about my own effort. It’s not about MYSELF. It’s ABOUT JESUS and what He has done on the cross. It’s about HIS COMPLETE WORK. And Jesus finished His work, He sat down at the right hand of the Father God, as if He was saying: it is finished and THERE IS NOTHING else to be done. Jesus sat down to demonstrate that the work is FINISHED. Full Stop. Period!

Larissa Fauber :)

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a MUST READ!! I grew up in church and still every chapter held phenomenal revelation for me and answered questions that I've had since childhood. This book can set you free from so much bondage and reveal to you how God truly sees you and how much He loves you beyond question. I beg of everyone to read it, at least once, and be open to letting it change you!

That being said, I know many people who discount Joseph Prince's teaching because they find it a free-for-all for sin. To those, I say, you have NOT read this entire book. He addresses this issue over and over again, making it clear his stance on sin and on God's grace over sin. It makes me sad that people have missed the point of this message because they look at one aspect of his teaching and tune it out before they get to the meat of what God is saying through him.

[George P. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Joseph Prince, Destined to Reign: The Secret to Effortless Success, Wholeness and Victorious Living (Tulsa, OK: Harrison House, 2007).

If you combine a Word of Faith understanding of biblical promises with a Dispensationalist understanding of grace, the result is Destined to Reign by Joseph Prince, a book about “being radically transformed by His grace and His grace alone” (p. ix).

The Word of Faith understanding of biblical promises is evident on page 1: “You are destined to reign in life,” Prince writes, by which it becomes clear he means this life. “You are called by the Lord to be a success, to enjoy wealth, to enjoy health, and to enjoy a life of victory. It is not the Lord’s desire that you live a life of defeat, poverty, and failure. He has called you to be the head and not the tail.”

How do we experience this “life of victory”? Through grace. “Many believers are defeated today because they are struggling to qualify themselves for God’s blessing by their own works. Self-effort will rob you of reigning in life by His grace. You cannot earn your salvation, your healing, or your financial breakthrough by your own efforts. If the greatest miracle—being saved from hell—comes by grace through faith, and not by your works, how much more the lesser miracles, such as healing, prosperity, and restored marriages” (p. 10).

Why do I think Prince’s understanding of grace is Dispensationalist? Because his approach is hyper-Pauline and because he emphasizes “rightly dividing” the Bible into a rigid before-and-after scenario of “law” vs. “grace.”

Regarding hyper-Paulinism, Prince writes: “The best way to understand the gospel, therefore, is not to base it on what you have heard from various sources, but to go back to what the apostles preached in the early church. Let’s examine what Apostle Paul, the apostle of the new covenant, preached. After all, Paul was the apostle whom God appointed to preach the gospel of grace. He received more revelation on the new covenant of grace than all the other apostles put together, and he was responsible for writing more than two-thirds of the New Testament” (pp. 73, 74).

Regarding “rightly dividing,” Prince writes: “There is a lot of confusion and wrong believing in the church today because many Christians read their Bibles without rightly dividing the old and new covenants. They don’t realize that even some of the words which Jesus spoke in the four gospels [sic] (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) are part of the old covenant. They were spoken before the cross as He had not yet died. The new covenant begins only after the cross, when the Holy Spirit was given on the Day of Pentecost” (p. 92, emphasis in original).

This emphasis on grace vs. law leads Prince to contrast faith and works, which are understood as self-effort: “My friend, I have good news for you today: Faith is not a struggle. The hearing of faith and the works of the law are total opposites. And since the law is about our self-efforts, there is no self-effort in faith” (p. 271, emphasis added). That is why the subtitle of the book is “The Secret to Effortless Success, Wholeness and Victorious Living” (emphasis added).

In other words, we might say that not only does Prince believe in justification by grace through faith, but also in sanctification by grace through faith. “It is clear that if a person lacks good Christian qualities like self-control, godliness, and brotherly kindness, it is not because he lacks discipline, but because he has forgotten the main clause of the new covenant. He has forgotten that the blood of Jesus has purchased for him the forgiveness of all his sins. Beloved, if you remind yourself daily that you have been cleansed from all your sins, you will exhibit more and more of these Christian qualities. Your heart will overflow with self-control, godliness, perseverance, brotherly kindness, and love” (p. 103).

Critiquing Destined to Reign is a tricky proposition because a few diamonds of genuine biblical insight about grace are mixed in with lots of cubic zirconia of nonsense, but let me try.

First, Prince’s Word of Faith understanding of biblical promises is unbiblical. Yes, the new covenant promises believers forgiveness, resurrection, prosperity, and a kingly role. But how those promises are realized in this present life is complicated. Sins are forgiven, but believers still experience death, financial frustration, and powerlessness. The biblical explanation for these experiences is that we will not experience the promises in fullness until the age to come. The Word of Faith understanding of biblical promises is thus an example of over-realized eschatology.

Second, Prince’s explanation for these negative experiences is that we are laboring under self-condemnation. He writes, “the deepest root is condemnation” (p. 131). And, “There are many believers who are suffering from sicknesses and diseases because of guilt. Whether or not there is any real basis for their guilt and condemnation, the guilt and condemnation are still destructive. That is why the gospel is so powerful. It is the good news of God’s grace and forgiveness that frees the believer from every sense of feeling dirty or condemned and gives him the power to break free from the vicious circle of condemnation and sin” (p. 290).

I find this explanation for (at least some) people’s sickness odd. Elsewhere, Prince rights: “By the way, a believer should never feel guilty for being sick. We have to be careful not to create a culture in the church where people think that you will never be attacked by symptoms of sickness if you are walking with God. Having a sickness or disease does not mean that you have sinned or that God is teaching you a lesson. It just means that your healing is on its way!” (p. 162). I agree. But if we’re going to decouple sickness from sin or chastisement, why not decouple it from self-condemnation too? Perhaps sickness has less to do with spirituality and more to do with physical conditions like bad diet, no exercise, and stress or with germs, viruses, infections, and congenital defects.

Third, Prince’s hyper-Paulinism doesn’t get Paul right. Paul is not against works or self-effort per se, he is against their being used as the ground of justification. Paul’s vision of sanctification is not “effortless,” in other words. Thus, for example, in Ephesians 4:17–32, Paul exhorts the Ephesians to “put off your old self,” “be made new in the attitude of your minds,” and “put on the new self.” This requires effort. It may even require hard work.

But the motivation for this effort is not the hope of gaining God’s favor. God’s favor has already been bestowed. That is, as it were, the diamond of insight in Prince’s book. Whatever work the Christian performs is motivated precisely by the knowledge that one already has God’s favor. Work, then, is not the ground of justification. Rather, work—the work of holiness—is the expression of having been justified.

Fourth, the same logic applies to confession. Prince can only see the practice of ongoing confession of sins as an attempt to gain God’s favor. So, in regard to 1 John 1:9, he writes:

For us believers, the moment we received Jesus, all our sins were forgiven. We are not to live from confession to confession, but from faith to faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work. You see, there are no two ways about it. If you believe that you have confess your sins to be forgiven, then make sure that you confess everything! Make sure that you don’t just confess the "big sins" ("big" in your own estimation). Make sure that you also confess your sins every time you are worried, fearful, or in doubt. The Bible says that ��whatsoever is not of faith is sin.’ So don’t just confess what is convenient for you. Make sure that you confess everything.

If you really believe that you need to confess all your sins to be forgiven, do you know what you would be doing? You would be confessing your sins ALL THE TIME! How then can you have courage before God? How can you enjoy liberty as a child of God? I tried it and it is impossible! (pp. 106, 107).

Well, yes, if you think your confession of sins is the reason God forgives you, you’ll be anxious and enslaved. On the other hand, if you think God’s faithfulness and righteousness is the ground of your forgiveness, you’ll confess your sins freely and joyfully. The question, then, is not whether we confess our sins, but for what reason and with what motivation. Because Prince misunderstands the reason and motivation for confession, he comes close to doing away with the entire practice.

Two subsidiary points need to be made here: (1) Prince is simply wrong that 1 John 1:9 was written to Gnostics, not Christians (p. 106). The only letter is addressed to Christians. (2) Jesus himself taught us to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matt. 6:12). Though Prince does not set this verse aside explicitly, others who make the type of argument he makes about ongoing confession—I’m thinking of Bob George, for example—say that Jesus’ instruction came “before the Cross” and is thus not binding on the Christian. And thus does hyper-Paulinism exalt the apostle over the Sender, the servant above the Master! It takes some hair to set aside Jesus’ teaching on the basis of Paul, especially when you’ve misinterpreted Paul.

