Three prophecies about video : You can help

The outpouring is drawing close in Detroit—and we’re ready to chronicle it all!

We have received three very specific prophecies about a video documentary on the revival that’s coming to Detroit and Revival Church.

  • Michele Perry of Iris Ministries Sudan was with us this past weekend, and she was adamant that we needed to start recording our events.
  • A ministry partner of Georgian Banov was with us and prophesied that he saw film crews in our building recording what God was doing in the revival.
  • Another friend of the ministry saw the same thing… and felt a documentary, before and after the outpouring begins… must be made.

So, we need to get video setup in our services!

A lot of people have asked me when we’d start recording our services, and I believe now is the time.

We need some help from you.

In addition to a quality video camera with an audio input and the ability to connect to a laptop for live streaming, we need monitors for the worship team (God is growing our worship team!).

This should cost no more than $1500 total. We’d like to get the equipment this week… can you help us by making a donation?

We’d be so thrilled if you could! These are exciting times and we want to display God’s love and power to as many people as we can all over the world!

You can donate at www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/donate.

Thank you very, very much!

John


JBD-AD

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Last chance to register : Michele Perry : Discover the supernatural

Michele Perry has arrived in Detroit! She’s getting ready for a powerful encounter with God and with YOU!


This amazing powerhouse for God will be introducing us to the invisible, supernatural realm of God—a place that few Christians truly experience!
Registration is FREE for the evening sessions, and only $20 for the Saturday workshops.

Registration is REQUIRED… so head on over to www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/events right now!

We can’t wait to see you TOMORROW EVENING at 7pm at Revival Church!

Here’s the schedule:

THE THINNING OF THE VEIL CONFERENCE REGISTRATION- OCTOBER 29-31, 2010

Friday (FREE, registration required)

  • 7pm

Saturday (Special workshops, payment and registration required)

  • 10am-noon: Connecting with the supernatural/hearing the voice of God
  • Noon: Lunch (on your own)
  • 2pm-3pm: Driven by revelation
  • 3pm-4pm: Changing a regional atmosphere/carrying God’s presence

Saturday (FREE, registration required)

  • 7pm

Sunday (FREE, registration required)

  • 6pm
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Detroit strategy tonight with Miles Anderson

Miles Anderson TONIGHT at Revival Church!

First, have you registered for THE THINNING OF THE VEIL conference with Michele Perry? Head on over to www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/events and register TODAY!


Yesterday was easily one of the most powerful and most important days in Revival Church history. Miles Anderson from Revolution House of Prayer in Manitou Springs, Colorado met with our church staff all day and imparted strategies for intercession, deliverance and for dealing with the warfare in this region.

TONIGHT he will be ministering at Revival Church at 6pm. If you want to experience a highly prophetic atmosphere with some serious breakthrough anointing, don’t miss this special event.

Miles is a great friend and a General of the faith. For years he woke up every morning at 4am, seven days a week, and covered me, my family and the ministry in intercession. His strategies of breakthrough are powerful and effective and he is intent on seeing the church rally together in Detroit.

Prayer starts at 5pm and we would love to have you join us!

For a map and directions, click here.

Registration Fee Decrease : The Thinning of the Veil Conference

      FREE Evening Sessions : $20 Workshop Registration : October 29-31, 2010 : The Thinning of the Veil Conference

      Have you registered for a POWERFUL weekend of ministry with Michele Perry of Iris Ministries Sudan?

      We have decreased the registration for the Saturday workshops to a mega-low $20!

      You can register right now at: http://www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/events-thethinningoftheveil

      Michele Perry Card Front-588x400

      Here’s the schedule:

      THE THINNING OF THE VEIL CONFERENCE REGISTRATION- OCTOBER 29-31, 2010

      Friday (FREE, registration required)

        • 7pm

        Saturday (Special workshops, payment and registration required)

        • 10am-noon: Connecting with the supernatural/hearing the voice of God

        • Noon: Lunch (on your own)

        • 2pm-3pm: Driven by revelation

        • 3pm-4pm: Changing a regional atmosphere/carrying God’s presence

        Saturday (FREE, registration required)

        • 7pm

        Sunday (FREE, registration required)

        • 6pm

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        BOOKING JOHN BURTON MINISTRIESimage

        Thank you for considering me for ministry in your church or at your conference or event. My heart is to see pastors strengthened and churches break into freedom and extreme life.

