Bible verses about testing God
Putting God to the test is a sin and should never be done. Recently pastor Jamie Coots died from a snake bite which he could have prevented if he followed God’s Word. Search for and read the full story of Jamie Coots on CNN. Snake handling is not biblical! This was his second time being bit.
The first time he lost half his finger and the second time he refused to get medical treatment. When you test God and something like this happens it makes Christianity look foolish to unbelievers and makes them laugh and doubt God more.
This is not to disrespect pastor Jamie Coots in any way but to show the dangers of testing God. Yes God will protect us and guide us in making the right choices, but if you see danger are you just going to stand in front of it or get out the way?
If a doctor says you will die unless you take this medicine, then take it. God is helping you through the medicine, don’t test him. Yes God will protect you, but does that mean you’re going to put yourself in a dangerous situation?
Do not be foolish. Testing God usually occurs because of lack of faith and when God doesn’t answer because you demanded a sign or miracle you doubt Him even more. Instead of testing God trust in Him and build a closer relationship by having quiet time with God. He knows what he’s doing and remember we live by faith not by sight.
If through prayer and his Word you are sure God told you to do something then by faith you do it. What you don’t do is put yourself in the face of danger and say God work your magic. You didn’t put me here I’m putting myself in this situation now show yourself.
1. Proverbs 22:3 A shrewd person sees danger and hides himself, but the naive keep right on going and suffer for it.
2. Proverbs 27:11-12 My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me. A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.
3. Proverbs 19:2-3 Enthusiasm without knowledge is not good. If you act too quickly, you might make a mistake. People’s own foolishness ruins their lives, but in their minds they blame the Lord.
We must be imitators of Christ. Did Jesus test God? No, follow his example.
4. Luke 4:3-14 The devil said to Jesus, “If you are the Son of God, tell this rock to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written in the Scriptures: ‘A person does not live on bread alone. Then the devil took Jesus and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in an instant. The devil said to Jesus, “I will give you all these kingdoms and all their power and glory. It has all been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I wish. If you worship me, then it will all be yours.” Jesus answered, “It is written in the Scriptures: ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him. Then the devil led Jesus to Jerusalem and put him on a high place of the Temple. He said to Jesus, “If you are the Son of God, jump down. It is written in the Scriptures: ‘He has put his angels in charge of you to watch over you. It is also written: ‘They will catch you in their hands so that you will not hit your foot on a rock.’” Jesus answered, “But it also says in the Scriptures: ‘Do not test the Lord your God. After the devil had tempted Jesus in every way, he left him to wait until a better time. Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Holy Spirit, and stories about him spread all through the area.
5. Matthew 4:7-10 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again the devil took him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, And said to him, All these will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down, and worship me. Then said Jesus unto him, Avoid Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
The Israelites tested God and had a lack of faith.
6. Exodus 17:1-4 The whole Israelite community left the Desert of Sin and traveled from place to place, as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water there for the people to drink. So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why are you testing the Lord?” But the people were very thirsty for water, so they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Was it to kill us, our children, and our farm animals with thirst?” So Moses cried to the Lord, “What can I do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me to death.”
7. Exodus 17:7 He called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contending of the Israelites and because of their testing the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?”
8. Psalm 78:17-25 But the people continued to sin against him; in the desert they turned against God Most High. They decided to test God by asking for the food they wanted. Then they spoke against God, saying, “Can God prepare food in the desert? When he hit the rock, water poured out and rivers flowed down. But can he give us bread also? Will he provide his people with meat?” When the Lord heard them, he was very angry. His anger was like fire to the people of Jacob; his anger grew against the people of Israel. They had not believed God and had not trusted him to save them. But he gave a command to the clouds above and opened the doors of heaven. He rained manna down on them to eat; he gave them grain from heaven. So they ate the bread of angels. He sent them all the food they could eat.
What does the Bible say?
9. Deuteronomy 6:16 “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah.
10. Isaiah 7:12 But the king refused. “No,” he said, “I will not test the LORD like that.”
11. 1 Corinthians 10:9 We should not test Christ, as some of them did and were killed by snakes.
We live by faith we don’t need signs.
12. Mark 8:10-13 Then right away he got into a boat with his followers and went to the area of Dalmanutha. The Pharisees came to Jesus and began to ask him questions. Hoping to trap him, they asked Jesus for a miracle from God. Jesus sighed deeply and said, “Why do you people ask for a miracle as a sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to you.” Then Jesus left the Pharisees and went in the boat to the other side of the lake.
13. Luke 11:29 When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.
14. Luke 11:16 Others, trying to test Jesus, demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.
Trust God with your income: Tithing without doubt and selfishness is the only acceptable way of testing the Lord.
15. Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
You must have faith.
16. Hebrews 11:6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
17. Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
18. 2 Corinthians 5:7 For we live by faith, not by sight.
19. Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Trust in the Lord in hard times.
20. James 1:2-3 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
21. Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal.
22. Psalm 9:9-10 The LORD is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O LORD, do not abandon those who search for you.
23. Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Reminders
24. 1 John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
25. Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
