It is said that what you do not want to see happening in your life, you don’t watch it continue. One of the ways to come out every situation you don’t want in your life is prayer; not just any kind of prayer but desperate and heartfelt prayers. Jonah prayed desperate prayers in the belly of a fish.
Prayer is talking to God and hearing from Him by faith in line with His word. Jesus said we ought to pray always and not to faint (Luke 18:1). Throughout Jesus’ time on earth, He was prayerful and He is still prayerful in heaven interceding for God’s children. He started preparing for His ministry by waiting on God in the wilderness for 40 days and nights. Little wonder He performed notable miracles. Jesus ended His ministry in prayers when He said, “Father into Thy hands I commit my spirit.” (Luke 23:46) Before His journey to the cross, He prayed in the garden of Gethsemane in one night and His sweat was like drops of blood.
This explains to us the importance of prayers in our walk with God. God is interested in hearing us. He knows our needs at every moment, but He wants us to take our issues to Him in prayer (Jeremiah 33:3). A big fish swallowed Jonah. He had no option than to cry to God for help (Jonah 2:1-2).
“Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish’s belly, And said I cried by reason of my affliction unto the LORD, and He heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and Thou heardest my voice.” (KJV)
What does the fish’s belly connote? The fish’s belly is a place of slavery. Jonah spent three days without seeing any light and the outside world. Remember that he got into the fish’s belly because he disobeyed God’s instructions to go and deliver His word to the people of Nineveh. So many are living in darkness and satanic bondage because of disobedience to God. It is very costly to disobey God as you end up in satanic slavery. Sin puts one under the control of satan, his agents and sickness. You are reading this article and you are tired of being under the control of sexual immorality, theft or any other sinful habit, it is high time you cried out to God for His intervention.
Further, the fish’s belly is a place of confusion. Jonah didn’t know what to do and where to turn to at that moment until he cried out to God. You may be in a state of confusion concerning your marriage, academics, business or any area of your life; God is bringing you out and giving you direction in Jesus’ name.
We will look at how you can pray yourself out of the fish’s belly in our next article, but God does not hear the prayer of those who have not accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour. If you are yet to give your life to Christ, say this prayer of Salvation. God bless you!
Sunday Omori
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