        I look forward to connecting with you and your church family. You will discover that I’m easy and fun to work with, and your mission is extremely important to me!

        I’ve written five books on topics including prayer, revival and fulfilling our destinies in life, and would love to teach on those subjects or others that God has burned into my heart.

        Single events, conferences, workshops, leadership training and other ministry venues work great. I’m free to travel one full week and weekend each month, and any other day except Sunday evenings the remainder of the month. Revival Church begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting meets Sunday evenings and it’s probably good that their pastor is in the building at least three out of four Sunday evenings! 

        To see my complete ministry portfolio which includes my bio, video and audio, CLICK HERE. And, feel free to contact me any time at [email protected] or by phone at 313.799.FIRE.

        Blessings!

        John Burton

        Revival Church is a REGIONAL strategic center of revival. We are calling all of the hungry people in Detroit, everybody who’s ready for a move of God, to converge every Sunday night at 6pm with us. Pastors, intercessors, worshipers, musicians and desperately hungry people–see you Sunday! www.detroitrevivalchurch.com

        Subscribe to text alerts, email updates, RSS feeds and more at www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/subscribe.

        Very Special Event! Michele Perry of Iris Ministries Sudan

        The Thinning of the Veil : October 29-31, 2010

        THE THINNING OF THE VEIL conference with Michele Perry, founder of Iris Ministries Sudan, will impact your life in dramatic fashion!

        Michele Perry Card Front-588x400

        Michele shared with me that she is experiencing the supernatural realm with significant ease, and wants to see the church step into that same life of encounter.

        Halloween is commonly known to be the time when those involved in witchcraft and the occult can move into the spirit realm most easily. The veil is thinnest that night of the year.

        Of course, everything the enemy does is a reproduction or a skewed version of the pure are real. God loves it when we go deeper into his presence, when we walk in the Spirit and when it becomes normal to know and hear him continually.

        Michele will be teaching and coaching you into this amazing reality!

        REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED

        The main sessions, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings, are FREE, but you must register at www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/events.

        The three Saturday workshop sessions require both registration and a small fee.


        THE THINNING OF THE VEIL CONFERENCE REGISTRATION- OCTOBER 29-31, 2010


        Friday (FREE, registration required, no child care)

        • 7pm

        Saturday (Special workshops, payment and registration required, no child care)

        • 10am-noon: Connecting with the supernatural/hearing the voice of God
        • Noon: Lunch (on your own)
        • 2pm-3pm: Driven by revelation (John Burton)
        • 3pm-4pm: Changing a regional atmosphere/carrying God's presence

        Saturday (FREE, registration required, no child care)

        • 7pm

        Sunday (FREE, registration required, nursery only, no additional childcare)

        • 6pm

        If you have questions, please contact us at www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/contact.

        We can’t wait to see you in a few weeks!

        Amy Burton
        Senior Leader
        Revival Church

        John Burton
        Visionary Leader
        Revival Church

        Lily Band : Have you registered?

        image

        This is an event quite possibly unlike any you’ve ever experienced.

        The Lily Band will be at Revival Church for a full night of unique and heavily anointed prophetic worship.

        You can register RIGHT NOW at www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/events.

        While you are there go ahead and register for The Thinning of the Veil conference with Michele Perry in October.

        Check out the Lily Band’s website and listen to their music at www.lilybandmusic.com.

        Fireworks AND a Road Trip Sunday!

        First—The registration fee for the upcoming Michele Perry conference is about to go up! It’s only $20 per person for the Saturday all-day workshop on October 30th. Go to www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/events to register TODAY!


        Enjoy two exciting events TOMORROW!image

        We’re looking for a team of fire-breathers to join us at Revival Nation Church in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada Sunday morning. I’ll be teaching there and praying for fire to fall on everybody there!

        The service starts at 10:30am, so you should be OK if you leave Detroit by around 8:30am or so. It’s only an hour drive, but it’s smart to leave time to make it across the border.

        Their website is www.revivalnationchurch.com and their address is 218 Christina Street North, Sarnia, Ontario, Canada N7T 5V2.

