Inspirational Stories and the Gift of the Holy Ghost
The Gift of the Holy Ghost
The essential qualities to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost
Functions and Blessings of the Holy Ghost
The Holy Ghost provides Spiritual Gifts that bless the Saints
How the Holy Ghost Communicates
How the Saints can grieve the Spirit and cause it to withdraw
Further scriptures on the Holy Ghost
Quotes on the Holy Ghost
The Spirit of Christ-our Conscience
Scriptures Used in this Study
List of Talks on the Holy Ghost
Receiving a Testimony and Knowledge through the Holy Ghost
D&C 18:18: “Ask the Father in my name, in faith believing that you shall receive and you shall have the Holy Ghost, which manifesteth all things which are expedient unto the children of men.”
Moroni 10:4-5: “And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, He will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.”
Alma 5:45-46: “And this is not all. Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety? Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the Spirit of Revelation which is in me.
John 16:12-14: “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”
D&C 18:2: “Behold, I have manifested unto you, by my Spirit in many instances, that the things which you have written are true; wherefore you know that they are true.”
D&C 36:2: “And I will lay my hand upon you by the hand of my servant…., and you shall receive My Spirit, the Holy Ghost, even the Comforter, which shall teach you the peaceable things of the kingdom.”
D&C 39:6: “And this is my gospel--repentance and baptism by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, even the Comforter, which showeth all things, and teacheth the peaceable things of the kingdom.”
1 Corinthians 2:9-11: “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God.”
Ether 4:11: “But he that believeth these things which I have spoken, him will I visit with the manifestations of my Spirit, and he shall know and bear record. For because of my Spirit he shall know that these things are true; for it persuadeth men to do good.”
How the Holy Ghost communicates
The Holy Ghost enlightens the minds and at the same time softens the heart
D&C 8:1-5: “……Surely shall you receive a knowledge of whatsoever things you shall ask in faith, with an honest heart, believing that you shall receive a knowledge concerning…….Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart. Now, behold, this is the Spirit of Revelation; behold, this is the spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground. Therefore this is thy gift; apply unto it, and blessed art thou, for it shall deliver you out of the hands of your enemies, when, if it were not so, they would slay you and bring your soul to destruction. Oh, remember these words, and keep my commandments. Remember, this is your gift.”
Elder Jay E. Jensen: “When the Holy Ghost speaks, our minds may be struck with insight and clarity akin to sudden light. At the same time, our hearts may burn or we may feel flooded with joy or deep gratitude or love. Whatever particular feelings occur, they occur simultaneously in the mind and in the heart.” Ensign April 1989 “Have I received an answer from the Spirit”
D&C 11:13-14: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy; And then shall ye know, or by this shall you know, all things whatsoever you desire of me, which are pertaining unto things of righteousness, in faith believing in me that you shall receive.”
Elder Jay E. Jenson stated: “When we recognize the truth through the Spirit, we understand things—they become clear to us. As the Lord promised, “I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind.” (D&C 11:13)
That feeling of understanding is always accompanied by some type of positive emotion. In the scripture just cited, after the words “enlighten your mind,” the Lord adds the phrase “which shall fill your soul with joy.” Alma describes this process of enlightenment and its effect on those who experience it:
Alma 32:28: “We will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say … It beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.”
Not only is our understanding affected, but our souls seem to expand—the whole experience is delicious to us.” Ensign April 1989
Mosiah 4:20: “And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on His name, and begging for a remission of your sins. And has He suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; He has poured out His Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy.”
D&C 128:1: “I now resume the subject of the baptism for the dead, as that subject seems to occupy my mind, and press itself upon my feelings the strongest…”
D&C 84:88: “And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts.
The Holy Ghost can speak directly on a personal basis
1 Nephi 11:1-2, 4, 6, 8-12: “As I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an exceedingly high mountain, which I never had before seen, and upon which I never had before set my foot. And the Spirit said unto me: Behold, what desirest thou?.... And the Spirit said unto me: Believest thou……(6) And when I had spoken these words, the Spirit cried with a loud voice, saying: Hosanna…(8).And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me: Look! And I looked and beheld a tree…. .And it came to pass after I had seen the tree, I said unto the Spirit….And he said unto me: What desirest thou? And I said unto him: To know the interpretation thereof--for I spake unto him as a man speaketh; for I beheld that he was in the form of a man; yet nevertheless, I knew that it was the Spirit of the Lord; and he spake unto me as a man speaketh with another. And it came to pass that he said unto me: Look….”
The Holy Ghost speaks with a still small voice
D&C 85:6: “Yea, thus saith the still small voice, which whispereth through and pierceth all things, and often times it maketh my bones to quake while it maketh manifest, saying.” See 1 Nephi 17:45 1 Kings 19:1
How the Saints can grieve the Spirit and cause it to withdraw
D&C 121:37: “…When we undertake to
• To cover our sins, or
• To gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or
• To exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness,
Behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man.”
D&C 63:55: “And now behold, verily I say unto you, I the Lord, am not pleased with my servant-he exalted himself in his heart, and received not counsel, but grieved the Spirit.”
Ephesians 4:30: “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are Sealed unto the Day of Redemption.” See Ephesians 4:25-31 for ways of grieving the Spirit
D&C 30:2: “But your mind has been on the things of the earth more than on the things of me your Maker, and the ministry whereunto you have been called; and you have not given heed unto my Spirit”
D&C 42:23: “He that looketh upon a woman to lust after her shall deny the faith and shall not have the Spirit….”
D&C 63:16: “And verily I say unto you, as I have said before, he that looketh on a woman to lust after her, or if any shall commit adultery in their hearts, they shall not have the Spirit, but shall deny the faith and shall fear.”
D&C 70:14: “Nevertheless, in your temporal things you shall be equal and this not grudgingly, otherwise the abundance of the manifestations of the Spirit shall be withheld.”
D&C 64:15-16: “Behold, I, the Lord, was angry with him who was my servant ……for they kept not the law, neither the commandment; they sought evil in their hearts, and I, the Lord, withheld my Spirit. They condemned for evil that thing in which there was no evil…”
Helaman 6:35-36: “And thus we see that the Spirit of the Lord began to withdraw from the Nephites, because of the wickedness and the hardness of their hearts. And thus we see that the Lord began to pour out his Spirit upon the Lamanites, because of their easiness and willingness to believe in his words.”
1 Corinthians 6:19: “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?”
1 Corinthians 3:16-17: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which [temple] ye are.”
1 Thessalonians 5:19-20: “Quench not the Spirit Despise not prophesying, prove all things.
The Effect of the Withdrawal of the Spirit
D&C 10:2: “And you also lost your gift at the same time, and your mind became darkened.”
Mosiah 2:36-37: “And now, I say unto you, my brethren, that after ye have known and have been taught all these things, if ye should transgress and go contrary to that which has been spoken, that ye do withdraw yourselves from the Spirit of the Lord, that it may have no place in you to guide you in wisdom's paths that ye may be blessed, prospered, and preserved. I say unto you, that the man that doeth this, the same cometh out in open rebellion against God; therefore he listeth to obey the evil spirit, and becometh an enemy to all righteousness; therefore, the Lord has no place in him, for he dwelleth not in unholy temples.
