Asking for a Sign

What's your belief on asking God for a sign? For example:

"God, if <situation A> is true, then this> will happen. If it isn't true, that> will happen."

Anyone ever do that? Why or why not?

It is hard to get that to work properly.

I think God can confirm things in your life or stop things in your life, but it's usually not through things like "if i'm supposed to do __________ then let me see a purple bird sitting on a stop sign (or whatever)."

Do not test the Lord your God.

If God wants to give me a sign then I'll see one. But I'm not going to ask him for one.

I don't know that I've done that in that way, but I guess in some ways you could maybe say I have. Basically, I say God, if you don't want "this" for me, then please take away my desire for that. I don't base the whole situation on whether or not that feeling is taken away though, but base it on different things I'm feeling like God is telling me on top of that.

I'll test God all I want with signs like these.

Just watch!

If I make this post, Luther will read it and roll his eyes at me.

*Crosses fingers*

jk *rebels*

I ask for signs all the time. If that's what it means to test God, I'm about to get a buttload of lightning bolts!!!!!

I never do the "If this is true, then let this happen." though. I tried that for over a year of my life, and all the signs happened, yet I was wrong about it.
The only times I ever do that is when it's insane things I know won't happen like, "If this is true, let me computer and tv both shut down right...........NOW!" And it never happens.

Maybe that's what it means to "test God", I don't know, but I stopped doing that after I tricked myself into believing something that wasnt true based on circumstances that happened just like I asked.

But I still ask for signs though, nothing wrong with that.

One of the greatest men of God ever asked for a sign once. He asked God that if the women was really to be his wife, for her to make him a specific kind of pie and give it to him when he got off the airplane to see her. He saw her at the airport waiting for him and she goes "Here's a [specific kind of] pie. I have never cooked a pie before ever and this is my first one ever, but here you go!" and God fulfilled that sign.

Of course, the favor of God rested on this man of God. Not because God has favorites, but because man has favorites and that favorite is God. When you put God as #1 and fall in love with Him, you unlock and allow God to do what He wants to do with you. God wants to show favor to EVERYONE, but He won't if it would hinder your spiritual growth or hurt you in some way. You have to open the doors of blessing before you can be blessed.

But I tried that myself with a bunch of small things- and it seemed I was suppose to marry this one girl. But the biggest one- the big one that I thought "Okay, this will decide it." never happened, and it wasn't very big at all. I simply asked if she was the one, for her to give me a christmas present from her heart. She never even gave a christmas present at all. That's the reason I know it wasn't her though, and the reason the other smaller ones were false. The other ones were like "Let me see her today after church." when I thought it was unlikely, or "Let me hold her hand for 10 seconds during drama practice." when I assumed that wouldnt happen, stupid little things. If I said something like "Let her quote "THIS PEN IS RRRRRRRRRRE...Re....Re....Reeeeee....ROYAL BLUE!!!!" from Jim Carrey's movie Liar Liar while holding a hotdog in her left hand and a spoon in the right hand." maybe that might have been a better test

"A wicked and adulterous nation seeks after a sign but the only sign shall be the sign of Jonah".

However, there are Christians who have asked for a sign and they have received it.

Discuss.

We have the whole Canon of Scripture to look to and find principals in, something folks in the Old Testament, even the New Testament saints didn't have.....
if you can't find a principal about what your considering than ask Godly council of Godly men (or women depending on your circumstance and question).......
why should we concern ourselves with seeking signs when we have the full Word of God (Assuming there your not reading a cult bible like the Jehovah's Witness or Joseph Smith) to pursue.....
Get a book like Armed and Dangerous or a Topical Study Guide.... it will help you find verses on topics that much quicker.....

All that to say, I'm not saying God can't give us a sign, but He already gave us Jesus, the Holy Spirit and Scriptures, what ever else He would give us would be a lesser sign than those.....

The whole "fleece" thing IMO has to be confined to very specific circumstances. I've done it, and God has spoke to me through it, but only in times where I was absolutely confused, desperate, and needing God's guidance more than anything.

If musn't be used as a "if you're really who you say you are, Lord, please do this". Or "I don't really feel like doing this, but if you confirm it by sending a cat dressed in an elephant suit to my doorstep, I will".

I've done it twice. Once was regards to a study plan - when I was a teen, I suddenly felt the desire to go and study abroad in a music conservatoire, whereas previously I had always told everyone I wanted to do languages. It was a wild and expensive plan, so I prayed that if it came from God, he'd show me the next day. The next day my dad came to me and said "I've been thinking you should apply to x conservatoire in x country and I've ordered the prospectus". I'd never discussed the possibility of doing music performance with him before, even less abroad, so to me it was the sign.


The other time would be too complicated to explain, but it was even closer to the "fleece" definition. I think a good fleece needs to have good motives. It needs to be one in faith - no asking for a sign that could be interpreted either way (like "if tomorrow the milkman DOESN'T come). So I ask for something positive and effective to happen, that is not only unlikely but impossible to happen unless God prompts it. And then double proof it. A second check sign of similar nature, that very day.


As I said, God did answer precisely and powerfully, but it was very specific circumstances, when I needed God to confirm his presence by me after a very long and confusing ordeal that had left me totally lost. It was a sincered question, not of the "tempting God" variety.

