How Often Should We Ask?

Continually!

2 Samuel 5:17-19(NKJV)

17Now when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. 

18The Philistines also went and deployed themselves in the Valley of Rephaim. 

19So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?” And the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hand.”

2 Samuel 5:22-25(NKJV)

22Then the Philistines went up once again and deployed themselves in the Valley of Rephaim. 

23Therefore David inquired of the Lord, and He said, “You shall not go up; circle around behind them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. 

24And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then the Lord will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” 

25And David did so, as the Lord commanded him; and he drove back the Philistines from Geba£ as far as Gezer.

The other day I wrote about how David did things in the correct order.  He would seek God's advice BEFORE acting.  Well here is another lesson.  Keep seeking and asking.

In the first passage above the Philistinians are aligned against David and before he goes out against them He seeks God's advice and God says go.  David goes and wins.  Then in the second passage above the Philistinians come back for more.  Now I would tend to believe that God had already said go so I probably wouldn't have checked a second time.

It's a good thing I'm not David.  David did check with God a second time and it was a good thing he did.  God told him to go again but God told David to use a different strategy the second time.

So when in doubt, follow David's example and keep asking!