AN INDIRECT ANSWER FROM GOD
20 AND GOD CAME TO Balaam AT NIGHT AND SAID TO HIM, “IF THE MEN COME TO CALL YOU, RISE AND GO WITH THEM; BUT ONLY THE WORD WHICH I SPEAK TO YOU—THAT YOU SHALL DO.”
21 So Balaam rose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab. Balaam, the Donkey, and the Angel
22 THEN GOD'S ANGER WAS AROUSED BECAUSE HE WENT, AND THE ANGEL OF THE LORD TOOK HIS STAND IN THE WAY AS AN ADVERSARY AGAINST HIM. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him."
Numbers 22:20-22 (NKJV)
If God has told you His mind or decision about a matter of concern, If you went back to Him about the same issue, you might likely receive the kind of answer that was given to Balaam in the passage above.
Once you are able to hear God and know His mind or decision about an issue, there is no need of going back on the same issue trying to ask Him again and again, wanting to persuade Him to change His mind or stand on the matter.
God had already told Balaam that the people he was invited or called to come and curse are blessed people, he should not go, nor follow the people who came to call him, he should let them know that there is no way there (Numbers 22:7-12). Although, he did obey God's Word initially, but when another set of emissaries were sent with a mouth watering offer, he thought of going back to God to ask again and verify whether God actually meant what He said, that he should not go (Numbers 22:15-21).
A lot of believers, even ministers, do make this same mistake, especially If their interest is in what they are trying to present to God. Since you have known the mind of God on the matter, there is no need of going back to God to reiterate the matter again. God had said His mind, you should not try to convince or persuade Him on it, God is not a man that can lie or change His mind on a matter which He has made a decision on (Numbers 23:19).
Any attempt to do that, trying to persuade God about the truth He had told you, would make you hear an answer from Him that would make it looks or seems as If you are being deceived, but not at all. God cannot lie neither can He deceive anyone, there is no deception or deceptiveness in Him at all. However, If you knew the truth, that is, He has told you the truth, and you are still trying to persuade Him pretending as If you have not heard or understood what He said clearly, He tends to answer you according to the idols, desires, in your heart (Ezekiel 14:4). In other words, He would give you or tell you what you wanted to hear. At such a time, God would not be the One you heard but your own desire that is speaking loudly in your heart or ears, clamouring for what you greatly desire (James 1:13,14).
Thus, If you heard God, His decision, on what you strongly desire, do not pretend not to have heard or understood Him; otherwise, you would hear what you wanted to hear thinking you have heard Him and He has given you an approval or go ahead on the issue at hand.
Balaam heard God clearly the first time he wanted to inquire about the matter at hand (Numbers 22:7-13), but what he heard the second time was his own desire, what he wanted in his heart, what he was clamouring for (Numbers 22:15-22). Stop persuading God on what He has said No on. If God has said No on something, you should learn how to accept No as an answer from God. It is not every matter you took to God that you would receive Yes as an answer on. In some instances, No would be an answer, but, If God says No as an answer, It means He has better offer or better thing for you than that which you are asking for.
Balaam was not a prophet of God, he was a diviner or soothsayer, but God did appear to him in order to intercept him on the matter of His people, the Israelites—he would not want him to curse His people. The Scripture says, God permitted no one to do His people wrong or harm (Psalm 105:13-15). However, being not a prophet of God, If Balaam accepted God's answer of No, and did not attempt to go; God would have blessed him some other ways beyond what Balak the king of Moab promised or purposed to give him for the invitation. An obedience to God's major instruction usually yielded a great blessing. God usually considered It a honour to Him and a sacrifice on the part of the person who obeyed; If He told someone not to do something that could have fetched him or her a lot of great material benefits or rewards and the person obeyed. As a result of your obedience, either you are a believer or not, He will reward or compensate you for it—your act of obeying His instruction.
Thus, If you have heard God lately on a matter of your life, I want to enjoin you to obey and do that which He told you exactly. If you did obey, your obedience would yield a greater reward than what you could ever imagined.
You will not fail in Jesus name. Peace.