Source
Personal Revelation
Personal revelation
is knowledge we receive from our Heavenly Father through the Holy Ghost.
Personal revelation can include a testimony of gospel principles (such as Jesus
Christ being our Savior and the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon) and
guidance from the Lord (such as how to strengthen our families or direction to
serve someone we did not know was in need of help).
As we seek
personal revelation, we must remember that revelation is a gift from God and
will not come upon command or demand, but by humbly, diligently, and patiently
inviting it by applying the following principles.
Q How has personal revelation
blessed your? Your family?
Recognize the Holy Ghost
A key to
receiving personal revelation is to learn to recognize the Holy Ghost.
"The
fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness,
faith, Meekness, temperance" (Galatians 5:22-23).
As we see and feel the fruits of the Spirit in ourselves, our families,
or others, we can know that what we are learning, reading, observing, hearing,
or thinking is of God.
Tools to
Invite the Holy Ghost and Personal Revelation
Reverence
When
seeking revelation from the Holy Ghost, go to a quiet place that is free from
distraction (such as TV). Be grateful for the blessings of the Lord and subdue your
soul before Him. Doing so will prepare you to receive revelation.
"The
adversary tries to smother [the voice of the Spirit] with a multitude of loud,
persistent, persuasive, and appealing voices: Murmuring voices that conjure up
perceived injustices. Whining voices that abhor challenge and work. Seductive
voices offering sensual enticements. Soothing voices that lull us into carnal
security. Intellectual voices that profess sophistication and superiority. Proud
voices that rely on the arm of flesh. Flattering voices that puff us up with
pride. Cynical voices that destroy hope. Entertaining voices that promote
pleasure seeking. Commercial voices that tempt us to “spend money for that
which is of no worth” and/or “labor for that which cannot satisfy” (2 Nephi
9:51). Delirious voices that spawn the desire for a 'high' "(James E.
Faust, September 1993 BYU Fireside).
"My
first radio was a crystal set. It was hard to tune to the frequency of a
particular radio station. I had to literally scratch the receiving wire whisker
over the top of the rough crystal to find the right pinpoint, a little valley
or peak on the crystal where the signal was received. Just a millimeter off on
either side of that point and I would lose the signal and get scratchy static.
Over time, with patience and perseverance, good eyesight, and a steady hand, I
learned to find the signal point on the crystal without too much difficulty. So
it is with inspiration. We must attune ourselves to the inspiration from God
and tune out the scratchy static. We have to work at being tuned in. Most of us
need a long time to become tuned in" (James E. Faust, April 2004 General
Conference).
"The
voice of the Spirit is described in the scripture as being neither 'loud' nor
'harsh.' It is 'not a voice of thunder, neither … voice of a great tumultuous
noise.' But rather, 'a still voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a
whisper,' and it can 'pierce even to the very soul' and 'cause [the heart] to
burn.' (3 Ne.
11:3; Hel.
5:30; D&C
85:6–7.) Remember, Elijah found the voice of the Lord was not in the wind,
nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire, but was a 'still small voice.' (1 Kgs. 19:12.)
The Spirit does not get our attention by shouting or shaking us with a heavy
hand. Rather it whispers. It caresses so gently that if we are preoccupied we
may not feel it at all." (Boyd K. Packer, Ensign, Jan 1983, 51).
Exercise
faith to repentance and obedience
·
Live
a gospel principle to get a testimony of it:
o “If any man will do
his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I
speak of myself” (John 7:17).
o Sometimes we try to [gain
a testimony] backward. For example, we may take this approach: I will be happy
to live the law of tithing, but first I need to know that it’s true. Maybe we
even pray to gain a testimony of the law of tithing and hope the Lord will
bless us with that testimony before we have ever filled out a tithing slip. It
just doesn’t work that way. The Lord expects us to exercise faith. We have to
consistently pay a full and honest tithe in order to gain a testimony of
tithing. This same pattern applies to all the principles of the gospel, whether
it is the law of chastity, the principle of modesty, the Word of Wisdom, or the
law of the fast" (Bonnie L. Oscarson, October 2013 General Conference).
o We don't get in
physical shape by watching sports on TV and giving advice to the players.
