Praying In The Holy Ghost

winter-wonderlandBut ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost. Jude 1:20

Interesting phrase- “Praying IN the Holy Ghost”

I’d like to briefly explain what that might mean   I believe praying IN the Holy Ghost is an important part of the true order of prayer. It is finding the Holy Ghost in prayer.  It is a process of quieting your mind and your body in unified harmony and making them defer to the Holy Ghost.  It is allowing the Holy Ghost to speak through your heart and your words in the act of prayer/meditation. The Holy Ghost communicates the Mind of God. You repeat its words.

We must realize that most of what our natural mind and heart prays for is our own will and not the Will of the Father. That also goes for what we should be thankful for, what to repent of, and where we need help. There is rest in the lord and praying in the Holy Ghost can place you in that rest. Recognizing this is a big step in becoming a little child.   I believe one of the most important elements of heaven connecting prayer/meditation is actually finding the Will (Mind) of the Father- in that moment, through the Holy Ghost and express it.

Let the Holy Ghost speak through you. Let the Holy Ghost find and communicate the Lords Will for you.   This of course isn’t always easy with our limited vocabulary. The language of our heart is more encompassing and a better way to communicate with the Lord then words at times. Focus with your mind and communicate with your heart.  The word and will of the Lord is within you and knows much more what you need then you do.

In this life, withIn you, dwells the record of Heaven- the Holy Ghost.

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s”.1 Cor 6:19-20

The good news is that it is the record of Heaven and will bring to your remembrance all things because it knoweth all things(Moses 6:61). You ARE sufficiently equipped right now!  You don’t need to look elsewhere!

In my attempt to feel, hear, know, and actually find the “voice” of the Holy Ghost the steps below seemed to help.  In the process I became better at pinpointing or bringing all of me closer to the spirit. I found my breath and then softly heard how similar to a whisper it sounds. Along with this Joseph’s words rang true to me “and when the heart is sufficiently contrite then the voice of inspiration steals along and whispers–” (TPJS, p. 134.)

Suggestions while in the act of deep pondering/communicating with God:

YOU ARE THE TEMPLE. Literally– realize this.  After pondering deeply, QUIET down your mind.  QUIET it down even more reaching inwardly. Listen carefully or feel carefully with your spiritual mind and heart. Find the fabric of holiness within you.   Find, feel and hear your spirit. Notice the love, the breath, the voice, the fabric is delicate.  It steals along and whispers.. it is there.  THE BREATH OF LIFE “the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart” Deuteronomy 30: 11-14

Words are effective only if they carry the correct meaning to your mind. Many of the words we use have attached traditions and connotations that block us from opening our minds enough. We must approach God as an infant. I think the word “prayer” at times needs to be replaced in our own minds. Rethink what “prayer” means. Instead of prayer I’m going to us these words to replace it: The act of deep pondering with your mind focusing on things of God as you let your heart communicate with God through your emotions, feelings and at times words.

I believe a key to the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost is noticing its presence in you always until it is second nature. While you are walking, driving, waiting in line, talking, breathing… ” it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven,  that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?  Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?  But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.” Deuteronomy 30: 11-14

Heaven is within you, within arm’s length (literally) and within reaching distance always. All of this is made available by and through the Spirit of the Lord.

Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. Luke 17:21

“And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens.” (Enos 1:4)

28 thoughts on “Praying In The Holy Ghost”

  1. Awesome – Jared, I’m glad you decided to start sharing more about your insights on the HG. You’re a great teacher and have much to share on this topic. Thank you!!

