The Belly of the Fish

In the Belly of the Fish, the Dragon Is Slain.

This evening, I was led to a large statue that immediately caught my attention as I drove by. It was a horse with wings—majestic and powerful. Intrigued, I turned around and drove into the area where it stood. As I got closer, I noticed that one of its hooves was pinning down a dragon, rendering it completely defeated. Captivated, I parked and walked up to it.

At the entrance was a gate—like one you’d see in front of a mansion. Just before stepping through, I saw a sign that read: “Belly Fish” with an arrow pointing toward the area where the statue stood. I laughed to myself, instantly reminded of the book of Jonah. I didn’t yet understand why God had led me there, but I knew it was intentional.

I stood before the statue for a while, staring in awe. It became clear to me that the horse symbolized divine authority—God Almighty—and the dragon, our enemy, satan. I began to pray and thank God, not just for one specific victory, but for the victory we have in Him always. Because we share in the Lord’s triumph, His defeat of satan guarantees us victory in every situation, both now and forever.

Eventually, I made my way to the Belly Fish restaurant. As I sat quietly, God began to reveal more. The name was meant to direct my thoughts to Jonah’s story, but this time, He didn’t speak to me about Jonah’s disobedience. Instead, He drew my attention to what happened in the fish.

We often view Jonah’s time inside the great fish as punishment, but God showed me it was actually mercy—an act of deep love. God could have allowed Jonah to continue drifting further from His will, right into destruction. But instead, He intervened and provided Jonah an opportunity to repent and return.

In the belly of the fish—isolated, silent, and uncomfortable—Jonah encountered God. There, transformation took place. Jonah surrendered, repented, and submitted, and in doing so, he was not only set free but also commissioned. God employed him for His purpose.

The Lord reminded me that not all “belly of the fish” seasons are due to disobedience. Sometimes, He leads us into those quiet, uncomfortable, and hidden places—not to punish us, but to prepare us. These are refining seasons, where the deep, inner work necessary for our calling is done.

I talked about this in Surrendered Strength—my 7-day fast with God, immersed in nothing but His voice, His Word, and sound biblical teaching. In that time, God manifested Himself in my life like never before. The focus was healing and complete deliverance.

In my dreams, I saw the Lord confront and defeat the very things I didn’t have the strength to face. It was in the isolation, surrender, and submission to Christ, that I found true healing. Before the end of the 7-days God gave me a dream where a tormenting evil spirit simply gave up, walked away, and I knew he was defeated.

Surrender makes room for transformation, and it’s in the transformation that the dragon—and all his evil plans for your life—are slain. As a new creation, you become approved by God, equipped and empowered to carry out great works on the earth.

That 7-day fast forever changed the course of my spiritual walk with Christ. Through it, I discovered the power of true intimacy with God.

So if you find yourself in a “belly of the fish” season, know this: it’s all out of love. God is refining you. He’s doing a deep, internal work to prepare you for what’s ahead. I wish someone had told me this earlier—surrender. It may not feel good now, but the result is worth every moment.

There’s something God wants to deliver you from—and someone He’s shaping you to become. In the fish is where the heart is made ready, so that the fruits of that transformation will flow when you are commissioned.

Trust God. Everything is going to be alright.

I felt peace at the statue. I felt peace at the restaurant. And after being so locked in with God these past few weeks, I wish I could remain hidden in Him like this forever because there’s peace here. But just as I had to leave the statue and the restaurant, and I know I can’t stay hidden in God forever—not with the call of God on my life.

Your time in the fish must come to an end.

Biblical Reference: Book of Jonah.