Fifth, another way Prince goes wrong is in his entirely negative view of the Law. For him, it has only a negative purpose. “God gave the law for one purpose, and that is by the law, the world would the knowledge of sin, and recognize their need for a Savior. Without the law, there would be no sin” (p. 16). And, “Let me give you a practical tip on how you can grow in this revelation of ‘no condemnation’: Learn to see the Ten Commandments (the law of God) and condemnation as the same thing. Whenever you read or think about the law, think ‘condemnation’” (p. 151).

Is the Law really entirely negative? In reality, the Law has at least three purposes. First, it reveals God’s righteousness. If, as Paul rights, “the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good” (Rom. 7:12), it is only so because God is holy, righteous, and good. Second, because the law reflects God’s character, it reveals our sin. It is in this sense that the law condemns. But third, the law, reflecting God’s character and revealing our sin, guides our actions. The Israelites to whom God gave the Law viewed it as a blessing (cf. Pss. 1, 119). Paul himself cited the Ten Commandments in Romans 13:8–10, concluding, “Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” If whenever we read or think about the law, we only think about condemnation, how can we view it as holy, righteous, and good? How can we view it—as Paul viewed it—as a meaningful guide to truly loving behavior?

There are some excellent passages in Destined to Reign, ones with genuine biblical insights about grace. However, those diamonds are mixed in with so much cubic zirconia that I cannot in good conscience recommend this book.

P.S. If you found this review helpful, please vote "Yes" on my Amazon.com review page.

[Charles Fowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book that started a New Reformation in the church, perhaps the most important book written in 200 years.

Joseph Prince is a gifted Pastor and a leader with a passion and vision for the gospel of Christ. I highly recommend this book and his ministry. I must add that I am not in total agreement with all of his teachings, however he is well within the theological camp of sound orthodox theology. I can say that after listening to hundreds of his sermons, reading all of his books and closely following his ministry. Unfortunately like anything else there are those who attribute to his teachings things that he absolutely has never taught and never will teach. And I am sure, like anything else, there will be those who take his teachings to the extreme, it is impossible to avoid this in our high speed high tech world of information.

Joseph Prince teaches sound biblical theology and is firmly in the orthodox camp of historical biblical teaching.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a word? Fantastic! The Lord is using Joseph Prince in an incredible way to take away the veil that satan has tried for some 2,000 years to place over the eyes of believers so that they can't see the full beauty and magnificence of the Gospel. Oh the joy and loveliness of looking at Jesus and seeing our lives literally transformed before our very eyes!! Oh what a savior we have!!

[Adam Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't let the title scare you. It sounds like Tony Robbins or some other self-help guru, but it is still apt for what Prince is offering, which is the real thing. This is Bible-centered radical grace preaching, and when you finish reading it, you'll wonder how you were ever convinced to sell God so short as the modern church does. This book blessed me in many, many ways, and I cannot recommend it enough. If you're getting tired of relying on your own works to somehow make you righteous or keep you there, this book is for you. If you think there is such a thing as too much grace, this book is most definitely for you. If you want more finished work perspective, I also very highly recommend Paul White's Revelation to Transformation. You can find out more about my own perspective on finished work and my own personal soapbox against legalism in my review for that book. The church is undergoing a revolution that the establishment has, until this point, failed to recognize, and I pray strongly that the Lord will blow those massive scales off the eyes of the old guard and we can truly start enjoying the blessing the way we were meant to, and the rest of the world can see Jesus for who He really is and see how much He really loves us. Books like this can help point the way. Spread the word.

[Tal · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow! what a life-changing topic! i'm not one to call a book "life-changing" either! this book really freed my mind and spirit of religious expectations that are outside of the grace of God. it's all about resting in the grace that has been freely given - resting in the finished work of Jesus. the religious standard is to obtain things by YOUR faith, or overcome by YOUR confession, or be healed because of YOUR stance when grace says that it's all about Jesus. it's really a good news message. He did it all - even the forgiveness of ALL sin in your life. it's just a matter of accepting His gift and giving up the condemnation. it really is a radical message - one that is not going to be popular with people who desire to still have control, but one that is the true message of the gospel. READ IT!!! =)

[John Dierckx · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I became a follower of Christ it was after a long journey of exploration and discovery. In that time but more importantly after that time I could not help but reading the Bible and it seemed like the same book that I had been reading (the Bible that is) several times was completely new. Especially the New Testament, Paul's letters were speaking to me in a way like never before. I saw this image of Christians being completely set free by the blood of Christ, a new covenant of grace similar as in the times prior to the time when Moses received the Law on Mount Sinai.

