Life Resurrected by Jesse Birkey

If you believe in the Bible, you will appreciate this book. If you believe in Matthew 10:8, you will enjoy this book. If you believe in Matthew 10:8 but can't figure out how it would look in America in the twenty-first century, you need to get this and read it.

The subtitle of the book is very apt: "Extraordinary Miracles Through Ordinary People." That's what it's about. And that's why you should read it. Although I frequently pray for the sick (and have seen God do miracles, but more often have not seen anything unusual happen), I often find it awkward to approach someone and ask if I can pray for them. And when I first heard Birkey's story, I naively assumed that things would be easier for him, as a firefighter/paramedic. I didn't realize that he shared the same struggles that I do. "How could I be obedient to Jesus when I was afraid that saying "yes" to Him might cost me my job?" In fact, Birkey's job didn't make this easier, it just made the choice more frequent, and the results more exciting.

While the book touches on topics such as repentance, fasting, prophecy, forgiveness and deliverance, the strongest passages are those where he describes his own journey into intimacy and obedience, as well as those where he simply prays for someone in crisis.

Jesse Birkey does an amazing job of sharing his own testimony without turning himself into the hero. It is very clear that the purpose of his life and his book is to give honor to Father God. Indeed, he sets a challenge for his readers: "Are you ready to surrender every piece of your heart and life to God?"