Commentary on the Bible story of Jonah

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Commentary on the Bible story of Jonah

Posted on October 29, 2015

How to achieve deliverance: lessons from bible story of Jonah

Jonah was a disciple of God, who fled from the presence of God. There are still many Jonahs in this generation, and this message is to enable us learn from the lessons from the Bible story of Jonah; repent and come back to God.

By Babatope Babalobi + 2348035897435 babalobi@yahoo.com

Read Jonah Chapter 1 and 2

Jonah was a man of God, God used to speak to him, and he hears God. (Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah- Jonah 1 vs 1). Several of us use to hear God speak, but that has stopped because of our disobedience.

I cast out spirit of disobedience in Jesus name.

Jonah was an evangelist, he had a commission to preach the gospel and intercede for lost souls. (Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it for their wickedness is come up before me- Jonah 1 vs 2). Every Christian was saved to become an Evangelist. But most of us have refused to fulfil our commission. Instead of interceding for souls, we are busy praying on personal issues. We have abandoned the prayer requests of God and refused to answer His prayers; rather we have laboured God with our prayer requests. The spirit of God is calling for repentance today.

I receive power to win souls in Jesus name

Jonah, the man of God and Evangelist abandoned his ministry and embarked on tourism. (And he found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish- Jonah 1 vs 3). Jonah was supposed to be winning souls in Nineveh, but he choose to go on tourism to Tarshish. He paid the ship fare forgetting that the God who gave him the money. Several people are no more interested in serving God, rather we like to spend our God given prosperity on worldly pleasures.

Carnal desires, die in my life in Jesus name.

Jonah the servant of God disobeyed God. (Arise, go to Nineveh – Jonah 1 vs 2..and he found a ship going to Tarshish- Jonah 1 vs 3). Tarshish is in an opposite direction to Nineveh. There are many Jonahs in this generation who are willingly and stubbornly disobeying divine instructions. The promises of God are tied to obedience. If you are not willing to obey His laws, then you are not qualified to be his servant, disciple, of follower.

Love of God, envelop me in Jesus name.

Jonah cut off from God. (But Jonah rose up to flee…..from the presence of the Lord- Jonah 1 vs 3). Can I man run away from his maker? Jonah cut off himself from God, and many Christians are like Jonah running away from the presence of God. They have refused to fellowship with Him. How often or when last do you read your Bible? How many minutes do you spend out of the 1440 minutes in a day to pray, worship, and do other things of God? Many Christians are no more in the presence of God, but now in the presence of mobile phones, Television, movies, etc

I cut you off from the world in Jesus name.

God became an enemy to Jonah. (And the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea- Jonah 1 vs 4). Once you leave the presence of God, He allows the enemy to take over. Evils are punishment for wilful disobedience.

Spirit of God arrest me, in Jesus name.

Jonah abandoned the altar of prayer. (But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship: and he lay and was fast asleep- Jonah 1 vs 5). Jonah had cut off himself form the presence of God, therefore prayer was no more a necessity. Even when unbelievers, his co travellers were praying to their gods, Jonah was fast asleep. Christians like Jonah has become a sleeping generation.

The spirit of God reignite my prayer altar in Jesus name.

Jonah the Evangelist became a lost soul. (So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, what meanest thou, O sleeper? Arise call upon thy God, – Jonah 1 vs 6). Jonah had so backslidden that it was an unbeliever that reminded of his God. Jonah must have been a prayer warrior, for him to be hearing from God as stated in Jonah 1 vs 1. But he had become a sleeping giant. He was not only asleep, when he should be praying and winning souls, the Bible describes Jonah as being fast asleep. Even an unbeliever described him as a What a tragedy!

Word of God, confront my problems in Jesus.

Jonah became idolatry. (So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah- 1 vs 7). Jonah fled from God into the arms of Satan. Jonah who used to hear from Go, but He now decided to hear from Satan. Lot casting is idolatry. Jonah the man of God subjected himself to casting of lots, and (after they had casted lots), even Satan confirmed to him that he has abandoned his God. If Jonah had been on the ship to Nineveh rather than the ship to Tarshish, (and a storm had occurred on board), God would have spoken to him about the cause of the stormy winds and he would have prayed the ship into safety. Like Jonah, many of us prefer to hear from false prophets.

Powers drawing me to worship the gods of my ancestors, be cut off n Jesus name.

Jonah the evangelist was unknown. (What is thine occupation? –Jonah 1 vs 8.) Normally, an evangelist does not need to be introduced as his soul winning works will speak for itself. If Jonah had preached the word of God to his co- travellers immediately he boarded the tourist ship, they would have known he was an evangelist. But because he kept silent, they never knew who he was. Many of us have kept silent for God for too long. Many of us are ashamed to open our mouth for the gospel. Many of us are not known by our words and deeds to be Christian. Repent and do the work of an evangelist today lest an unbeliever take you for an atheist.

