Making Demands of God

Open with prayer

Review Bible memorization verses:

Struggles from this past week, and/or areas of expected upcoming struggle.

Review: What are some things you’ve learned in your Bible reading this week?

Making demands of God – What can we ask for? How should we ask? What should we expect?

Can you make demands of God?

What is a demand? A demand is: As a noun: An insistent and peremptory request, made as if by right. As a verb: to ask authoritatively or brusquely. So, the question is:

Do you have the “authority” to make a request of God, insistently, as if it is your right?

Or,

Can you ask something of God with “authority” in your request?

There are several places in the Bible where the question I just asked is answered for us. We are going to look at several of these examples from scripture, and in each of these, we are going to do four things:

1. We are going to be honest about the situation and ask, “Is this an example of making a demand?”

Just because we look at something in the Bible doesn’t mean it is the answer to our question. We are called to discernment. We must be responsible with our address of God’s Holy Word.

2. We are going to examine the situation to determine “What can we demand?” (or ask for)

Depending on the situation, circumstances may dictate that we may be able to make some demands, and not others – or if not a demand, then what we are able to ask for.

3. We are going to examine the situation to determine “How we should make our demand/ask/request?”

Consider the two approaches to asking for a raise, or other circumstances. The Bible speaks to this too.

4. And finally, we are going to learn from God’s Word “What should we expect in response to our demand?”

“God, I need you to take care of this, and I need you to do it right now!” What is the response we should expect from that prayer? Did you know it depends???

John 15:7, CSB

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you.

1. No, - “ask” 2. *Abide with God, in His Word, Abide: Accept or act in accordance with. 3. Anything, 4. It will be done.

Romans 10:13 ESV

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

1. Yes, 2. Salvation, 3. Believing, 4. To be saved.

Luke 18:1-8 CSB

1 Now he told them a parable on the need for them to pray always and not give up. 2 “There was a judge in a certain town who didn’t fear God or respect people. 3 And a widow in that town kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’4 “For a while he was unwilling, but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or respect people, 5 yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice, so that she doesn’t wear me out by her persistent coming.’”6 Then the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 Will not God grant justice to His elect who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay helping them? 8 I tell you that he will swiftly grant them justice. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

1. Yes, 2. Justice, 3. Constantly, Persistently, Keep Coming, 4. Swiftly, Quickly – Justice.

Philippians 4:6 CSB

Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

1. No, 2. Everything, 3. With Thanksgiving, 4. Thanksgiving means that God is answering your request.

Matthew 7:7 CSB

Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you.

which means keep on seeking, keep on knocking

1. No, 2. Open Doors, 3. With Persistence (Asking/Seeking/Knocking), illustrate with “God helps them who help themselves” false platitude 4. It will be given to you; the door will be opened.

James 4:2 CSB

You desire and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and wage war. You do not have because you do not ask.

1. No, 2. Anything (no restrictions placed here), 3. With the right motives, 4. To get what you ask for

Luke 8:43-48 CSB

43 A woman suffering from bleeding for twelve years, who had spent all she had on doctors and yet could not be healed by any, 44 approached from behind and touched the end of his robe. Instantly her bleeding stopped. 45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds are hemming you in and pressing against you.” 46 “Someone did touch me,” said Jesus. “I know that power has gone out from me.” 47 When the woman saw that she was discovered, she came trembling and fell down before him. In the presence of all the people, she declared the reason she had touched him and how she was instantly healed. 48 “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

She put a demand on God for healing by touching Jesus' robe without permission. She was healed–and Jesus said that her faith had made her whole.

1. YES Faith Based – (note the Centurion example who told Jesus that He need not come to heal his servant in Mt. 8:5-13, and Lk 7:1-10, “just say the word and my servant will be healed” – another command – say the word), 2. Healing, 3. With Faith, believing,4. Instant healing – in this case and in the example of the centurion whose faith prompted the healing of his servant – healing for one’s self, and healing for others!

Luke 23:32-33, 39-43. CSB

32 Two others—criminals—were also led away to be executed with him. 33 When they arrived at the place called The Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals, one on the right and one on the left.

39 Then one of the criminals hanging there began to yell insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”40 But the other answered, rebuking him: “Don’t you even fear God, since you are undergoing the same punishment? 41 We are punished justly, because we’re getting back what we deserve for the things we did, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”43 And he said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

1. Yes/No (this was a humble demand – which is a paradox according to the definition of demand – this demand acknowledged Jesus’ authority), 2. Salvation, 3. Humbly, 4. Salvation.

Which criminal are you? The one who says: If you are God, you will save me from this problem, or you will save my relative from this disease, or you will keep me from this pain… otherwise I won’t trust you God. Or are you the criminal that acknowledges you are justly punished, deserving what you get, and asking God to remember you in His kingdom? Which of these demands can be made of God?

When we make demands — "God, you must do this " — we turn prayer into something else, trying to manipulate God, and He is never mocked or manipulated. Paul tells us to ask but to do so in the form of requests and not demands.

New Bible memory verse for the next week:

John 15:7 (CSB) If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you.

Close with prayer