Name it and Claim it...is it Biblical?

Against God's Will in 1 Samuel chapter 8 the people wanted a King to place over them so they could be like other nations. (verses 4-5) "all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.”

 

The Israelites named it and claimed it because they had a desire of their heart. Now it is true that God places desires in our heart, but if He has not specifically told you it's of Him there is a danger in naming and claiming something. You may have a desire that is not of God, and if you keep asking, Like the Israelites, He may just give it to you. 

 

(verse 8) the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. In verses 10-18 God told Samuel to tell the people all they horrible things a King would do to them and cause them to go through. Their lives would become much more difficult, but they had a desire and said in verse 19 “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. They were going to name it and claim it.

 

(verse 21-22)When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the Lord. The Lord answered, “Listen to them and give them a king.”  Terrible hardships followed.

Anything not of God will always end up in pain, struggle, and hardship. The Israelites learned the hard way, let us learn from their mistake, and find our example in Jesus when He said in Luke 22:42 Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done" Jesus had a desire for something too, but He knew better than to lean on his own understanding, instead he placed his trust in the Father. So instead of naming and claiming something, we would be better to be like our Lord and Saviour. "Father, if you are willing, yet not my will but yours be done"