Blessings Deborah and Doves,
 
When Jesus was asked, "What will be the signs of your coming...?" His immediate warning, which He repeated three more times, was, "See to it that no one deceives you!" Deception is the number one sign of our times, inside and out of the " Church". We have each been given the Holy Spirit, to lead us into all Truth, but just like Peter, we are all distracted by our own misconceptions.
 
Mar 8:33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men! .
 
We have the tendency to become caught up with feelings, emotions and false concepts which distract us from the real "Truth ." And the Father is seeking individuals who are lovers of the "Truth".
 
Jhn 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
 
Jhn 4:24 God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth.
 
This "January 23rd dream" gives us an excellent opportunity to evaluate many of these misconceptions concerning modern-day "prophetic words" which never occur. (Please also see, "The True Measure of a Prophet."). I specifically want to address the questions from Deborah's artic! le concerning our misconceptions about Jonah. It is amazing that throughout the entire Old Testament, there was only one Prophet like Jonah. And yet today, almost every modern-day "Prophet", declares that they are "just like" Jonah and the "prophecy" failed due to the work of intercessors. Well folks, they aren't "just like Jonah", and God doesn't always yield to intercessors. Even Moses had his intercessory failures.
 
Exd 32:31 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.
 
Exd 32:32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
 
 
Exd 32:33 And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.
 
Exd 32:34 Therefore now go, lead the people unto [the place] of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.
 
Exd 32:35 And the LORD plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.
 
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Jonah was a true Prophet of God, and did not give a false prophecy. Not only that, Jonah knew before he left his country, that Nineveh would repent and miss Gods judgment in that day. For these modern-day "Prophets" to be like Jonah, they would be telling believers that t! he Word that God had given him, was going to cause repentance and would restrain the hand of Gods judgment. Using the "January 23rd dream" example, they would be proclaiming to these six cities the upcoming judgment, but confiding to the "Church" that their intercession would be honored.
 
Jon 4:1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.
 
Jon 4:2 And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, [was] not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou [art] a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.
 
Jonah was so confident in his prophetic knowledge, that he openly tried to avoid his mission due to hi! s dislike of the people of Nineveh. (He wanted them to be judged/overthrown.). Many of the "modern-day Prophet's," appear surprised that their word wasn't fulfilled, and make all sorts of excuses. The real prophets confess their error, and repent. The "false prophets" demonstrate the "deeds of the flesh." (Galatians chapter 5).
 
Jon 3:1 And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying,
 
Jon 3:2 Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.
 
I know that this seems like a small matter, but Jonah wasn't instructed to prophesy to Nineveh. He was told to "preach" the Words of Gods bidding. This is a different word in the Hebrew, but more important, it was a different "ministry", but still "speaking forth! ."
 
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Preach
 
qara' (Strong's 07121)
 
1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim
 
1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound
 
2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God)
 
3) to proclaim
 
4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read
 
5) to summon, invite, call for, call and commission, appoint, call and endow
 
6) to call, name, give name to, call by
 
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Prophesy
 
naba' (Strong's 05012)
 
1) to prophesy
 
1) to prophesy
 
a) under influence of divine spirit
 
b) of false prophets
 
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Jon 3:4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.
 
 
My guess would be that Jonah didn't put any "extra effort" into his preaching. But, his preaching only the Words of God, accomplished exactly what they were intended to do. They brought an entire city to repentance. Most prophets are ignored or executed. Jonah is one of the few that were truly successful on their mission. What was his results?
 
 
Jon 3:5 So the people of Nineveh bel! ieved God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
 
Jon 3:6 For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered [him] with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
 
Jon 3:7 And he caused [it] to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water:
 
Jon 3:8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that [is] in their hands.
 
Jon 3:9 Who can tell [if] God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?
 
 
The people of Nineveh, "Believed God!"
 
Everybody fasted. From the greatest to the least, including the animals. They put on "sackcloth and ashes" and even fasted water.
 
They cried unto God and turned from their evil ways and violence. And they did all of this, not knowing for sure whether or not this would change Gods plan. That took faith.
 
The people of Nineveh interceded for themselves.
 
Jon 3:10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and! he did [it] not.
 
Jon 4:11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons ( ? 120,000) that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and [also] much cattle?
 
 
Did anyone see these six cities in the "January 23rd dream" repent? Do any of those six cities "Believe God?" Did those cities fast and turn from their evil ways and violence? If anyone can show me that this happened, I will believe there "stories" about the intercessors. If they cannot show you a dramatic character change in these people, their words about "successful intercession" are not the truth. And these " prophets" are no "Jonahs"! I would beware of anyone who said otherwise.
 
 
Isa 5:20 Woe unto them t! hat call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
 
Isa 5:21 Woe unto [them that are] wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
 
Isa 5:23 Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
 
 
Eph 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit [is] in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
 
They perish because they refused to love The TRUTH and so be saved. For this reason God will send them a powerful delusion, deluding influence so that they will believe what is false - THE LIE. 2 Thessalonians 2
 
 
Shalom, John