Yet as a fresh Christian there were still many questions to be answered and looking around me, what I understood to be great Christians, were seemingly not liberated at all. Arched backs walking under a heavy weight of judgment of self and others. But why? Did Jess not say on the cross "it is finished"? While it easy to understand that as the last thing one says before he or she dies, I understood it as the completion of the deal (covenant) between the Father and the Son. The latter would die for our sake so that we could be justified "for and and for all" and be reconciled with God the Father again.

It is pretty tough if, on the basis of what some may want us to believe, have lost your salvation, before you had a decent chance to enjoy it, so as to work your booty off to come under His grace again. It kept going through my mind over and over again? If Jesus came to set the captives free, what have we actually been set free off. Sure I knew in my mind that I understood it differently than let's say may traditional religious Christian people I was speaking to and had been speaking in the past. But who was I to think that I knew better.


Joseph Prince, in destined to reign, outlines what it means to live under grace, very much the way I understood it initially. I remember so well how I once asked: if Christianity is really all about these works; what is the meaning of Christ death on the cross? Christ said "it is finished" and ""my yoke is light", is this whole creeds and deeds mentality not a bit arrogant? Is it not implying or in effect saying that Christ's death on the cross was insufficient, and therefore we need to add some of our own goodies to the mix, so as to really finish it? I remember the look of my conversation partner and we moved on to a different subject. I went back into the Bible to find out what I had misunderstood so much. And I could not find it no matter what I tried.

Joseph Prince's book has been an incredible encouragement in getting an even better understanding of what it means to live under grace, to live in Christ, and along the way it has helped me strengthen my faith, my hope and much more. It restored so much of the initial joy I felt when becoming a follower of Christ. Moreover, I have so enjoyed the fresh perspectives on reading and understanding our Bible, New AND Old Testament. Thank you so much Joseph for producing a book that does not just affects the mind but changes the heart along in a lasting way by leading us straight back to and in Christ. And I see His unmerited favor showing up in my life again and again and again.

[Christopher Lewis Kozoriz · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Jesus did not come to bring us laws and more laws, He came to bring us abundant life through His grace!" (Joseph Prince, Destined to Reign, Page 83)

This book is about appropriating the grace of God for effortless success, wholeness and victorious living. There are no works or striving we can do to earn this grace. This grace was purchased on the cross when Jesus bowed his head on the cross and said, "It is finished". He took all our sins, sicknesses, diseases on the cross and through the cross we are whole.

Religion has taught us that we must do good works in order to be accepted by God, be holy, righteous, loved...But the good news is that the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men.

When God sees us, He doesn't see our sins, He sees His Son - Jesus Christ. Christ's blood covers all our sins and we are righteous. One of the things the author instructs us to do as believers is to say, "I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus" (See 2 Corinthians 5:21).

The main premise of this book is that we are no longer under law, but under grace as believers. The book of John declares, "For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ" (See John 1:17). Believers have been trying to mix both the Law and grace together, but this is impossible. Either we accept the work of Christ or we try to earn our own righteousness. I tell you the truth, you can never earn your own righteousness, you must accept the finished work of the cross and through the cross be forgiven, cleansed and made whole! Praise be to God forevermore. Amen.

[Gala · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has changed the way I think about being a christian. I am the beloved of God. The blood of Jesus is powerful enough to bring good in my life. I am not qualified, I am not good enough, and I do not have to qualify,earn, or be good enough. I will read this book again because I want this message to stay fresh in my mind. I have been taught the wrong message for a long time. I have a lot of trash to put in the garbage from past teaching in the churches. I am loved by God no matter my failures. I am loved by God no matter if I believe enough. I am loved by God even if I do not pray, fast, read my bible. I will do those things, but not to qualify for God to do something in my life. I will do them to learn and grow in my relationship with God. It is about the finish work of Jesus Christ.

[Caleb Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can honestly say, "It changed my life! And it is the BEST book on the earth!" Many people put, "best book ever" on a lot of books they read, but this book On the day I left an legalistic internship, they took the books I was reading, away from me, leaving me sorta empty. I felt I needed some new books to read. I stopped by a Christian book store, and I was browsing through thousands of books when my mom miraculously picked up, “Destined to Reign” by Joseph Prince. We bought it, and as I read it, I had a crucial encounter with God’s grace message. As I read page by page, my guilt and shame began to leave! In those pages, my life radically changed from being self-centered into being Christ centered. I had never completely finished a book until then, but now I read books by the week.

