Do What Jesus Did by Robby Dawkins

There are certain books that are packed full of amazing stories of miracles, but instead of inspiring me they leave me feeling impressed but inadequate. This book has all the classic elements of that genre - a miraculous birth story, glorious events in the toughest of places, battles with demons, stunning healings, hardened criminals being transformed - but at the end, and indeed throughout the book, I felt inspired to go and 'do what Jesus did' for myself. I felt like this could be something I could do. Why is that?

Well, for starters, I got to meet Robby Dawkins this summer. One of the great things about speaking at summer festivals is you get to hang out with some fascinating people and see them close up, and I really liked Robby and how he really got stuck in and served humbly during the Soul Survivor and Momentum festivals. So I wanted to like this book, and I did. I wouldn't be reviewing it if I didn't!

Another factor here is that Robby is very honest. For every amazing story there is an example of how he messed up, or prayed for someone who wasn't healed. One of the most poignant examples is how earnestly he prayed for his mother to be healed of cancer, but she died, and yet the lady with a similar condition in the same hospital was healed instantly when he prayed for her. Robby explains these contradictions in terms of the spiritual battle we are in, and he does not shy away from telling the stories of failure, including those who were gloriously saved but then just as spectacularly went away from the faith. This honesty and ability to tell it how it is, is very comforting to all of us who work with broken people in tough places. 

The chapter on perseverance is probably worth the price of the book on its own. Using the example of Elijah who felt deeply alone and depressed immediately after seeing a great miracle against the prophets of Baal, Robby is very open about the times he felt like giving up, about seeing miracles then having to get the leaky church roof fixed, and how all these things shape our characters. 'If you're looking for a shortcut, if you want to skip the character development... Getting involved in kingdom ministry is not the way out. There is no shortcut'. 

This is the stuff that sets this book apart from the usual 'miracle on every page' book, and makes it potentially a story that can bring real change and help us to go after this stuff and not be disillusioned when nothing happens at first. I recommend this to anyone interested in the use if the gifts of healing, prophecy and the like, especially in mission contexts, and also to anyone who just wants to read a gutsy, real and wonderful story of God's power and love.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Jesus-Did-Real-Life-ebook/dp/B00B85M3PQ/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1378325952&sr=8-1