LITWORD DAILY
Healing, transforming and renewing

Thursday Jan 23, 2025
The Prayer of Jonah
—————————————————————————————————————————-
Mark 11:24 “So I tell you, when you pray for something, believe that you have already received it. Then it will be yours.”

In the book of Jonah chapter 1:2, God sent Jonah to go and preach to the people of Nineveh. But Jonah didn’t want to go, instead, he went and boarded a ship going to Spain so that he would be far away from the Lord.

God was not pleased with what Jonah did and so when Jonah was on his way, God sent a strong wind and the ship was almost breaking up. When the captain in charge of the ship casted Lot, they discovered that Jonah was the cause of the problem (Jonah 1:7).

So at Jonah’s request, he was thrown into the sea in an attempt to stop the wind and immediately the wind stopped (Jonah 1:15). But God commanded a hug fish to swallow Jonah. and he stayed inside the fish for 3 days and nights.

When Jonah was inside the fish, he made a prayer to God that made the fish spit him out. You know, most people think that, God simply decided to let the fish spit Jonah out but that’s not true. Jonah had to pray and plead with God. And what helped him is the fact that he knew how to pray.

Now in his prayer, he spoke as though he was already spewed from the fish’s mouth. He said,
Jonah 2:2 “In my distress, O LORD, I called to you, and you answered me. From deep in the world of the dead I cried for help, and you heard me…when i felt my life slipping away, I prayed to you, and in your holy Temple, you heard me”

Look at that, Jonah was praying in past tense. He was praying as if he had already been released. That means, he believed that his request was already granted.

Jonah 2:10 “Then the LORD ordered the fish to spew Jonah up on the beach, and it did.”

After listening to Jonah’s prayer, God didn’t just tell the fish to spit Jonah out, but He commanded, he ordered the fish, Glory be to God.

That’s why in our opening verse (Mark 11:24), Jesus said when you pray, believe that your request has already been granted and it shall come to pass, hallelujah.

But many people are still praying, God give me money, give me good job, give me a car etc. No problem, keep praying like that, and you will continue to pray like that always.

Get up in the morning and be like, God i thank you for the Job you have given me, i was greatly distressed but when i called to you, you answered me and cleared out all my problems. Then you will see things working out suddenly. God will give a command to those forces holding you back, He will give a command to those problems, and they will run. Hallelujah

Admonition
After you have made the prayer, don’t go back and start thinking about the same problems again. Remember Hannah when she prayed, the bible says, she was no longer sad (1 Samuel 1:18). She went and ate food and started living a happy life. This shows that she believed God already heard her prayers.

But some people, pray and fast and start waiting for God to answer and after wards, if they are not seeing the results, they extend the fast again. And if they are not seeing the result, they surrender.
But dont give up, God is always ready to answer our prayers, only that we have to do it the right way. And the right way is what Jesus said,

Mark 11:24 “So I tell you, when you pray for something, believe that you have already received it. Then it will be yours.”
When you pray this way, like Jonah, your request will be granted immediately. Hallelujah!

PRAYER
God of heaven and earth, in your mercy, you redeemed us from the powers of darkness and brough us to the kingdom of your dear son Jesus Christ, the kingdom of light. We praise and glorify your holy name, for you always answer us whenever we pray to you, and even now we believe that you are doing mighty things in our lives. May your holy name be glorified forever and ever, A men.

Further studies: John 12:49, John15:7

Still remain your friend
Pr. Otim Brian Sundison
Powered by: Heavenly Atmosphere, Expressing the life in the word