Similarly, we don't get in spiritual shape or invite personal revelation by
sitting on the sidelines watching others live the principles of the gospel and
telling them how to live the gospel.
·
Keep
the commandments:
o "But unto him
that keepeth my commandments I will give the mysteries of my kingdom, and the
same shall be in him a well of living water, springing up unto everlasting life"
(D&C 63:15).
o Attend church and
keep the Sabbath Day holy
·
"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"
(Moroni 8:26).
Be
diligent, consistent, and patient in seeking revelation
The
prophet Alma used the analogy of faith being a seed that grows into the tree of
testimony and taught:
"If
ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by
your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the
fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up
unto everlasting life" (Alma 32:41)
"But
if ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment, behold it will
not get any root; and when the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because
it hath no root it withers away... Now, this is not because the seed was not
good, neither is it because the fruit thereof would not be desirable; but it is
because your ground is barren, and ye will not nourish the tree, therefore ye
cannot have the fruit thereof." (Alma 32:38-39).
Q Why does God want us
to be diligent, consistent, and patient while seeking a testimony?
Q What blessings might
we miss out on if diligence, consistency, or patience were not required?
Make
and keep covenants with God, such as baptism
·
Remember
and follow the example and teachings of Jesus Christ
·
Love
and serve family members and others
·
Teach
the gospel and bear your testimony to family members and to others (missionary
work)
·
Fulfill
church callings in Christ like ways
·
Partake
of the Sacrament with faith, being humble and repentant (a broken heart and a
contrite spirit)
o "O God, the
Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and
sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it; that they may
eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the
Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son,
and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given them,
that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen" (Moroni 4:3).
·
Attend
the temple
Receive
the Gift of the Holy Ghost
"The
[Gift of the Holy Ghost] can come only after proper and authorized baptism and
is conferred by the laying on of hands, as in Acts 8:12–25.... The gift of
the Holy Ghost is the right to have, whenever one is worthy, the companionship
of the Holy Ghost. For those who receive this gift, the Holy Ghost acts as a
cleansing agent to purify them and sanctify them from all sin" (Bible
Dictionary, p. 704).
"Nothing
in this life is of greater worth than the supernal gift of the Holy Ghost. It
is the source of joy, peace, knowledge, strength, love, and every other good
thing. With the Atonement, it is the power by which we may be changed and made
strong where we are weak. With the priesthood, it is the power by which
marriages and families are sealed together eternally. It is the power by which
the Lord makes Himself manifest unto those who believe in Him. Every good thing
depends on getting and keeping the power of the Holy Ghost in our lives.
Everything depends on that" (Lawrence E. Corbridge, General Conference
October 2008).
Avoid
anything which distances us from the Holy Ghost
"We
should also endeavor to discern when we “withdraw [ourselves] from the Spirit
of the Lord, that it may have no place in [us] to guide [us] in wisdom’s paths
that [we] may be blessed, prospered, and preserved” (Mosiah 2:36). Precisely
because the promised blessing is that we may always have His Spirit to be with
us, we should attend to and learn from the choices and influences that separate
us from the Holy Spirit. The standard is clear. If something we think, see,
hear, or do distances us from the Holy Ghost, then we should stop thinking,
seeing, hearing, or doing that thing. If that which is intended to entertain,
for example, alienates us from the Holy Spirit, then certainly that type of
entertainment is not for us. Because the Spirit cannot abide that which is
vulgar, crude, or immodest, then clearly such things are not for us. Because we
estrange the Spirit of the Lord when we engage in activities we know we should
shun, then such things definitely are not for us" (David A. Bednar, April
2006 General Conference).
Pray
with real intent (being committed to act on the answer received)
"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"
(Moroni 10:4).
Fast
"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" (Alma 5:45-46).
Study,
ponder, and apply the scriptures
Study,
ponder, and follow the teachings of modern day prophets and apostles
Study
it out in your mind
"Behold,
you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when
you took no thought save it was to ask me. But, behold, I say unto you, that
you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if
it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you
shall feel that it is right" (D&C 9:7-8).
Be
Grateful
"Behold,
I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God
that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath
been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the
time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. 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"
(Moroni 10:3-4).
Be
Humble
"And
inasmuch as they were humble they might be made strong, and blessed from on
high, and receive knowledge" (D&C 1:28).