    — Jules

    1. Thank you Jules. I’m not a great teacher but I know the Holy Ghost is. It can teach even a fool like me.

  2. Jared

    Thanks for your thoughts on the Spirit. If it isn’t too much to ask, would you mind sharing your experience when you first received the Holy Ghost and what it was like? Thanks brother

  3. I would like to add my first experience with the Holy Ghost for your consideration. At age 20, having had only sporadic church attendance and wanting to marry a certain girl, I received a call to go on a mission. I was perplexed and confused. I went to the Lord in prayer and about two weeks later the Holy Ghost visited with me for a period of about 10 days. Every way the Holy Ghost manifests in the Book of Acts, except for the sensation of anointing occurred to me. I did not know what the Holy Ghost was doing for me at the time, but I went on the mission because my prayer was answered. On the mission, every time I testified to the restoration, the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, etc., I could feel (sense) the Holy Ghost testifying to my words to the point I could challenge investigators that the feeling they just experience was the testimony of the Holy Ghost.

    Thus, my testimony came directly from heaven for a heavenly purpose and I seek to honor this manifestation by my actions the rest of my life.

  4. Thanks Minorityofone,
    The Holy Ghost is a revelator for me and instills pure intelligence. There is a frequency to it that I have learned to recognize. I believe that anyone is able to develop the ability to recognize the frequency in them.

    It more than often reveals things to me that haven’t entered my heart or mind previously. This is another reason why I believe it is important to always have a childlike presence because if not it is easy to reject the intelligence due to it contradicting with what you previously thought you knew and understood.

    I really like and believe Joseph Smith’s quote “The Holy Ghost has no other effect than pure intelligence. It is more powerful in expanding the mind, enlightening the understanding, and storing the intellect with present knowledge“. I believe pure intelligence is the effect and my emotional response to the intelligence varies depending on the message. I pay attention to the emotional response in an effort to help know where I need refinement. When I’m called to repentance the feeling isn’t always pleasant. When something is revealed that contradicts my previous paradigm.. discomfort can set in– I welcome and rejoice when this happens. Of course the ancient peace I feel by the comforter is also welcomed and often needed but it is in the refining I find improvement.

    Also, in that quote the words “present knowledge” is peculiar and helps me recognize the Holy Ghost.

    I do have a encounter with the Holy Ghost that had a very big impact on me. I have tried to relate it in the link below. I do have and am a witness of the Holy Ghost.

    http://www.journeytothefullness.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=224

  5. Thanks for sharing guys. Your writing and thoughts remind me of some meditation lectures and classes I have perused. They talked about finding the inner child and in many of the eastern persuasions they talk about finding our true self and the truth within is. I believe there is truth to it.
    Thanks for your thoughts. I have found in my own experience there is absolutely no way to conjure up the Holy Ghost. He is not always present (although certainly the light He gives can remain with us) there is no amount of stillness or meditation that can bring such power. Certainly we can ask and plead and seek but it is not within our power to make the Holy Ghost operable within us. That is my experience anyway. God bless.

  6. StillStruggling

    Jared, thanks for putting this into words. It helps me understand better some things I have experienced. I have experienced prayer when words became ineffective to convey what I was feeling in my heart or what I wanted to convey to Father. At times like this I have even asked Father at these times to please look into my heart to try and express what I was feeling. Words really can be ineffective at times. I am looking forward to further using some of your suggestions.

    -William

  7. I don’t want this to get denoted to a meditation technique. Even though that can be beneficial for many people. I was hesitant in posting some steps that helped me because it might not invite people to experiment in their own way with prayer and the “Word”.

    Prayer is a individual process learning to communicate with the Savior(Him with you/You with HIm).

    This isn’t a method of conjuring up the Holy Ghost. We must pray to be “filled” with the Holy Ghost. It is a Gift that must be given by the Lord. The Lord wants us to receive this Gift.

    “And they did pray for that which they most desired; and they desired that the Holy Ghost should be GIVEN unto them.3 Nephi 19:9”

    We must “receive” the gift. It is possible to have the Holy Ghost as your constant companion-
    “The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever. D&C 121: 46 ”

    It’s recommended to pray always. I believe it is possible and take the below scripture literally.
    “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.” D&C 6:36″

    1. Yeah I would like to see somewhere outside of the doctrine and covenants that says the Holy Ghost can be your constant companion. I think it can for translated beings perhaps but the Book of Mormon and bible seem to make it clear it is transient. It’s influence ought to always reside in us though. That is my understanding. I think often people experience similar things and then use different words to describe them.
      According to joseph smith the Holy Ghost is a revelator and cannot come upon someone without giving revelation. To have the power of the Holy Ghost continually with you would be receiving a constant stream of pure revelation. New scripture would be flowing out of the mouth of the individual every time that person spoke. Perhaps the power I am referring to is not what you describe the Holy Ghost to be though. Would it be such a terrible thing if what you were describing was the light of Christ?

