- The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai:
- “GET UP AND GO TO THE GREAT CITY OF NINEVEH. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.”
- BUT JONAH GOT UP AND WENT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO GET AWAY FROM THE LORD. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. HE BOUGHT A TICKET AND WENT ON BOARD, HOPING TO ESCAPE FROM THE LORD BY SAILING TO TARSHISH."
Jonah 1:1-3 (NLT)
• An assignment was given to Jonah and he wanted to Dodge the doing of it, he did not want to do what the Lord had Bidden him to do.
IF you disobeyed the instruction given to you by God, you may have to pay dearly for it.
- God would permit problems, unforgettable experiences, if the assignment given by Him is evaded: "BUT THE LORD HURLED A POWERFUL WIND OVER THE SEA, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart" (Jonah 1:4).
IF you are due for God's work, I want to enjoin you to take a step and do whatever He may have Bidding you to do.
• Some want to define ministry for God.
GOD is the One who will tell you what to do, what ministry is all about, not you telling Him what the ministry is.
- When you rebelled and failed to do His Bidding, the devil could have an access into your life.
• A middle-aged man
Someone came to me several years ago, when I was pastoring. He said he was struck by a statement he read in our teaching bulletin that "God is a military and He rules By decree" (Exodus 15:3)
HE said God had called him to work in the ministry since 1988, but he refused to answer the call. And as a result of his disobedience to the Lord, he had undergone three major surgical operations.
HE now said he came because of what he read in our teaching bulletin that he was ready to do whatever I may counsel him to do.
- Now the man exposed himself to the attacks of the enemy, Satan.
WHEN you disobeyed the instructions given you By God, you exposed yourself to the attacks of the enemy, because you are under a disobedience, the devil would make inroads into your Life. - The Man would not have passed through what he did pass through if he had obeyed or answered the call of God on his life to begin with.
THE time he came to me was about twenty years after he had received the call. - If the hand of God is upon your LIFE to be used of Him, it is better you answer Him and do whatever He may have Bidding you to do.
IF Jonah had not repented, possibly he could have perished in the Sea.
"Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. AND JONAH WAS IN THE BELLY OF THE FISH THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS."
Jonah 1:17 (NKJV)
1 "Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly.
2 And he said: “I CRIED OUT TO THE THE LORD BECAUSE OF MY AFFLICTION, AND HE ANSWERED ME. “Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, And You heard my voice.
7 When my soul fainted within me,
I remembered the Lord;
And my prayer went up to You,
Into Your holy temple."
Jonah 2:1,2,7 (NKJV)
• If God has called you and given you a gift to FULFIL the call, He would not withdraw it, but you would have to give an account on how you have gone by the assignment at end of your journey here on earth:
"FOR THE GIFTS AND THE CALLING OF GOD ARE IRREVOCABLE [for He does not withdraw what He has given, NOR DOES HE CHANGE HIS MIND ABOUT THOSE TO WHOM HE GIVES HIS GRACE Or TO WHOM HE SENDS HIS CALL]."
Romans 11:29 (AMP)
• Admonishments
- Do not stand on the way of whomever has a divine assignment.
SOME who stopped their children from becoming a vessel in the hand of God would have Him to contend with.
LET your son or daughter be whatever God wanted such to be. - If you considered the money you have spent in training your son or daughter and would not want such to work for God, you may lose all you have at the end.
CHILDREN are God's heritage, they belong to God, thus do not deny Him your sons or daughters (Psalm 127:3). - God has a purpose for the children given you by Him, and you cannot dictate for Him on THEM.
WIVES should not stand against God if He has chosen to use their spouses.
IF God has chosen to use SOMEONE, the spouse Or whoever in the family should not stand against the LORD.
WHOEVER want to contend with God over any soul WHOM God has purposed to be used, is playing with fire 🔥.
• Do not dodge God, let God's will be done on your spouse, son, daughter, Or whoever around you which God intended to use.
• You will not fail in Jesus' name.
Peace!