Withstood Him with the Words of God.

I have a deep attachment and consuming love for the sacred words of the Lord which are found within the scriptures.  Aside from my Savior and Heavenly Father, as well as the cherished presence of the Holy Ghost, there is nothing that I love more dearly.  I am so devoted to these precious books because they are the instrument which created, and continues to produce, a mighty change of my heart.  Along with the redeeming sacrifice of Jesus Christ, I owe my life, and my happiness, to them.

There is a great deal of disruption and turmoil happening in  the world today.  As I witness the strength of Satan growing more abundantly in society, and feel the intense sorrow that comes from watching those I adore be pulled away by his deceptions, I must admit that I have had moments of fear.  Because of the knowledge I have gained from studying the scriptures, I have an understanding of what must come to pass before Christ will return again, and as I observe an increase in corruption and confusion, I have a firm comprehension that the wickedness will surge.  When these feelings of anxiety arise I quickly recognize them for what they are, Satan’s forces pressing against me.  Fear is a result of the destroyer, and is never delivered from a heavenly sphere.  What I reach to in these moments of trepidation is the scriptures.  My worried mind is immediately soothed by scripture verses that have engrained themselves into my heart.  I locate peace, even among the most distressing circumstances, because of my faith in these sacred works.

A few weeks ago I was studying the first chapter of Alma.  As I read I felt the desire to reread a multitude of the verses because of the way they made my heart burn.  It astounded me how closely the circumstances within this chapter resembled events that exist today.  I was extremely touched by the Spirit and felt buoyed up as I connected that many individuals of yesteryear were called to endure through similar conditions that we are experiencing now. 

In this chapter, Nehor emerges, bringing with him the first appearance of priestcraft, meaning the teaching of false doctrine, to the Nephites.  Nehor used flattery and his teachings were directed to appease and indulge the carnal side of man.  This technique was very persuasive and he had a devastating influence on the Nephites.  One of Nehor’s greatest weapons was perverting the doctrines of God, nullifying repentance, and promoting the idea that regardless of our behaviors and choices in this mortal sphere we will all be saved in the end.  His influence was so poisonous that it continued to spread and develop even after he had been executed. 

The presence of priestcraft was a great and serious trial for the righteous members of the church.  Watching so many they loved apostatize and fall away from the truth brought tremendous grief and tribulation to them.  However, they remained a steadfast people and could not be moved from the truth themselves.  These individuals are incredible and can inspire us as we face a duplicated existence.  Additionally, there is a man who is highlighted in this chapter, who stands as a true and honest hero, and acts as a guiding example in handling such difficult experiences.  This man’s name is Gideon. 

As Nehor was preaching one day he came across Gideon who was a teacher in the church of God.  Intrigued, he began to fiercely contend with him, hoping that he could drag away this stalwart member.  The scriptures describe Gideon’s response to Nehor’s aggressive attack this way:

…But the man withstood him, admonishing him with the words of God.  Now the name of the man was Gideon…because Gideon withstood him with the words of God he was wroth with Gideon, and drew his sword and began to smite him.  Now Gideon being stricken with many years, therefore he was not able to withstand his blows, therefore he was slain by the sword.

Alma 1:7-9

Nehor was a wise man, pertaining to the things of the world, and was incredibly influential.  He was forcefully persuasive and had the ability to perplex and confound even strong members of the church.  However, Gideon was immovable.  He did not flinch, nor was he affected by Nehor and his depraved enticements.  He was firm.  He was solid.  He was able to withstand this man who had swayed so many others. 

As I reread these specific verses I was touched to recognize what allowed him to endure so faithfully: it was the word of God, which we know are the words found within our sacred books of scripture.  The scriptures provided Gideon with the power to resist and to stand firm against the storm of Nehor, and the ferocious fury of Satan that he undoubtedly carried with him.  His knowledge and comprehension of the scriptures acted as a protective shield against the rage which Satan was spreading through Nehor, and he was unshakable. 