      1. What i’m describing in this post is not the Light of Christ, though the Light of Christ is the channel, which the Holy Ghost and you and I can do anything.

        My perspective of knowing the Holy Ghost does not just come from the vantage point of the scriptures yet they do help explain and clarify much about the Holy Ghost. The concept of the Holy Ghost is not to be understood by someone’s explanation but by personal experience revealed by God. It is how you connect with God and it is how you become and are One with God.1 Jn 5:7

        The Holy Ghost is a revelator but It is much more than that. It is all of these things- “Therefore it is given to abide in you; the record of heaven; the Comforter; the peaceable things of immortal glory; the truth of all things; that which quickeneth all things, which maketh alive all things; that which knoweth all things, and hath all power according to wisdom, mercy, truth, justice, and judgment”

        In addition the Holy Ghost is connected to priesthood and connects you to the priesthood. The Last 6 verses of section 121 is a masterpiece explanation of that and I encourage anyone to pray about it’s origin if in doubt.

  8. Thanks Still Struggling, I’m glad you pointed this out. I think we have learned patterns of prayer that are almost subconscious and hard to overcome. At times we might think we aren’t praying as the Pharisees pray because we are actually using our own words in prayer. Our words are limited and only can express minimally what is contained in you.

    We have set boundaries up. Your Heart can communicate without boundaries if you truly trust the Lord’s Love. He already knows you’re heart… You are the one that doesn’t know it. The Gift of the Holy Ghost is a very big self-discovery process.

    It is your confidence that needs to wax strong not the Lords confidence in you(see below).

    “Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall THY CONFIDENCE wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.” D&C 121:45

  9. Jared,

    Thank you for the post. I believe that you are correct that everyone has their own personal ways of inviting the Holy Ghost. We are unique and God knows each of us perfectly. I like the scripture you used in your previous comment D&C 121:46 about how we need to “receive” the gift. The Holy Ghost is a gift and it has to be given to us. I remember the day and even the hour the gift of the Holy Ghost was given to me. It was the day my life changed forever. Being baptized with the Holy Ghost and receiving that gift from God is a special moment that people will always remember. I believe that all I had to do was be willing to receive that gift. I did not really ask for it but when it came I was willing to receive it. After having that gift placed inside of me the toughee part was learning how the spirit communicated with me and how I could invite that spirit back again on a regular basis. I believe the spirit of the Lord visits all who are willing to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost on and individual level when Gods time is right for the specific person. Just my personal belief that everyone who receives the Holy Ghost will remember the specific time in which they received the gift. Just like I will always remember the time I got a gift of my favorite pair of basketball shoes. I remember the gift came on a Christmas eve and the gift came from my grandma as I was willing to receive it as a gift. I loved those shoes and was grateful and willing to accept them. If I hadn’t liked them then my grandma would have been willing to take them back and I would have had no gift. It is the same thing with the gift of the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit. I remember when I received it and I remember who specifically gave me the greatest gift that I have ever received. The gift of the spirit just like gift of the basketball shoes I wanted to use every chance I got. The only difference is the gifts of the spirit are eternal and won’t wear out like the shoes. All in all, God is good and every good gift comes from God. Thanks for the post. God bless

  10. Shortly after this, I received what I think is a “re-baptism by fire”. I had previously in my life had a couple of fiery experiences, but nothing like this one. As I lay awake in my bed, I felt the flow of a wonderful energy coming into me. The intensity of this energy gradually increased, encompassing my whole body, until I thought my very flesh was going to dissolve! It seemed to me that I became light like a feather. I continued to be bathed in this for a goodly period of time.

