"How Do I Recognize the Spirit?"

The Liahona Magazine, June 2023

How Do I Recognize the Spirit?

Mark A. Mathews

President Russell M. Nelson taught, “It has never been more imperative to know how the Spirit speaks to you than right now.”1 And yet many still wonder, how do I recognize the Spirit? This is a question that I have been asked repeatedly as a teacher at the missionary training center, for Seminaries and Institutes, and at Brigham Young University. Fortunately, the Lord Jesus Christ has answered this question in the scriptures and the teachings of modern prophets.

The Apostle Paul taught the Corinthians that “the things of God knoweth no man, except he has the Spirit of God” (Joseph Smith Translation, 1 Corinthians 2:11 [in 1 Corinthians 2:11, footnote c]). Because spiritual truths are not typically seen with our natural eyes, they cannot be learned with our natural senses or intellect alone. As a result, we can only come to know them by the Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 2:9–10). The Holy Ghost must confirm them to us (see Moroni 10:4).

“The things of God knoweth no man, except he has the Spirit of God.”

This is why it is vital that each of us learn for ourselves how to recognize and rely on the Spirit to know the truth.2 As President Boyd K. Packer (1924–2015), President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, taught, “If all you know is what you see with your natural eyes and hear with your natural ears, then you will not know very much.”3

To guide us in recognizing His Spirit, the Lord has provided the following descriptions:

“Peace to your mind.” To help Oliver Cowdery recognize the Spirit, the Lord asked, “Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter?” (Doctrine and Covenants 6:23).4 Elder Richard G. Scott (1928–2015) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained: “The feeling of peace is the most common confirming witness that I personally experience. When I have been very concerned about an important matter, struggling to resolve it without success, I continued those efforts in faith. Later, an all-pervading peace has come, settling my concerns, as He has promised.”5

“In your mind and in your heart.” On another occasion, the Lord gave this description of revelation: “I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost. … This is the spirit of revelation” (Doctrine and Covenants 8:2–3). Commenting on this, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught, “The Lord indicates [here] that revelation frequently comes as thoughts to the mind and feelings to the heart.”6

These inspired thoughts and feelings can “enlighten your mind” (Doctrine and Covenants 11:13) and cause your heart to “be filled with joy” (Mosiah 4:20). The Prophet Joseph Smith explained that the “first intimation of the spirit of revelation” is when you “feel pure intelligence flowing into you,” giving you “sudden strokes of ideas.”7

“Heart burn within us.” Reflecting on being taught by the resurrected Christ, two of His disciples said, “Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” (Luke 24:32). Similarly, Jesus Christ told Oliver Cowdery, “I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you” to confirm truth (Doctrine and Covenants 9:8; see also 3 Nephi 11:3). President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency, explained that this “is not a feeling of caloric heat like combustion but a feeling of peace and warmth and serenity and goodness.”8

“Feel that it is right.” Jesus Christ taught Oliver Cowdery that he would know something was true by the Spirit because he would “feel that it is right” (Doctrine and Covenants 9:8). Elder Scott interpreted this to mean that “the answer comes as a feeling with an accompanying conviction.”9

“A still small voice.” The Lord taught Elijah that He does not usually speak dramatically through fire, whirlwinds, and earthquakes, but more often His spiritual communication is subtle through “a still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12).10 This spiritual voice is like “a whisper” that pierces “to the very soul” (Helaman 5:30), and “even though it is described as a voice,” President Packer taught, “it is a voice that one feels, more than one hears.”11

“Thou hast received instruction of my Spirit.” Because the Spirit communicates in quiet and subtle ways, we can receive revelation and not even know it. The Lord explained to Oliver Cowdery, “As often as thou hast inquired thou hast received instruction of my Spirit. If it had not been so, thou wouldst not have come to the place where thou art at this time” (Doctrine and Covenants 6:14). The Lord was guiding him all along, but he didn’t recognize it at the time. Only in hindsight, when the Lord pointed it out, could he look back and see the Lord’s guidance. Likewise, we are also “living in the revelation”12 and may not recognize the Spirit until after He has guided us.

“I reflected on it again and again.” Joseph Smith described an experience with the Spirit he had while searching the scriptures, stating that a verse “seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again” (Joseph Smith–History 1:12). We too can identify the Spirit when scripture verses and prophetic teachings touch our hearts and inspire us to reread and ponder them.

“Line upon line.” Although we sometimes expect revelation to come all at once, the Lord has explained, “I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little” (2 Nephi 28:30). In other words, the Lord’s preferred method is to give incremental revelation, little by little, like seeing the gradual light of a sunrise rather than seeing light all at once after turning on a light.13 Often, this revelation is only recognized when viewed in the aggregate.

The Lord’s preferred method is to give incremental revelation, little by little, like seeing the gradual light of a sunrise.

“Leadeth to do good.” Some wonder if a prompting to do good is from the Spirit or just their own thoughts. Jesus Christ answered this when He taught Hyrum Smith how to recognize His Spirit: “Put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good … ; and this is my Spirit” (Doctrine and Covenants 11:12). We should assume that spiritual promptings to do good are from the Spirit, and we should act on them.

