Question

39. I have many christian friends who ask God to respond through a sign whenever they have to make a decision and are uncertain of what choice to make. Im talking about examples such as: if its God’s will for me to travel on this date, may this thing happen and if not, may it not be. Is is ok for a christian to do this? Is it biblical?
Asked by: Male, 26-35, North America on October 16, 2021 8:55:18 pm

Answer

Thank you for the excellent question.

I think the basis of the question is, is it right for me to ask God about anything? When phrased this way, of course, the answer is yes! Here are some Scriptures you can hold to:

Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)
6Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 7:7-11 (NLT)
7"Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 9"You parents - if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? 10Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! 11So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

So the brief answer is yes! But there are some exceptions.

The question is really on the heart. Would you be asking God because you consider Him to be Santa Claus who gives gifts to meet your perceived needs, or as a Father who loves you, guides you, and provides for you?

Many Christians begin with the right heart, but the troubles of this world may cause us to consider God to provide for all our wills. God would not welcome anything that is not good for us; in other words, anything contrary to His good purposes for our lives. That is what this verse says:

James 4:3 (NLT)
And even when you ask, you don't get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.

So, I encourage you to stay focused on the message of John 15, where it says that we must remain close to the vine. That way, we will know that it is in line with His will when we ask God in prayer.

Personally, at times I know when God is asking me to do something. Whenever I am sure, my goal should be to obey and trust God for the results. When I am unsure it is from God (for example, an unexpected opportunity opened up), I will ask God to make it clear that it is from Him. I would also enlist the help of my wife and other Christian brothers to pray with me and let me know if God directs them toward a particular direction.

We can see a clear example of this in the book of Judges. Try reading Judges 7; here is an excerpt:

Judges 7:9-10 (NLT)
9That night the LORD said, "Get up! Go down into the Midianite camp, for I have given you victory over them! 10But if you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah. (Then God clarifies)

Then, when Gideon was not sure whether the direction was from God, Gideon asked for proof.

Judges 6:36-40 (NLT)
36Then Gideon said to God, "If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, 37prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised." 38And that is just what happened. When Gideon got up early the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out a whole bowlful of water. 39Then Gideon said to God, "Please don't be angry with me, but let me make one more request. Let me use the fleece for one more test. This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew." 40So that night God did as Gideon asked. The fleece was dry in the morning, but the ground was covered with dew.

In summary, check your heart. As long as your heart is centered on God, you can ask anything, and it is what children of God should do.

Feel free to write back if you require clarification.

Many blessings!

Answered by Dr. Sang Sur

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