As one of the greatest prayer warriors of his generation, George Mueller’s legacy of prayer is well established. His prayer journals are filled with years’ worth of requests and specific answers from God. The story of his establishing orphan homes that cared for thousands over decades by faith and without ever appealing for aid other than in prayer is well known.

What may be less known is how he determined whether something was the will of God, and therefore, worth devoting himself to prayer. Whether it was the decision to build the original orphan home in the first place, or to take up missionary journeys later in life, everything was to be brought before the Lord before proceeding. This came through clearly in a lengthy biography of Mueller by A. T. Pierson (and I mean lengthy—I think I know more about Mueller than I thought possible, but don’t regret that at all).

Mueller looked at situations and needs with a conviction that God wanted to make known his will and demonstrate his faithfulness. He was convinced that God wanted to be seen by his people as able to meet every need. So, Mueller wouldn’t even tell people what his personal or ministry needs were, preferring to let God provide by moving in the hearts of his people.

I offer here his six steps for knowing the will of God in decisions, large or small (whether it is something to pray for or something to do). This version is taken from a shorter pamphlet, An Hour with George Mueller, edited by A. Sims. I’ve edited it slightly for readability.

1. Seek to get the heart to a state where it has no will of its own (90% of the battle).

2. Do not leave the result to simple “impression.” This makes one liable to “great delusions.”

3. Seek the will of the Spirit of God through the Word of God—they 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. Take providential circumstances into account, as they often indicate God’s will along with Word and Spirit.

5. Ask God to reveal his will aright (to bring clarity).

6. As you do this, you come to a deliberate judgment according to the best of one’s ability and knowledge—and if the mind is thus at peace, and continues so after two or three more petitions, proceed accordingly.

Now, these may seem like simple steps, and some might argue that they are too simple. But I’ve had to ask myself if their simplicity might be their genius. Surrender, resisting simple impressions, studying the Word in submission to the Spirit, considering circumstances, asking for clarity, and seeing a judgment form that can be brought before the Lord—these seem biblical, don’t they? And to be honest, Mueller’s track record in prayer is exemplary—certainly better than mine! If you have never tried step number one, you will find it more difficult than you can imagine to surrender your own interest in some matters to the greater interest of the glory of Jesus in this world.

This material is all the more pertinent to me as I’ve recently completed an extended time of seeking to know God’s direction for our future ministry, and these steps were incredibly important. I commend them to you!