        Don’t forget your PASSPORT!

        image Also, after an anticipated night of encounter with the Holy Spirit at Revival Church, those who want to join the Burton family can head on over to the park for a spectacular fireworks show!

        Bring blankets or lawn chairs and some food if you’d like. We’ll leave from Revival Church by around 9pm or so (right after church) and head to Parcells Middle School.

        Here’s the info:

        Sunday, June 27, 2010
        @ dusk Parcells Middle School
        Mack and 8 Mile

        Gathering the hungry for revival in Detroit

        We have been experiencing an overwhelming atmosphere at Revival Church recently—one young lady mentioned, with tears in her eyes A WEEK LATER, that she’s forever changed. The saturating presence of the Holy Spirit has resulted in many powerfully rocked people!image

        **Michele Perry said that she feels that the mission in Detroit is more difficult than her mission in Sudan. This means that we need the masses to join together each week as we strategically contend for an outpouring in Detroit.

        What’s radically important in this season? Several key points:

        • This is a season of gathering the hungry—As a regional center of revival, Revival Church is connecting with people from all over the area each week to contend for an outpouring.
        • This is a season of precision positioning—Simply, those currently connected to Revival Church, and many other we have yet to meet are being awakened to the extreme need to be alert, in position and intentionally advancing the mission of revival.
        • We are praying in pastors, leaders, intercessors, musicians, etc—As a regional revival center, it’s important that we have key city leaders on our team. We’re praying in people who are running the race of Kingdom advance in the region.
        • Joy, freedom and abundant life are to be the norm—As we find ourselves deeply refreshed and healed in God’s presence each week as we minister to God and each other, the life of God will explode into our city.

        So, can you help in this mission? It’s a big one and we can’t do it with a small team!

        A few thoughts:

        • Participate in prophetic prayer every Sunday from 5-6pm
        • Bring friends, pastors, intercessors, family and others to our primary revival and refreshing event every week on Sunday at 6pm
        • Join a small group
        • Ask how your gift and passion fits at Revival Church
        • Share the vision with pastors and leaders, and request they book a Revival Team in their church or at their camp or conference.

        Ministry sites:

        We can’t wait to see you THIS SUNDAY at 6pm!

        Also, don’t forget to REGISTER for October’s THE THINNING OF THE VEIL conference with Michele Perry! Discounted registration through June!

        www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/events

        Blessings!!

        Jonah-A Prophetic Message to the Church

        First—we’ve been involved in fundraising to support our ministry for years, and we understand the challenge quite well.image

        Some of our leadership team felt it was time to communicate our current situation, and ask for twenty new partners to donate $100 per month.

        Michele Perry, a missionary to Sudan, mentioned that she feels Detroit just may be a more difficult mission than even Sudan. Amy and I are missionaries to an area that is a challenge to even the most seasoned missionary.

        We currently receive zero financial support from churches or organizations, and only around $500 per month from personal supporters. The economic crisis has hit us hard!

        Contact me at [email protected] if you have questions. You can donate to use at www.praytherevolution.com/donate. PLEASE BE SURE to alert us via email about the donation so we can ensure it’s designated for our personal support. Otherwise it will go toward the general fund of our Colorado ministry.

        You can setup recurring donations or give a one time gift. Thank you!


        Tonight at Revival Church was powerful… extremely powerful.

        Here’s the audio of tonight’s teaching: http://www.johnburtonministries.com/teaching

        And here are the notes so you can follow along:

        Revelation Unto Mission—Jonah’s Story

        I. The Word of the Lord

        a. It’s troubling to me that people attempt to live their lives outside of God’s Rhema activity.

        i. Jonah 1:1 (ESV) Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

        ii. Of course, Jonah was being called into a world changing mission, and it’s a mission he would not even know about if he didn’t hear God.

        iii. This issue plagues Believers around the world. The Word is rare to them.

        iv. Let’s look briefly at the story of Samuel and Eli.

        v. 1 Samuel 3:1-11 (ESV) 1 Now the young man Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli.

        1. Note that Samuel was involved in ministry to God.

        vi. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision. 2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.

        1. He was where the ark of God was… just being in God’s presence changes everything!

        vii. 4 Then the Lord called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!” 5 and ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down.