I have reflected on these verses a great deal throughout the past few weeks, and have pondered upon what intense strength the scriptures have, and continue to, provide in my life.  As I reflected I became overwhelmed with immense gratitude for these books.  Although I was already passionately devoted to the scriptures, I believe for the very first time I gained a realization of the barrier which surrounds us from heaven when we immerse ourselves and learn the word of God.  I obtained the conviction of the true and honest power that exists within the scriptures.  There is great depth to this power, but four specific areas have been highlighted in my own life. 

The Scriptures Answer Our Prayers

Although I cannot recall who, there is a quote from one of the apostles which states that when we want to speak with God we pray and when we want to hear His voice we study the scriptures.  I know that this is true. 

For a long period in my life I felt confused about receiving answers to my prayers.  I remember hearing miraculous stories from others who had received remarkable and personalized answers to their prayers.  I decided that I had never encountered such an experience, however, I knew that my Heavenly Father did bless and answer my pleadings to Him.  Essentially I craved an individualized experience where I truly felt the answer of the Lord. 

As I was pulled closer to the gospel I was led to the scriptures, and for the first time in my life I began to study them.  Grand blessings were immediately recognized in my life, and one of the greatest came in the form of a direct and personalized answer to one of my prayers.  It was an astounding experience, and I can still recall the feeling that jolted through my body.  I read, reread, and reread until my mind was worn. 

Since that day I have had countless answers come to me by way of scripture study.  It is the most frequented source of communication from my Father.  Some instances I have a prayer answered within my next study session.  These experiences always spark my heart, and teach me how omniscient the Lord really is.  There have been times when I have stopped a study session earlier than originally intended due to unforeseen circumstances, also known as tiny little hands that need mine, just to pick up the next day and have my answer found within one of those verses that I could not finish the night before.  These moments always amaze me.  It is incredible that my Heavenly Father understands me so personally and knows the details of my life in such an intimate way.

Other times my answers are not discovered for many days, or even extended periods of time.  These are the moments when the Lord is allowing me to learn, develop, and enhance.  With patience I seem to always encounter a verse, or chapter, or more, that calms my soul, strengthens my resolve, and encourages me towards righteousness. 

And then there are times when answers are given before even encountering the question, trial, or experience.  These moments are particularly dear to my heart, as I have recognized the way that my Heavenly Father prepares me for all things.  He desires me to be successful and He provides me with what He knows I will personally need to endure.  He knows me.  He loves me. 

There are many other methods that the Lord uses to answer our prayers, and I am a firm believer that each of us has a unique and special connection in receiving these answers.  I am not suggesting that before I started studying the scriptures that the Lord did not answer my prayers, because He did.  He was sending them, I was simply not connected, nor was I looking to recognize those answers.  However, I do believe that the scriptures have a special ability in allowing us to hear the voice of a Father who is seeking to communicate with His child.  They have been preserved and protected so that we may have what we need to sustain throughout this mortal existence, individually and collectively.  They provide answers to our deepest concerns and questions, and because they are documented words which ring through our ears as we read, it is as though we can truly hear Him speaking to us. 

The Scriptures Keep Us From Pride

I am especially grateful for this specific element.  I have received a great deal of chastisement and admonishing throughout the study of my scriptures.  They have such a distinctive way of humbling me in areas I need it most.  This is a very recurrent occurrence in my study.  I am thankful for the correction of the Lord, because I know that those He chastens, He loves.

One of the greatest things that the scriptures help us to learn is how to set our hearts upon heavenly and eternal treasures.  Living in the world, especially one that covets and idolizes material riches so greatly, we can become distracted and consumed by the frenzy.  It is not difficult to be swept away by the fanatic obsessions of worldly treasures, in fact, it is very easy. 

This was one of my largest weaknesses.  I had an enormous fixation on things.  I craved money and was preoccupied with obtaining more and more.  What started out as a “hobby” and interest, quickly devoured me and I before I recognized what was happening I was swallowed up.  It became a true obsession.  It was all I desired, all I labored towards, and really all I  thought about.  It depleted and destroyed my spirit.  It has been a long, strenuous path to try to overcome, and it will be something that I will have to continually monitor and tweak throughout my lifetime.  However, I do believe that today my heart faces a different direction.  The desires, motivations, and cravings of my heart are directed towards the treasures that are delivered by the Spirit.  It is focused and centered on Christ, which makes all of the interruption and interference of the world melt away.

As I reflect on what has had the most significant impact in helping to redirect my heart I would have declare that it was the scriptures.  When I began to truly and devotedly study my scriptures, not just read them but study them, I discovered great gems of truth.  I found hidden treasures that filled my soul so entirely that I desired nothing more.  The “happiness” that I sought after in seeking worldly treasures, which was never found by the way, was located in the heavenly treasures that I encountered by reading the word of God.  There was never a possession I obtained that brought me as much joy, as much delight, as much fulfillment as the treasures I find in my scripture study each and every day.  These books teach me about what treasure really is, and help me better recognize those things that try to imitate their greatness.

The scriptures introduce our hearts to the heavenly treasures which await us.  They enliven our spirits, which remember home, and help us to better understand what is worth valuing.  It helps us realign with the eternal blessings which will be ours if we but set our hearts upon them and then labor to be worthy of them.

The Scriptures Expand Our Souls

One of our main objectives in entering this mortal sphere is to develop and extend our spirits.  We were sent here to learn and grow that we may be able to achieve our great and awe-inspiring potential.  One of the reasons the Lord provided us with the scriptures was to help us achieve this goal.  The scriptures are perfected instruments to enhance and magnify who and what we are.

Aside from the Holy Ghost, the scriptures have been the one thing that have taught me the most.  As I study and ponder them, great enlightenment has been gained.  This illumination has provided me with courage, fortitude, and resilience.  It has supplied me with hope and has enabled me to have a clearer perspective of both temporal and eternal life.  It has softened burdens, increased my ability to obey, and has enhanced my desire to serve the Lord.  Each of these things expands my soul.  It allows me to become something greater than I was prior.  It empowers me to fulfill the measure of my creation and to be who my Heavenly Father desires me to become.  I could never seek to achieve such a destination without the divinity of His words, which bestow the motivation and encouragement to press onward.

Additionally, the scriptures allow us to build a personal testimony and enable us to gain individualized convictions.   I believe that these things are a requirement in withstanding the evil corruption that sweeps throughout our society today.  We have to be firmly rooted in our own testimonies in order to survive the bitter storm.  When we study the scriptures, the Holy Ghost manifests divine truths to our soul.  These experiences are so personal and so profound we will never forget them, nor will we forsake them. 

The depth of our knowledge and understanding is up to us.  It is no one’s responsibility but our own.  No leader or teacher is responsible for our understanding of the gospel.  Indeed, these special individuals are placed in our lives to guide us and to assist us in learning, but it is not their duty to ensure that we gain a comprehension of gospel truths.  In fact, I believe there are some things that we have to be taught by the Holy Ghost alone.  This sacred illumination is presented to our hearts by and through Him, and become the very things which solidify our personal testimonies.  It is up to us to receive this blessed enlightenment. 

There has been a great deal of turmoil arise lately regarding Church history, policies, practices, and beliefs.  The Church has been in the spotlight and persecution is rampant.  As I have listened to comments from others regarding information that has been released, there is a common phrase that always surprises me: No one ever told me about this [portion of history, policy, practice, belief, etc].  I feel betrayed and deceived.  The response that always enters my mind is: Have you ever studied it for yourself?  Have you ever sought to learn it?  The information is available and waiting for you.

