HEED THEIR VOICE
21 AND SAMUEL HEARD ALL THE WORDS OF THE PEOPLE, and he repeated them in the hearing of the Lord.
22 SO THE LORD SAID TO SAMUEL, “HEED THEIR VOICE, AND MAKE THEM A KING.” AND SAMUEL SAID TO THE MEN OF ISRAEL, “EVERY MAN GO TO HIS CITY.”
1 Samuel 8:7,8,21,22 (NKJV)
Although, God said Samuel should heed the voice of the people by making them a king which they demanded for, but it was not God's perfect will, It was done under His permissive will: "SO THE LORD SAID TO SAMUEL, “HEED THEIR VOICE, AND MAKE THEM A KING" (1 Samuel 8:22).
This shows us that a believer may receive something from God If he or she persuaded God by being importuned in prayer (Luke 11:5-8); however, what is given or received might not be God's perfect will.
Thus, a believer should learn how to accept No as an answer from God. If God says No to what you are requesting, as a believer in Christ, It means God has something better in stock than the thing you are asking for.
There are proponents of a type of prayer that talks about being insistent in prayer, taking No as an answer, which could be good and all right and biblical only If what is being insistent on is God's will for the person asking it (Luke 11:5-8). The truth is, such a message should be made balanced by telling or teaching the people the other side of it—telling them how to accept No as an answer from God.
Some things that are asked by believers could be to their detriment or peril if God should grant some of the requests being brought by some believers.
God being gracious and merciful usually in His infinite wisdom uses His prerogative or sovereignty to turn down or ignore or decide not to answer some prayers by a number of believers—because such prayers would not be of blessing or benefit to the people who asked them If they were answered.
Do not be angry with God If He uses His discretionary power to turn down your prayer, It is because He knows that answering such prayer would not be advantageous to you.
God answers to prayer come in various forms. Some answers to prayer are:
I. I have heard you. In an answer like this, God might not be affirmative about the doing of what you have asked for. In such a situation, the answer could mean it is not now, or there is no way in that which you have asked for.
Mostly, when God says He has heard you, It could be He does not want to talk on the matter—the answer to the request could be positive or negative, but "I have heard you" usually means He does not want to talk about the matter at that particular time.
II. Another one is; Do not do it. There is no way there. This one is always a bit direct and sharp. He would be plain about it. However, If you kept begging and persuading Him, He might allow you to have a taste of what would happen if the prayer is answered.
III. This third one, God might be silent. In this one, when God is silent, It is either:
• God is angry with you about something.
• What you are asking or requesting is completely out of point.
Highlights:
• When God is angry:
Examples of this could be found in two different cases about Saul the king.
a. When Jonathan went to the garrison of the Philistines and God did help him and the philistines were routed out and flee. Meanwhile, king Saul, Jonathan's father, had placed the people, soldiers, under an oath that Cursed is anyone who eats till the the evening of that day (1 Samuel 14:24).
Unknowingly to Jonathan, because he was not there, he took some honey they found as they were pursuing the philistines (1 Samuel 14:26-28). Subsequently, when King Saul wanted to know whether they should pursue or chase the philistines all night, God did not answer—because the oath had been broken or violated by someone (1 Samuel 14:36,37). This means God was angry, that is why He was silent!
b. Another occasion when God answered king Saul with silence is when he wanted to know God's mind about the battle ahead, against the philistines, after the death of Samuel (1 Samuel 28:3-6). It was when he could not get any answer from God that he went to seek help from a woman who is a medium, the witch at Endor (1 Samuel 28:7-19).
Whenever God refuses to give any answer in prayer, It is usually because He is angry with the person.
• Another reason for silence as an answer to prayer could be that what you are asking or requesting is completely out of point.
In this, when a prayer is prayed, or request is made; it could be there is no way in what you have asked—it is completely out of point.
An example to this in my own personal experience is:
There was a young man who joined our ministry after he attended our training programme—he wanted to serve under our ministry.
God had earlier told me not to pastor and that I should not pioneer another church. When he came, he inquired about the place we were using as our Base and suggested that we should be having church programmes there. I took it to God in prayer, God said I should allow him to start the church but I should not be there, and I explained everything to him.
As they continued, whenever I asked God, would this young man be my assistant or associate in the work? God would be silent, there would be no answer from Him. I did that all the period that this brother was with us. It was when he eventually left, and thinking about a number of things he did, It was then I realized why God was always silent whenever I asked about him being my assistant or associate.
Lastly, God may permissively allowed you to have your way or be granted a request, but it could be to your detriment If it was reluctantly done by Him. Thus, learn how to accept No as an answer.
Peace!