How to Argue With God and Win...Step by Step

 You can argue with God and win.

In Matthew 7:7 Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened for you.” 

  And again in John 15:7 where He assured us that we can “ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you.”

  Jesus spoke these things to reassure us that God answers us when we pray and prayer works!

  And I’m here to tell you how you can lay hold of these truths, experience their reality in your life and then turn around and say to the skeptics—I KNOW God answers prayer! He’s answered mine!

To argue with God and win, pray this way:

1.      Identify what you are asking God to do and clearly state your request.

This might sound like a no-brainer to you, but if you stop and think about it, we sometimes think we’re asking for something when we’re really just beating around the bush!

When Jesus delivered miracles, He often asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”

  This was Jesus’ way of getting that blind man, deaf woman, desperate mother, (whomever!)…to  identify their specific request.

  “Lord, so-and-so needs you…”

  “Oh God, please be with so-and-so…”

  “Father, we need you…”

  What do these prayers mean? What exactly do we want God to do?! How will we know when He’s done anything?

  Pay attention to what you’re asking for! Pinpoint the request. If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time! But if you answer Jesus’ question, “What do you want me to do for you?” You will know when you receive His answer.

   “Lord, so-and-so needs you to give her direction on how to deal with her husband who is having an affair.”

  “Oh God, please give so-and-so a supernatural sense of peace when he is having that CT scan.”

   “Father, we need you to send us the money to pay that bill.”

  Identify your specific request and clearly state it!

2.      Once you’ve identified what you are requesting of God, choose your argument.

You can choose from any of these (it doesn’t matter which, any of them will work):

·        Argue based on what God has done in the past.

·        Argue based on God’s character and His great Name.

·        Argue the Word God’s given you.

·        Argue in the Name of Jesus.

·        Argue out of your own sorrow and desperation appealing to God’s mercy.

 

3.      Build your case.  

  Take the time to understand why these arguments will win by digging in Scripture and validating your position.  Here’s a good start to building your case for these 5 arguments.

Argue based on what God has done in the past. (The following is adapted from my book Oh God Please, Help Me with My Doubt!)

  Biblical basis: Psalm 143:5 (David) 

  David remembered the days of long ago, he meditated on all God’s works and considered what His hands had done. Here David shows us how to present our case to God based on what He’s done before. Remember where you’ve been and what God has done for you. If you find that difficult to do, look at the work of His hands and marvel at his greatness! Here’s how to build your case:

1.      “I remember the days of old” (NASB)

  Oh, to journey in those memories. The little shepherd boy watching over his sheep when suddenly a lion snatches a helpless lamb. The mama sheep shouts the alarm, and David grabs his slingshot! His heart races, and he runs toward the predator! Upon seeing the fierce lion (have you ever tried to take a lam from a hungry lion?!), David calls on the name of the God: “Lord, have mercy on me, Your servant! Save this little lamb!” David sends the rock hurling, and the lion falls over dead. Impossible!

  Nothing is impossible with God. Then David prayed, “Thank You, Lord. Thank You. You heard my cry and answered my call.” David sang as he took the lamb out of the mouth of the dead lion and gave it unharmed to its mother.

  Often the psalmist went further back than his own life experience. He told of God’s marvelous acts in freeing the Israelites from Egyptian bondage (see Psalm 136). If you are in such a desperate place that you cannot see what God has done for you, look at what He’s done in history! Remember the days of old. It’s better to remember your own olden days, but if you cannot, just remember the times in history when God has intersected mankind with His love.

  Here are some examples:

  Lord, just as you saved David from Goliath, so I know that you will…

  Father, just as you answered my cries for a baby (by giving me 3!), I know that you hear me now as I pray for…

 

2.      “I meditate on all Your doings.”

  David meditated on all God’s doings; the lions, the bears, Goliath, the anointing, the battles, Saul and his unpredictable temper, the wives, the victories, the failures, Jonathan, the Philistines. The list could go on and on and on. David reflected on all his relationship with God up to this point, and the reflection encouraged David.

  How long has it been since you meditated on God’s doings in your own life? Can you recall specific ways God directed you? Can you think of times when God felt very near to you? What about the times when He seemed far away? Do you remember desperate prayers that were answered with “YES!”? And those prayers you are glad were answered “NO!”?

  Meditating on all God’s doings will help you gain a glimpse of His bigger picture for your life. Take time right now to think of ways God’s been working in your life. Write your reflections in your prayer journal. Be sure to thank God for making Himself known to you through these circumstances.

  Once you have gained perspective in your meditation, adjust your request (if necessary) and present it confidently to the God who is able to do anything.

3.      “I muse on the work of Your hands.”

  David “mused” on the work of God’s hands. Muse means to ponder, contemplate, and reflect upon. David contemplated God’s creation. Read Psalm 65:5-13. Look at all the aspects of creation that David pondered in these verses; the mountains, the seas, even the turmoil of the nations, the rising and the setting of the sun, the land, rain, streams, and crops (specifically grain), the overflow of the harvest, the grasslands and the desert, the meadows and the flocks.

  Have you ever grown so confused, depressed, and discouraged that you couldn’t even think straight, much less, pray?! When you feel this way, follow David’s lead: muse on the work of God’s hands. Take time now to praise God for His creation. Where Satan is not creative, God is! He is the Master Creator! Must on His creation now. Follow the example of David in Psalm 65:5-13.

  Lord, You are the God who flung the stars into space; carved the mountains; gave boundaries to the oceans and planted the rain forests. You are the God of the deserts and the fertile fields. You made the sun and moon, rain and snow, summer, winter, spring and fall. Surely You have the power to …

 

Argue based on God’s character and His great Name:

  Biblical basis: Numbers 14:13-19 (Moses) 

  Consider this, unless God responded to the prayers of His people we wouldn’t have any earthly expression of His heavenly nature. But throughout Scripture, especially in the Old Testament, time and time again God revealed Himself to us by responding to His chosen people. By responding to the cries of His people, God demonstrated the reality of His nature. Often God spoke to a man and told Him who He was, and then later, He illustrated that aspect of His character when people called on Him in prayer.

  You can confidently argue for God to intervene in your circumstances and base your argument on the character of God and appeal for Him to express the nature of His Great Name.

  Moses did just this. First Moses sought God fervently. Remember in Exodus 33:18-23 when Moses begged to see God face to face? God told Moses that He would answer this prayer and show Moses His glory, only His face would be too much for mortal Moses, so God carefully placed Moses in the cleft of a rock as He allowed His glory to pass by and Moses was privileged to see God from behind. It was during that revelation of God’s glory that Moses recorded God saying,

   And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.” Exodus 33:6-7

  In Exodus 33, Moses got acquainted with the glory of God and His Great Name. As Moses responded to the voice of God by being obedient, Moses gained understanding of God’s character. Out of Moses’ experiential understanding of God’s Great Name and His nature, Moses later interceded for the “stiff-necked” people of Israel with the prayer we find in Numbers 14:13-19. Pay close attention to these verses:

  "Now may the LORD's strength be displayed, just as you have declared: 'The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.' In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people... (14:17-19a)

  Moses intercession was answered because he argued his case based on the character and nature of God. Moses appealed to God’s Great Name. Pray like Moses’ prayed.

Argue the Word God’s Given You

Biblical bases: I Samuel 1-2 (Hannah)

  In I Samuel 1 we read about a woman who was desperate for a child. After praying fervently, Eli, the priest, gave her God’s Word that God heard her cry, and she would have her prayer answered. Annah could have argued with Eli, she could have reasoned with him. Hannah could have resisted Eli’s promise but instead she received it. And because Hannah received the promise of God, she was no longer sad. Hannah was pregnant with the promise of God before she conceived the promise of God.

  When you argue the Word God’s given you, you will experience what Hannah experienced.

  There are very few things that God cannot do. He is all powerful, all knowing, able to be in all places at all times and all loving. And because He is all of these things, He cannot lie. His Word is His bond. All of these verses support this statement:

·        Hebrews 6:18

·        Numbers 23:19

·        I Samuel 15:29

·        Romans 3:4

·        Titus 1:2

·        I John 1:10

·        I John 5:10

 

 

  In my book, Spiritual Warfare for Your Family I discuss the powerful weapon of acceptance. The weapon of acceptance involves standing firm on the promises of God. Here is an excerpt from this book:

  God’s Word is true whether you choose to believe it or not (John 17:17). God’s Word is powerful whether you receipt it or not (Hebrews 4:12). God’s person and His purpose are revealed in His Word, and His plans will be accomplished (Job 42:2). God invites you to experience an intimate relationship with Him (John 1:12), and He is passionate about partnering with you in accomplishing His plans (Matthew 28:19). But He will be God, and His plans will be accomplished with or without you.

  God’s Word does what it claims to do. The list of these claims would be extensive, but it includes correcting and training (2 Timothy 3:16), empowering (Romans 1:16), building up (Acts 20:32), giving success and prosperity (Jeremiah 29:11), providing direction (Psalm 119:105), and I could go on and on. However, the Word of God is powerless in your life until you choose to live under its authority. The power of God’s Word is released through the will of His person. God accomplishes His Word in you when you choose to live in unity with Him. As you take God at His Word, follow His teaching, and honor His authority in your life you release His promises so that they can be brought to reality in your life.

  The promises of God released on the battlefield of your life are His rewards for the confidence you place Him. In Hebrews we read, “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

  The promises of God are given freely to all of us (John 3:16). But they are released through men and women who choose to trust Him in their circumstances. God’s promises are released by faith. When you use the divine weapon of acceptance, you release the power of God’s promises in your life.

