October 1, 2023
Pastor Ricky Smith

Sermon Notes

When you hit rock bottom the only way you can look is up!

I. Jonah’s Silence is Broken in the His Distress

Jonah 2:1
Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish,

II. Jonah’s Prayer is Heard in the Despair

Jonah 2:2
saying, “I called out to the Lord, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.

Psalm 18:6
In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.

Psalm 120:1
In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me.

God’s discipline of us in our disobedience will put us in a position where the only response we can have is to call out to Him.

What observations about prayer can we make from this example?
A. No place is unsuitable for prayer.
B. Acceptable prayer proceeds from necessity.
C. Acceptable prayer is the offspring of a submissive mind.
D. Prayer from the depths is heard in the heights and answered.

III. Jonah’s Heart is Affected by the Discipline & Deliverance

Jonah 2:3-4
For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me. Then I said, ‘I am driven away from your sight; yet I shall again look upon your holy temple.’

God’s discipline can turn us from fleeing Him to seeking Him.

Next Steps

• I confess my sin and turn to Jesus as King for the first time
• I repent of my attempts to find purpose in things other than Jesus.
• I choose to celebrate God’s sovereign plan in the middle of trials.

Deep Dive

1. How can you tell if a person is genuinely repentant?
2. What is the difference between repentance and being sorry you got caught?
3. How does Psalm 103:8 apply in these situations?

Springboard

1. Describe a painful moment where you prayed intently.
2. Why do we need a crisis to drive us to our knees?
3. Read Psalm 18:4-6 and talk about the role of distress in our faith journey.