[Louetta Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being raised in church all my life, many of the things I was taught raised many questions in my mind. Some of the doctrines simply didn't make sense to me. Throughout Pastor Prince's book he addressed many of these questions with answers that made far more sense. This is a book I've read several times! I'd recommend this book to everyone. Warning: It is not for the traditional churchgoer who is perfectly content with their doctrines because this book will definitely challenge many traditional views.

[Charles Haywood · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is not the sort of book I normally read. It is spiritual fluff from a Singaporean megachurch “grace preacher,” Joseph Prince. But a friend of mine sent me a copy and suggested I read it, since he obtained a lot of spiritual benefit from it. I warned him that I would likely abuse the book and the preacher. I am here to execute on my warning.

In evangelical Protestant parlance, a “grace preacher” usually means a believer in OSAS (“once saved always saved”), often combined with strong elements of the Word of Faith movement, which is in essence what Americans call the “prosperity gospel.” Probably the most prominent current American practitioner of this style of theology and preaching is Joel Osteen, although there are many variants and many preachers. I am not qualified to parse the subtle differences among variants and preachers. I am, however, qualified to state they are all atrocious heretics who lead the faithful astray.

The troubles with this book begin with the cover. If there was a page before the cover, I’m sure they’d begin there. The title is “Destined To Reign,” the subtitle is “The secret to effortless success, wholeness and victorious living.” A smiling Joseph Prince graces the cover, dressed in a fashionable dark wool pinstripe suit with a clashing denim collar and wearing a frilled, open-necked white shirt. Missing, of course, is any reference to God, although at least we are prominently assured that this book is a “National Bestseller.” Substituting for references to God are references to temporal things—three temporal things, to be precise: “success,” “wholeness,” and “victorious living.” Plus a fourth, when you realize with growing horror that “Destined to Reign” explicitly means not to achieve salvation, as a casual book browser might assume about a Christian book, but to get money and happiness in the here and now, the more the better. It means “to reign in [this] life.” It means, as Prince says in the second sentence of the book, “You are called by the Lord to be a success, to enjoy wealth, to enjoy health and to enjoy a life of victory.”

When I first read Prince’s admission of this, and celebration of it, I could not believe my eyes. Surely, I thought, I must be missing something. Surely, he will pivot to something else. Nope. The entire book, written as a series of repetitive sermons (presumably taken from Prince’s own past preaching), revolves around Romans 5:17, which Prince cites as “For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” Prince informs us that “to reign [in this verse] is to reign in life as a king, to have kingly rule and to possess kingly dominion.” This is a unique, modern interpretation of this verse (and the accompanying set of verses), or more accurately a bizarre interpretation, but doubtless it is one very attractive to Prince’s wealthy congregation, and to many others who think Jesus is an ATM.

The rest of the book is just variations on this central theme. At least the reader cannot complain that Prince does not believe in truth in advertising, for what you see on the cover is what you get in the book. Over and over Prince assures us that anyone who believes in Christ is saved; nothing the believer does can change that. Technically, Prince is apparently a believer in the penal substitution theory of Christ’s atonement, which is one form of substitutionary atonement. But Prince’s strong point is not high-end theology; the reader gets the distinct impression that he set out to write a book aimed at the lowest common denominator, and managed to hit somewhat lower than that.

So, Prince tells us that every believer should ignore the “law,” that is, the old and no longer hip instructions of God as to how to behave, because it merely “condemns” and “kills,” and we should instead be busy partying with the money dispensed by the Jesus ATM. In fact, we shouldn’t hang our heads before God at all when we sin. Instead, we should “enter boldly into the presence of Almighty God without any guilt,” since “His blood has removed all vestiges of your sins!” After all, “God sees you as righteous as Jesus Himself.” This is near-blasphemous feel-good claptrap indistinguishable from Moralistic Therapeutic Deism.

