Giving God Ultimatums

Is it bad to give God ultimatums during prayer? For example, "God give me a sign on whether or not I should take this job. If you do not give me a sign, I will assume you want me to take the job. You have 3 days to respond. In Jesus name Amen!"
 
LOL! More than likely, that prayer will end up unanswered, the person will take the job and will fall flat on his face. Then, he will have to take another long walk around that mountain again to learn about prayer and the manner in which we are to take our requests to God, which is---believing.

Matthew 21:21-22 (NLT)
Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. 22 You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.
 
Is it bad to give God ultimatums during prayer? For example, "God give me a sign on whether or not I should take this job. If you do not give me a sign, I will assume you want me to take the job. You have 3 days to respond. In Jesus name Amen!"

Jesus said...
John 16:13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

Since God dwells inside us we don't have to go very far to get answers from him. The Holy Spirit shows us things to come in our lives. There should be no surprises to those who walk by faith. If you do get an sign it would come by someone confirming what you should already know. He that born of God has the witness in him self.
 
Yeah I believe that is similar to testing God

Yeah it could be.

A few things come to mind..
I remember when they were trying to pick a new disciple, I believe they casted lots. Which correct me if I'm wrong, it's where they pray, then make a bunch of lots, and which ever lot the cow poops in, thats God answered. Is this similar?

Also it could be viewed as testing God, but could it also be viewed as just making sure you are getting a clear answer, so that one can rest assure and have no doubt?
 
LOL! More than likely, that prayer will end up unanswered, the person will take the job and will fall flat on his face. Then, he will have to take another long walk around that mountain again to learn about prayer and the manner in which we are to take our requests to God, which is---believing.

Matthew 21:21-22 (NLT)
Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. 22 You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.

I agree we should never ever ever have doubt. In the book of James it says he who doubts shouldn't expect anything. Then I read further into the book of James, and I'm paraphrasing here because I'm on the go, but it says, "everything we do we should say 'if The Lord be willing'". Isn't by adding the word "if" creating doubt? Wouldn't it be better to say, "the lord WILL be willing!" Then that would take out any doubt in the statement.
 
I agree we should never ever ever have doubt. In the book of James it says he who doubts shouldn't expect anything. Then I read further into the book of James, and I'm paraphrasing here because I'm on the go, but it says, "everything we do we should say 'if The Lord be willing'". Isn't by adding the word "if" creating doubt? Wouldn't it be better to say, "the lord WILL be willing!" Then that would take out any doubt in the statement.

I see your point, but in James he is talking about how we have the penchant for planning out what we will do in the future, and that we really do not know what the future holds, otherwise what we say we will do comes off as boasting to the Lord.

As for things that we petition about, we need to always be asking in the will of God, but if we are walking closely with Him, our will and His is pretty much aligned, and so asking in Jesus' name with the confidence that comes with belief and faith, we know that we will have those things.
 
Is it bad to give God ultimatums during prayer? For example, "God give me a sign on whether or not I should take this job. If you do not give me a sign, I will assume you want me to take the job. You have 3 days to respond. In Jesus name Amen!"
Galatians 5:17
The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires

1 Corinthians 2
10 But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.11 No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit.12 And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.

I think all we have to do is walk by the Spirit.. Then we don't have to worry about picking and choosing a job.. because our desires will be driven by Holy Spirit.. When we make a choice, we can be certain that God is leading us into it.. When we are not certain, we still don't have to worry because God is going to shut the doors.. Rather than focussing on getting an answer from God, focus on pursuing holiness and living a life pleasing to God..

God answered every time David asked him something.. God never answered Saul.. The difference was not in the way they asked.. The difference was the way they were leading their lives..
 
Yeah it could be.

A few things come to mind..
I remember when they were trying to pick a new disciple, I believe they casted lots. Which correct me if I'm wrong, it's where they pray, then make a bunch of lots, and which ever lot the cow poops in, thats God answered. Is this similar?

Also it could be viewed as testing God, but could it also be viewed as just making sure you are getting a clear answer, so that one can rest assure and have no doubt?
We never heard much about the Disciples choice, but the person Jesus chose ...
 
We never heard much about the Disciples choice, but the person Jesus chose ...
Here's the passage I was thinking of:

12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk[a] from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) 16 and said, “Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17 He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.”

18 (With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19 Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

20 “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms:

“‘May his place be deserted;
let there be no one to dwell in it,’[c]
and,

“‘May another take his place of leadership.’[d]
21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, 22 beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”

23 So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” 26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
 
Galatians 5:17
The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires

1 Corinthians 2
10 But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.11 No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit.12 And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.

I think all we have to do is walk by the Spirit.. Then we don't have to worry about picking and choosing a job.. because our desires will be driven by Holy Spirit.. When we make a choice, we can be certain that God is leading us into it.. When we are not certain, we still don't have to worry because God is going to shut the doors.. Rather than focussing on getting an answer from God, focus on pursuing holiness and living a life pleasing to God..

God answered every time David asked him something.. God never answered Saul.. The difference was not in the way they asked.. The difference was the way they were leading their lives..
So what you're saying is if we are walking by the spirit, basically we don't need to pray about these types of things right?
 
1Co 15:5 , and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
1Co 15:6 , Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.
1Co 15:7 , Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.
1Co 15:8, Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

Was not Paul also a witness of the resurrection?
 
So what you're saying is if we are walking by the spirit, basically we don't need to pray about these types of things right?

I think what he is saying is, when you are filled with the Spirit of God you are filled with His thoughts. Then everything you do and say will be from the Spirit of God. It is always being in a state prayer all the time.
 
I think what he is saying is, when you are filled with the Spirit of God you are filled with His thoughts. Then everything you do and say will from the Spirit of God. It is always being in a state prayer all the time.
It's funny when someone else expresses my thoughts better than me :)
 
23 So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” 26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
I've always wondered about this. Acts1:26 says Matthias was added to the eleven, then in Acts 2:14, the text says that Peter stood up with the eleven. If God had accepted Matthias, shouldn't it read that Peter stood up with the twelve? Plus, there is nothing else written about Matthias. I wonder if God had intended for Paul to be the twelfth and rejected their way of electing Matthias.

Just curious.
 
I've always wondered about this. Acts1:26 says Matthias was added to the eleven, then in Acts 2:14, the text says that Peter stood up with the eleven. If God had accepted Matthias, shouldn't it read that Peter stood up with the twelve? Plus, there is nothing else written about Matthias. I wonder if God had intended for Paul to be the twelfth and rejected their way of electing Matthias.

Just curious.
I think this is widely debated.. Whether Mathias was truly accepted as disciple in Lord's sight.. True that 12th disciple was needed.. but the eleven were hand picked by Jesus.. Same is the case with Paul.. Whereas Mathias is not.. Also, we do not see any confirmation from Lord when they selected Mathias.. Neither they consulted if they should go about selecting the 12th themselves.. My conviction is that Paul is the 12th disciple..
 
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