        1. God’s voice was so clear that Samuel mistook it for a human.

        2. When God talks, we should know him.

        3. If our spouse were to show up at the house, we wouldn’t require their ID and a DNA test before we let them in. We know them. In similar fashion, we should know God!

        viii. 6 And the Lord called again, “Samuel!” and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

        1. Did you get this? Samuel was involved in ministry, but did not know God! He never had an encounter, never communed with him! He never heard his voice!

        ix. 8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the young man. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.”

        1. This isn’t a simple statement! This is a key goal of this ministry and of God—to get his servants to hear!

        x. 11 Then the Lord said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle.

        1. The mission was about to be revealed.

        b. Now, back to Jonah and his impending mission

        i. We want to do all we can to avoid living a Jonah 3:1 life.

        ii. Jonah 3:1-2 (ESV) 1 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.”

        1. What happened between Jonah 1:1 and Jonah 3:1 is enough to destroy most people.

        2. Chapter two is the prayer of Jonah… he’s is begging God to rescue him from his hell… it’s a common cry of Believers everywhere.

        3. Let’s look at Jonah 1:1.

        c. Jonah 1:1-2 (ESV) 1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.”

        i. Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian empire, and one of the largest. It was three days journey in circumference.

        ii. Some estimate that 2,500,000 people lived in Nineveh.

        iii. It’s also presumed that as a prophet, Jonah had but this single mission.

        iv. He was born for Nineveh.

        d. Being open to God’s voice in our lives will result in a lifestyle of inconvenience, challenge and impossible mandates. It will cause huge, huge problems in our lives, and it will cause damage and bring calibration to our lifestyle.

        i. But, like Samuel, as we understand our roles to bring reformation and calibration to the church and to the world, we’ll see that our words won’t fall to the ground. We will function in power as we hear God and release decrees and declarations.

        ii. Unlike Samuel, who was residing in God’s presence, and responded to God’s voice and delivered a difficult message to Eli that had every opportunity for offense, Jonah ran from God’s presence. The message and the mission was too costly.

        iii. Jonah 1:3 (ESV) But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.

        iv. Jonah 1:4 (ESV) But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up.

        1. Some of you might be there.

        a. Your goal? Hear God’s voice and run in the right direction. Simple.

        b. Is everything around you breaking up? Are you on your way to your mission or moving away from it?

        v. Jonah 1:5 (ESV) Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep.

        1. Jonah was asleep, full of apathy, seeking out comfort.

        2. This is plaguing the American church! We have created a place of comfort instead of advancing in a prophetic mission!

        3. God is sending the waves and that boat is close to breaking up!

        e. Now, watch this—this same scenario is about to be played out in the Church.

        i. Jonah 1:6 (ESV) So the captain came and said to him, “What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call out to your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we may not perish.”

        ii. Authorities are going to come to us for help—will they be disgusted as they find the church asleep?

        iii. They will cry out, “Wake up! Perhaps your God will be the answer!”

        iv. Now, watch this.

        v. Jonah 1:7-10 (ESV) 7 And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.

        1. It will be CLEAR to the world why devastation has come.

        2. The church tends to blame the liberal left, the homosexual agenda, abortionists… but, judgment comes first to the house of God!

        vi. 8 Then they said to him, “Tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us. What is your occupation?

        1. That is a critical question! What are we occupying ourselves as a prophetic people with? The world will ask!

        vii. And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?” 9 And he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” 10 Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, “What is this that you have done!” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.

        1. They knew! Pagan idolaters’ knew Jonah was fleeing God’s presence!

        viii. The world is angry… and this next statement is eye opening:

        ix. Jonah 1:11 (ESV) Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” For the sea grew more and more tempestuous.

        1. So life can get better, what must we do to the Christian church?

        2. They are mad!

        3. They are looking to eliminate us not because our values collide, but because we have failed to bring life to their reality!

        x. Jonah 1:13-16 (ESV) 13 Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them. 14 Therefore they called out to the Lord, “O Lord, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O Lord, have done as it pleased you.” 15 So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. 16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.

        f. Take Two:

        i. Jonah 3:1-4 (ESV) 1 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” 3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth. 4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”

        1. That is an excellent verse to use in regard to ‘failed’ prophecy.

        2. Of course, we know that Nineveh was not overthrown.

        3. Today, heresy hunters would be all over Jonah and decry him as a false prophet.

        4. Often, a purpose of prophecy is for it NOT to come to pass!

        ii. Jonah 3:5 (ESV) And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.

