July 2025 | Possession and Fulfillment
Ministering: Senior Pastor Shola Awobajo
Text: Jonah 2:1-10
“1 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly. 2 And he said: “I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction, And He answered me. “Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, And You heard my voice. 3 For You cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; All Your billows and Your waves passed over me. 4 Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’ 5 The waters surrounded me, even to my soul; The deep closed around me; Weeds were wrapped around my head. 6 I went down to the [a]moorings of the mountains; The earth with its bars closed behind me forever; Yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord, my God. 7 “When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; And my prayer went up to You, Into Your holy temple. 8 “Those who regard worthless idols Forsake their own [b]Mercy. 9 But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.” 10 So the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.” KJV.
Praise will always rescue from the worst of affliction. God remains The Sovereign God regardless of what we are going through. Despite what may have happened in the first day of this year, God can still do the impossible for you in this second half of the year. Nothing shakes God, He alone can shake all things. His power to deliver never diminishes and is ever available to work on behalf of all who are “foolish” enough to praise Him regardless of their affliction. He never sleeps nor slumbers, ever awake and watchful over His sheep. He hasn’t forgotten you, He is mindful of you in that situation, hence deserves to be praised. Whatever you are going through could have been worse but for God!
From our above text, we can see that praise can still rise up in the darkness hour. Even if in the belly of a Whale or an affliction, praise can still be offered to God and God will receive it. This is what is called the sacrifice of praise, particularly when it is offered amid an affliction. Anybody can praise God when things are going well, but it takes a praise-addict to offer praise during a storm! God will never let a praise-addict perish in any affliction, rather He will use the same affliction (Whale) to relocate you to your land of purpose (Nineveh).
Lessons from Jonah 2:1-10
- Praise is a choice. Unfortunately, many hold back their praise when going through an affliction. Jonah chose to praise God in the Whale’s Belly and God delivered him. No matter what happens, be resolute to still praise the Lord. Hab. 3:17-19
- Praises can activate your deliverance! Jonah 2:2,5-6
- Praise opens the door to deliverance. Jonah 2:8-10
- When you praise God, chains and fetters break. Acts 16:25
- Never forget the goodness of God while in that affliction. It will sprout praise in your heart. Jonah 2:10
- Praise will restore purpose back to your life. Nebuchadnezzar’s senses returned when we gave praises to God. Dan. 4:17
What Happens When You Praise God
- Heaven will respond. Luke 9:16
- Mountains will melt – Ps. 97:5
- Every dead situation will rise again. John 11:41-43
- Chains will break. Acts 16:25
- Provision is given. Luke 9:16
- Praise will buy you more time to live – for only the living can praise Him. Isaiah 38
- Praise will make you to always be at your best. The Earth shall yield her increase to you. Ps. 67:5-7
In closing, until you lift your hands up in praise to God, you might remain grounded in life. Praise is what makes your vision clear to see the divine direction in any situation. God is always looking for Worshippers. 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. John 4:23. Hab. 3:17-18 – Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 18 Yet I will rejoice in The Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
God Bless You!
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