Helaman 4:21-26: “Yea, they began to remember the prophecies of Alma, and also the words of Mosiah; and they saw that they had been a stiffnecked people, and that they had set at naught the commandments of God; And that they had altered and trampled under their feet the laws of Mosiah, or that which the Lord commanded him to give unto the people; and they saw that their laws had become corrupted…….And because of their iniquity the church had begun to dwindle; and they began to disbelieve in the Spirit of Prophecy and in the Spirit of Revelation; and the judgments of God did stare them in the face. And they saw that they had become weak, like unto their brethren, the Lamanites, and that the Spirit of the Lord did no more preserve them; yea, it had withdrawn from them because the Spirit of the Lord doth not dwell in unholy temples--
Therefore the Lord did cease to preserve them by his miraculous and matchless power, for they had fallen into a state of unbelief and awful wickedness…. For behold, they saw that the strength of the Lamanites was as great as their strength, even man for man. And thus had they fallen into this great transgression; yea, thus had they become weak, because of their transgression, in the space of not many years.”
Mormon 1:13-14: “But wickedness did prevail upon the face of the whole land, insomuch that the Lord did take away his beloved disciples, and the work of miracles and of healing did cease because of the iniquity of the people. And there were no gifts from the Lord, and the Holy Ghost did not come upon any, because of their wickedness and unbelief.”
2 Nephi 33:2: “But behold, there are many that harden their hearts against the Holy Spirit, that it hath no place in them; wherefore, they cast many things away which are written and esteem them as things of naught.”
Members should not deny the Spirit or the gifts of the Spirit by their actions
D&C 11:25: “Deny not the Spirit of revelation, nor the Spirit of Prophecy, for wo unto him that denieth these things.”
Moroni 10:8: “And again, I exhort you, my brethren that ye deny not the Gifts of the Spirit, for they are many and come from the same God.”
The essential qualities to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost
Love God and Keep His Commandments
D&C 46:9: “seek ye earnestly the best gifts…..For verily I say unto you, they are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep all my commandments and him that seeketh so to do…..”
Diligently serve the Lord
1 Nephi 10:17, 19, 22: “And it came to pass after I, Nephi, having heard all the words of my father, concerning the things which he saw in a vision, and also the things which he spake by the power of the Holy Ghost, which power he received by faith on the Son of God--and the Son of God was the Messiah who should come--I, Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the Gift of God unto all those who diligently seek Him, as well in times of old as in the time that He should manifest Himself unto the children of men….. .......For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round….. And the Holy Ghost giveth authority that I should speak these things, and deny them not.”
The need to repent of sins to prevent a withdrawal of the Spirit
D&C 19:20: “Wherefore, I command you again to repent, lest I humble you with my Almighty Power; and that you confess your sins, lest you suffer these punishments of which I have spoken, of which in the smallest, yea, even in the least degree you have tasted at the time I withdrew my Spirit.” See D&C 10:2
D&C 33:1: “And he that repents not, from him shall be taken even the light which he has received; for my Spirit shall not always strive with man, saith the Lord of Hosts.”
Be clean and virtuous at all times
D&C 121:45-46: “Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the Presence of God; and the doctrine of the Priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from Heaven. The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion….”
Virtue is moral goodness which includes cleanliness of mind
The need to have Holiness
D&C 46:33: “And ye must practice virtue and holiness before me continually.”
Holiness is righteousness- spiritual maturity; charity; with a heart turned to God
The Entitlement the Priesthood Keys bring to receive the guidance of the Spirit
D&C 124:97: “Let my servant also receive the keys (Priesthood office) by which he may:
• ask and receive blessings;
• let him be humble before me,
• and be without guile, (sincere, without pretence)
And he shall receive of my Spirit, even the Comforter, which shall manifest unto him the truth of all things.”
The need to be humble, meek and sincere to receive the Spirit
D&C 124:97: “….Let him be humble before me, and be without guile, and he shall receive of my Spirit, even the Comforter, which shall manifest unto him the truth of all things, and shall give him, in the very hour, what he shall say.” (Note: Moroni 10:4-5 states the need to be sincere with real intent, having faith in Christ)
D&C 124:4: “Let it be written in the spirit of meekness and by the power of the Holy Ghost which shall be in you at the time of the writing of the same”
D&C 19:23: “Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me.”
Obedience brings the Holy Ghost
“And we are His witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey Him.”
The Sacramental prayers teach what is essential to have the Spirit
D&C 20:77, 79: “O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread/water to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat
• In remembrance of the body of thy Son,
• In remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them
• They are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son,
• And always remember Him
• And keep His commandments which he has given them;
That they may always have His Spirit to be with them Amen”
Belief is essential to receive the manifestation of the Spirit
D&C 5:16: “And behold, whosoever believeth on my words, them will I visit with the manifestation of my Spirit; and they shall be born of me, even of water and of the Spirit”
Ether 12:6: “…wherefore dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith”
The Holy Ghost is received in answer to Prayer
D&C 14:8: “And it shall come to pass, that if you shall ask the Father in my name, in faith believing, you shall receive the Holy Ghost, which giveth utterance, that you may stand as a witness of the things of which you shall both hear and see, and also that you may declare repentance unto this generation.”
D&C 42:61: “If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things--that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth Life Eternal.”
D&C 42:14: “And the Spirit shall be given unto you by the Prayer of Faith; and if ye receive not the Spirit ye shall not teach.”
After prayer the saints are to follow the direction of the Spirit:
D&C 46:7: “But ye are commanded in all things to ask of God, who giveth liberally; and that which the Spirit testifies unto you even so I would that ye should do in all holiness of heart, walking uprightly before me, considering the end of your salvation, doing all things with prayer and thanksgiving, that ye may not be seduced by evil spirits, or doctrines of devils, or the commandments of men; for some are of men, and others of devils.”
D&C 46:9: “…That all may be benefited that seek or that ask of me, that ask and not for a sign.”
D&C 18:18: “Ask the Father in my name, in faith believing that you shall receive, and you shall have the Holy Ghost, which manifesteth all things which are expedient unto the children of men.”
D&C 75:10: “Calling on the name of the Lord for the Comforter, which shall teach them all things that are expedient for them”
Luke 11:13: “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall [your] Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?”
Acts 4:31: “And when they had prayed the place was shaken where they were assembled together and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.”
D&C 6:14-15: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, blessed art thou for what thou hast done; for thou hast inquired of me, and behold, as often as thou hast inquired thou hast received instruction of my Spirit. If it had not been so, thou wouldst not have come to the place where thou art at this time. Behold, thou knowest that thou hast inquired of me and I did enlighten thy mind; and now I tell thee these things that thou mayest know that thou hast been enlightened by the Spirit of Truth.” See D&C 18:18 above
Desire and pondering brings the Spirit
1 Nephi 11:1: “For it came to pass after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an exceedingly high mountain, which I never had before seen, and upon which I never had before set my foot.” See all1 Nephi chapter 11
1 Nephi 11:2, 10 “And the Spirit said unto me: Behold, what desirest thou?” .........“And He said unto me: What desirest thou?”
Pondering and reflecting over the scriptures brings spiritual enlightenment:
D&C 138:1-2, 11: “On the third of October, in the year nineteen hundred and eighteen, I sat in my room pondering over the scriptures; and reflecting upon the great atoning sacrifice that was made by the Son of God, for the redemption of the world….. As I pondered over these things which are written, the eyes of my understanding were opened, and the Spirit of the Lord rested upon me, and I saw the hosts of the dead, both small and great.”
D&C 43:34: “Hearken ye to these words. Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. Treasure these things up in your hearts, and let the solemnities of eternity rest upon your minds.”
