How to Discern God’s Will – George Muller’s approach

Do you want to know for sure what God’s will is for your life or for a certain thing that you want to do? I recommend using the following steps developed by George Muller. Mr. Muller is one of the mightiest men of prayer and faith that the Church has ever known. In his life time, he recorded over 50,000 specific answers to prayer.  Over 30,000 of them were answered within 24hrs. Through prayer and faith alone (without telling anyone his needs), he believed God and God sent Mr. Muller the equivalent of millions of dollars for him to run orphanages in Bristol England. He never asked anyone for money. What was the secret to Mr. Muller’s faith and the amazing answers to prayer?  He knew how to determine the will of God. He spent time determining God’s will before he started praying for something. The same thing was true of  Jesus. His power & success in ministry came from his ability to know God’s will and then do God’s will. You and I can do what the Lord and Mr. Muller did and God will grant us success. Here are the steps Mr. Muller followed to ascertain God’s will, in his own words.

1. I seek at the beginning to get my heart into such a state that it has no will of its own in regard to a given matter. Nine-tenths of the trouble with people generally is just here. Nine-tenths of the difficulties are overcome when our hearts are ready to do the Lord’s will, whatever that may be. When one is truly in this state, it is usually but a little way to the knowledge of what His will is.

2. Having done this, I do not leave the result to feeling or simple impression. If so, I make myself liable to great delusions.

3. I seek the will of the Spirit of God through, or in connection with, the Word of God. The Spirit and the Word must be combined. If I look to the Spirit alone without the Word, I lay myself open to great delusions also. If the Holy Ghost guides us at all, He will do it according to the Scriptures and never contrary to them.

4. Next, I take into account providential circumstances. These often plainly indicate God’s will in connection with His Word and Spirit.

5. I ask God in prayer to reveal His will to me aright.

6. Thus, through prayer to God, the study of the Word, and reflection, I come to a deliberate judgment according to the best of my ability and knowledge; and if my mind is thus at peace, and continues so after two or three more petitions, I proceed accordingly. In trivial matters, and in transactions involving the most important issues, I have found this method always effective.