Sunday, March 13, 2005
Lesson #5: Teaching by the Spirit
Lesson 5 Teaching by the Spirit
“Tell the brethren to be humble and faithful and be sure to keep the Spirit of the Lord, that it will lead them aright. 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” (-Joseph Smith, speaking to Brigham Young in a dream in February 1847, quoted by Marion G. Romney, General Conference, April 1944).
1. The Light of Christ
a.
b. John 1:9 "the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world"
c. D&C 84:46 And the Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world”
d. D&C 88:6-13 Christ is literally the light of the world
e. D&C 84:45, 93:36- Word of the Lord, Truth, Light, Intelligence synonymous with Christ
f. D&C 88:67,68 “your bodies shall be filled with light…Therefore, sanctify yourselves…”
2. The Holy Ghost
a. “There is no other foundation upon which the Lord could build his Church and kingdom. The things of God are known only by the power of his Spirit. God stands revealed or he remains forever unknown. No man can know that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost” (Bruce R. McConkie "Upon This Rock", Ensign (May 1981) 77)
b. 3 Nephi 27:20 The Holy Ghosts sanctifies you
c. 2 Nephi 32:5 Holy Ghost “will show unto you all things what ye should do”
d. D&C 42:14 you (and your investigator) can receive the influence of the spirit through “the prayer of faith”
e. D&C 63:64 Sacred things spoken of by constraint of the spirit
f. D&C 50: 21-22 The Spirit edifies: “An intelligent being, in the image of God, possesses every organ, attribute, sense, sympathy, affection, of will, wisdom, love, power, and gift, which is possessed by God himself. But these are possessed by man, in his rudimental state, in a subordinate sense of the word. Or, in other words, these attributes are in embryo; and are to be gradually developed. They resemble a bud—a germ, which gradually develops into bloom, and then, by progress, produces the mature fruit, after its own kind. The gift of the Holy Spirit adapts itself to all these organs or attributes. It quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, enlarges, expands, and purifies all the natural passions and affections; and adapts them, by the gift of wisdom, to their lawful use. It inspires, develops, cultivates, and matures all the fine-toned sympathies, joys, tastes, kindred feelings, and affections of our nature. It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness, and charity. It develops beauty of person, form, and features. It tends to health, vigor, animation, and social feeling. It develops and invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual man. It strengthens, invigorates, and gives tone to the nerves. In short, it is, as it were, marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being.” – Parly P. Pratt (Quoted in “The Holy Ghost” by Robert Worrell, BYU-Idaho Devotional March 2003)
3. Bad Spirits
a. "Nothing is a greater injury to the children of men than to be under the influence of a false spirit when they think they have the Spirit of God" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 205).
b. “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.” (Joseph Smith in a dream to Brigham Young, quoted by Marion G. Romney, General Conference, April 1944).
c. Moroni 7: 13-16 “that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually… 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.”
d. “Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction.” Joseph exerted “all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me.”
e. Moses 1:13-26
- God’s “spirit hath not altogether withdrawn from me, or else where is thy glory, for it is darkness unto me?”…
- “Get thee hence, Satan”
f. Elder Hugh B. Brown, upon praying about accepting a business proposition that would have changed his life. He awoke about three in the morning. “I was worried and bothered, I got dressed and went up into the mountains…I talked to Him as one man speaks to another. I didn’t seem to get an answer.” He returned home, skipped dinner and told his wife “I fear I will have a wakeful night…I went into that bedroom [alone], closed the door, and I was conscious of a blackness such as I had never known. There was something in that room that made me feel, very sincerely, that I’d like to be rubbed out. I’d like to cease to be. I didn’t intend to think of suicide, but I did think seriously, that if there any way that I could be washed out, that would be the best thing that could happen to me. I spent the night in that attitude, in that aura in that awful blackness. Early in the morning Sis. Brown came in, heard me walking the floor. When she closed the door she said ‘My goodness my dear, what’s in this room?’” Elder Brown responded “The devil is in this room and he is trying to destroy me.” They prayed together, but nothing happened. He went to his empty office . “… I pleaded to God for deliverance for that awful blackness was still on my soul. And it seemed to me the sun came up. I obtained peace of soul, serenity of Spirit. I phoned Sister Brown that everything was alright, I don’t know what happened but everything is alright.” ( “Father are you there?” BYU Devotional 1967). That night, he received a call from President McKay informing him that he was being called to the apostleship.
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