Listening to the Holy Ghost
Q.
The following comment was posted under _
Mind-reading and Psychic Things - good or evil? Posted on October 20, 2008
Although it isn't a question, as such, it deserves response. This was the comment _
Due to the oddness of the 2008 comment, I will not comment directly on every single aspect of it. I am a life long member. The church has had a firm stance on personal revelation or inspiration. Everyone is entitled to it. God is no respecter of persons. Moses has commented on this respectively as well. There is a specific way to do so: First one must ask for or desire revelation through prayer. This is very important since if impressions are recieved in an unsolicited manner someone is trying to control you (satan).God would never abuse your agency and give you revelation before you ask for it. Second ,after praying for the revelation and recieving an impression in your heart or mind then pray again and ask for a confirmation of the impression that you had. Information recieved from your Heavenly Father is priceless and should be recieved as such. He loves and only wants the best for you. You should have only feelings of peace and love these are fruits of his spirit.
A.
To some extent my response to the question asked at that time was far different than what you are talking about. I can understand you being confused if you have had no experience in this area. My response once would have been to regard things somewhat the way you do: All evil attempts come from Satan personally.
However life shows us that this isn't true. While satanic forces can be at work within people, their actions may have an effect only through the actions of those controlled by Satan. I have felt both the evil spirit working in another person's mind and the mind of the person thus manipulated at the same time.
In a sense this boils down to the same; as you have implied. Yet some who have tried this with me haven't had an evil spirit motivating them. They have been curious to see if I really am completely unresponsive to lust, greed or whatever other evil. The fact that I have not responded to evil has pleased them. So their intensions were good, even if not their actions.
This whole process that I've referred to in the answer in that post, is really an old way of communicating. It isn't so much about personal revelation from God, as it is about personal discussions between us, his children.
As to the comment you have made of itself; while I agree with the thrust of it there are some things I would tend to qualify. Firstly the Holy Ghost has many times given me unsolicited instruction. Where I have failed to follow that instruction I have suffered the consequences eventually or straight away. Some of those things were only minor. But some were major. He also has given me unsolicited advice that was of personal benefit. For example I was looking to buy a particular item for my son's birthday. When I walked into a shopping center the Holy Ghost directed me to the right shop and told me what shelf in what area I would find the item. And there it was. A minor matter. But I hadn't exactly asked for the instruction.
I have had untold numbers of times, when reading through the Standard Works, and coming across something I've just read, that the Holy Ghost has brought the meaning of things I have read to my mind. He has asked me to go back and read things again because he knows I missed it, on some occasions. He has taught me of the ways of the Jews, when I hadn't asked for it.
Many of these unsolicited bits of spiritual advice have lead to that feeling of life and light that fills my spirit with joy.
If the Holy Ghost isn't giving you unsolicited advice then it may be time for you to consider improving the relationship. It means he doesn't regard that you are listening sufficiently: He has to wait for you to go through the process you have described. Of course, to get this type of advice you must follow it when it is given, or it will diminish.
The following comment was posted under _
Mind-reading and Psychic Things - good or evil? Posted on October 20, 2008
Although it isn't a question, as such, it deserves response. This was the comment _
Due to the oddness of the 2008 comment, I will not comment directly on every single aspect of it. I am a life long member. The church has had a firm stance on personal revelation or inspiration. Everyone is entitled to it. God is no respecter of persons. Moses has commented on this respectively as well. There is a specific way to do so: First one must ask for or desire revelation through prayer. This is very important since if impressions are recieved in an unsolicited manner someone is trying to control you (satan).God would never abuse your agency and give you revelation before you ask for it. Second ,after praying for the revelation and recieving an impression in your heart or mind then pray again and ask for a confirmation of the impression that you had. Information recieved from your Heavenly Father is priceless and should be recieved as such. He loves and only wants the best for you. You should have only feelings of peace and love these are fruits of his spirit.
A.
To some extent my response to the question asked at that time was far different than what you are talking about. I can understand you being confused if you have had no experience in this area. My response once would have been to regard things somewhat the way you do: All evil attempts come from Satan personally.
However life shows us that this isn't true. While satanic forces can be at work within people, their actions may have an effect only through the actions of those controlled by Satan. I have felt both the evil spirit working in another person's mind and the mind of the person thus manipulated at the same time.
In a sense this boils down to the same; as you have implied. Yet some who have tried this with me haven't had an evil spirit motivating them. They have been curious to see if I really am completely unresponsive to lust, greed or whatever other evil. The fact that I have not responded to evil has pleased them. So their intensions were good, even if not their actions.
This whole process that I've referred to in the answer in that post, is really an old way of communicating. It isn't so much about personal revelation from God, as it is about personal discussions between us, his children.
As to the comment you have made of itself; while I agree with the thrust of it there are some things I would tend to qualify. Firstly the Holy Ghost has many times given me unsolicited instruction. Where I have failed to follow that instruction I have suffered the consequences eventually or straight away. Some of those things were only minor. But some were major. He also has given me unsolicited advice that was of personal benefit. For example I was looking to buy a particular item for my son's birthday. When I walked into a shopping center the Holy Ghost directed me to the right shop and told me what shelf in what area I would find the item. And there it was. A minor matter. But I hadn't exactly asked for the instruction.
I have had untold numbers of times, when reading through the Standard Works, and coming across something I've just read, that the Holy Ghost has brought the meaning of things I have read to my mind. He has asked me to go back and read things again because he knows I missed it, on some occasions. He has taught me of the ways of the Jews, when I hadn't asked for it.
Many of these unsolicited bits of spiritual advice have lead to that feeling of life and light that fills my spirit with joy.
If the Holy Ghost isn't giving you unsolicited advice then it may be time for you to consider improving the relationship. It means he doesn't regard that you are listening sufficiently: He has to wait for you to go through the process you have described. Of course, to get this type of advice you must follow it when it is given, or it will diminish.
posted by Doug Towers at 5:18 PM
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