A story of being too busy to receive enlightenment from the Holy Ghost
President David O. McKay and President Harold B. Lee used to relate an incident from the life of Bishop John Wells that is instructive to all of us. Bishop Wells was a great detail man and was responsible for many Church reports.
“A son of Bishop and Sister Wells was killed in a railroad accident on October 15, 1915. He was run over by a freight car. Sister Wells could not be consoled. She received no comfort during the funeral and continued her mourning after her son was laid to rest. Bishop Wells feared for her health, as she was in a state of deep anguish.
One day, soon after the funeral, Sister Wells was lying on her bed in a state of mourning. The son appeared to her and said, “Mother, do not mourn, do not cry. I am all right. He then related to her how the accident took place. Apparently there had been some question—even suspicion—about the accident because the young man was an experienced railroad man. But he told his mother that it was clearly an accident.
Now note this: He also told her that as soon as he realized that he was in another sphere, he had tried to reach his father but could not. His father was so busy with the details of his office and work that he could not respond to the promptings. Therefore, the son had come to his mother.
He then said, “Tell Father that all is well with me, and I want you not to mourn any more.” (See David O. McKay, Gospel Ideals, Salt Lake City: Improvement Era, 1953, pp. 525–26) President McKay and President Lee used this experience to teach that we must always be responsive to the whisperings of the Spirit. These promptings most often come when we are not under the pressure of appointments and when we are not caught up in the worries of day-to-day life. Ezra T. Benson, “Seek the Spirit of the Lord,” Ensign, Apr 1988
Functions and Blessings of the Holy Ghost
Moses 6:61: “Therefore it is given to abide in you; the Record of Heaven; the Comforter; the peaceable things of immortal glory; the truth of all things; that which quickeneth all things, which maketh alive all things; that which knoweth all things, and hath all power according to wisdom, mercy, truth, justice, and judgment.”
The Holy Ghost gives Hope and a Perfect Love
Moroni 8:26: “And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God.”
Romans 5:5: “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
The Blessings that flow from the Holy Ghost
D&C 11:12: “And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth:
• to do good-yea,
• to do justly,
• to walk humbly,
• to judge righteously
And this is My Spirit.”
Isaiah 11:2-3 “And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord.” (For Joy and the Holy Ghost See Acts 13:52; 1 Thessalonians 1:6)
Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
Romans 14:17: “For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” See Romans 15:13 also includes hope
Ephesians 5:9-11 “For the fruit of the Spirit [is] in all goodness and righteousness and truth; Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove [them].”
D&C 111:8 “And the place where it is my will that you should tarry…shall be signalized unto you by the Peace and Power of my Spirit”
Mosiah 4:3: “And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them.”
Mosiah 3:19: “For the natural man is an enemy to God…unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the Atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.”
The Spirit Speaks Peace to the Mind
“The feeling of peace is one of the most common manifestations of the Spirit. Feelings associated with peace are calmness and tranquillity. Antonyms are war, contention, turmoil, anxiousness. When my family lived in Mesa, Arizona, our one-year-old daughter became ill with viral meningitis. When the doctor diagnosed the illness, he told us that we would know within the next twenty-four hours whether she would live or die. We began to fast and pray for her recovery. She lingered near death for a week, much longer than the doctor had expected in terms of seeing some kind of change. After that week of struggling, we again fasted, and the ward joined us. When we prayed, fasted, and said to the Lord, “Thy will be done,” a peace as tangible and real as anything we have ever experienced came to our minds. We were not in turmoil, nor were we anxious about the matter. We did not know whether she would live or die, but we were at peace. Happily, she began to recover.”
Ensign April 1989 Jay E. Jensen “Have I received an answer from the Spirit”
The Holy Ghost will teach an individual what to pray for
D&C 46:28-30: “And it shall come to pass that he that asketh in Spirit shall receive in Spirit; That unto some it may be given to have all those gifts, that there may be a head, in order that every member may be profited thereby. He that asketh in the Spirit asketh according to the will of God; wherefore it is done even as he asketh.”
Jude 1:20: “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost”
Romans 8:26: “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
Power is received through the Holy Ghost
The most closely connected word with the Holy Ghost is Power.
Moses 6:34: “Behold my Spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will I justify; and the mountains shall flee before you, and the rivers shall turn from their course; and thou shalt abide in me, and I in you; therefore walk with me.”
Acts 1:8: “But ye shall receive Power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me” 1 Thessalonians 1:5
Micah 3:8: “But truly I am full of Power by the Spirit of the Lord, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin
Luke 1:37: “And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the Power of the Highest shall overshadow thee”
1 Nephi 13:37: “And blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at that day, for they shall have the Gift and the Power of the Holy Ghost……”
Alma 17:3: “But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with Power and Authority of God.”
Moroni 10:6-7: “And whatsoever thing is good is just and true; wherefore, nothing that is good denieth the Christ, but acknowledgeth that He is. And ye may know that He is, by the Power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore I would exhort you that ye deny not the Power of God; for he worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever.”
D&C 27:18: “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of my Spirit, which I will pour out upon you……..”
D&C 29:30-31: “….In all things whatsoever I have created by the Word of my Power, which is the Power of my Spirit. For by the Power of my Spirit created I them; yea, all things both spiritual and temporal.”
D&C 33:16: “And the Book of Mormon and the Holy Scriptures (D&C) are given of me for your instruction; and the Power of my Spirit quickeneth all things.”
D&C 35:13: “Wherefore, I call upon the weak things of the world, those who are unlearned and despised, to thrash the nations by the Power of my Spirit”
D&C 43:15: “Again I say, hearken ye elders of my church, whom I have appointed: Ye are not sent forth to be taught, but to teach the children of men the things which I have put into your hands by the Power of my Spirit”
D&C 71:1: “Behold, thus saith the Lord unto you my servants ….that the time has verily come that it is necessary and expedient in me that you should open your mouths in proclaiming my gospel, the things of the kingdom, expounding the mysteries thereof out of the scriptures, according to that portion of Spirit and Power which shall be given unto you, even as I will.” See also D&C 76:10
D&C 99:2: “And who receiveth you receiveth me; and you shall have power to declare my word in the demonstration of my Holy Spirit.”
D&C 111:8: “…shall be signalized unto you by the Peace and Power of my Spirit”
D&C 112:21-22: “…..shall have power to open the door of my Kingdom unto any nation whithersoever ye shall send them-- Inasmuch as they shall humble themselves before me, and abide in my word, and hearken to the Voice of my Spirit.”
Alma 8:29-32: “And the word came to Alma, saying: Go; and also say unto my servant Amulek, go forth and prophesy unto this people, saying--Repent ye, for thus saith the Lord, except ye repent I will visit this people in mine anger; yea, and I will not turn my fierce anger away. And Alma went forth, and also Amulek, among the people, to declare the words of God unto them; and they were filled with the Holy Ghost. And they had power given unto them, insomuch that they could not be confined in dungeons; neither was it possible that any man could slay them…... Now, this was done that the Lord might show forth his power in them. And it came to pass that they went forth and began to preach and to prophesy unto the people, according to the Spirit and Power which the Lord had given them.
Jesus Christ in mortality received His power through the Holy Ghost
Acts 10:38: “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with Power.”
At the Baptism of Jesus “the Spirit descended from heaven like a dove and it abode upon Him” (John 1:32)
1 Corinthians 2:4-5: “And my speech and my preaching [was] not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of Power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the Power of God.”
