In John 16, we learn a little bit about the mission of the Holy Ghost. In verse 8, we are told that “he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” Then, in verse 13, we read that “he will guide you in all truth…and he will shew you all things to come.”
From these verses, we learn a little bit about the role of the Spirit in our lives. He reproves us from sin by alerting us to our misconduct. When we are engaged in sinful behavior – or when we are omitting righteous behavior – the Spirit can testify to us. But we know that he speaks in a still, small voice, and so we must be opening our ears to listen for his promptings. In this way, the Holy Ghost nudges us back towards the straight and narrow path, if we are but willing to listen to him.
The Spirit also keeps us on the path of righteousness by prompting us to do the things we need. Sometimes, it simply testifies to us of the necessity for keeping the commandments or studying the scriptures. Sometimes it comforts us in prayer. Other times, it leads us to help and serve those who are in need.
The Holy Ghost can also help us to make righteous judgment. While none of us has the right or authority to make the call on a person’s final destination, we can make situational judgments that relate to us. For instance, it is fairly easy to determine that hanging around with a group of people while they are engaged in criminal behavior is not a good place to be.
Finally, the Holy Ghost will guide us to truth. Moroni taught that by the power of the Holy Ghost, we may know the truth of all things (Moroni 10:5). The Spirit will testify of the truth of the gospel, of the scriptures, of living prophets, and of individual commandments. It will help us to know if someone is telling us the truth. It will tell those who are willing to hear that Heavenly Father loves and treasures them.
The Holy Spirit is a powerful guide that we need to navigate through the world today. Through his promptings and teachings, we can make sure that we stay on the route that God would have us take to return to Him. But we must make the conscious effort to listen to that small, quiet voice. If we surround ourselves with noise, we will have a much more difficult time listening to his promptings.
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