Awake, O Sleeper
Sunday, February 22, 2026
Pastor Mark D. Boykin
When God calls you, He doesn’t rescind that call.
If He ever calls you to ministry, that call will always be with you.
Passages: Jonah 1 & 2
The most miserable people you meet are people who have ran away from their calling. When God’s anointing is upon you, the depth of that call never dissipates. God called Jonah to Ninevah. He chose Jonah to be a prophet to that city and warn them that judgment was coming, but Jonah had no desire to go and preach thereThe Ninevites were scary because they were a cruel people. They would impale their enemies and put them on display at the city’s entrance. So, Jonah rebelled against the call of God upon his life.
Many people today want to serve God half-heartedly. Like Jonah, they want to serve God where it’s convenient.
If you are not willing to go into deep waters, God cannot use you. When you put restrictions on what God can and will do in your life, you’ll never be able to fulfill your calling.
Awake to the Call (Jonah 1:1-4)
The word of God came to Jonah saying “arise.”When God gives a call, it’s not or a board or committee. When God calls for something great to be done, it’s to that man, or that woman, who will change the world.
When God calls you, He provides. He touches you. He leads you. And you therefore go and can touch nations.
When God calls, he doesn’t play games. Look at two examples of men and women He called:
Dwight L. Moody — a prominent 19th-century American evangelist and publisher who revolutionized urban evangelism
Esther — a courageous Jewish woman who became the Queen of Persia and saved a nation, her people, from genocide
If you have a call today, don’t let anyone shake you and tell you it can’t be done.
Awake to the Calamity
So many today let petty hurts, problem, gossip, things that shouldn’t matter at all, get to them.
The people who criticize you today were not the ones who called you
Example: Nehemiah. God called him, so he did not come down from the wall. He stayed until he was finished.
Understand the calamity. What God is looking for more than giftings is someone who is faithful.
Awake to the Control (Jonah 2:1-10)
The captain of the ship was very perceptive. He knew it wasn’t a regular storm.
Sometimes God has to break our pride so we can trust Him and be obedient, then He will bless us.
Have you dedicated everything in your life to the call of God? Your business? family? home? money?
Example, Sam Houston (gov of Texas). He gave his heart and life to Jesus. Minister said he needed to be baptized in water. As he went into the water, monster said, don’t forget to take wallet out. He refused, “God needs to baptize my wallet just as much as he needs to baptize me”
God baptized all of Jonah
Jonah was rebellious, decided he’d go to Tarshish. What did that cost him?
The merchant of the ship lost time. The crew lost their treasures. Jonah lost his testimony. He brought them trouble because he was the cause of the storm. They threw him overboard and prayed, and God prepared a big fish that swallowed Jonah.
Awake to the Compassion (Jonah 2:2-9)
“They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.” (Jonah 2:8 KJV)
Those who believe lies and distortions, they forget their own mercy. Jonah had no mercy for the people of Nineveh, or the men in that boat. He flouted the mercy of God.
After the fish spat Jonah out, he walked for three days. It took a day to walk from one end of that city to the other. As he walked, he cried out: “In forty days, God’s judgement is coming!” Then he went up a hill and set up a booth and waited. He was waiting for God to destroy the city. He wasn’t optimistic. But the city cried out in repentance and God heard them. Yet, Jonah wanted them to be destroyed.
A lot of people talk about how God will judge America. God will judge any nation who turns their back to God. Is that really what you want to see? Lost souls? Devastated cities? Or do you want to pray for God’s compassion for America. Pray for forgiveness. Even in Florida, God forgives us of our sins.
The bible says they that call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
If you want to answer the call God has for you today, pray this:
O mighty God, I plead the blood of Jesus over my life right now. Let me answer the call you gave to me. Let me not get pulled aside by offense or what other people think. I want to answer the call you’ve given to me. I pray your compassion for my family members who are lost, and that they will turn their hearts and lives to Jesus. I pray for our nation today. I pray that our eyes would get off of money and that we would fix our eyes upon you, Jesus. I pray that you would send revival on these last days. To our city, to our church. Send your spirit now to your people. We praise you and give you glory.
Amen
Watch the full message in it’s entirety here: