Jump to content
JesusWalk Bible Study Forum

Recommended Posts

Q2. When, if ever, should we ask God to confirm his direction with a sign? What is the danger of demanding a sign?

We should not ask God to perform a sign to justify Himself, or to prove Himself, or for any other selfish reason. We should ask God for a sign to clarify our communication with Him, and to increase our faith relationship with Him. The danger of demanding a sign is that we will ask for a sign with wrong motives and be punished for it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 151
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Gideon put out a fleece before the Lord because he wants assurance that he is doing what God has commanded him to do. This a sign of belief, because Gideon just wants to make sure he is doing what God wants him to. This is not testing God, because it is to see if this is what God wants Gideon to do, not to test His power or to see what God could do for him. It differs from the other sinful testings, because Gideon is looking for directions, not demanding God for anything or seeing what they could get from God.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Gideon Lesson 3

Question 1 Why does Gideon put out a fleece before the Lord -- twice? Is this a sign of unbelief or belief? This is a "testing" of God? How does it differ from the sinful testings of God the scripture warns against?

The Spirit of The Lord had come upon Gideon and the people had recognized the transforming power of God upon him, and flocked to Gideon when he blew the trumpet. God had appeared to Gideon and told him He, God would be with him and that, he Gideon would save Israel from their enemies.

And yet here, we now have Gideon putting out a fleece before The Lord - not once but twice. Gideon was somehow overwhelmed by the enormity of the task and asks for divince assurance that this is really God's will he is pursuing.

This is not a sign of unbelief. Gideon's request for re-assurance is humble and tentative - though bold at the same time. He does not want God to be angry with him and with his second request actually pleads for God's indulgence. He just seems to need assurance from God again and yet again that this is really God's will he is pursuing.

The sinful testings of God the scripture warns us against were attempts to manipulate God into doing miracles to somehow prove Himself. But what Gideon was asking was for God to do a minor miracle to help Gideon anchor his full faith in The Lord. Gideon's request is in order to establish his faith, whereas sinful testings of God is to get God to do miracles to meet selfish needs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gideon Lesson 3

Question 2 When, if ever, should we ask God to confirm his direction with a sign? What is the danger of demanding a sign?

We can certainly empathize with Gideon. How often have we felt God's leading, but need assurance again . . . and yet again. But God is so gracious.

This message is so very encouraging for me and how I love God's amazing Grace and Mercy and 'What is man that You are mindful of him.'

Maybe there are times when this kind of assurance is necessary. However, for me the answer is in the Romans 14 word from the Amplified Bible. 'For whatever does not originate and proceed from faith is sin - that is, whatever is done without a conviction of its approval by God is sinful. This chapter is about 'doing what we do as unto God' and those that 'do not do' and yet still, 'as unto God.'

Actually, these questions have become ponderings within me. Longing to understand, I put out a little fleece a few days ago about the matter to see where The Spirit of God would lead.

The Heavenly Father was just wonderful, even gently smiling at my earnest endeavour to be able to answer these questions.

He knows me far better than I know myself !

O, give thanks for the merciful and gracious Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit has given me this word in Romans 14. He may give others what he gave Gideon.

The Lord Jesus is so merciful and gracious.

Who satisfies your mouth (your necessity and desire at your personal age) with good; so that your youth, renewed, is like the eagle's (strong, overcoming, soaring) ! Psalm 103 Amplified.

My Heavenly Father wants me to trust Him, even when I am totally unable to see how He is going to work out His will ! And by giving me Romans 14, He is telling me I do not need to put out a fleece !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Gideon twice puts out the fleece before the Lord not only for assurance but also for reassurance. This is a definite sign of belief. Some may consider the wet fleece/dry ground and wet ground/ dry fleece a 'testing' of God. The answer was Gideon's confidence booster that he could perform what God was leading him to do, the defeat of the Midianites. This request was not sinful testing of God because our Lord would receive the glory and praise for the victory, not Gideon. lmc

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have always been reluctant to ask for a sign to confirm God's direction for my life. It seems He or the Holy Spirit presented a sign to me. The danger of demanding a sign may be our incapabilities to interpret or recognize that sign or comprehend it's meaning and the terrrible possibility, later, of self in the way. lmc

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Q1. Why does Gideon put out a fleece before the Lord -- twice? Is this a sign of unbelief or of belief? This is a "testing" of God? How does it differ from the sinful testings of God the scripture warns against?

Gideon had faith in God's power to deliver, but being human he needed "assurance" that he was hearing God's voice clearly. Like the man who says, "Lord, I believe, but help thou my unbelief." Since the fall of mankind in the garden, we do not have perfect minds to always perceive the will of God for our lives. I do not believe it was unbelief, or a "testing of God,"but a practical approach to seeking clarity for the mind of God in the matter before him.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When, if ever, should we ask God to confirm his direction with a sign? What is the danger of demanding a sign?

In my own life, there have been times when I felt impressed to take an avenue of service, but yet I didn't sense the "peace of mind" that comes with being in the center of God's will. In times like these, I don't believe it is "sinful" to seek a "sign", if it motivated by a desire to know more fully the leadingof the Lord. I personally believe Satan can come at us at times as an "Angel of light." AS Jesus prayed in the garden, " Not my will, but thy will be done." The danger comes only when we are trying to manipulate siituations to suit our own desires.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I don't think Gideon doubted God, but himself. What if he was deceiving himself? What if his own imagination had taken over? When the Pharisees etc. asked for a sign it was in unbelief. Gideon came more into the category: "Lord I believe, help my unbelief."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe we should ask for a sign if we are sincere and we are called upon to take a dangerous step which we are unable to confirm through Scriptural teaching. God may say Yes, No or Wait. Asking for a sign can be evidence that we are not really listening to God, but are looking for an experience outside God's will

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

I don't have a problem with asking God for a sign. I believe God honor's our faith according to the level of our faith. For the Bible does tell us that even if our faith is as small as a mustard seed that is enough to move him to action. If Christ honored the faith of a woman who bled for years with just a superstitious, imperfect, albeit selfish kind of faith, then I don't see any reason why we would think that such requests for signs is dangerous. What Christ does not honor is a request for a sign inorder to ridicule or make fun of him like how others would display a freak in a circus show (cf.: Matt. 8:11-12). I once led several dozens of kids in a youth camp and we were debating on whether to go to a nearby beach from the campsite the next day. We had a tough discussion and finally I asked my more "mature" mentors to pray to God for a sign and they laughed at my suggestion. I asked them to ask God for rain the day we were supposed to go if He does not want us to go. That night on my bed I prayed for a sign. The following day, while it was still dark, the rain started to pour and it went on througout the whole day. After the camp, I heard that the beach we were suppose to go was infested with bandits and terrorists. Praise God for signs!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

I believe that we can ask God for a sign when we are seeking His approval or His desires when it comes to making a decision in our lives. I pray often and ask His assistance in making decisions that affect my faith, my family, and my life. I do not challenge Him in any way to say that if He really exists that He needs to prove it or anything like that. I think that is when it becomes dangerous to ask Him to show me signs. I think if we challenge His existence or something like that it becomes dangerous. If you are questioning Him in anyway it becomes dangerous, but if you have full faith in Him and His doings then I believe it is alright to ask him occassionally to show you things to make sure you are on the right path.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

God gives us signs all the time. Do we always sense them? I think by asking for signs may be a sign of our weakness in faith. When is asking for to many signs a weakness? I believe as we grow in our walk with Christ we become stronger in faith and we begin to recognize the signs and our need to ask for signs becomes less as a result of our walk with God. I think it depends on what we are asking for. Satan is a sneaky imitator of our God. We must remember that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

When, if ever, should we ask God to confirm his direction with a sign?

When we are at a cross roads. I remember when I was going courting. I asked God for a sign that I was to go out with a certain person. I believe that when we need God to help us make an important decesion, we can ask God for a sign.

What is the danger of demanding a sign?

The danger of damanding, we could have the wrong motives of wanting a sign.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why does Gideon put out a fleece before the Lord -- twice?

I believe that Gideon was wanting to know what God's decision was. To have a fleece out at night and only the fleece being wet and not the ground, it could only be a coincident. But to turn the test around and have the ground and not the fleece be wet could only be an act of God. Only something God could do.

I belief this would be a sign of belief, and a test to see the real, miraculous God. Gideon knew God from what his parents, and older family members. He didn't know God in a personal way. Gideon, needed to see God for himself. He heard God once, and now God is telling him to do something at a new level. He needed confidence that this was truly God speaking to him.

This differs from the sinful testing of God. The sinful testing is a test with a hidden agenda. The test of God is a test for me to see where God is moving in my life. Where I need to go to stay in God's footsteps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gideon put out a fleece before the Lord twice so God could strengthen his faith. This is a sign of belief becuase he asks God and God answers. This is a "testing" of God becuase Gideon wanted a specific action from God. This is different from the sinful testings of God the scripture warns againstbecause it is not done from a selfish sinful nature, but rather to ferment his faith.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Gideon tested the fleece twice in case the first time was a "fluke" or momentary quirk of nature. :unsure:

To have the opposite thing happen on request cancelled the possibility that it was a chance event. Gideon was conservative by nature, liking to make certain that he was understanding correctly. :) It was not a sign of unbelief, but rather of confirming that this was a sure hope, a certain thing.

The sinful testings, eg of Jesus by Satan in the wilderness (satan's territory?), twist scripture to make it mean something useful to selfish man. Scripture is used out of context (even if only slightly) to promote wrong action, disappointment and therefore unbelief.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...

×
×
  • Create New...