The Holy Ghost has the Power of Convincing and touching the heart
D&C 11:21: “Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my Word, yea, the Power of God unto the convincing of men.”
D&C 50:21-22: “Therefore, why is it that ye cannot understand and know that he that receiveth the word by the Spirit of truth receiveth it as it is preached by the Spirit of truth? Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together. (See D&C 50:14-20)
2 Nephi 33:1: “And now I, Nephi, cannot write all the things which were taught among my people; neither am I mighty in writing, like unto speaking; for when a man speaketh by the Power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men.”
The Holy Ghost touches the hearts of people as the word of God is preached:
D&C 100:5-8: “Therefore, verily I say unto you, lift up your voices unto this people; speak the thoughts that I shall put into your hearts, and you shall not be confounded before men; for it shall be given you in the very hour, yea, in the very moment, what ye shall say. But a commandment I give unto you that ye shall declare whatsoever thing ye declare in my name, in solemnity of heart, in the spirit of meekness, in all things. And I give unto you this promise that inasmuch as ye do this the Holy Ghost shall be shed forth in bearing record unto all things whatsoever ye shall say.
Acts 10:44: “While Peter yet spake these words the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.”
Acts 2:37: “Now when they heard [this], they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men [and] brethren, what shall we do?”
Becoming sanctified (Made Holy-Perfect) through the Holy Ghost
3 Nephi 27:20: “….and be baptised in my name that ye may be sanctified by the recption of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day”
Alma 13:12: “Now they after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having their garments made white, being pure and spotless before God, could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence….” See Alma 5:54
D&C 84:33: “For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods, of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies…”
Through the power of the Holy Ghost the Saints are able to bear the presence of God
D&C 76:116-118: “Neither is man capable to make them known, for they are only to be seen and understood by the power of the Holy Spirit, which God bestows on those who love Him, and purify themselves before Him. To whom He grants this privilege of seeing and knowing for themselves; that through the power and manifestation of the Spirit, while in the flesh, they may be able to bear His presence in the World of Glory.”
The Holy Ghost bears witness of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ
D&C 42:16-17: “And as ye shall lift up your voices by the Comforter, ye shall speak and prophesy as seemeth me good; for, behold, the Comforter knoweth all things, and beareth record of the Father and of the Son.”
D&C 20:26-27: “Who believed in the words of the Holy Prophets, who spake as they were inspired by the Gift of the Holy Ghost, who truly testified of Him in all things, should have Eternal Life, as well as those who should come after, who should believe in the gifts and callings of God by the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of the Father and of the Son.”
D&C 21:9: “For, behold, I will bless all those who labor in my vineyard with a mighty blessing, and they shall believe on his words, which are given him through me by the Comforter, which manifesteth that Jesus was crucified by sinful men for the sins of the world, yea, for the remission of sins unto the contrite heart.”
1 Nephi 11:6-7: “And when I had spoken these words, the Spirit cried with a loud voice, saying: Hosanna to the Lord, the Most High God; for He is God over all the earth, yea, even above all. And blessed art thou, Nephi, because thou believest in the Son of the Most High God; wherefore, thou shalt behold the things which thou hast desired…..and Him shall ye witness; and after ye have witnessed Him ye shall bear record that it is the Son of God”
2 Nephi 31:18: “…And ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which He hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive.” See 3 Nephi 28:11; Ether 12:41
3 Nephi 11:36: “And thus will the Father bear record of me, and the Holy Ghost will bear record unto him of the Father and me; for the Father, and I, and the Holy Ghost are one.”
John 15:26: “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the Father He shall testify of me”
D&C 1:39: “For behold and lo, the Lord is God, and the Spirit beareth record, and the record is true, and the truth abideth forever and ever.”
President Marion G. Romney stated:- “The Holy Ghost is a person, a spirit, the third member of the Godhead. He is a messenger and a witness of the Father and the Son. He brings to men testimony, witness, and knowledge of God the Father, Jesus Christ His Son, and the truths of the gospel. He vitalizes truth in the hearts and souls of men.” ‘The Light of Christ,’ Marion G. Romney Ensign, May 1977
The Spirit bears witness to our Spirit of these things
Romans 8:16: “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”
Speaking by the power of the Holy Ghost is speaking on behalf of God
D&C 68:3-4: “And this is the ensample unto them that they shall speak as they are moved upon by the Holy Ghost. And whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture, shall be the Will of the Lord, shall be the Mind of the Lord, shall be the Word of the Lord, shall be the Voice of the Lord, and the Power of God unto salvation.”
D&C 46:31 “And again, I say unto you, all things must be done in the name of Christ, whatsoever you do in the Spirit”
The Lord speaks to His Church through the voice of His Spirit
D&C 18:33-36: “And I, Jesus Christ, your Lord and your God, have spoken it. These words are not of men nor of man, but of me; wherefore, you shall testify they are of me and not of man; For it is my voice which speaketh them unto you; for they are given by my Spirit unto you, and by my power you can read them one to another; and save it were by my power you could not have them; Wherefore, you can testify that you have heard my voice, and know my words.”
D&C 50:10: “And now come, saith the Lord, by the Spirit, unto the elders of his church, and let us reason together, that ye may understand.”
Elder LeGrand Richards of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stated,
“It must … be understood that the Holy Ghost is the medium through whom God and his Son, Jesus Christ communicate with men [and women] upon the earth” A Marvelous Work and a Wonder p. 119).
D&C 52:1: “Behold, thus saith the Lord unto the elders whom He hath called and chosen in these last days, by the voice of his Spirit, Saying: I, the Lord, will make known unto you.”
D&C 75:1: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, I who speak even by the Voice of my Spirit, even Alpha and Omega, your Lord and your God….”
D&C 88:66: “Behold, that which you hear is as the voice of one crying in the wilderness--in the wilderness, because you cannot see Him--my voice, because my voice is Spirit; my Spirit is Truth; truth abideth and hath no end; and if it be in you it shall abound.”
D&C 97:1: “Verily I say unto you my friends, I speak unto you with my voice, even the voice of my Spirit, that I may show unto you my will concerning…..”
3 Nephi 15:23: “…..that the Gentiles should not at any time hear my voice--that I should not manifest myself unto them save it were by the Holy Ghost.”
Moses 6:26-27: “And it came to pass that Enoch journeyed in the land, among the people; and as he journeyed, the Spirit of God descended out of Heaven, and abode upon him. And he heard a voice from Heaven, saying: Enoch, my son, prophesy unto this people, and say unto them--Repent, for thus saith the Lord: I am angry with this people, and my fierce anger is kindled against them; for their hearts have waxed hard, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes cannot see afar off.
Ezekiel 2:1-2: “And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee. And the Spirit entered into me when He spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me. And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation.” See Revelations 1:10-11
Spiritual Gifts will help the saints avoid deception
D&C 46:8: “Wherefore, beware lest ye are deceived; and that ye may not be deceived seek ye earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given”
D&C 45:57: “For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived--verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day.”
The Holy Ghost brings a change in our heart to keep the Law of God
Mosiah 5:2: “And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.”
Ezekiel 36:26-28: “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh……And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do [them]. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.”
