Last week, I wrote about Jacob’s recurring testimony that his faith was strong because of the many revelations he had received. Consistently receiving personal revelation strengthens our faith, because it gives us strong evidence of the hand of God in our lives which we can rely on in times of uncertainty. I think this is why he writes the following about his conversation with Sherem, who “hoped to shake [him] from the faith”:
I truly had seen angels, and they had ministered unto me. And also, I had heard the voice of the Lord speaking unto me in very word, from time to time; wherefore, I could not be shaken.
(Jacob 7:5)
But this is only part of the story, and today I recognized the other reason that personal revelation was important to Jacob: because he relied on guidance from God in real time throughout his conversation with Sherem:
But behold, the Lord God poured in his Spirit into my soul, insomuch that I did confound him in all his words.
(Jacob 7:8)
We need to receive personal revelation because it strengthens our faith and brings us closer to God. But we also need it because we need guidance all the time. We all face situations which are unfamiliar, which we have never faced before. God can help us know what we should do when we have no idea. Consider the following two statements from President Russell M. Nelson:
Our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, will perform some of His mightiest works between now and when He comes again. We will see miraculous indications that God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, preside over this Church in majesty and glory. But in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.
(“Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” General Conference, April 2018)
Now, you might be saying to yourself, “This sounds wonderful, but how do I do it? How do I draw the Savior’s power into my life?”
You won’t find this process spelled out in any manual. The Holy Ghost will be your personal tutor as you seek to understand what the Lord would have you know and do. This process is neither quick nor easy, but it is spiritually invigorating. What could possibly be more exciting than to labor with the Spirit to understand God’s power—priesthood power?
(“Spiritual Treasures,” General Conference, October 2019)
Today, I will seek to hear the voice of the Spirit throughout the day. Particularly as I encounter unexpected or unfamiliar circumstances, I will strive to hear the voice of the Lord through the Spirit and to act upon the revelations I receive. Like Jacob, I will open my heart, so that the Lord can pour His Spirit into my soul and give me the guidance I need.
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