Destined To Reign is an infinitely target-rich environment. Did you know that “Jesus became poor on the cross, that we might through His poverty might be prosperous?” (And no, Prince doesn’t mean spiritually prosperous.) “Do you seriously think that your heavenly Father will bless you with a meager hand when the streets of heaven are made of pure gold?” Properly analyzed, Prince is all kinds of heretic. He frequently treads close to the heresy of Marcionism, the belief that the God of the Old Testament is not the God of the New Testament. He doesn’t say that explicitly, but the thrust of everything he says about the “law of Moses,” which to him is basically the root of all evil, because it prevents us from being happy and reigning, tends in that direction. I’m sure if I carefully parsed Prince’s statements and his cut-rate, ends-oriented analysis of numerous Scripture passages, I could tote up a baker’s dozen of named heresies. But that would be overkill.

I will say further, though, that the core of his book is Prince’s affirmative and continuous endorsement of the heresy of Antinomianism, which says that because of grace believers are totally exempt from the law. To his credit, he recognizes this problem—and “solves” it by answering the explicit question “Am I an Antinomian?” with a glib “No.” His “argument” is that “It is precisely because I have the highest regard for the law that I know that no man can keep the law,” and thus he should not try to do so—because, after all, all the law does is “It stirs up sin in us.” Honest, God, I wouldn’t have thought of sinning if it weren’t for your rules! It’s your fault! Prince actually has a whole section in which he repeatedly says that it’s the existence of the law which prompts us to sin, which we would not do otherwise. Which makes Prince an Antinomian, whatever he may say. And a heresiarch. To any believer who is thinking of reading this book, I can only respond with the immortal words of Robot B9 in Lost In Space: “Danger! Danger, Will Robinson!”

[Cara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard a few of Joseph Prince's broadcasts because a friend is a fan. At first I was indifferent. Then he started talking about God healing people if we ask him to. That made me mad. If that's true, what about the really awesome people I've known who have suffered from horrible diseases and not been healed? Some of them may not have asked, but some I'm certain did ask, and I know they all had other believers asking for healing on their behalf.

I still don't know what to think about this, to be honest. But hearing over and over that God loves me and continually imputes righteousness to me started to change the way I felt about myself and about life. If God sees me as not only good enough but perfectly righteous, who am I to see myself as fundamentally flawed?

The thing is, I've argued with myself many times to try to convince myself that I'm not fundamentally flawed, but that never made any difference. But this has, and it started feeling really good. So I wanted to read more about what the deal is. I was trying to figure out which book to read--out of all the books Joseph Prince has written, what one book captures this message the most? Well, I was reading the book descriptions, and the one for this book said, "If there is one book that I want to write on this side of heaven, this would be it." Ok, sold!

This book took me through the concept of Grace in detail. As a result, I feel like God's blessed and beloved child.

Part of me still feels like this whole thing is too good to be true--just a feeling that will wear off later or something. But after years of being angry with God and then refusing to believe in him altogether, this feels really good. It certainly gives me more comfort and peace than resentful agnosticism. I almost feel like it doesn't matter whether it's really true or not--I see it because I believe it, and that's good enough.

What I really like about the Gospel as Joseph Prince presents it is that we can't screw it up. During my various religious phases in my life, it's always been about trying really hard but not being able to do it right. Even if all you need is faith, I've never been good at that, either. As soon as I start thinking about it, I'm immediately full of doubts. But if everything is about what Jesus did, not what I do or don't do or how much faith I have or whatever, then it's all good… and that actually makes it easier to believe everything is ok (which, oddly enough, is a lot like faith).

Overall, when I believe this message, I find it easier to love everyone around me, and I don't feel like I have to try to control everything or freak out when things go wrong. That's huge for me. I'll be interested to see where this leads.

[Dave Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was familiar with Prince before i read this book and was really impacted with his teaching on grace and righteousness in particular. my pastor highly recommended this book, so i gave it a shot. i normally shy away from many christian books from pastors because, honestly, most of them are poorly written and are repetitive. they get boring fast. and, although i can't say that the writing in this was particularly great, it was still above average and i didnt mind reading it. now, writing aside, the message is what you really read this book for, and the message in this book is PHENOMENAL. within the last year i've been inundated with the grace message, so some things were familiar, but this book really dealt with a small remnant in my heart that held onto some "works" or "law".

the premise of the book is found in a verse in the book of romans that (paraphrasing here) says that those who have received the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through Christ Jesus. so the book stays on those two topics and goes into some depth about the two, going throughout the old testament and the new, and does so with a hypothetical reader who has questions regarding the veracity of the message--it sounds weird but it really works. i think this book will really set a lot of people free if they will receive it.

a MUST READ for christians!!

[Jun S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

We're under the COVENANT of GRACE and not of LAW.

