2. _We must really desire to know God’s way and be willing at any cost to do God’s will._ This is implied in the word “_ask_.” The asking must be sincere, and if we are not willing to do God’s will, whatever it may be, at any cost, the asking is not sincere. This is a point of fundamental importance. There is nothing that goes so far to make our minds clear in the discernment of the will of God as revealed by His Spirit as an absolutely surrendered will. Here we find the reason why men oftentimes do not know God’s will and have the Spirit’s guidance. They are not willing to do whatever the Spirit leads at any cost. It is he that “_willeth to_ do His will” who shall know, not only of the doctrine, but he shall know his daily duty. Men oftentimes come to me and say, “I cannot find out the will of God,” but when I put to them the question, “Are you willing to do the will of God at any cost?” they admit that they are not. The way that is very obscure when we hold back from an absolute surrender to God becomes as clear as day when we make that surrender.
3. _We must definitely __“__ask__”__ guidance._ It is not enough to desire; it is not enough to be willing to obey; we must _ask_, definitely ask, God to show us the way.
4. _We must confidently expect guidance._ “Let him ask in faith nothing doubting,” There are many and many who cannot find the way, though they ask God to show it to them, simply because they have not the absolutely undoubting expectation that God will show them the way. God promises to show it if we expect it confidently. When you come to God in prayer to show you what to do, know for a certainty that He will show you. In what way He will show you, He does not tell, but He promises that He will show you and that is enough.
5. _We must follow step by step as the guidance comes._ As said before, just how it will come, no one can tell, but it will come. Oftentimes only a step will be made clear at a time; that is all we need to know—the next step. Many are in darkness because they do not know and cannot find what God would have them do next week, or next month or next year. A college man once came to me and told me that he was in great darkness about God’s guidance, that he had been seeking, to find the will of God and learn what his life’s work should be, but he could not find it. I asked him how far along he was in his college course. He said his sophomore year. I asked, “What is it you desire to know?” “What I shall do when I finish college.” “Do you know that you ought to go through college?” “Yes.” This man not only knew what he ought to do next year but the year after but still he was in great perplexity because he did not know what he ought to do when these two years were ended. God delights to lead His children a step at a time. He leads us as He led the children of Israel. “And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents. At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents. And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not. And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed. And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed. Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed. At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed: they kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses” (Num. ix. 17-23).