    Ok this was from a comment on the link you gave. This is what I am talking about! I am saying EVERY SINGLE TIME the Holy Ghost comes upon someone this is what happens. This “fiery experience” IS the Holy Ghost. Every time the Holy Ghost speaks it is another baptism of fire! We can receive this same powerful experience multiple times a day and that is what it meant in the Book of Mormon when they “received many revelations daily.”
    When the Holy Ghost tells you something you do not ever need to doubt. You could walk right up to God and say with a perfect assurance, “thank you for telling me that the other day by the Holy Ghost, what else can you tell me?” It is undeniable. Is this what you are talking about? Cause yeah I am with you except if someone was really constantly walking around filled with this fire it would hardly be a trial at all on this earth. I don’t know if we are describing the same thing or not.

    1. Yes, I believe we are talking about the same thing. I can personally relate with the powerful affect you describe. If some aren’t I want to explain that two people can have different experiences with the Holy Ghost. Joseph Smith clearly stated that when he explained two very different effects the Holy Ghost has on an Israelite compared to a Gentile.

      “…. It is more powerful in expanding the mind, enlightening the understanding, and storing the intellect with present knowledge, of a man who is of the literal seed of Abraham, than one that is a Gentile, though it may not have half as much visible effect upon the body; for as the Holy Ghost falls upon one of the literal seed of Abraham, it is calm and serene; and his whole soul and body are only exercised by the pure spirit of intelligence; while the effect of the Holy Ghost upon a Gentile, is to purge out the old blood, and make him actually of the seed of Abraham. That man that has none of the blood of Abraham (naturally) must have a new creation by the Holy Ghost. In such a case, there may be more of a powerful effect upon the body, and visible to the eye, than upon an Israelite, while the Israelite at first might be far before the Gentile in pure intelligence.”

      1. Ha ha seemed to have a very powerful effect on ANYONE in the scriptures and they were mostly Israelites by the way I am reading them. Joseph smith….alright I really appreciate your insights thank you brother I am going to continue pondering these things. God bless.

  11. Hi Jared,

    You said “In addition the Holy Ghost is connected to priesthood and connects you to the priesthood.”

    What do you mean by “priesthood” and “the priesthood”?

    1. Good catch Log,
      I used “priesthood” to reference priesthood in general and “the priesthood” to reference actually acquiring priesthood.

      1. Jared,

        Please forgive me – I am not a fan of recursive definitions. What does the word “priesthood” mean, without using the word “priesthood” in the definition? What is “the priesthood” to you?

  12. Jared, you are able through the administrative functions of the blog to remove off-topic comments by people who are engaging in conversations with persons not present.

  13. lizzievalentina

    Jared, I have enjoyed your comments. I also read the link you provided and found it very inspiring. I read it before a long while ago. I think it’s good to go back and reread information after some time has passed. It becomes more meaningful.

    Thank you so much for sharing your testimony and what you have learned.

  14. A friend of mine made a good point today that it is so easy for us to seek externally to connect with Heaven.

    This scripture played through my head.

    “I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.”Psalms 77:6

    Another interesting phrase “I commune with mine own heart”.

  15. So beautifully put…” Listen…or feel carefully with your spiritual mind and heart. Find the fabric of holiness within you.”
    I love that metaphor…Fabric of Holiness. It really resonates. Thank you so much for your inspired words…they came at a time when I had been asking for months, REALLY, Who IS the Holy Ghost? I needed more than thinking of it as a nebulous spirit man floating around, hurrying to be in so many places at once, influencing so many. I have done much pondering and praying for answers.
    For years my husband used to ask his Sunday School students to draw a picture of the Holy Ghost. It was interesting seeing what came up. Mostly the drawings were simplistic, showing a sketch of perhaps a sheet figure with two glaring eyes. Sometimes, someone just drew a picture of a man. The point being that the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit who looks like a man, but without a tangible body. That is the “official” word from the church.

