Notes

Jonah's Backstory

Jonah 1:1-2 (NLT) The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: 2“Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.”

Jonah 1:3-4 (NLT) But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish.

Jonah 1:4 (NLT) But the Lord hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart.

Jonah 1:5b (NLT) But all this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold.

Praying in Desperation

#1 - Surrender to God Completely

Jonah 1:12,15 (NLT) “Throw me into the sea,” Jonah said, “and it will become calm again. I know that this terrible storm is all my fault.”… 15Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once!

Jonah 1:17 (NLT) Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.

Jonah 2:1-9 (NLT) Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish. 2He said, “I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble, and he answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead, and Lord, you heard me!

3You threw me into the ocean depths, and I sank down to the heart of the sea. The mighty waters engulfed me; I was buried beneath your wild and stormy waves.

4Then I said, ‘O Lord, you have driven me from your presence. Yet I will look once more toward your holy Temple.’ 5“I sank beneath the waves, and the waters closed over me. Seaweed wrapped itself around my head.

6I sank down to the very roots of the mountains. I was imprisoned in the earth, whose gates lock shut forever. But you, O Lord my God, snatched me from the jaws of death!

7As my life was slipping away, I remembered the Lord. And my earnest prayer went out to you in your holy Temple. 8Those who worship false gods turn their backs on all God’s mercies. 9But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows. For my salvation comes from the Lord alone.”

Jonah 2:10 (NLT) Then the Lord ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach.

#3 – Trust God Fully

2 Corinthians 7:10 (NLT) For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.

Jonah 3:10 (NLT) When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened.

Jonah 4:1-2a (NLT) This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. 2So he complained to the Lord about it…

Jonah 4:9-11 (NLT) Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry because the plant died?” “Yes,” Jonah retorted, “even angry enough to die!” 10Then the Lord said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. 11But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”

Mark 11:22-25 (NLT) Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. 23I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.

24I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. 25But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”