29(AN) When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, (AO) "This generation is an evil generation.(AP) It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. 30For as(AQ) Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31(AR) The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and(AS) condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold,(AT) something greater than Solomon is here. 32(AU) The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and(AV) condemn it, for(AW) they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold,(AX) something greater than Jonah is here.
Luke 11:29-32

47When this man heard that Jesus(BJ) had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48So Jesus said to him, (BK) "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe." 49The official said to him, "Sir, come down(BL) before my child dies." 50Jesus said to him, "Go; your son will live." The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.
John 4:47-50



God gives us his word so why do we need a sign?

my thoughts on this are that God doesn't give a sign because it wouldn't cinvince people. They would think it was a trick or a fluke or something. Jesus makes a pretty radical claim, he says "if they don't beleive Moses or the prophets, they won't beleive even if someone rises from the grave". And indeed he was right! He rose both lazeress and himself from the grave, and people still didn't beleive.

Asking for a sign is more about asking for confort. It's like saying "give me something that will convince me" when all along God is healing people left and right....... and your rationalizing it away. God gives us alot of signs, to ask for more is to attempt to cure your faithlessness in what is already presented to us. To ask for a sign is to attempt to cure your unsatfable coriousity and skeptism.

BlackFyre said:

What's your belief on asking God for a sign? For example:

"God, if <situation A> is true, then this> will happen. If it isn't true, that> will happen."

Anyone ever do that? Why or why not?

Click to expand...

I have done that and I don't think there is anything wrong with it. I think sometimes we do push the limits after God has given us so many signs short of spelling it out right before us.

Not anymore ... Honestly, I used to, but it was always 'Stop'

So now I just ask for Wisdom and Discernment.

BlackFyre said:

What's your belief on asking God for a sign? For example:

"God, if <situation A> is true, then this> will happen. If it isn't true, that> will happen."

Anyone ever do that? Why or why not?

Click to expand...

I used to do it all the time, but it never worked......God likes to keep me guessing.

We have a tendency to ask God for signs after He's given us His answer already. I don't see why he'd give us a sign, since we would be in denial and defiance. What we then end up with is convincing ourselves that there's going to be a sign, we pick the sign, and make our decision from there regardless of what God's will is. And when that sign doesn't happen, we sometimes try to pick another one. It's really a failure of a test of obedience IMO.

ryanb6 said:

29(AN) When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, (AO) "This generation is an evil generation.(AP) It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. 30For as(AQ) Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31(AR) The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and(AS) condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold,(AT) something greater than Solomon is here. 32(AU) The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and(AV) condemn it, for(AW) they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold,(AX) something greater than Jonah is here.
Luke 11:29-32

47When this man heard that Jesus(BJ) had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48So Jesus said to him, (BK) "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe." 49The official said to him, "Sir, come down(BL) before my child dies." 50Jesus said to him, "Go; your son will live." The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.
John 4:47-50



God gives us his word so why do we need a sign?

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I think you are confusing two very different things.
God need give us no sign of his existence, no extra sign for us to be convinced of repentance.

A godly person asking for guidance in specific circumstances regarding a decision or something *can* be different. I think though, in 99% of cases, his word is indeed enough.

When I asked for a sign, it did not need confirmation. I needed CLARITY. I was confused, my own heart was in too much turmoil to be guided by the spirit, the word of God was not addressing specifics. And yet I wanted to follow God's will more than anything.
But these were both exceptionnal circumstances. I don't ask for fleeces left right and center.

joanna1 said:

I think you are confusing two very different things.
God need give us no sign of his existence, no extra sign for us to be convinced of repentance.

A godly person asking for guidance in specific circumstances regarding a decision or something *can* be different. I think though, in 99% of cases, his word is indeed enough.

When I asked for a sign, it did not need confirmation. I needed CLARITY. I was confused, my own heart was in too much turmoil to be guided by the spirit, the word of God was not addressing specifics. And yet I wanted to follow God's will more than anything.
But these were both exceptionnal circumstances. I don't ask for fleeces left right and center.

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ok

joanna1 said:

I don't ask for fleeces left right and center.

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Ah. How do you feel about suede? You prefer suede?

jcj3803 said:

Ah. How do you feel about suede? You prefer suede?

Click to expand...

My preference is actually for full-length coats with a esquimo fluffy hood

Not every answer is found in the written word of God.

Some answers only be found in the LIVING Word of God.

Our God is not the Bible; Our God is the Living Jesus Christ, the Living Holy Spirit, the Living God.


What I find most interesting between me and other christians is that the Bible is their foundation, while the Living God is my foundation.


In fact, I don't read my bible much anymore. Instead, God just talks to me and whenever He does, bible verses do happen to be brought out of my memory so in the form of the Holy Spirit enlightening my Memory I read the bible; but really He always speaks first then the bible verse comes after, if one comes after at all.

The Bible is a great foundation... for baby christians. It is a great foundation to help people mature by letting them get to know God by the Holy Spirit using the Bible to speak to them. But eventually those christians [should] grow up and their personal Living God becomes their new foundation.

God is so much greater than a book.