        1. God’s plan worked.

        2. All of Jonah’s running and fear and disaster could have been avoided… his mission could not have been more simple… he simply went to a city and voiced a single sentence: In forty days Nineveh shall be overthrown! Mission fulfilled.

        3. His whole life was about saying that single sentence and saving a city!

        g. As Kingdom people respond or fail to respond, authorities will be impacted.

        i. We see the captain of the ship seeing out Noah as he slept.

        ii. We see the king of Nineveh respond as Noah obeyed.

        iii. Jonah 3:6-9 (ESV) 6 The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, 8 but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 9 Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.”

        h. The last chapter of Jonah reveals what may have been the problem all along.

        i. He was so distraught after the miraculous taking of an ENTIRE city!

        ii. How can this be? Because of his selfish nature… his prophecy didn’t come to pass… the city was not destroyed… and he was concerned about his reputation… he didn’t want to be called a false prophet.

        iii. He seemed to be more about reputation and self-preservation than he was about his Father’s business.

        iv. This uncrucified quirk cost him dearly.

        My notes for tonight’s prophetic teaching at Revival Church

        FIRST—Don’t forget to register for the upcoming THE THINNING OF THE VEIL CONFERENCE with Michele Perry. The registration goes up on July 1st. You can do so at www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/events.


        I don’t usually post my sermon notes (they are in outline form and I wonder how easy they are to follow), and I certainly don’t usually post them before I even teach them, but I feel this is a strong prophetic message for the church and it has the chance to really bless you.

        I’ll be teaching this tonight at Revival Church at 6pm. If you are within 100 miles of Detroit, and don’t have a church service of your own tonight, BY ALL MEANS drive on out and join with us in a joy-packed, prophetic-filled atmosphere of fire!

        We’re meeting in the First United Methodist Church building at 24036 Greater Mack in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. We’re easy to find, between 9 Mile and 10 Mile roads.

        Here’s my notes—I pray the spirit of interpretation come upon you as you read!:

        Revelation Unto Mission—Jonah’s Story

        I. The Word of the Lord

        a. It’s troubling to me that people attempt to live their lives outside of God’s Rhema activity.

        i. Jonah 1:1 (ESV) Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

        ii. Of course, Jonah was being called into a world changing mission, and it’s a mission he would not even know about if he didn’t hear God.

        iii. This issue plagues Believers around the world. The Word is rare to them.

        iv. Let’s look briefly at the story of Samuel and Eli.

        v. 1 Samuel 3:1-11 (ESV) 1 Now the young man Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli.

        1. Note that Samuel was involved in ministry to God.

        vi. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision. 2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.

        1. He was where the ark of God was… just being in God’s presence changes everything!

        vii. 4 Then the Lord called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!” 5 and ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down.

        1. God’s voice was so clear that Samuel mistook it for a human.

        2. When God talks, we should know him.

        3. If our spouse were to show up at the house, we wouldn’t require their ID and a DNA test before we let them in. We know them. In similar fashion, we should know God!

        viii. 6 And the Lord called again, “Samuel!” and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

        1. Did you get this? Samuel was involved in ministry, but did not know God! He never had an encounter, never communed with him! He never heard his voice!

        ix. 8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the young man. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.”

        1. This isn’t a simple statement! This is a key goal of this ministry and of God—to get his servants to hear!

        x. 11 Then the Lord said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle.

        1. The mission was about to be revealed.

        b. Now, back to Jonah and his impending mission

        i. We want to do all we can to avoid living a Jonah 3:1 life.

        ii. Jonah 3:1-2 (ESV) 1 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.”

        1. What happened between Jonah 1:1 and Jonah 3:1 is enough to destroy most people.

        2. Chapter two is the prayer of Jonah… he’s is begging God to rescue him from his hell… it’s a common cry of Believers everywhere.