I speak respectfully on this topic, because I understand that these concerns are true and honest for these individuals.  I would never want to offend one who has truly felt this way.  However, our knowledge and understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ and of the practices and beliefs of the Church is up to us.  When we immerse ourselves in the scriptures, the words of the prophets, and other spiritual resources, we are taught.  We discover the truth for ourselves.  We expand.  Our Heavenly Father wants to share all He has with us, and that includes His knowledge and understanding, but we must labor with all that we have to gain it.  It is sacred and we must be worthy to receive such a blessing.  Simply attending our church meetings each week is not enough.  We need to have personalized, one on one time with the Lord each and every day.  During these moments He will open our hearts and minds to celestial truths and our souls will expand.

The Scriptures Protect Us

Just as the scriptures protected Gideon from the battle against Nehor, we, too, can receive spiritual protection from knowing, understanding, and retaining the word of God.  When we study the scriptures we gain a knowledge that is embedded into our hearts.  As we ponder, liken, and revisit the scriptures each day, that source of light only grows. 

Satan is advanced in his deceptions, and one of his favorite things to do is to distort, pollute, and twist the word of God.  He seeks to confuse us in such a way that we will doubt what we originally believed to be true.  However, he is no match to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  He doesn’t even come close.  When we have been taught of the truth through the very words of God, by the teaching and direction of the Holy Ghost, our understanding cannot be swayed.  When Satan sends his forces upon us, the testimony we hold relating to the truth will stay firm.  We will be able to withstand him, because we know and understand the words of God for ourselves, just as Gideon was able to do.

Another thing Satan delights in is taking existing knowledge and republishing it as though it is a newly discovered, previously hidden piece of information.  He is doing this frequently right now.  He utilizes this tactic to make us panic.  To make us think that we have been led astray or fooled.  This is not a new strategy, but a very old one.  When you read through the scriptures you see a constant cycle of this exact thing occurring.  He might gain strength as our world continues to succumb to his schemes, but in actuality he has never been very original, but simply reuses what has helped him succeed in the past, adapting it to current day circumstances. 

We can avoid these pitfalls by being active learners.  By utilizing our time to study, to know, to understand.  As we do this our convictions grow.  When these situations emerge we do not become frazzled or perplexed, because the truth is already within us.  We know for ourselves, which enables us to resist the fiery darts of the adversary.  It is a gift that can save our soul.

The scriptures will always provide us with spiritual protection.  When we allow them to be apart of our lives and enable the power that they have to shield us, we will never be left to defend ourselves alone.  The powers of heaven will be with us, and chariots of angels will descend to secure and safeguard us, of this we can be sure of.  However, the Lord will never take agency away from one of His children, even His wicked children.  At times He allows the righteous to physically fall that the wicked may be punished for their choices.  Such was the case with Gideon.  Gideon was killed by Nehor.  He lost his physical life, but sustained the blessing of everlasting and eternal life with God.  He was ever-protected spiritually, and the Lord never let him down, nor left him alone.  The power which came to Gideon through the words of God enabled him to endure to the end faithfully and to overcome the savage attack from Satan.  There is no greater blessing then the blessing of eternal life at the side of our Father and Savior.

I am so tremendously grateful for these sacred books which provide me with power and strength to exist in a crumbling world.  They supply answers to my prayers, chasten me that I may learn, expand my soul to reach new heights, and above all, they protect me against the one who seeks to destroy me and to steal my opportunity for eternal happiness.  I love my Heavenly Father so deeply for providing such a blessing in my life.  They have created a mighty change within me, and continue to help me develop into who I should and need to be. 

I conclude with my very favorite quote from the October 2014 General Conference by Richard G. Scott:

Don’t yield to Satan’s lie that you don’t have time to study the scriptures. Choose to take time to study them. Feasting on the word of God each day is more important than sleep, school, work, television shows, video games, or social media. You may need to reorganize your priorities to provide time for the study of the word of God. If so, do it! –Richard G. Scott