The Power of the Holy Ghost

The first chapter in which the name Holy Ghost is used in the Book of Mormon is 1 Nephi 10, and this chapter teaches us much about the role and power of the Holy Ghost.  Paraphrasing his father, Nephi wrote, “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” (v11).  Thus one of the major roles of the Holy Ghost is to manifest unto us the Messiah.  It is through the Holy Ghost that the Savior makes Himself known to the children of men.  Though this reference refers to the time after the Savior’s resurrection, later verses confirm that the Holy Ghost has always been the way in which “the mysteries of God” have been revealed to men, “for he is the same yesterday, today, and forever; and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world.”  For he “that diligently seeketh” it is by “the power of the Holy Ghost” that knowledge of God is given “as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come” (v18-19).  In the past, present, and future, it is the Holy Ghost who manifesteth the truth unto the us.      

               This chapter also teaches us of the power that comes through the Holy Ghost when we are prepared to receive that.  Nephi wrote that Lehi spoke “by the power of the Holy Ghost, which power he received by faith on the Son of God.”  Lehi had power through the Holy Ghost because He first had faith on the Son of God.  But this power is not limited only to prophets like Nephi and Lehi, but rather we can “know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him” (v17).  All can have the power of the Holy Ghost in their lives through these two key actions that the chapter highlights: faith on Jesus Christ and diligently seeking Him.  This is certainly what Nephi did, and he wrote that he received the Holy Ghost because this was the power by which he could write what he did: “And the Holy Ghost giveth authority that I should speak these things, and deny them not” (v22).  This chapter is an invitation for us to seek the Lord and to have faith in Jesus Christ so that we too can “see, and hear, and know” of the revelations of God like Nephi and Lehi did.  Perhaps as we struggle at times to feel the influence of the Holy Ghost in our lives we can focus on these two key ingredients to fostering the Spirit in our lives: faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and seeking the Lord with all our hearts.  In effect this is the promise the Lord makes to us each week: if we will “are willing to take upon [us] the name of [the] Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given [us]”, then we are promised to “always have his Spirit to be with [us]” (Moroni 4:3).