“Be still and know that I am God.” Sometimes the Lord does not respond through His Spirit as quickly as we expect. This can be difficult and requires us to exercise faith in His direction to “be still and know that I am God” (Doctrine and Covenants 101:16). President Nelson explained: “There may be times when you feel as though the heavens are closed. But I promise that as you continue to be obedient, expressing gratitude for every blessing the Lord gives you, and as you patiently honor the Lord’s timetable, you will be given the knowledge and understanding you seek.”14 When we experience this divine silence, we should remember, as President Oaks has taught, “that the Lord will speak to us through the Spirit in His own time and in His own way. … We wait upon the Lord for His revelation.”15

Although these descriptions are helpful, they are ultimately still inadequate. As President Packer explained: “We do not have the words (even the scriptures do not have words) which perfectly describe the Spirit. The scriptures generally use the word voice, which does not exactly fit. These delicate, refined spiritual communications are not seen with our eyes, nor heard with our ears.”16 In the end, recognizing the Spirit is like tasting salt: difficult to describe in words but recognizable once you have personally experienced it.17

This is why we must learn to recognize the Spirit for ourselves. While we cannot force spiritual experiences, we can create a climate for them to happen. The Lord Jesus Christ has revealed some of the small and simple things we can do to learn to hear Him speak to us through His Spirit so we can better recognize that spiritual influence whenever He speaks to us.

Scriptures. The Lord Jesus Christ revealed that we can hear His spiritual voice speaking to us when we study the scriptures. He said:

“These words are not of men, … but of me; …

“For it is my voice which speaketh them unto you; for they are given by my Spirit unto you, and by my power you can read them … ;

“Wherefore, you can testify that you have heard my voice” (Doctrine and Covenants 18:34–36).

Explaining this principle, Elder Bednar taught: “One of the ways that I can hear Him is in the scriptures. The scriptures are the pre-recorded voice of the Lord. It is not hearing an audible voice per se, although that can happen. It is hearing the scriptures in a feeling—a feeling in my mind, a feeling in my heart. For me, the scriptures are key in receiving and recognizing those thoughts and feelings.”18

Temple. President Nelson taught that “we can also hear Him in the temple. The house of the Lord is a house of learning. … There we learn how to part the veil and communicate more clearly with heaven.”19 The Prophet Joseph Smith prayed for us to be able to learn to recognize the Spirit more fully in the temple when he prayed “that all those who shall worship in this house … may grow up in thee, and receive a fulness of the Holy Ghost” (Doctrine and Covenants 109:14–15). When we consistently worship in the temple, we gain experience feeling the Spirit and we grow in our capacity to recognize His voice in our lives.

When we consistently worship in the temple, we gain experience feeling the Spirit and we grow in our capacity to recognize His voice.

Prophets. “Finally,” taught President Nelson, “we hear Him as we heed the words of prophets, seers, and revelators.”20 As we regularly listen to the messages of our living prophets and apostles and act on their counsel, we invite the Holy Ghost to teach us. This is another important source of experience with the Spirit that can help us recognize His influence.

In addition, we can pray sincerely, serve faithfully in the Church, record spiritual impressions, and worthily partake of the sacrament. By doing these things with faith in Jesus Christ, the Spirit will come, and we will recognize Him by the descriptions of scripture, become familiar with His promptings by our own experience, and more confidently recognize His influence in all areas of our lives. “By learning the Spirit of God and understanding it, you may grow into the principle of revelation, until you become perfect in Christ Jesus”21 and obtain “the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16).

Notes

1. Russell M. Nelson, “Hear Him,” Liahona, May 2020, 90.
2. See Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” Liahona, May 2018, 95.
3. As quoted in David A. Bednar, “Quick to Observe,” Liahona, Dec. 2006, 20.
4. Similarly, the Apostle Paul taught that the “fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace” (Galatians 5:22).
5. Richard G. Scott, “Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer,” Liahona, May 2007, 10.
6. David A. Bednar, “Teach Them to Understand” (Ricks College campus education week devotional, June 4, 1998), byui.edu.
7. Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (2007), 132.
8. Dallin H. Oaks, “In His Own Time, In His Own Way,” Liahona, Aug. 2013, 28.
9. Richard G. Scott, “Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer,” 9.
10. “Although its impact can be incredibly powerful, it most often comes quietly as a still, small voice” (Quentin L. Cook, “The Blessing of Continuing Revelation to Prophets and Personal Revelation to Guide Our Lives,” Liahona, May 2020, 99).
11. Boyd K. Packer, “The Candle of the Lord,” Ensign, Jan. 1983, 52.
12. David A. Bednar, in “Evening with a General Authority—Elder Bednar” (video), Feb. 2020, ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
13. See David A. Bednar, “The Spirit of Revelation,” Liahona, May 2011, 88.
14. Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” 95–96.
15. Dallin H. Oaks, “In His Own Time, In His Own Way,” 24, 26.
16. Boyd K. Packer, “The Candle of the Lord,” 52.
17. See Boyd K. Packer, “The Candle of the Lord,” 51–52.
18. David A. Bednar, “‘Hear Him’ in Your Heart and in Your Mind,” Inspiration (blog), Apr. 21, 2020, ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
19. Russell M. Nelson, “Hear Him,” 90.
20. Russell M. Nelson, “Hear Him,” 90.
21. Teachings: Joseph Smith, 132; see also Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” 95.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/inspiration/how-do-i-recognize-the-spirit?lang=eng