Chuck Smith discusses Jonah's journey of prayer and surrender while in the belly of the fish. He emphasizes that Jonah's stubbornness led him to a place of desperation, where he finally cried out to God in his affliction. Smith highlights that God sometimes allows hardship to draw us closer to Him, and through Jonah's prayer, he learned the importance of acknowledging God as his only hope. The sermon concludes with the lesson that running from God only leads to our own struggles and that true mercy and fulfillment come from embracing His calling.

I. "THEN JONAH PRAYED." A. When? VS. 1:17. 1. The stubbornness of Jonah. a. Determined to sit it out. 2. VS. 7 - "When my soul fainted within me." a. Gave up hope of anything else. b. Ready to pass out. c. God brought him to place of surrender. d. The more stubborn you are, the harder it is on you. e. What is it going to take to bring you to your knees? B. Why did he pray? 1. Vs. 2 "I cried by reason of my affliction." a. Driven to prayer by adversity. b. God loves you so much and desires to hear from you so greatly, that He sometimes allows hardship just so He can hear from you. 2. Vs. "I remembered the Lord." a. God Vs always there. 1. We don't always remember that. 2. Jacob upon awakening from dream. C. How did he pray? vs.? 1. He started by praising the Lord. "I will sacrifice with the voice of thanksgiving." a. Imagine conditions. 2. He vowed and promised to keep it. a. God get me out of this mess and I will go to Nineveh." 3. He acknowledged God as his only hope. "Salvation is of the Lord." He's the only one who can help now. D. The results of his prayer. 1. VS. 2 "And He heard me." a. In Micah this week: "My God heareth my prayer." b. Marvelous mystery - God hears me when I talk to Him c. Did not say He answers my prayers. 1. Thank God He does not answer all. 2. If He should say to Me: from now on, Chuck, I am going to answer all of your prayers... My first prayer would be: "Please don't, you answer only as you know best." 2. The fish deposited Jonah on dry land. Vs. l0. II. THE LESSON JONAH LEARNED. VS. 8. A. The lying vanities he observed. 1. I can shut God out of my life. 2. I can run from the call of God. 3. I can forget God. 4. I don't need God. B. We forsake our own mercies. 1. God's way is the best way, even if to us it does not seem to be. 2. He realized he was in this whole horrible mess because he thought he could run from God. 3. He did not need to be struggling there. 4. We make it hard on ourselves. 5. When you run, you are running from your own good. C. Remember the Lord. 1. He loves you. 2. His calling will lead you to the highest and best. 3. His desire is no;t to strip but to add to You. 4. Many observe this lying vanity: "I would like to come to Jesus Christ but I don't want to give up my present life." a. You are forsaking your own mercy, for you need not give up a thing.