The Holy Ghost gives Knowledge and Discernment of all things
Through the Holy Ghost all things are made known and discerned
D&C 121:26: “God shall give unto you knowledge by his Holy Spirit, yea, by the unspeakable gift of the Holy Ghost, that has not been revealed since the world was until now”
D&C 76:7-10: “And to them will I reveal all mysteries, yea, all the hidden mysteries of my kingdom from days of old, and for ages to come, will I make known unto them the good pleasure of my will concerning all things pertaining to my kingdom. Yea, even the wonders of Eternity shall they know, and things to come will I show them, even the things of many generations. And their wisdom shall be great and their understanding reach to Heaven; and before them the wisdom of the wise shall perish, and the understanding of the prudent shall come to naught. For by my Spirit will I enlighten them, and by my power will I make known unto them the secrets of my will--yea, even those things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor yet entered into the heart of man.”
All things are made manifest by the Spirit
D&C 105:36: “And it shall be manifest unto my servant, by the voice of the Spirit, those that are chosen; and they shall be sanctified”
Moses 8:24: “Believe and repent of your sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, even as our fathers, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost, that ye may have all things made manifest.”
1 Nephi 22:2: “And I, Nephi, said unto them: Behold they were manifest unto the prophet by the voice of the Spirit; for by the Spirit are all things made known unto the prophets, which shall come upon the children of men according to the flesh.”
D&C 18:18: “Ask the Father in my name, in faith believing that you shall receive, and you shall have the Holy Ghost, which manifesteth all things which are expedient unto the children of men.”
Moses 1:27-29: “And it came to pass, as the voice was still speaking, Moses cast his eyes and beheld the earth, yea, even all of it; and there was not a particle of it which he did not behold, discerning it by the Spirit of God. And he beheld also the inhabitants thereof, and there was not a soul which he beheld not; and he discerned them by the Spirit of God; and their numbers were great, even numberless as the sand upon the sea shore. And he beheld many lands; and each land was called earth, and there were inhabitants on the face thereof.
Alma 12:3: “Now Zeezrom seeing that thou hast been taken in thy lying and craftiness, for thou hast not lied unto men only but thou hast lied unto God; for behold, he knows all thy thoughts, and thou seest that thy thoughts are made known unto us by his Spirit”
1 John 2:27: “But the anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you; but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is (the Spirit of) truth, and is no lie. Even as it (the Spirit) hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him.”
The Holy Ghost brings all things to our remembrance
John 14:25-26: “These things have I spoken unto you, being [yet] present with you. But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
The Saints to teach the Revelations received by the power of the Holy Ghost
D&C 28:1: “Thou shalt be heard by the church in all things whatsoever thou shalt teach them by the Comforter, concerning the revelations and commandments which I have given.”
The Saints are not to teach if they do not have the Spirit
D&C 42:14: “And the Spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of faith; and if ye receive not the Spirit ye shall not teach.”
Alma 11:21-22: “Will ye answer the questions which I shall put unto you? And Amulek said unto him: Yea, if it be according to the Spirit of the Lord, which is in me; for I shall say nothing which is contrary to the Spirit of the Lord.”
The Spirit will teach what to say and testify of
Alma 5:50-52: “Yea, thus saith the Spirit: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, for the Kingdom of Heaven is soon at hand; yea, the Son of God cometh in his Glory, in his Might, Majesty, Power, and Dominion. Yea, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, that the Spirit saith: Behold the Glory of the King of all the earth; and also the King of Heaven shall very soon shine forth among all the children of men. And also the Spirit saith unto me, yea, crieth unto me with a mighty voice, saying: Go forth and say unto this people--Repent, for except ye repent ye can in nowise inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.
And again I say unto you, the Spirit saith: Behold, the ax is laid at the root of the tree; therefore every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire, yea, a fire which cannot be consumed, even an unquenchable fire. Behold, and remember, the Holy One hath spoken it.
Luke 12:12: “For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.”
Moses 6:32: “And the Lord said unto Enoch: Go forth and do as I have commanded thee, and no man shall pierce thee. Open thy mouth, and it shall be filled, and I will give thee utterance, for all flesh is in my hands, and I will do as seemeth me good.”
Revelations 2:7: “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches;”
The Holy Ghost will lead the Saints what to do
D&C 31:11: “Go your way whithersoever I will, and it shall be given you by the Comforter what you shall do and whither you shall go.” See D&C 111:8
D&C 75:27: “Let them ask and they shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto them, and be made known from on high, even by the Comforter, whither they shall go.”
D&C 79:2: “And I will send upon him the Comforter, which shall teach him the truth and the way whither he shall go”
D&C 61:27-28: “Nevertheless, unto whom is given power to command the waters, unto him it is given by the Spirit to know all his ways; Wherefore, let him do as the Spirit of the living God commandeth him, whether upon the land or upon the waters, as it remaineth with me to do hereafter.”
D&C 104:81: “Therefore write speedily to New York and write according to that which shall be dictated by my Spirit; and I will soften the hearts of those
D&C 124:88: “Let my servant William go and proclaim my everlasting gospel with a loud voice, and with great joy, as he shall be moved upon by my Spirit, unto the inhabitants of….”
Luke 4:1: “And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness”
Acts 10:19: “While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.”
1 Nephi 4:6: “And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do.”
2 Nephi 32:5: “For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do.”
Revelations 1:10-11: “I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send [it] unto the seven churches which are in Asia”
The Holy Ghost helps the church to keep the blessings of the Gospel
2 Timothy 1:14: “That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us”
The Holy Ghost will assist with Temporal Knowledge
Exodus 31:1-4: “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, See, I have called by name Bezaleel…..And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, And in cutting of stones, to set [them], and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship. And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee”
The Saints are strengthened by the Holy Ghost
Ephesians 3:16: “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man .”
The Holy Ghost reproves and testifies against Wickedness
D&C 121:43: “Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy;”
Jacob 7:8: “But behold, the Lord God poured in his Spirit into my soul, insomuch that I did confound him in all his words.”
Nehemiah 9:30: “Yet many years didst thou forbear them, and testifiedst against them by thy Spirit in thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands.”
John 16:7-8: “It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin.”
The Holy Ghost Constrains and Restrains when required
“And now I, Nephi, cannot say more; the Spirit stoppeth mine utterance, and I am left to mourn because of the unbelief, and the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of men; for they will not search knowledge…”
To constrain means to restrict, or limit; to confine, cause to hold back.
Alma 14:11: “But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory….”
“Wilford Woodruff related a similar encounter he had with the Spirit. He was bringing some Saints from New England and Canada to the West. They had scheduled passage on a boat, but the Spirit spoke to Elder Woodruff, “Don’t go aboard that steamer, nor your company.” He obeyed the voice. The boat departed and, some fifty yards downstream, caught fire and sank. See A Story to Tell, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1945, p. 320.” Jay E. Jenson Ensign April 1989
The Holy Ghost provides Spiritual Gifts that bless the Saints
Moroni 10:9-18 and D&C 46:7-26 (See also 1 Corinthinians 12:4-11)
These spiritual gifts are given under the direction of the Godhead
“And again, I exhort you, my brethren that ye deny not the gifts of God, for they are many; and they come from the same God. And there are different ways that these gifts are administered; but it is the same God who worketh all in all; and they are given by the manifestations of the Spirit of God unto men, to profit them.”
What these gifts are:-
“For behold, to one is given by the Spirit of God: To some is given by the Holy Ghost
• To some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that He was crucified for the sins of the world;
• To others it is given to believe on their words, that they also might have Eternal Life if they continue faithful.
• To some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know the differences of administration, as it will be pleasing unto the same Lord, according as the Lord will, suiting his mercies according to the conditions of the children of men.
• To some to know the diversities of operations, whether they be of God, that the manifestations of the Spirit may be given to every man to profit withal.
