Helpless But Not Hopeless
Jonah 1:17 NIV
17 Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
What looks like a SETBACK is often a SETUP!
3 lessons to learn from Jonah 2:
1. When you're in trouble...IT'S TIME TO PRAY!
James 5:13 NIV
13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.
Jonah 2:1-8 NIV
2
1 [a]From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God.
2 He said: “In my distress I called to the Lord,
and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,
and you listened to my cry.
3 You hurled me into the depths,
into the very heart of the seas,
and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves and breakers
swept over me.
4 I said, ‘I have been banished
from your sight;
yet I will look again
toward your holy temple.’
5 The engulfing waters threatened me,[b]
the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head.
6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you, Lord my God,
brought my life up from the pit.
7 “When my life was ebbing away,
I remembered you, Lord,
and my prayer rose to you,
to your holy temple.
8 “Those who cling to worthless idols
turn away from God’s love for them.
The most effective thing you can do is pray GOD'S WORD!
Jonah 2:2 NIV
2 He said: “In my distress I called to the Lord,
and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,
and you listened to my cry.
Psalm 3:4 NIV
4 I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain.
Psalm 16:10 NIV
10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful[a] one see decay.
Jonah 2:4 NIV
4 I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’
Psalm 31:22 NIV
22 In my alarm I said,
“I am cut off from your sight!”
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
when I called to you for help.
Jonah 2:10 NIV
10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
2. When you're in trouble...IT'S TIME TO PRAISE!
Jonah 2:9 NIV
9 But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”
3. When you're in trouble...IT'S TIME TO REPENT!
4. And God will answer!
Jonah 2:10 NIV
10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
Matthew 12:39-40 NIV
39 He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Talk It Over Questions
1. Have you ever hit "rock bottom?" Share with your group how you overcame that season of your life!
2. Jonah prayed while inside the fish. What does that teach us about when and where we can reach out to God?
3. What does Jonah's prayer say about God's character, even when we have failed him and disobeyed?
4. What are the benefits of praying God's word? How can praying scripture change the way we view a difficult season of our life?
Ask Your Kids
1. Why do you think God sometimes has us practice patience when He is all powerful and can make things happen anytime?
2. What can we do while we wait for something we really want?
3. How do you think Hannah felt when God finally answered her prayer?
