How do you know when you’re receiving revelation?
During the month of April 1829, as Oliver Cowdery assisted Joseph Smith with the translation of the Book of Mormon, Joseph received several revelations on behalf of Oliver. In these revelations, the Lord teaches Oliver that personal revelation enlightens you and speaks peace to your mind. (See Doctrine and Covenants 6:15, 23.) He teaches Oliver that the Holy Ghost speaks to our mind and to our heart. (See Doctrine and Covenants 8:2.) He further explains that receiving personal revelation requires effort on our part. We need to study out in our mind the questions we are grappling with. Many times, revelation will come as a confirmation of our thoughts rather than as a new thought. (See Doctrine and Covenants 9:7-9.)
Throughout these instructions, the Lord assures Oliver that he will receive revelation if he seeks it. (See Doctrine and Covenants 6:7, 11, Doctrine and Covenants 8:1-2.) In fact, he explains that Oliver has already received revelation without recognizing it. (See Doctrine and Covenants 6:14-17, 22-24.)
Here are some other lessons I’ve learned from these revelations:
Outline
- 6:1-5 – A great and marvelous work is about to begin, and you can be part of it.
- 6:6-13 – Seek for wisdom, and you will learn the mysteries of God.
- 6:14-24 – You have already received revelation.
- 6:25-31 – You will help to bring my word to the world, and you will have joy in your labor.
- 6:32-37 – Fear not; I am with you.
- 7:1-8 – Peter and John both received according to their desires.
- 8:1-12 – You may translate. You also have another gift which enables you to assist with the translation.
- 9:1-14 – You failed to translate because you misunderstood how revelation works.
Key Themes
- God is eager to bless us and will answer our prayers. Those answers not only provide information but also facilitate our growth.
- The wounds in the Savior’s resurrected body represent the suffering He bore for us.
- God has all power, including power over death.
- The Holy Ghost speaks directly to our mind and our heart, so Satan tries to disrupt our mental and emotional faculties.
Book of Mormon Connections
- In 2 Nephi 3:17-18, Lehi quotes an ancient prophecy from Joseph, which compares the role of Moses’ brother Aaron with the role of Oliver Cowdery. In Doctrine and Covenants 8:6-8, the Lord calls Oliver’s role as a scribe “the gift of Aaron.”
- At the end of His ministry in the Americas, Jesus promised nine of His twelve disciples that they would speedily come to Him in His kingdom at the end of their lives. He promised the other three that they could remain on the earth until His Second Coming. (See 3 Nephi 28:1-7.) The Lord revealed to Joseph and Oliver that Peter and John received the same promises. (See Doctrine and Covenants 7.)
Applications
- Take time to pray and ponder.
- Prioritize spiritual experiences above temporal knowledge.
- Pay attention to your feelings. Don’t ignore them.
- Treat important things with the seriousness and the respect which they deserve.
- Elevate your thoughts in order to improve your behavior.
- Take the opportunity of a lifetime within the lifetime of the opportunity. Remember that many opportunities are time-bound and will not last forever.
Recommended Posts
- How Can I Recognize the Voice of the Lord?
- What Is the Urim and Thummim?
- How Did Joseph Smith Translate the Book of Mormon?
Blog Posts: February 4-9
“Thou Hast Been Enlightened”
We may receive an answer to a prayer before we realize that we have received an answer to a prayer. God explained to Oliver Cowdery that he had been enlightened many times by the Spirit of Truth. Jesus declared that a group of Lamanites had been baptized by fire without being aware of it. They…
How to Recognize the Holy Ghost
God taught Oliver Cowdery four principles about personal revelation which can help us recognize messages from God: 1. Messages from God enlighten us. 2. Messages from God dispel fear and build faith. 3. God speaks to both our mind and our heart. 4. The Spirit of God confirms positive choices with positive feelings.
Wealth and Wisdom
In the book Predictably Irrational, Duke University professor Dan Ariely examines a number of situations where monetizing something cheapens it. For example, if you offered to pay your mother-in-law for preparing a Thanksgiving dinner, she would probably be insulted. Some things have intrinsic value which cannot and should not be measured in terms of money.…
“What Is That to Thee?”
John and Peter had different requests, and Jesus granted them both. Three of the twelve disciples in the Americas had the same desire as John, and He granted it to them as well. As Jesus explained to Peter, there is no need for envy among his disciples. We can each find joy serving Him according…
“Little Flock”
Jesus said that where two or three are gathered in His name, He is with them. He reiterated that promise to a “little flock” in Harmony, Pennsylvania, consisting of two people: Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. God’s work is not a numbers game. Small groups can do great things with His power and guidance.
Doubt Not
We all have questions. That’s a feature of being human. Approaching them with faith in God is a source of power. Approaching them with doubt can cause us to miss the answers. Jesus urged Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery to “doubt not.” Amplifying our fears and our doubts may inhibit us from taking the very…
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