• To some is given by the Spirit of God the word of wisdom;
• To another, is given the word of knowledge that all may be taught to be wise and to have knowledge
• To another, exceedingly great faith; (Moroni only)
• To some it is given to have faith to be healed;
• To others it is given to have faith to heal.
• To some is given the working of miracles;
• To others it is given to prophesy;
• To others the discerning of spirits.
• To another, the beholding of angels and ministering spirits; (Mor. only)
• To some to speak with tongues;
• To another is given the interpretation of tongues,
And all these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ; and they come unto every man severally, according as he will. And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that every good gift cometh of Christ.” (Moroni 10:17-18)
The Gift of Prophesy
The Lord wants His Saints to know of things to come
D&C 76:7-8: “And to them will I reveal all mysteries, yea, all the hidden mysteries of my kingdom from days of old, and for ages to come, will I make known unto them the good pleasure of my will concerning all things pertaining to my kingdom. Yea, even the wonders of eternity shall they know, and things to come will I show them, even the things of many generations.”
D&C 124:5: “For it shall be given you by the Holy Ghost to know my will concerning those Kings and authorities, even what shall befall them in a time to come.”
D&C107:56: “And Adam stood up in the midst of the congregation; and, notwithstanding he was bowed down with age, being full of the Holy Ghost, predicted whatsoever should befall his posterity unto the latest generation.”
Jacob 4:13: “Behold, my brethren, he that prophesieth, let him prophesy to the understanding of men; for the Spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not. Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be; wherefore, these things are manifested unto us plainly, for the salvation of our souls. But behold, we are not witnesses alone in these things; for God also spake them unto prophets of old.”
Mosiah 5:3: “And we, ourselves, also, through the infinite goodness of God, and the manifestations of his Spirit, have great views of that which is to come; and were it expedient, we could prophesy of all things.”
Alma 5:47: “And moreover, I say unto you that it has thus been revealed unto me, that the words which have been spoken by our fathers are true, even so according to the Spirit of Prophecy which is in me which is also by the manifestation of the Spirit of God.”
Helaman 13:3: “And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying”
Luke 1:67: “And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying”
Joseph Smith-History 1:73: “….No sooner had I baptized Oliver Cowdery, than the Holy Ghost fell upon him, and he stood up and prophesied many things which should shortly come to pass. And again so soon as I had been baptized by him, I also had the spirit of prophecy, when, standing up, I prophesied concerning the rise of this Church, and many other things connected with the Church, and this generation of the children of men. We were filled with the Holy Ghost, and rejoiced in the God of our salvation.”
The Gift of Miracles
D&C 50:26-30: “He that is ordained and sent forth, the same is appointed to be the greatest, notwithstanding he is the least and the servant of all. Wherefore, He is possessor of all things; for all things are subject unto him, both in the heaven and on the earth. The life and the light, the Spirit and the power, sent forth by the will of the Father, through Jesus Christ His son. But no man is possessor of all things except he be purified and cleansed from all sin. And if ye are purified and cleansed from all sin, ye shall ask whatsoever you will in the name of Jesus, and it shall be done. But know this, it shall be given you what you ask; and as ye are appointed to the head, the spirits shall be subject unto you.”
3 Nephi 8:1: “And now it came to pass that according to our record, and we know our record to be true, for behold, it was a just man who did keep the record--for he truly did many miracles in the name of Jesus; and there was not any man who could do a miracle in the name of Jesus save he were cleansed every whit from his iniquity”
D&C 45:8: “I came unto mine own, and mine own received me not; but unto as many as received me gave I power to do many miracles, and to become the sons of God; and even unto them that believed on my name gave I power to obtain Eternal Life.”
D&C 24:13-14: “Require not miracles, except I shall command you, except casting out devils, healing the sick, and against poisonous serpents, and against deadly poisons; And these things ye shall not do, except it be required of you by them who desire it, that the scriptures might be fulfilled; for ye shall do according to that which is written.
The Signs (by the Power of the Spirit) that follow Believers
Through the authority of the Holy Priesthood and the Power of the Holy Ghost many signs and wonders (miracles) of the Holy Ghost are manifest amongst believers.
D&C 124:97-101: “Let my servant……and he shall receive of my Spirit, even the Comforter, which shall
• manifest unto him the truth of all things,
• and shall give him, in the very hour, what he shall say.
And these signs shall follow him
• he shall heal the sick,
• he shall cast out devils, and
• shall be delivered from those who would administer unto him deadly poison;
• And he shall be led in paths where the poisonous serpent cannot lay hold upon his heel,
• And he shall mount up in the imagination of his thoughts as upon eagles' wings.
• And what if I will that he should raise the dead let him not withhold his voice.
Therefore, let my servant William cry aloud and spare not, with joy and rejoicing, and with hosannas to him that sitteth upon the throne forever and ever, saith the Lord your God.
D&C 84:64-73: “Therefore, as I said unto mine apostles I say unto you again, that every soul who believeth on your words, and is baptized by water for the remission of sins, shall receive the Holy Ghost. And these signs shall follow them that believe--
• In my name they shall do many wonderful works;
• In my name they shall cast out devils;
• In my name they shall heal the sick;
• In my name they shall open the eyes of the blind, and
• unstop the ears of the deaf;
• And the tongue of the dumb shall speak;
• And if any man shall administer poison unto them it shall not hurt the
• And the poison of a serpent shall not have power to harm them.
But a commandment I give unto them, that they shall not boast themselves of these things, neither speak them before the world; for these things are given unto you for your profit and for salvation.”
D&C 35:7-10: “And it shall come to pass that there shall be a great work in the land, even among the Gentiles, for their folly and their abominations shall be made manifest in the eyes of all people. For I am God, and mine arm is not shortened; and I will show miracles, signs, and wonders, unto all those who believe on my name. And whoso shall ask it in my name in faith, they shall cast out devils; they shall heal the sick; they shall cause the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak, and the lame to walk. And the time speedily cometh that great things are to be shown forth unto the children of men” See Mormon 9:24-25
D&C 63:7-12: “And he that seeketh signs shall see signs, but not unto salvation. Verily, I say unto you, there are those among you who seek signs, and there have been such even from the beginning; but behold, faith cometh not by signs, but signs follow those that believe. Yea, signs come by faith, not by the will of men, nor as they please, but by the will of God. Yea, signs come by faith, unto mighty works, for without faith no man pleaseth God; and with whom God is angry he is not well pleased; wherefore, unto such He showeth no signs, only in wrath unto their condemnation. Wherefore, I, the Lord, am not pleased with those among you who have sought after signs and wonders for faith, and not for the good of men unto my glory.”
The Reason the Gifts of the Spirit of the Spirit are given
The Gifts of the Spirit are given for the benefit of all and not just for personal aggrandizement. They are given to those who Love God and are striving to keep His commandments.
D&C 46:9: “For verily I say unto you, they are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep all my commandments, and him that seeketh so to do; that all may be benefited that seek or that ask of me, that ask and not for a sign that they may consume it upon their lusts.”
D&C 46:12: “To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby.”
D&C 46:18: “To another, is given the word of knowledge that all may be taught to be wise and to have knowledge”
D&C 46:26: “And all these gifts come from God, for the benefit of the children of God.”
Gratitude for the Gifts of the Spirit
D&C 46:32: “And ye must give thanks unto God in the Spirit for whatsoever blessing ye are blessed with”
The Gifts of the Spirit should always be remembered
D&C 46:10-11: “And again, verily I say unto you, I would that ye should always remember, and always retain in your minds what those gifts are, that are given unto the church. For all have not every gift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God.