 There are over 3000 promises in the Bible. When you take hold of the promises that are yours and pray them back to God, you win every time. Knowing the promise that is yours to pray might take a bit more skill. Here’s how you can know that God has given you a word that is yours.

1.      Read the Bible on a daily basis

2.      Read the Bible consistently.

3.      When you read the Bible invite the Holy Spirit to open your mind to understand and accept the message God has for you in His Word.

4.      Once you’ve claimed the promise you believe God’s given you, test it against these questions:

a.      Will God act outside of His proven character in order to fulfill this promise?

b.      Will the fulfillment of this promise infringe on the free will of anyone?

c.      How will the fulfillment of this promise bring God glory?

5.      If your promise passes the “test” of those questions, print it where you can see it, read it aloud and bravely hold God to His Word.

Argue in the Name of Jesus (The following is taken from my book Oh God, Please, Teach Me to Pray!)

Biblical basis: John 14:13-14, 15:16, and 16:23-24, 26-27 and I John 5:14-15

     In biblical times names were much more than a way to identify one person from the other. Names represented character, purpose and destiny…The name of Jesus means, “The Lord is Salvation,” which carries with it His character, His purpose and His destiny. Jesus’ character is love. His purpose is to demonstrate God’s love. His destiny is oneness with God and eternal life.

  When we pray in Jesus’ name, we are praying inside the boundaries of His character; according to His purpose; and toward the destiny He’s already secured (complete unity with God and eternal life in His presence). Praying in Jesus’ Name means to pray by the authority of Jesus, in harmony with Jesus, and prayers that are sanctioned by Jesus. (end of book excerpt)

  Any prayer that you offer in the Name of Jesus is planted at the foot of the cross and watered with Jesus’ blood. Realize that to win the argument in Jesus’ Name your petition must be within the boundaries of His character, aligned with His purpose and resting against the destiny of our eternal home in heaven.

  When you pray in Jesus’ Name you rest confident in the promise God’s given in His Word that He will hear and answer your prayer.

Argue out of your own sorrow and desperation appealing to God’s mercy.

  Biblical basis: Matthew 15:22-29 (Canaanite woman with a demon possessed daughter)

  In the story of the desperate mother who’s daughter was demon possessed, we see this argument in action. After Jesus ignored her, and His disciples rebuked her, she continued to press in with the argument that she had nothing to appeal to except her own sorrow and desperation. She was appealing strictly to God’s mercy.

  Throughout the Old Testament, God extended mercy in response to pray. Throughout Scripture we would have to blind not to see the incredible mercy of God. When you’ve got no other argument this is the best. To hurl yourself on the mercy of God might seem foolish and brave but God’s mercy is reliable, and when you hurl yourself on Him, He cherishes your trust and meets your need.

  What a merciful God we serve! Here is a link where you will find 40 Bible verses on mercy.

 

4.      Once you’ve built your case, present your request to God.

  Charles Spurgeon, who preached to an estimated 10 million people during his lifetime, said this about the importance of how we come before God with our arguments,

“Our spiritual sacrifices should be offered with holy carefulness.”

(Spurgeon on Prayer and Spiritual Warfare).

  Spurgeon gives us a great strategy for effective presentation of our arguments in prayer:

1.      Sit and wait long enough to feel that you are doing something that is real. Meditate on Scripture that reminds you of God’s attributes and His intent to hear and answer your prayers.

2.      Consider the “divine grace” as compared to your “humble state.” I’ll quote Spurgeon again here, “We will be humble yet bold petitioners, humbly asking mercy through the Savior’s blood.”

3.      Recognize the fact that you have no right at all to receive anything from God—not even to ask! And remember that because of Christ’s obedience, because of His suffering, and because of His love for you—you can have the audacity to ask God to respond to you according to the GRACE He demonstrated on the cross.

4.      Now clearly state your request and argue your case.

5.      Submit your will to God’s sovereignty. “Thy will be done.”

  I’m going to let Spurgeon explain this part because he does a good job of it and he is absolutely SPOT ON for what we must do in order to win our way with God:

“You have no quite completed the ordering when you have asked for what you want through Jesus Christ. You should look at the blessing that you desire, to see whether it is assuredly a fitting thing to ask. Some prayers would never be offered if people would only think. A little reflection would show us that some things that we desire were better left alone. We may, moreover, have a motive that forgets God’s glory and caters only to our own ease and comfort. Now, although we may ask for things that are for our profit, still we must never let our profit interfere in any way with the glory of God. There must be mingled with acceptable prayer the holy salt of submission to the divine will.”

  As you do these things, you can most certainly argue with God and win. I’m certain of it—for I have done it!