    In the church published manual, A Guide to Addiction Recovery, page 65, the Holy Ghost is said to be an exalted being.
    “You will know you are blessed and supported by three glorified, exalted individuals–God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost”.
    I can find no other place where it is called “exalted”, but this was probably assumed by the authors of the manual because it is a member of the Godhead. So, who is this exalted being who apparently “made it” without a body?
    Here’s what I have come up with. The Holy Ghost is another name or title given to the part of our soul/spirit that was present in the pre-existence, the one that has no veil, the one that knows our Father in Heaven and our brother, Jesus Christ and all the other things that transpired there. I believe that “Higher Self” Spirit met with them and helped plan out what adventures we wanted to experience in our mortal life. Our Higher Spirit Self is a member of the Godhead! How utterly awesome is that? Holy fabric of our Soul, layer of our Spirit, that which contains the Record of Heaven. A Comforter. A Seer. A Shaman. A Warrior. A Priest or Priestess, A King or Queen.
    When we are confirmed after baptism, we are given the “gift of the Holy Ghost”. That “gift” is the admonition to “receive the Holy Ghost”. We have had it all along, but may not have been aware. Now, we are asked to receive it, or in other words, receive what it has to offer, open ourselves up to guidance…find the fabric of Holiness, the Breath of Heaven.
    I really like the following quote from Denver Snuffer.
    “The Holy Ghost is the ‘record of heaven’ which lives inside you and that you have lost contact with because of the veil. It is a personage of spirit who resides inside you, and you must ‘receive’ it after baptism by finally listening to that inner ‘truth of all things’ or ‘record of the Father and the Son.'” (Moses 6: 61, 66.)

    Not only can we “receive” the Holy Spirit, but through the Holy Spirit we have access to that which is Holy in others. Our ancestors or loved ones might come to us as guardian angels or to deliver a message. They speak to our spirits in the same way. We can often perceive them with our spiritual eyes as they desire to appear. We can also sometimes “see” the Holy Spirits of those still in mortality. Wow, What a powerful gift! If only we allow ourselves to receive it! But How??? It’s there in the scriptures…our “How To” manual, but not in easy numbered steps like E-How. It is to be discovered…much like seeing the perception of an optical illusion. It may require digging deep and looking with a different insight. Savor the AHA moments. It even goes deeper than we have ever realized. The more we uncover, the more we recognize we don’t comprehend… and the more exciting the journey becomes.

    1. Awesome dreampacker. I was filled with the Holy Ghost by your comments. Understanding the Holy Ghost can be an Ah ha moment and I would love everyone to experience it. Knowing the Holy Ghost is a self-discovery process, you can discover your oneness with the Father and the Son. It’s role in the Godhead is important and naturally so is yours. “Which Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are one God, infinite and eternal, without end. Amen.D&C 20:28″

      “..Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be.”D&C 93:29

      Let us make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness; and it was so…
      And I, God, created man in MINE own image, in the image of mine Only Begotten created I him; male and female created I them.” Moses 2 26-27

      The invitation is found throughout the scriptures to be one with God. I believe it’s time we accept the invitation and BE that.
      “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.” 1 Cor 12:12

      You do have a higher-self within you or better said your highest-self. The truth is found within you. We find ourselves in a veil of forgetfulness. The Holy Ghost brings things back to your remembrance.
      “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 14:26″

      As Adam needed to rise up and know that he was Michael, we need to rise up and realize who we are.
      “And the Lord appeared unto them, and they rose up and blessed Adam, and called him Michael, the prince, the archangel. D&C 107:54″

      In my humble opinion- Have confidence in the fact that you ARE a child of promise and within you, you have access to all truth. Seek it out constantly in confidence & faith. The Savior is communicating with us through His Spirit and the Holy Ghost. There is power found in the Holy Ghost- we must receive it. The gift is given to abide in us.
      “And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.” Moroni 10:5

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