The Holy Ghost is like a Baptism or Immersion of fire and enables the Saints to speak with the tongue of Angels
When I received the Gift of the Holy Ghost I felt peace, and warmth
Helaman 5:45: “And behold, the Holy Spirit of God did come down from Heaven, and did enter into their hearts, and they were filled as if with fire, and they could speak forth marvelous words.”
2 Nephi 31:13-14: “….Behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the Baptism of Fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel….. and have received the Baptism of Fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new tongue, yea, even with the tongue of angels….” See 2 Nephi 32:2-3
3 Nephi 19:13: “And it came to pass when they were all baptised and had come up out of the water, the Holy Ghost did fall upon them, and they were filled with the Holy Ghost and with fire”
Even Jesus Christ was immersed in the Spirit at His baptism:
Luke 3:22: “And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.”
For Baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost See Also D&C 33:11; Moses 6:66; D&C 19:31;
Baptism of Fire—Lorenzo Snow
“I was baptized by Elder John Boynton, then one of the Twelve Apostles, June, 1836, in Kirtland, Ohio. Previous to accepting the ordinance of baptism, in my investigations of the principles taught by the Latter-day Saints, which I proved, by comparison, to be the same as those mentioned in the New Testament taught by Christ and His Apostles, I was thoroughly convinced that obedience to those principles would impart miraculous powers, manifestations and revelations. With sanguine expectations of this result, I received the baptism and the ordinance of laying on of hands by one who professed to have divine authority; and, having thus yielded obedience to these ordinances, I was in constant expectation of the fulfilment of the promise of the reception of the Holy Ghost. The manifestation did not immediately follow my baptism, as I had expected, but, although the time was deferred, when I did receive it, its realization was more perfect, tangible and miraculous than even my strongest hopes had led me to anticipate.
Some two or three weeks after I was baptized, one day while engaged in my studies, I began to reflect upon the fact that I had not obtained a knowledge of the truth of the work—that I had not realized the fulfilment of the promise ‘he that doeth my will shall know of the doctrine,’ and I began to feel very uneasy. I laid aside my books, left the house, and wandered around through the fields under the oppressive influence of a gloomy, disconsolate spirit, while an indescribable cloud of darkness seemed to envelop me.... The spirit of prayer had departed and the heavens seemed like brass over my head. At length, realizing that the usual time had come for secret prayer, I concluded I would not forego my evening service, and, as a matter of formality, knelt as I was in the habit of doing, and in my accustomed retired place, but not feeling as I was wont to feel.
I had no sooner opened by lips in an effort to pray, than I heard a sound, just above my head, like the rustling of silken robes, and immediately the Spirit of God descended upon me, completely enveloping my whole person, filling me, from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet, and O, the joy and happiness I felt! No language can describe the almost instantaneous transition from a dense cloud of mental and spiritual darkness into a refulgence of light and knowledge, as it was at that time imparted to my understanding. I then received a perfect knowledge that God lives, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and of the restoration of the holy Priesthood, and the fulness of the Gospel. It was a complete baptism—a tangible immersion in the heavenly principle or element, the Holy Ghost; and even more real and physical in its effects upon every part of my system than the immersion by water; dispelling forever, so long as reason and memory last, all possibility of doubt or fear in relation to the fact handed down to us historically, that the ‘Babe of Bethlehem’ is truly the Son of God; also the fact that He is now being revealed to the children of men, and communicating knowledge, the same as in the Apostolic times.
I cannot tell how long I remained in the full flow of the blissful enjoyment and divine enlightenment, but it was several minutes before the celestial element which filled and surrounded me began gradually to withdraw. On arising from my kneeling posture, with my heart swelling with gratitude to God, beyond the power of expression, I felt—I knew that He had conferred on me what only an Omnipotent being can confer—that which is of greater value than all the wealth and honors worlds can bestow. That night, as I retired to rest, the same wonderful manifestations were repeated, and continued to be for several successive nights. The sweet remembrance of those glorious experiences, from that time to the present, bring them fresh before me, imparting an inspiring influence which pervades my whole being, and I trust will to the close of my earthly existence. Eliza R. Snow.1884. Biography and Family of the Record of Lorenzo Snow
Further scriptures on the Holy Ghost
When the Saints have the Holy Ghost they become the sons and daughters of God
Romans 8:14: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”
Fellowship with the Father and the Son through the Holy Ghost
1 John 3:24: “And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.”
1 John 4:13: “Hereby now we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He hath given us of His Spirit” See 1 John 2:27
The Lord calls to His service those who have the Spirit of God
Numbers 27:18: “And the Lord said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom [is] the Spirit, and lay thine hand upon him;”
The Lord has promised the Holy Ghost to His covenant people and the Gentiles:
1 Nephi 10:11: “…..And after they had slain the Messiah, who should come, and after he had been slain he should rise from the dead, and should make himself manifest, by the Holy Ghost, unto the Gentiles.2
Jeremiah 31:31-34: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a New Covenant with the House of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers……But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
My perfect prayer (Given of the Spirit 7 Nov 2007)
“Please help me to go forth in the power of the Holy Ghost in Righteousness and Truth”
Quotes on the Holy Ghost
The Prophet Joseph Smith stated:
“A person may profit by noticing the first intimation of the Spirit of Revelation; for instance, when you feel pure intelligence flowing into you, it may give you sudden strokes of ideas, so that by noticing it, you may find it fulfilled the same day or soon; (i.e.) those things that were presented into your minds by the Spirit of God will come to pass; and thus by learning the Spirit of God and understanding it, you may grow into the principle of revelation until you become perfect in Christ Jesus”
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith page 151
In the marvelous experience of Brigham Young in February of 1847, when the Prophet Joseph appeared to him in a dream or vision, Brigham pleaded to be reunited with the Prophet. Brigham Young asked the Prophet if he had a message for the Brethren. The Prophet said: “Tell the people to be humble and faithful, and to be sure to keep the Spirit of the Lord and it will lead them right. Be careful and not turn away the still small voice; it will teach them what to do and where to go; it will yield the fruits of the kingdom. Tell the Brethren to keep their hearts open to conviction, so that when the Holy Ghost comes to them, their hearts will be ready to receive it.”
The Prophet further directed Brigham Young as follows:
“They can tell the Spirit of the Lord from all other spirits; it will whisper peace and joy to their souls; it will take malice, hatred, strife and all evil from their hearts; and their whole desire will be to do good, bring forth righteousness and build up the kingdom of God.” (Manuscript History of Brigham Young: 1846–47, Historical Dept., pp. 528–31)
Elder James E. Faust
“I believe the Spirit of the Holy Ghost is the greatest guarantor of inward peace in our unstable world. It can be more mind-expanding and can make us have a better sense of well-being than any chemical or other earthly substance. It will calm nerves; it will breathe peace to our souls. This Comforter can be with us as we seek to improve. It can function as a source of revelation to warn us of impending danger and also help keep us from making mistakes. It can enhance our natural senses so that we can see more clearly, hear more keenly, and remember what we should remember. It is a way of maximizing our happiness.
