As we continue to explore the topic of knowing and following Daddy God’s voice, here’s a question that pops up occasionally: Is it okay to ask God for a sign? Let’s examine two passages of Scripture that address this concept.
- “Gideon said to God, ‘If you really intend to use me to deliver Israel, as you promised, then give me a sign as proof.’… The Lord did as he asked” (Judg. 6:36,38 NET, bold emphasis mine).
- “Then some of the experts in the law along with some Pharisees answered him, ‘Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.’ But he answered them, ‘An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah’”. (Matt. 12:38-39, NET, bold emphasis mine).
What is the difference here? Both Gideon and the religious leaders of Jesus’ day asked for a sign. Gideon received what he requested. The religious leaders did not.
As we dig into the two stories, we find the answer. Gideon’s heart was right toward God. In spite of his insecurity, he was willing to obey God’s risky-seeming commands. In fact, his first act of submission – tearing down his father’s Baal altar and Asherah pole – put his very life in jeopardy. This was some costly obedience.
On the other hand, the religious leaders’ hearts were at the opposite extreme of the submissiveness spectrum. Their souls were so closed off to God’s ways that He compared them to whitewashed tombs: attractive on the outside but full of deathly rot on the inside. Their request for a sign was a prideful demand for proof, rather than a sincere, humble petition. It came out of a spirit of unbelief and hardheartedness. These men, in all truth, were rebelliously challenging Jesus’ authority rather than submitting to it.
The Lord responded to the religious leaders with a warning. In contrast, He responded to Gideon with copious amounts of encouragement. What’s more, Gideon asked for a total of three signs, and God granted all three to him… plus one extra that he hadn’t even asked for. I see Daddy’s gentleness in this narrative; tenderly, eagerly, liberally making available to His son all the reassurance he needed to take on such a humanly impossible task.
So, returning to the original question. Is it okay for you and me to ask God for a sign? I believe the answer is yes, as long as our hearts are in a place of humble, obedient submission.
He sees your heart, you who are longing to please Him. He delights in your desire to follow Him, far more profoundly than you can even begin to imagine. Gideon was frail. He was made of dust. He was unsure. He was hiding. He felt insignificant. So many times, that’s how you and I feel as we travel along the road of God’s purposes. The Lord had indescribably deep compassion on His son’s vulnerabilities. And He has indescribably deep compassion on yours.
He was willing to provide all the assurance Gideon needed, to move forward in following His apparently perilous instructions. Every single time Gideon asked, He answered. And then He even threw in more than requested. He is truly able to do exceedingly, abundantly more than we ask or imagine, when it comes to guiding us with clarity and strengthening us for the path He lays out ahead of us.
He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. If you long to walk in His will, He will lovingly, open-handedly deliver everything you need to do so. He will show you His plan. And then He will confirm it to you again, and again, and again. I have actually found that He will confirm His word to me dozens of times, if I ask Him to. He never gets tired of providing that important affirmation that we have perceived His leading correctly. How deeply grateful am I for this endless generosity!
One thing I will add, though, is this: God reserves the right to be God, to be Master. While He will always offer confirmation when we need it, it may not come in the way we were expecting. Sometimes it does. (Gideon got his wet fleece; then his dry fleece.) Sometimes, though, it doesn’t. Daddy is infinitely creative in His communication. Often there are times when He will find a different way to confirm His will, than the one we were envisioning or requesting. However, one way or another, He will always answer the prayer for clarity. When it comes to guidance, just like any other need…
If you are sincerely asking Him for direction, would your perfectly loving heavenly Daddy, who gave everything for you, possibly allow you to be led astray?
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Have you ever asked God for a sign? How did He answer?
Feeding On Jesus 
You came to the same conclusion I previously had. The difference was Gideon asked in faith (although one might argue a little shaky faith), truly wanting to be sure he was receiving God’s will correctly. The Pharasees on the other hand, were playing the kind of gotcha game we see in modern politics, looking for Jesus to fail or something that they could twist to discredit him.
