THEN JONAH prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly, And said, I cried out of my distress to the Lord, and He heard me; out of the belly of Sheol cried I, and You heard my voice. [Ps. 120:1; 130:1; 142:1; Lam. 3:55-58.] For You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the floods surrounded me; all Your waves and Your billows passed over me. [Ps. 42:7.] Then I said, I have been cast out of Your presence and Your sight; yet I will look again toward Your holy temple. [Ps. 31:22.] The waters compassed me about, even to [the extinction of] life; the abyss surrounded me, the seaweed was wrapped about my head. [Ps. 69:1; Lam. 3:54.] I went down to the bottoms and the very roots of the mountains; the earth with its bars closed behind me forever. Yet You have brought up my life from the pit and corruption, O Lord my God. When my soul fainted upon me [crushing me], I earnestly and seriously remembered the Lord; and my prayer came to You, into Your holy temple.” Jonah 2:1-7 AMP

Jonah rebelled against God, but when He found Himself in the fish belly, where there was no way out, Jonah learned to pray a prayer of consecration into God’s plan and purpose for His life.

Persecution teaches us to pray. Without persecution many will never know how to pray the prayer of consecration or know how to pray or call upon God with a clean heart.

Is anyone among you afflicted (ill-treated, suffering evil)? He should pray. Is anyone glad at heart? He should sing praise [to God].”James 5:13 AMP

God Almighty expect us to pray to Him when afflicted and always call on Him. True prayer is birthed in affliction.

Let’s pray together:

Heavenly Father I thank You for Your word. Thank You for teaching me to pray in affliction in Jesus Christ mighty name. Amen.