The Setup Place

Your setup place may not be like my setup place, but when we are in that place, praise Him and worship Him!

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Jonah 1:17; 2:1-10, NKJV

If you are familiar with the account of Jonah, then you may recall that Jonah tried to run from the presence of God. No matter how hard you try, you cannot run from the presence of God because He is omnipresent! Jonah escaped to a ship, and his presence endangered the innocent lives aboard the ship. How many of you know that you unknowingly put others in danger by getting on the wrong ship or a ship not meant for you (let that marinate)?

When Jonah realized that he was the cause of the troubles they were facing at sea, he asked the men to throw him overboard. Once he was off the ship, the storm ceased, but God was not done. As Scripture says, “God prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah and he stayed in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights” (Jon. 1:17, NIV). 

God held Jonah in a place for three days and three nights. I believe it is no coincidence that this instance foreshadows the timeframe of the death and resurrection of Jesus and that Jesus references Jonah’s period in the belly of the fish (read Matthew 12:40, NKJV). It was during this time that Jonah prayed, acknowledging God’s sovereign control over his life. I would contend that after Jonah poured his heart out to God, that’s when he was delivered to do God’s will. 

God will put us in a place or position that will encourage us to acknowledge Him, and we will be released from that place or position after we acknowledge Him. I know this to be true as God brought me to a place to accept my call to ministry and released me from that place when I acknowledged His Will will be done! He released me when I poured out my heart to Him and declared that I would no longer run from my Kingdom purpose but run for my Kingdom purpose. Ironically, the time spent in the belly of my fish was three days and three nights!

Beloved, God will take you to a place so He can deal with you! He will take you to a place so He can work some things out of you! He will take you to a place away from distractions so He can have His way with you! God will take you to a place to remind you that He is always in control! He will take you to a place of weakness so you can come out strong! He will take you to a low place so He can move you to a higher place!

God is always in control! And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28, NKJV). The place God takes you is a setup to bless you and those connected to you! 

The place God takes you may appear to you as a setback but it is a setup for Him to rain down favor in your life! Your setup place may not be like my setup place, but when we are in that place, praise Him and worship Him! It has a purpose so embrace it! When you come out, give Him the glory for the place that set you up for your blessings!  

The views and opinions expressed by Kingdom Winds Collective Members, authors, and contributors are their own and do not represent the views of Kingdom Winds LLC.

About the Author

Reverend Antonwaun K. M. Johnson is an ordained associate minister at Macedonia Church of Augusta located in Augusta, Georgia and is under the spiritual leadership of Bishop Gregory M. Fuller who he is also very proud to call his spiritual father. Reverend Johnson has a compassion for God’s people and embraces his ministry of liberation and edification. He is the proud father of his son Caiden Christopher and thanks God every day for blessing him with a perfect gift!