Fire of evangelism, fall on me in Jesus name

Unbelievers preached to Jonah. (Why hast thou done this?- Jonah 1 vs 10). God raised up unbelievers to rebuke and preach to Jonah, because he (Jonah) refused to preach to unbelievers. In this same way, unbelievers asked Jonah why he wilfully disobeyed God, the Holy Spirit is asking us questions: Why are you stealing money from your office, parents, business or church? Why did you allow your friends to take you to a diviner? Why did you allow a man who is not your husband to dis virgin you? Why did you allow that strange girl to penetrate you and take your heart from your family? Why are you cheating on your wife? Why did you lie? Why are you secretly masturbating and watching pornography? Several other whys?

Mercy of God cancel every sin speaking against your breakthroughs in Jesus name.

Unbelievers tried to save Jonah. (Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to bring it to the land, but they could not –Jonah 1 vs 13). Jonah was supposed to be a soul winner, but his body, soul, and spirit was at the verge of being lost. Jonah was supposed to be a deliverer, but at this point he needed deliverance. Jonah was supposed to save others, but because he refused to do this, he was at the end of destruction and needed to be saved. Many problems and difficulties we are experiencing may be self-inflicted as Satan exploits both our ignorance and disobedience.

Finger of God save me now in Jesus name

Unbelievers prayed for Jonah. (Wherefore they cried unto the Lord- Jonah 1 vs 14). God raised up unbelievers to pray to Jonah, because he had cut off himself from the presence of God. Jonah the prayer warrior had gone into fast sleep both physically and spiritually, and his salvation was now in the hands of the people he should have saved.

I shall not lose my destiny in Jesus name.

Jonah cast into the sea. (So they took Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea- Jonah 1 vs 15). No man can run from the presence of God. No sin goes unpunished. Human beings may break God laws, but God does not break His law. Deliverance comes by casting away unwanted loads. There are many Jonahs in our life that has to be casted away. There is a sister that needs to cast away indecent dressing. A brother needs to cast out the spirit of lusts. A Pastor needs to cast off spiritual lukewarmness, and a believer needs to cast off worldly friends.

I cast off garments of sin in Jesus name

God had mercy on Jonah. (Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah- Jonah 1 vs 17) Even in his unfaithfulness and sin, God decided to have mercy on Jonah. Jonah could have been drown in the ocean, or eaten up by sharks or reptiles, but God closed the mouth of the reptiles, and gave him a home inside the belly of his ‘enemy’. Your disobedience and sin shall not lead to your destruction, and the mercy of God shall shut up every mouth that wants to devour you in Jesus name

Mercy of God, deliver me now in Jesus name

God’s grace was on Jonah even in disobedience. (And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights- Jonah 1 vs 17). Jonah had three days of grace inside the belly of the fish to repent. Several people have committed evils, that could have destroyed them both physically and spiritually, but the grace of God is still keeping them alive. God delights in your repentance and salvation rather than destruction. Make use of the grace of God today, as tomorrow may be too late.

Grace of God save me now, in Jesus name

Jonah repented of his sins and returned to God. (I remembered the Lord- Jonah 2 vs 7). God is waiting for your repentance. God did not destroy Jonah because He wanted him to repent. Are you willing to repent today?

I repent of my sins in Jesus name

Jonah prayed and fasted in repentance. (Then Jonah prayed into the Lord his God out of the fish’s belly- Jonah 2 vs 1) Jonah prayed for three days inside the belly of the fish. I am sure he also combined it with fasting, because in any case, he had no food to eat inside the fish’s belly. Many of us find it difficult to fast, but Jonah fasted in the belly of the fish. I pray you will not wait to be afflicted before you start to fast and pray.

Spirit of prayerless, be cast out in Jesus name

Jonah worshipped God in affliction. (But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving- Jonah 2 vs 9). God praised and worshipped God in his afflictions, and this was one of the acts that turned around his captivity. Cries, lamentations, murmurings, unbelief, sorrows etc cannot deliver us from the captivity of life. No matter the nature of your challenges, move God with praise.

I kill the spirit of depression in Jesus name

Jonah vowed to God. (I will pay that I have vowed- Jonah 2 vs 9. Jonah vowed to be a good child henceforth, he vowed to work for God, he vowed to do the work of an Evangelist, he vowed to remain in the presence of God, he vowed not to run away to Tarshish when he should be in Nineveh, he vowed not to backslide, he vowed not to disobey God. The God of Jonah is waiting for your vows right now!

I vow to serve God.

God delivered Jonah (And the Lord spake unto the fish -Jonah 2 vs 10). Several people are presently in bondages, just as Jonah was in bondage for three days inside a fish; what is your own ‘belly of fish’? Has sin held you captive? Has a strange woman stolen your heart? Is it poverty, failures, delays, or sicknesses? Has God allowed dark powers to hold you captive because of your past wilful disobedience?

I see God speaking to your problems, I see God speaking to your headaches, I see God speaking to your finances, I see God speaking to your womb, I see God speaking to your marriage, I see God speaking to your business, I see God rebuking the strange powers that have held you captive in Jesus name.

O God of Jonah, speak to my problems in Jesus name.

God gave Jonah a second chance. (And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land- Jonah 2 vs 10). God gave Jonah a second chance. God caused the fish to vomit Jonah, thereby giving him a second chance, immediately he repented.