The Spirit—the Holy Ghost—will help us work out our insecurities. For instance, it can help us learn to forgive. There comes a time when people must move on, seeking greater things rather than being consumed by the memory of some hurt or injustice. Dwelling constantly on past injuries is, by its nature, limiting to the Spirit. It does not promote peace. “The Gift of the Holy Ghost” Ensign, May 1989
Report on an earthquake-Chile Santiago East Mission Deseret News 6 Mar 2010
Sister Lisa Laycock, wife of Chile Santiago East Mission President Larry Laycock, sent an e-mail to family and friends about the earthquake that hit the country on Feb. 27 2010." Here are excerpts from her e-mail:
"I am writing to let you all know how very grateful we are for your prayers, concern, and love. Please keep praying! We need the Lord's help and guidance in order to do all He would have us do to learn what He would have us learn from this earthquake tragedy, and to minister in the way He would have us minister.....
"When we were set apart for this calling, Elder [Richard G.] Scott of the [Council] of the Twelve Apostles taught us many important lessons. He spoke from personal experience when he was a mission president in Argentina. One message that he shared with us is this: 'At times, during your mission, you will be awakened in the middle of the night or the early morning hours with thoughts of specific things you should do for certain missionaries. Do not ignore these thoughts. They are promptings from the Holy Ghost who will communicate with you in the stillness of the night or the peace of the early morning hours. He will speak to you then because that is when you are still enough to hear.' Elder Scott further instructed us to keep a notebook beside our bed so that we could record these precious promptings. He said that by the next morning, we would be likely to forget the promptings if we didn't write them down.
"We have been astonished at the fulfillment of Elder Scott's prophetic words. We have received many promptings in the exact manner that Elder Scott described. We are so thankful that Elder Scott taught us how to recognize and act upon these precious promptings. Had he not taught us, we may not have given these promptings the attention they require. "Nearly two and one half weeks [before the earthquake], I was awakened at around 4 a.m. by just such a prompting. I did not hear a voice, but the thought was as clear as if it had been in the form of spoken words: 'There is going to be an earthquake. Prepare your missionaries.' I sat up in bed and immediately remembered Elder Scott's counsel. That morning I told Larry what had happened. He immediately set to work organizing our missionaries to prepare for an earthquake.
"In talking with our office missionaries to arrange for them to put together a list of everything we would need to prepare...in both Spanish and English...we discovered that the Lord had also let two of our office missionaries know of the possibility of an earthquake (in the form of dreams) and the need to prepare our mission. We set a goal and arranged our schedule so that we could visit every apartment in the mission to check for safety and to review with our missionaries what to do in case of an earthquake. and physically prepared. '...if ye are prepared, ye shall not fear' (D&C 38:30).... (For the full story see under “Inspirational Stories”)
The Spirit of Christ- our Conscience
President Marion G. Romney taught: “This Spirit is no doubt the source of one’s conscience, which Webster’s dictionary defines as ‘a knowledge or feeling of right and wrong with a compulsion to do right” “The Light of Christ” Ensign May 1977
D&C 88:6-11: “He that ascended up on High, as also He descended below all things, in that He comprehended all things, that He might be in all and through all things, the light of truth; Which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ. As also He is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made. As also He is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which it was made; As also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made; And the earth also, and the power thereof, even the earth upon which you stand. And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through Him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings”
D&C 84:45-47: “For the Word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ. And the Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world; and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit; And every one that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit cometh unto God, even the Father.
Moroni 7:13-16: “But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, everything which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God. Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren that ye do not judge that which is evil to be of God or that which is good and of God to be of the devil. For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night. For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for everything which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.” See Ether 4:12
The Spirit of Christ will not always strive with man
2 Nephi 26:11: “For the Spirit of the Lord will not always strive with man. And when the Spirit ceaseth to strive with man then cometh speedy destruction and this grieveth my soul.” See 1 Nephi 7:14; Ether 15:19; Moroni 8:26; Moroni 9:14
Scriptures Used in this Study
D&C 1:33; 1:39; 5:16; 6:14-15; 8:1-5; 10:2; 11:12, 11:13-14; 11:21; 11:25; 14:8; 18:2; 18:18; 18:33-36; 19:20; 19:23; 20:26-27; 20:77, 79; 21:9; 24:13-14; 27:18; 28:1; 29:30-31; 30:2; 31:11; 33:16; 35:7-10; 35:13; 36:2; 39:6; 42:14; 42:16-17; 42:23; 42:61; 43:15; 43:34; 45:8; 45:57; 46:7-26; 46:28-30; 46:31; 46:32; 46:33; 50:10; 50:21-22; 50:26-30; 52:1; 61:27-8; 63:7-12; 63:16; 63:55; 64:15-16; 71:1; 68:3-4; 70:14; 75:1; 75:10; 75:27; 76:7-10; 76:116-118; 84:33; 84:45-47; 84:64-66; 84:64-73; 84:88; 85:6; 88:6-11; 97:1; 99:2; 100:5-9; 105:36; 107:56; 111:8; 112:21-22; 121:26; 121:37; 121:43; 121:45-46; 124:4; 124:5; 124:88; 124:97; 124:97-101; 128:1; D&C 138:1-2, 11
Moses 1:27-28; Moses 6:26-27; 6:32; 6:34; Moses 6:61; Moses 8:24; J.S. History 1:73;
1 Nephi 4:6; 10:11; 10:17, 19, 22; 11:1; 11:2; 11:6-7; 11:1-2, 4, 6, 8-12; 13:37; 22:2; 2 Nephi 26:11; 31:18; 2 Nephi 31:13-14; 31:18; 2 Nephi 32:7; 32:5; 2 Nephi 33:1; 33:2; Jacob 4:13; Jacob 7:8; Enos 1:10; Mosiah 2:36; 3:19; 4:3; 4:20; 5:2-3; Alma 5:45-46; 5:47; 5:50-52; 7:13; 8:29-32; 11:21-22; 12:3; 13:12; 14:11; Alma 32:28; Helaman 4:21-26; 5:45; 6:35-36; 13:3; 3 Nephi 8:1; 3 Nephi 9:13; 3 Nephi 11:36; 3 Nephi 15:23; 3 Nephi 27:20; Mormon 1:13-14; Ether 4:11; 12:6; Moroni 7:13-16; 8:26; Moroni 10:4-5; 10:6-7; 10:8; 10:9-19;
Luke 1:67; Luke 3:22; Luke 4:1; Luke 11:13; Luke 12:12; John 1:32; 14:25-26; 15:26; 16:7-8; 16:12-14; Acts 1:8; 2:37; 4:8-10; 4:31; 5:32; 10:19; 10:38; 10:44: Romans 5:5; 8:14; 8:16; 8:26; 14:17; 1 Corinthians 2:4-5; 2:9-11; 12:7; 13:16-17; 6:19; Ephesians 3:16; 4:30 5:9-11; ; Galations 5:22-23; 1 Thessalonians 5:19-20; 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 1:14; 1 John 2:27; 1 John 3:24; 1 John 4:13; Jude 1:20; Revelations 1:10-11; 2:7;
Exodus 31:1-4; Numbers 27:18; Nehemiah 9:30; Isaiah 11:2-3; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 2:1-2; 36:26-28; Micah 3:8
List of Talks on the Holy Ghost
“Teaching and Learning by the Spirit” Elder Dallin H. Oaks March 1997 Ensign
“The Gift of the Holy Ghost A Sure Compass,” Elder James E. Faust, April 1996
“The Gift of the Holy Ghost Elder James E. Faust May 1989 Ensign
“Seek the Spirit of the Lord” President Ezra T. Benson April 1988 Ensign
“The Light of Christ,” Marion G. Romney Ensign, May 1977
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