UPDATE: I have cited a few examples of guidance in the life of Martyn Lloyd-Jones here.
This post raised questions concerning the views of Martyn Lloyd-Jones on discerning the will of God. The quotation was taken from a personal letter to his daughter, Elizabeth, who felt called to the mission field. MLJ's advice was for a specific person, in a specific circumstance, at a specific point in the decision-making process.
In order to clarify his more general advice on the subject, I have summarized (quoting liberally) a sermon found in Romans 1: The Gospel of God. The following section may be found from pages 193-204. I highly recommend reading this chapter. I don't think you can fully understand his view apart from reading the section in its entirety.
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…making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you…I long to see you. Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I have purposed to come unto you (but was let [prevented] hitherto)… - Romans 1:10, 11, 13
MLJ begins this discussion in the context of Paul’s prayer life, underscoring his entire submissiveness to the will of God – an amazing fact in light of who Paul was by nature. In this section, Paul underscores his earnest desire to visit the Christians at Rome. MLJ uses this situation to discuss guidance, explaining, “Christian are more frequently perplexed by this problem of guidance than perhaps by any other single question or problem.” He proceeds to underline “the things which Paul tells us about himself in that respect in this particular situation.”
1 – We notice Paul has an intense desire to see and work among them. He wants by “any means” to come, and “long(s)” to see the Romans. He has even “oftentimes” purposed to come. Then in 15:23, he says has “a great desire these many years” to visit them.
2 – “Paul always acts, you notice, by or in the will of God.” He will only come by the will of God. He not only desired, but also planned to visit Rome. “Clearly, the Apostle occasionally sat down and drew up a plan of campaign…it was in his heart…to call at Rome.” Yet, though desire and plans were in place, he wasn’t going “until he [was] absolutely sure in his own mind that it is in accordance with the will of God. This to me is a very important point.” MLJ believes the R.V. translation is closer than the A.V. “…That I may be prospered’…He is not so much saying that he may have a prosperous journey, but that, at long last, he may be so prospered by God as to be able to make the journey.” He approvingly quotes Weymouth’s translation, which says, “‘that the way may by some means be made clear for me to come to you’…What the Apostle actually desires is that he might be ‘prospered’”. MLJ proceeds to set forth proof for his position. “The word used here, which is translated in these different ways is exactly the same word that the Apostle uses in 1 Corinthians chapter sixteen, verse 2. He is talking about the collection for the saints, and this is what he says: ‘Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him…’ – precisely the same word…And the word is used again in the Third Epistle to John, in the second verse. ‘Beloved’, he says, ‘I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.’ Very well then, the meaning here is perfectly clear: that what the Apostle is waiting for is that God will make it possible for him to have a good journey – so to ‘prosper’ him that at long last he can make this journey to Rome.” MLJ reiterates that though Paul intensely desired and planned to go to Rome, he wasn’t going to move until he was certain that it was God’s will. “He knows that nothing is prospered unless it is under the blessing of God, and no matter what his own ideas are, and no matter how intense his desires may be, he will not move in this matter until it [was] clear to him that it is the will of God that he should do so.”
3 – Paul accepts hindrances, being sensitive that God uses such. On the subject of God’s use of hindrances, MLJ states, “This is a vital part of the doctrine of guidance.”
A – Romans 15:22-23 demonstrate one sort of hindrance, namely, when God keeps us in an area to complete a task. Paul was called to the unevangelized, and writes, “For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you…” But now the work is finished and he hopes to come to Rome.
B – We are sometimes hindered by sickness. “In the first chapter of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians we find sickness mentioned. He was ill ‘nigh unto death’. His enemies thought Paul simply couldn’t be relied upon. Nevertheless, he was prevented by sickness.
C – 1 Thessalonians 2:18 states that we may also be hindered by Satan.
D – “Then there is another cause of hindrance, which to me is of vital importance, and of considerable interest. MLJ points to Acts 16:6-7, where Paul is “forbidden” to preach in Asia and “suffered” by the Spirit not to go into Bithynia. “Paul obviously had planned to preach the word in Asia, and he had proposed to do so. Indeed…he had even attempted to go to Asia, but he found himself forbidden by the Holy Ghost. Paul is said to “assayed” to go into Bithynia. “Now this word ‘assayed’ means to ‘prove’ or to ‘make a trial’…If he is not allowed to go to Asia, well, perhaps God is directing him to Bithynia, and he makes an attempt. He puts it to the test; he ‘proves’ it; he makes a trial. But the Spirit of Jesus suffered him not.” MLJ concludes, “Now clearly this is something which is of great importance to all of us. In one instance he is hindered, in the other he is not allowed, not suffered, prohibitied, forbidden. How do you think this worked? Clearly, this is something that happened in the realm of the spirit…The Apostle was sensitive in his spirit to the direct leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Here he is in a dilemma and we see how he worked it out. He had thought, ‘I must go into Asia’, yet he is conscious of some prohibition by the Holy Spirit upon his spirit. Then followed this experiment about Bithynia: ‘Yes, we are evidently meant to go to Bithynia’. They began to go there, but the Holy Spirit ‘suffered them not’. Now here, I say, is the direct and immediate pressure and control of the Holy Spirit upon the spirit of man, and, as I understand this whole doctrine of guidance, there is nothing that is really important than this. I would not hesitate to say that his is the final sanction and authority in the matter of guidance…How does one decide to do anything? Well, God has given us minds: he has given us understanding, and we are meant to use them, even as the great Apostle planned to go to Spain…You can, if you like, draw up a profit and loss account; here are the things in favour; here are the things against…You use reason, common sense, understanding. You may consult other people. You can take other opinions. All that is perfectly legitimate. Then you say, ‘Yes, but God will open a door and God will shut a door.’ Quite right! He does just that. And we pay great attention to it. When God wants us to do something He does deal with circumstances. We should never force a door open. Yet I am asserting strongly that over and above both of these tests, the most important and the most crucial of all is this ‘witness of the Holy Spirit’ in our spirits. I sometimes put it like this: even though you may be satisfied in your mind about a course of action, even though, in general, circumstances may be agreeing with what you have decided in your mind, if there is a sense of uncertainty or of unhappiness within, then do not move, do not act (emphasis his). There I think is the prohibition of the Spirit…It was right to preach the Word; Asia was open to it; there was a need in Asia. Will and reason said as much. And as far as the Apostle could tell, circumstances seemed to be propitious. Yes! But the Spirit forbade it, and in the case of Bithynia did not suffer it. Let me use an illustration…There is an express train at one of the London termini. The engine has been coupled to the carriages, the pressure of steams is already in the engine, everything is ready, the passengers have taken their seats, the guard is waiting. Why doesn’t the train move then? The signal has not dropped! There is a final signal, and the final signal, it seems to me, in these matters is this very thing that we are considering: the guidance which is the direct guidance of the Spirit, this inner assurance, this certainty that we are given, and I am asserting that in the absence of that we must not act.”
4 – In light of being prevented, he had continued praying. We should be encouraged to persevere in prayer.
All of this highlights “how vital it is that our wills should be entirely submitted to the will of God."
MLJ ends the sermon with this quote. “There is only one place of safety; there is only one place of peace; there is only one place of perpetual joy, and we find it when we are entirely submitted in all things to the will of God.
Thoughts on the Way Home