"And
they were taught to walk humbly before the Lord; and they were also taught from
on high" (Ether 6:17).
Record spiritual experiences and received revelation
"One
Sunday I attended [a] meeting... in Mexico City. I vividly recall how a humble
Mexican priesthood leader struggled to communicate the truths of the gospel in
his lesson material. I noted the intense desire he had to share those
principles he strongly valued.... He recognized that they were of great worth
to [those] present. In his manner, there was an evidence of a pure love of the
Savior and love of those he taught.
"His
sincerity, purity of intent, and love permitted a spiritual strength to envelop
the room. I was deeply touched. Then I began to receive personal impressions as
an extension of the principles taught by that humble instructor. They were
personal and related to my assignments in the area. They came in answer to my
prolonged, prayerful efforts to learn.
"As
each impression came, I carefully wrote it down. In the process, I was given
precious truths that I greatly needed in order to be a more effective servant
of the Lord. The details of the communication are sacred and... were for my
individual benefit. I was given specific directions, instructions, and
conditioned promises that have beneficially altered the course of my life.
"Subsequently,
I visited the Sunday School class in our ward, where a very well-educated
teacher presented his lesson. That experience was in striking contrast to the
one enjoyed in the [meeting in Mexico City]. It seemed to me that the
instructor had purposely chosen obscure references and unusual examples to
illustrate the principles of the lesson. I had the distinct impression that
this instructor was using the teaching opportunity to impress the class with
his vast store of knowledge. At any rate, he certainly did not seem as intent on
communicating principles as had the humble priesthood leader.
"In
that environment, strong impressions began to flow to me again. I wrote them
down. The message included specific counsel on how to become more effective as
an instrument in the hands of the Lord. I received such an outpouring of
impressions that were so personal that I felt it was not appropriate to record
them in the midst of a Sunday School class. I sought a more private location,
where I continued to write the feelings that flooded into my mind and heart as
faithfully as possible. After each powerful impression was recorded, I pondered
the feelings I had received to determine if I had accurately expressed them in
writing. As a result, I made a few minor changes to what had been written. Then
I studied their meaning and application in my own life.
"Subsequently
I prayed, reviewing with the Lord what I thought I had been taught by the
Spirit. When a feeling of peace came, I thanked Him for the guidance given. I
was then impressed to ask, “Was there yet more to be given?” I received further
impressions, and the process of writing down the impressions, pondering, and
praying for confirmation was repeated. Again I was prompted to ask, “Is there
more I should know?” And there was. When that last, most sacred experience was
concluded, I had received some of the most precious, specific, personal
direction one could hope to obtain in this life. Had I not responded to the
first impressions and recorded them, I would not have received the last, most
precious guidance.
"What
I have described is not an isolated experience. It embodies several true
principles regarding communication from the Lord to His children here on earth.
I believe that you can leave the most precious, personal direction of the
Spirit unheard because you do not respond to, record, and apply the first
promptings that come to you" (Richard G. Scott, October 2009 General
Conference).
Follow
revelation that is received.
Seek
to be physically healthy
Obey
the Word of Wisdom, which includes abstaining from alcohol, tobacco, coffee,
tea, and illegal drugs.
"Exercise,
reasonable amounts of sleep, and good eating habits increase our capacity to receive
and understand revelation" (Richard G. Scott, April 2012 General
Conference).
Seek
to improve our mental and emotional health by avoiding or dealing with the
following in constructive ways:
- Being hungry, bored, lonely, angry, stressed, overwhelmed, burned out, or tired
- Being dishonest, manipulative, obsessive, or controlling
- Being negative, critical, judgmental, unforgiving, or resentful of ourselves or others
- Being jealous, covetous, or lustful
- Procrastination
Q Which of
these principles have helped you invite personal revelation? What principles
have you not yet applied or could apply more consistently?
Q What do
you need to change in your life to have more of the blessings of the Holy
Ghost? To invite more personal revelation?
Please share your testimony of the principles covered or share a favorite scripture or quote that wasn't included.
Key talks about inviting personal revelation through the
Holy Ghost can be found at
Please share your testimony of the principles covered or share a favorite scripture or quote that wasn't included.
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