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“Gotcha game,” that is such a perfect expression for it. Also, I am SO grateful that God responds to our faith even when it is mustard seed-sized and a little shaky!
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Well said! Blessings to you!
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Thank you so much, Joy! Blessings gratefully received 🌹🤗
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So I’m speaking about seeing signs from God, without asking Him for one. Someone gave me some good advice as I rammed my head attempting to figure out How the sign was happening. ‘Your missing the message- the sign isn’t mean for you to figure out – how it happened- that’s impossible- JUST RECIEVE THE MESSAGE. I say this because we do tend to want to know how things happen…yes it’s fascinating, yes the probabilities of this happening is astronomical, but you still won’t be able to comprehend HOW HE DID IT. Your / We not supposed to.
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Wonderful advice your friend gave you, Ben! Thank you so much for sharing it here!
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I believe from experience that to test GOD by asking for a sign is totally wrong even using HIS word as a kind of weapon and challenge. If our heart is right and only HE knows, He will give us a sign that we are truly following only Him and not our own desires. His signs can be so simple like a child’s unknowing comment, a shredding cloud in the sky or a morning devotion a letter in the mail. Unexpected indeed can be Gad’s signs but we need to know His Voice ahead of all other Voices before we get out of the boat to FOLLOW HIM. I know! Relationship with Him alone is VITAL.
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Yes! You explained beautifully all the special ways that He communicates His confirming messages to us 🙂 . And He is often subtle about it, so that we will only catch them if we are leaning in to listen closely. Father, let us ever grow in that intimate relationship with You!
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God knows we lack faith, and it must be built one step at a time. We grow in faith, by working hand in hand with God.
What God permits or allows for one, He may not for another. And this is JUST. It all depends on our relationship with God, where we are in our walk, how long have we been walking with Him. The level of excellence increases in relation to the KNOWLEDGE He pours into each of us. If you believe it is wrong, then this is where He has you, but for another who has just began their walk- asking God for a sign is alot better than asking some false diety. Or turning to a medium. GOD BLESS.
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It’s wonderful how He meets us right where we are at, isn’t it Ben? I cherish that about our Father 🙂
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Very well explained. There are always signs around us only that We fail to see. O like the lesson that our hearts have to be in the right place for God to send us a sign.
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Yes! If our hearts are submissive and hungry, He will always confirm His word to us as many times as we need Him to. Thank you, Kevin! I really appreciate your comment 😉
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Welcome 🙂
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🙂
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God loves when we humble ourselves and ask for help. Love this post. Seeking knowledge will bring blessings.
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Thank you so much, John! Amen and amen. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for they will be filled. 🙂
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Absoutely! A great example of this is Psalms 50: O just wait until you get to 14-15. Amen!
7 O my people, listen! For I am your God. Listen! Here are my charges against you: 8 I have no complaint about the sacrifices you bring to my altar, for you bring them regularly. 9 But it isn’t sacrificial bullocks and goats that I really want from you. 10-11 For all the animals of field and forest are mine! The cattle on a thousand hills! And all the birds upon the mountains! 12 If I were hungry, I would not mention it to you—for all the world is mine and everything in it. 13 No, I don’t need your sacrifices of flesh and blood.
14-15 What I want from you is your true thanks; I want your promises fulfilled. I want you to trust me in your times of trouble, so I can rescue you and you can give me glory.
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What a beautiful example! Amen!
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At times in my life I have found myself asking God for a sign for different reasons. Each time I had a sense of whether I was asking because I wanted confirmation of something God was asking of me, or whether it was for something I wanted purely for myself.
This year there have been several signs God has shown to me to strengthen my relationship with Him and to encourage me forward. As you say, they have not all been what I expected, but have been what I needed.
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That is an excellent way to distinguish between the different motivations for asking. I am so glad He has given you exactly what you needed in this area! He is so wonderfully good, kind, and generous that way 🙂
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