Dj Tilly said 8 years, 9 months ago:

What is the Holy Ghost?

I feel like people have a wide verity of beliefs about what the Holy Ghost is and why he is such an important role to our faith in Christ and I would like to see what different peoples thought on this are. Is he a tangible thing? How do we recognize him? What does he do for us? How can he help us in our everyday life?

My personal thoughts are that we can feel him in our lives! Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Here it talks about the fruit of the Spirit and what we feel when he is in our lives. To me this is the evidence of when I have him in my life. So if I am able to feel the fruits of the spirit than I know that he is with me at that exact time and place. Now why is it important to know when we feel the Spirit in our lives?
Because the Spirit teaches us about God and that he is a real person. Because if you didn’t learn from the Spirit how else do you know that God is real? You could point towards scientific facts to prove that God is real, but personally I don’t think that that is how he works. In John 14:26 it says “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.” When you combine these two concepts together it’s saying that as you feel the Holy Ghost it is also telling you of the truth and this is the stem of where all belief in God comes from.
As you read the Bible or as you learn more about true principles of God and Christ the Holy Spirit is there to testify about what is being taught. John also talks of that concept in John 15:26, “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:” By these truths I know that God is my Father in Heaven and as I strive to follow his commandments I can feel the Spirit in my life, and know that these commandments are from God.
In John 7:17 it says “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” And that is why acting upon God’s words are so important as well, because as you continue to act upon God’s words your life will become better and more true happiness will fill your life. So when I pray or as I read scriptures I have that feeling of peace and joy as I learn more about God. Which I know comes from the Holy Ghost

Anyways those are me thoughts on it! I would love to hear what other people have to say though. Let me know if you agree or disagree and leave a comment below. If you do I’ll bake you a cookie and send it to you!

jfk42 said 8 years, 8 months ago:

Well, I believe the Holy Ghost is the part of God who resides in us, helps us and speaks or acts through us if we will let him.

Humanist Hope said 8 years, 8 months ago:

It means that the Holy Ghost has always been some combination of the other two parts of the Trinity and has no explanation for itself. It is a nebulous concept that people use in practice to describe anything unexplainable, from unexplored feelings to unknown experiences.

Dj Tilly said 8 years, 8 months ago:

How do you figure out what God’s will is and what’s actually real or not? The way I’ve done it in the past, which is my own personal way of doing it, is basing what I’ve seen off of scriptures, prayer, and knowing the characteristics of God. Everybody has their own way though and I like hearing other peoples opinion.

Leckshi said 8 years, 7 months ago:

My take on it

The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead. He is a personage of spirit, without a body of flesh and bones. He is often referred to as the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Lord, or the Comforter.

The Holy Ghost works in perfect unity with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, fulfilling several roles to help us live righteously and receive the blessings of the gospel.

He “witnesses of the Father and the Son” (2 Nephi 31:18) and reveals and teaches “the truth of all things” (Moroni 10:5). We can receive a sure testimony of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ only by the power of the Holy Ghost. His communication to our spirit carries far more certainty than any communication we can receive through our natural senses.

As we strive to stay on the path that leads to eternal life, the Holy Ghost can guide us in our decisions and protect us from physical and spiritual danger.

Through Him, we can receive gifts of the Spirit for our benefit and for the benefit of those we love and serve (see D&C 46:9-11).

He is the Comforter (John 14:26). As the soothing voice of a loving parent can quiet a crying child, the whisperings of the Spirit can calm our fears, hush the nagging worries of our life, and comfort us when we grieve. The Holy Ghost can fill us “with hope and perfect love” and “teach [us] the peaceable things of the kingdom” (Moroni 8:26; D&C 36:2).

Through His power, we are sanctified as we repent, receive the ordinances of baptism and confirmation, and remain true to our covenants (see Mosiah 5:1-6; 3 Nephi 27:20; Moses 6:64-68).

He is the Holy Spirit of Promise (see Ephesians 1:13; D&C 132:7, 18-19, 26). In this capacity, He confirms that the priesthood ordinances we have received and the covenants we have made are acceptable to God. This approval depends on our continued faithfulness.

All honest seekers of the truth can feel the influence of the Holy Ghost, leading them to Jesus Christ and His gospel. However, the fulness of the blessings given through the Holy Ghost are available only to those who receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and remain worthy.

After a person is baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, one or more Melchizedek Priesthood holders lay their hands on the person’s head and, in a sacred priesthood ordinance, confirm him or her a member of the Church. As part of this ordinance, called confirmation, the person is given the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The gift of the Holy Ghost is different from the influence of the Holy Ghost. Before baptism, a person can feel the influence of the Holy Ghost from time to time and through that influence can receive a testimony of the truth. After receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, a person has the right to the constant companionship of that member of the Godhead if he or she keeps the commandments.