Seeking Revelation Through Prayer

My topic today is Seeking Revelation Through Prayer, and the reference material is a talk given by Elder Brook P. Hales in the April 2019 General Conference entitled “Answers to Prayer”.

It's very appropriate in our church to talk about prayer and revelation in the same sentence because it was Joseph Smith’s first prayer that led to the ushering in of this dispensation. We see in our study of the Doctrine and Covenants how many times Joseph was given revelation in direct answer to his prayers. We understand that we are entitled to revelation as we live worthy to receive it.

The relationship between prayer and revelation has been explained as ‘prayer is the way that we communicate with God, and revelation is the way He communicates with us’.

Elder David A. Bednar said; “Revelation is communication from God to His children on the earth...Sincere desire and worthiness invite the spirit of revelation into our lives...Some revelations are received immediately; some are recognized gradually...as we honour our covenants and keep the commandments, as we strive to do good and to become better, we can walk with the confidence that God will guide our steps.” (emphasis added)

When we think of prayer and receiving answers to prayers, we sometimes confuse our desire to have what we want, with receiving answers from God to help us understand what He wants for us. If we look solely at the outcomes of our requests to God - and sometimes the apparent lack of outcomes –the picture is incomplete.  If we add revelation – the seeking of guidance – we get a clearer perspective.

Elder Hales' talk has six main points that we can delve into:

1. Heavenly Father loves us and is aware of our needs.

In order to know He is our Father there are several scriptural references we can go to. In Moses 1:3-4 we read where God is talking to Moses and He explains “I am the Lord God” and then states “thou art my son”. Understanding who God is and who we are gives us confidence in His love for us and His knowledge of each of us as His children. Heavenly Father knows what we need, but often we don’t, although we think we do. His knowing our needs is not the same as giving us everything we want.  Those of us who are parents know that this is not good parenting. When I was 15 years old I could not understand why my father said no to my request to go walking along the Semaphore jetty on my own at night. He was older and wiser than me, and his answer was in my best interest, though I didn’t see it at the time.

2. Heavenly Father blesses us according to His infinite wisdom.

Even when we understand that, it can be difficult to reconcile to our lives when we’re doing the best we can, our desires are righteous, but things are not working out the way we keep praying they will. Sometimes I have found that I just had to accept that I don’t know and don’t understand. I have done all I can and I just have to ‘let go and let God’. I think this may be what President Nelson means by ‘let God prevail.’

In Hebrews chapter 11 verse 1 Paul says “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”.

President Eying reminded us last October that “faith in Jesus Christ is the key to receiving revelations of truth”.

Doctrine & Covenants 42:61 reads” If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal.”

3. We are counselled to seek guidance from Heavenly Father through earnest, heartfelt prayer.

Because He loves us and want to bless us, He is pleased when we come to Him for guidance. As parents, we are always ready to help our children but they have to want that help. In the story of the prodigal son, it was not until the son “came to himself” that his father was able to help him. It’s not until we are really ready to receive help that having it offered actually benefits us. It’s when we are ready to listen, to learn and to act that we can move forward. Earnest, heartfelt prayer is what Joseph Smith offered in the sacred grove – he went to pray with the intention of acting according the answer.

We may have rushed, routine prayers and I know I have prayed in less than ideal situations. Sometimes this is necessary, but when we make the time and space in our lives to really commune with God, it’s a very different experience. We can make place in our homes, we can find a quiet place in nature, we can go to the temple. When I have taken my concerns to the temple I have received revelation, sometimes very clearly and concisely, more often piece by piece as is the Lord’s pattern explained in 2 Nephi 28 “For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men  line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.”

If we think of how much we enjoy being with those we love and whose counsel we appreciate, it’s interesting to consider the situation of the brother of Jared, as explained in Ether 2, verse 14: "And it came to pass at the end of four years that the Lord came again unto the brother of Jared, and stood in a cloud and talked with him. And for the space of three hours did the Lord talk with the brother of Jared, and chastened him because he remembered not to call upon the name of the Lord."

Joseph Smith said: ”By learning the Spirit of God and understanding it, you may grow into the principle of revelation, until you become perfect in Christ Jesus.”
 
4. As we honour our covenants and live righteously, we are more likely to avail ourselves of his blessings.

In several of the sources I referred to in preparing this talk I found expressions like “seek, search diligently, knock, desire to receive, ask in faith’.  This shows that we need to put forth some effort. Joseph Smith prayed in humility, recognising his limitations and his need of divine help. Remember the scripture that led him to pray was James 1:5–6 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.” So we know what we need to do, and how to do it.

5. Sometimes prayers are not answered in the way or the time frame we would like or expect.

President Henry B Eyring referred to the times that we receive – as did Joseph Smith – the answer to be patient. He said: “If your faith in Jesus Christ has led to a heart softened through the effects of His atonement, you will be more able to feel the whisperings of the spirit in answer to your prayers...When I feel an internal quiet and submission to the Lord’s will, that feeling of humility can best be described as “Not my will but thine be done.”

6. Sometimes Heavenly Father has greater blessings in store for us.

You may have had the experience of going through a difficult time and much later looking back at the experience, and even at journal entries you made at the time, and find that where you are now is not where you expected to be, but is in fact much better.  In the middle of our trials we may not recognise the revelation we receive, or the way we are guided.  It’s when we’ve made it to the top of the hill that we can look at the way we’ve come from the valley below.

It may not be until then that we can fully comprehend the meaning of Doctrine and Covenants 6:15 when the Lord told Oliver Cowdery: "Behold, thou knowest that thou hast inquired of me and I did enlighten thy mind; and now I tell thee these things that thou mayest know that thou hast been enlightened by the Spirit of truth."

At the beginning of this talk I mentioned how the church was founded on revelation. At a time when the world said the heavens were closed, Joseph Smith found they were not. Our current prophet President Nelson has made several mentions of gaining personal revelation, some of them with quite a sense of urgency, for example:

• "In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost."
• "If we are to have any hope of sifting through the myriad of voices and the philosophies of men that attack truth, we must learn to receive revelation."
• "I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation"
• "Our need for divine guidance has never been greater" (link)
• "My beloved brothers and sisters, I plead with you to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation."

And in referring our Saviour, Jesus Christ, how often has President Nelson said; "Hear Him."

When we consider how blessed we are to know the heavens are open to us, that our prophet is telling us to avail ourselves of the blessings of heaven by prayer, will we be those of whom Jesus spoke in Matthew 11:15 "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."

I pray that we will, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

From a Sacrament Meeting talk given in Adelaide, South Australia