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About the Author John Dawson is a well-loved author and leader. He is founder of the International Reconciliation Coalition, a international network consecrated to healing wounds amongst people groups and constituents of society. He is former founder/director of Youth With A Mission-Los Angeles.

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31 of 36 people found the following review helpful.
Taking Our Cities for God
By Mohanan Unni
While curiosity about the occult and the supernatural pervades our society, the devil’s best defense has been the successful delusion of mankind into thinking that the kingdom of darkness does not really exist. Consequently, there is a widespread ignorance about the evil power, even among Christians. Many churches that preach the existence of Satan and demons do not acknowledge that people need help and deliverance. John Dawson’s experience and the word of God lead to another conclusion. John Dawson presents a spiritual and systematic way of understanding and dealing with the kingdom of darkness that tend to block the progress of the Kingdom of God in an urban area. He states these problems and offers a strategy for faith and intercessory prayer. In the fourth section, Mr. Dawson deals with the subject of crossing the Jordan to take the land. Christians were born to fight the spiritual warfare. Mr. Dawson challenges us to catch the demonic arsonist and bind the demon with God’s power. He provides us with a theology of the unseen realm such as the Angels, the evil spirits and the territorial control. With Scripture and fascinating personal testimonies, he shows us the reality of territorial control and spiritual strongholds. Mr. Dawson gives us a five-step strategy for faith and intercessory prayer. This includes worship, waiting upon the Lord, confession, overcoming evil with good and travailing in prayer. This topic challenges our so-called “enlightened” western minds. It is not a scientific book but it is a biblically based theological reflection on the question of spiritual territorial control. Demonic influences affect many in varying degrees and the cities need the Gospel of Christ. John Dawson explains that Christians can take authority over the demonic realm and bring freedom to those that need it so desperately. Mr. Dawson speaks very effectively to a much-neglected aspect of the Gospel in the church today.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful.
Where is that in the Bible?
By audie
I’ve read the Kindle version of this book so I’ll use the section numbers for reference, but that may not help anyone with a paper version of the book. The Kindle verson has 2018 locations, so you may be able to use that to help find roughly where the part referenced is located.

In this book, Dawson writes so many things that simply left me asking “Where is that in the Bible?”

For example, in locations 105-106, Dawson claims, concerning the account in Joshua of Israel marching around Jericho, that “Marching in silence around a wall for days on end made no sense militarily, but the people were gaining spiritual authority by the exercise of faith, obedience and self-control”; however, nothing is said about such a thing in the biblical account itself. So, “Where is that in the Bible?”

In locations 224-226, Dawson claims that cities have what he calls “a redemptive gift”. He gives no Scripture in support of this statement. So, “Where is that in the Bible?”

In locations 235-237, Dawson says that he believes that God has stationed high-ranking angels over each city. He tries to use a part of Daniel 12:1 which talks about Michael, the angel who seems to watch over Israel, but that passage doesn’t mention angels being assigned to cities, not even for that matter the city of Jerusalem, but only Michael having some of kind protective role over the nation of Israel. So “Where is that in the Bible?”

In location 346, Dawson claims that “In the place of prayer we will receive from God a specific strategy of spiritual warfare and a specific strategy of evangelism.” I can’t think of anyplace in the Bible where such a thing is said, and there is no scriptural support given to this statement. So, “Where is that in the Bible?”

In location 471-474, Dawson claims that “Unless you understand biblical warfare, you will be frustrated, angry, confused and ineffective in your ministry to the city…We need to bind the strongman and gain a place of authority over Satan before we will see the full fruit of our labors.” There is one passage where Jesus talked about “binding the strongman”, Matthew 12:29, but Dawson seems to be using it in a different way. Neither the Gospels nor the epistles tell the disciples or Apostles or the churches to practice “binding the strongman”, that it is something they need to do. Nor does Scripture tell us to “gain a place of authority over Satan”. So, “Where is that in the Bible”.

In location 698, Dawson claims that “In every city there is a hidden eldership.” I know of no biblical passage that says anything about a “hidden eldership”. So, “Where is that in the Bible?”

In location 924, Dawson claims that “When we have a working knowledge of the city, we are able to receive revelation from God about a specific strategy for ongoing evangelism and discipleship.” I’m not sure where that is taught anywhere in the Bible. So, “Where is that in the Bible?”

In location 1004, Dawson claims that “We need to overcome the enemy before we employ other methods of ministry among people.” In the New Testament, I don’t see Jesus doing such a thing at the places He travelled to–He did cast demons out of people, yes, but there is no hint that He first tried to “ovecome the enemy” in those places. Nor is it something any epistle tells the churches to do. So, “Where is that in the Bible?”

In locations 1014-1015, Dawson claims concerning the resurrected Christ that “Jesus walked through walls in His resurrection body, because He was the solid object, and the walls were misty and ethereal (Luke 24:36-37).” But those verses say nothing about Jesus finding walls “misty and ethereal; in fact, they don’t even say that at all that Jesus walked through walls. So, “Where is that in the Bible?”

In location 1022, Dawson claims that “The prayer of a human being can alter history by releasing legions of angels into the earth.” He gives no verses to support this claim, and I can’t think of anyplace in the Bible that says such a thing. So, “Where is that in the Bible?”

In locations 1200-1201, Dawson claims that “Everything born of God goes through a very natural process: worship, conception, gestation, travail and birth.” He gives no verses to support this claim, and I can’t think of anyplace in the Bible that says such a thing. So, “Where is that in the Bible?”

In location 1234, Dawson claims that “If you are negative and downcast, you will never minister to this generation.” I can’t think of a place in the Bible which says that only postive and upbeat people can minister to any generation. Prophets like Ezekial and Jeremiah didn’t seem to have been overly positive people, and the Bible describes Christ as “a man of sorrow, and acquainted with grief”. So, “Where is that in the Bible?”

In location 1307, Dawson claims that “The best place to become familiar with God’s voice is in the place of prayer for others.” He gives no verses to support this claim, and I can’t think of anyplace in the Bible that says such a thing. So, “Where is that in the Bible?”

In locations 1558-1559, Dawson claims that “The level of a spiritual victory for your city is directly affected by two spiritual conditions: the intensity of your desire and the size of your faith.” He gives no verses to support this claim, and I can’t think of anyplace in the Bible that says such a thing. Indeed, if one took those statements of Dawson’s seriously, one would have to conclude that Jesus did not have sufficient intensity of desrie and size of faith for a level of spiritual victory for Jerusalem, so that the people there would accept Him as the Messiah instead of reject Him and have Him crucified. So, “Where is that in the Bible?”

My conclusion: If the Bereans mentioned in Acts, who searched the Scriptures to confirm that the things they were being taught were really true, are an example we should follow, then Dawson’s book is simply found wanting. Between statement made with little or no biblical support, and verses or verse fragments taken out of context, this book is very suspect biblically, and I cannot recommend it at all.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful.
Marvelous perspective on how prayer works!
By Jane N. Ogg
I highly recommend this book! It is not only an inspiration to pray more, but there is tremendous insight into why prayer works, how to pray, spiritual warfare, and God’s perspective on your town. Especially enlightening was the section that teaches you how to examine the past to discover the strengths and weaknesses of your city.

This is easy reading and well worth the time it takes to read it.

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