Yes, it is quite possible to harass God and it mostly happens when our miracles are yet to manifest. And, trust me, you would not be the first person to do so. You may remember how the children of Israel were experts at harassing God. Take the time they wanted to eat meat as a good example. They grumbled and complained. Of course, since they did not have direct access to God as we now do, they did so through Moses. Mercifully, since Jesus came and died to tear the temple veil in two, we now have direct access to God.
Unfortunately, we put that direct access into personally harassing God. Keep in mind, God was feeding the children of Israel with manna but they wanted more. Do you come to God, always wanting more, like Oliver Twist? Or do you deliberately take time to acknowledge God for what He is doing? If you belong to the former group, you are likely an expert at harassing God. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you may not make it to heaven.
You see, all those who failed to acknowledge God’s goodness did not make it to the promised land. And as you know, heaven is our own promised land in this dispensation. My counsel is that you take the time today to appreciate God instead. It is impossible to thank a person and harass them at the same time. A heart of thanksgiving will constantly cure us of any attitude of harassing God that we may possess. we stop throwing tantrums at God.
Disobedience Leads to Harassing God
Matthew Henry once said that if you put the wheels on, God will oil them. Another way of saying that is that God will bless the work of your hands. You have to have something going on as work for God to bless. The other day, a preacher told how, to satisfy her own need for speed, she almost got into trouble with the police.
However, God blocked her and later explained why He did not let her have her way with her own car. “You would have got into trouble and then, I am the one who would bear the brunt of your prayers.” In other words, after getting herself into trouble, she would spend time in prayer harassing God. God very wisely and kindly blocked her. But it is not everybody that God blocks, only those in whom He delights.
You recall that God blocked Balaam when Balak paid him to curse the people of God. If God had not blocked him, he would have earned the money but at what cost? He too would be cursed and then he would have had to harass God to eventually get out of the curse. So, a good first prayer is to ask God to block you when you are about to disobey Him. Hopefully, He will put you on His list of beloved children, like that preacher and like Balaam.
When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, it was short and to the point. Do you know why? Jesus had completed the work His Father assigned to Him and therefore had no need for lengthy and forceful prayers.
If God Is Your Friend, You Will Not Yell At Him.
Is that your pattern of prayer or do you think of prayer as a time of harassing God? If that is the case, identify areas where you need to do your part and do it. Then you will find you no longer need to shout and stamp your feet in prayers.
Jesus says He calls us servants no more but friends if we do what He says. Do you harass your friend? So, why do we spend all our prayer time harassing God? Unfortunately, we come to God as if He is our enemy whom we must badger into submission. Is God your friend or your enemy? Only you can provide the answer to that question. But if He is your friend, you should please stop harassing God.
Nevertheless, if we have been disobedient, we have to yell like servants before He hears us. Can you imagine yelling at your friend when he is in the same room as yourself? Consequently, can we say that those who yell at God are not in the same space as God? Why else would you be shouting and harassing God? God must have departed from such a person.
And yet, there are people whom God loves so much that He makes mighty promises to them. He says of such people, “Before they call, I will answer. While they are yet speaking, I will hear them.” God says while they are speaking, not shouting. This is a promise to people who commit to fully obeying God, who are His friends.
It is a concept that particularly charismatic churches fail to understand. You are not God’s friend if you are yelling and harassing God. But today, I pray you will become God’s friend
Maranatha!