[Hae In · Rating 5 out of 5]

Has to be one of the best Christian books I’ve read. I see the Father’s love for me in a new light.

[Emi Ciupe · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's just awful. It's a mix of Word of Faith Theology with some kind of prosperity gospel (although not Osteen's). I read it because one of my church members recommended it to me but I would not recommend it further, only for research purposes. The hypergrace movement has a lot of good stuff in its theology and this is exactly why it's so attractive. In the end, this movement it's far away from classic protestant conservative orthodoxy.

[Cathleen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am sorely conflicted about the teachings in this book. It has some eye-opening and potentially life-changing explorations about what grace is and what it means for the life of a believer, but according to the author the end results seem to be centered in health, wealth, and success here in this world. I'm afraid I'm not a fan of the author's writing style either; it smacks too much of televangelist-speak in both tone and construction, and I'm uncomfortable with how prominently the author features himself in his illustrations and insights.

I was asked to read this book, and frankly it has now made me question the perspective of the person who recommended it. Yet, can there be truth in this understanding of grace? Included are many Scriptural references for support, but I worry they are selective. I just don't know. A book that challenges me to examine my understanding isn't all bad, but I have to admit trepidation about embracing it fully.

[James Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of all the Spirit filled books I’ve read, yes this is spirit filled, this is one I’d strongly recommend. Listing it as my one of my top three recommendations for any level of spiritual maturity. Also, this is my first read of Joseph Prince.
I’ve been a Christian almost 41 years and still the understanding of the significance of the Grace of God really hit home. Not that I took it for granted, my understanding was shallow. Yes, the body of Christ are saved by grace but I see now that many fail in receiving what God had in mind living within this grace.
The importance of understanding God’s grace will elevate your release of faith from deliverance to the full release of the ‘Zoe’ intended for us in the earth.

[Kelvin Ong Dunhao · Rating 5 out of 5]

I reviewed this book through the impact it has on my life. Few books have such an impact on my life. Most books are just educational in their aspect.

Does it cause me to search the Scriptures to know more about Jesus? Yes.

Does it cause me to read the Bible more to know of God's and promises towards me? Yes.

Does it help me correct my wrong beliefs? Yes.

Does it help me in my own ministry, being more effective for Christ? Yes.

Do I know Christ more in the Scriptures because of reading this book? Yes.

Am I more and more aware of God's love towards me and in turn love Him back? Yes.

[Obadiah]

I hate the title of this book. It seems like some ridiculous self-help book that will teach you to make a million dollars in three months by flipping houses. I'm sure that it is probably packaged that way purposefully to reach that crowd, but that isn't me. :)

I'm roughly 100 pages in and the book is really about God's grace. It came recommended from a friend and I'm still studying and researching the concepts presented. So far, I'm about 95% with the guy. :)

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will rock your world in terms of what we have been taught about Jesus. He backs up everything with scripture. Many, many eye-opening experiences while reading the book. It's not a book that you can read fast. You need to digest it as you go. Great book!

[Greg Rudisill · Rating 5 out of 5]

A refreshing look at how God's grace isn't just related to the initial salvation of Christian believers, but a way of life that must permeate a believers daily walk. It provides a new percpetive on how the Father percieves His children and why He wants them to reign in this life.

[Marissa N. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reigning in His love

Saturating myself in God's grace has set me free from a life of mixture (law + grace) and increased my capacity to recieve His amazing, abundant grace/love. Freedom feels so good. Im free to love Him and others as never before!

[Victor Nobrega · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read

A excellent book that focuses on spreading God's grace and not on legalism. Explaining the difference is what saves so money. In the name of the Lord. Must read for Christians of any denomination.

[Matthew Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a vital read for any believer who doesn't feel like he or she is good enough, who struggles with guilt or legalism. The gospel of grace can provide amazing peace, and Joseph Prince is one of the best teachers on the subject.

[Andy Febrico Bintoro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book bound to have many controversies, especially the teaching grace alone here would be interpreted as hyper grace by many people. But the book was consistent in proofing the theory and have many scriptures as foundations.

[Marshall Gwede · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gave me a new lens on perspective of Christian living. Basically, most people in the Christian aren't Christians, because they put the person of grace aside.

It's empowered and primed me to receive the love of Christ in it's grandeur.

[Caleb-Immanuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I personally find no fault in this book which some claim to "cheapen grace".

A refreshing and radical look at Jesus and the cross.