        3. Let’s look at Jonah 1:1.

        c. Jonah 1:1-2 (ESV) 1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.”

        i. Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian empire, and one of the largest. It was three days journey in circumference.

        ii. Some estimate that 2,500,000 people lived in Nineveh.

        iii. It’s also presumed that as a prophet, Jonah had but this single mission.

        iv. He was born for Nineveh.

        d. Being open to God’s voice in our lives will result in a lifestyle of inconvenience, challenge and impossible mandates. It will cause huge, huge problems in our lives, and it will cause damage and bring calibration to our lifestyle.

        i. But, like Samuel, as we understand our roles to bring reformation and calibration to the church and to the world, we’ll see that our words won’t fall to the ground. We will function in power as we hear God and release decrees and declarations.

        ii. Unlike Samuel, who was residing in God’s presence, and responded to God’s voice and delivered a difficult message to Eli that had every opportunity for offense, Jonah ran from God’s presence. The message and the mission was too costly.

        iii. Jonah 1:3 (ESV) But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.

        iv. Jonah 1:4 (ESV) But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up.

        1. Some of you might be there.

        a. Your goal? Hear God’s voice and run in the right direction. Simple.

        b. Is everything around you breaking up? Are you on your way to your mission or moving away from it?

        v. Jonah 1:5 (ESV) Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep.

        1. Jonah was asleep, full of apathy, seeking out comfort.

        2. This is plaguing the American church! We have created a place of comfort instead of advancing in a prophetic mission!

        3. God is sending the waves and that boat is close to breaking up!

        e. Now, watch this—this same scenario is about to be played out in the Church.

        i. Jonah 1:6 (ESV) So the captain came and said to him, “What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call out to your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we may not perish.”

        ii. Authorities are going to come to us for help—will they be disgusted as they find the church asleep?

        iii. They will cry out, “Wake up! Perhaps your God will be the answer!”

        iv. Now, watch this.

        v. Jonah 1:7-10 (ESV) 7 And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.

        1. It will be CLEAR to the world why devastation has come.

        2. The church tends to blame the liberal left, the homosexual agenda, abortionists… but, judgment comes first to the house of God!

        vi. 8 Then they said to him, “Tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us. What is your occupation?

        1. That is a critical question! What are we occupying ourselves as a prophetic people with? The world will ask!

        vii. And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?” 9 And he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” 10 Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, “What is this that you have done!” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.

        1. They knew! Pagan idolaters’ knew Jonah was fleeing God’s presence!

        viii. The world is angry… and this next statement is eye opening:

        ix. Jonah 1:11 (ESV) Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” For the sea grew more and more tempestuous.

        1. So life can get better, what must we do to the Christian church?

        2. They are mad!

        3. They are looking to eliminate us not because our values collide, but because we have failed to bring life to their reality!

        x. Jonah 1:13-16 (ESV) 13 Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them. 14 Therefore they called out to the Lord, “O Lord, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O Lord, have done as it pleased you.” 15 So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. 16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.

        f. Take Two:

        i. Jonah 3:1-4 (ESV) 1 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” 3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth. 4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”

        1. That is an excellent verse to use in regard to ‘failed’ prophecy.

        2. Of course, we know that Nineveh was not overthrown.

        3. Today, heresy hunters would be all over Jonah and decry him as a false prophet.

        4. Often, a purpose of prophecy is for it NOT to come to pass!

        ii. Jonah 3:5 (ESV) And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.

        1. God’s plan worked.

        2. All of Jonah’s running and fear and disaster could have been avoided… his mission could not have been more simple… he simply went to a city and voiced a single sentence: In forty days Nineveh shall be overthrown! Mission fulfilled.

        3. His whole life was about saying that single sentence and saving a city!

        g. As Kingdom people respond or fail to respond, authorities will be impacted.

        i. We see the captain of the ship seeing out Noah as he slept.

        ii. We see the king of Nineveh respond as Noah obeyed.

        iii. Jonah 3:6-9 (ESV) 6 The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, 8 but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 9 Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.”

        h. The last chapter of Jonah reveals what may have been the problem all along.

        i. He was so distraught after the miraculous taking of an ENTIRE city!

        ii. How can this be? Because of his selfish nature… his prophecy didn’t come to pass… the city was not destroyed… and he was concerned about his reputation… he didn’t want to be called a false prophet.

        iii. He seemed to be more about reputation and self-preservation than he was about his Father’s business.

        iv. This uncrucified quirk cost him dearly.