I would like to focus today on 3 Nephi 18:18 which are the words of our Savior Himself: "Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat." He gives 3 specific admonitions that I wish to discuss in greater depth:
- That Satan desires to have us that he may sift us as wheat;
- That we should always be watchful;
- That we should pray always.
Satan Desires to Have Us That He May Sift Us As Wheat
What does it mean for Satan to "have us" and "sift" us "as wheat"? 2 Nephi 2:18 explains "And because he had fallen from heaven, and had become miserable forever, he sought also the misery of all mankind." Elder M. Russell Ballard was very clear about it.
"Long before the world was formed, Satan and those who followed after him raged against the forces of good and tried to overthrow the work of God. That struggle has not ended, only shifted battlegrounds. It is ruthless and relentless, and the objective of the battle is your eternal soul and mine."[1]
The scriptures warn us often to be watchful because his influence is not trivial. 2 Nephi 9:28 states "O that cunning plan of the evil one! ..." He will find our weaknesses and is very crafty at exploiting them. His methods are often very subtle as described in 2 Nephi 26:22 "...yea, and he leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever."
In Abraham 3:22-23, Abraham explains that he was shown the pre-mortal world and the "noble and great ones" who were there. They were foreordained and given specific missions to accomplish. The Lord said unto Abraham "thou are one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born". It is very likely that you and I were among those "noble and great ones" and that we each have divinely appointed missions to accomplish here in this life. Just look in your patriarchal blessing for a glimpse of who you really are and what the Lord has foreordained you to do. The book True to the Faith explains this doctrine of Foreordination:
"In the pre-mortal spirit world, God appointed certain spirits to fulfill specific missions during their mortal lives. This is called foreordination. Foreordination does not guarantee that individuals will receive certain callings or responsibilities. Such opportunities come in this life as a result of the righteous exercise of agency..."[2]
Hymn #240 highlights this principle:
"Know this, that every soul is freeTo choose his life and what he'll be;For this eternal truth is giv'n:That God will force no man to heav'n."
A quote attributed to Winston Churchill is very stirring:
"To every man there comes... that special moment when he is figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a special thing unique to him and fitted to his talent. What a tragedy if that moment finds him unprepared or unqualified for the work which would be his finest hour."[3]
Consider Oliver Cowdery and Hyrum Smith - two individuals who were certainly among the "noble and great ones" and foreordained to divine missions. Oliver participated in nearly every key event in early church history. "[He] was ... called of God [as] an apostle of Jesus Christ ... [and] to be the second elder of this church..."[4] He was considered co-president with Joseph. In a revelation given in 1830 Oliver was given a personal warning "Behold, I speak unto you, Oliver, a few words. Behold, thou art blessed, and art under no condemnation. But beware of pride, lest thou shouldst enter into temptation."[5] My heart groans to learn of the tragedy that occurred 8 years later. He allowed pride to creep in and during a very difficult time in church history became offended and critical to the extent that he was excommunicated from the church. He continued to hold to his pride and offense as he waited 10 years before returning and being re-baptized - waiting for -quote-"someone [to] step forward ... to vindicate [my] character," as stated in a letter he wrote to David Whitmer.[6]
Hyrum, on the other hand never faltered. He was content to be faithful in the background, requiring no honor or prestige, and persevering with faith through every difficulty. Here is what Joseph said of his bother Hyrum "I could pray in my heart that all my brethren were like unto my beloved brother Hyrum, for truly he possesses the mildness of a Lamb, and the integrity of a Job; and in short the meek and quiet spirit, of Jesus Christ."[7] The Lord said by revelation "Blessed is my servant Hyrum Smith; for I, the Lord, love him because of the integrity of his heart, and because he loveth that which is right before me..."[8] Nearly 3 years after Oliver's excommunication Hyrum, by revelation, is given Oliver's mission and blessing "That he [Hyrum] ... be crowned with the same blessing, and glory, and honor, and priesthood, and gifts of the priesthood, that once were put upon him that was my servant Oliver Cowdery."[9]
Think of David who defeated Goliath. He was certainly among the "noble and great ones" foreordained to a divine mission. My heart trembles to see David succumbing to progressively serious temptations: first by not being where he was supposed to be; then walking out on his roof top and allowing himself to look at the beautiful Bathsheba; then enquiring after her; then sending for her, then committing adultery with her, then seeking to hide his sin by sending for her husband to come home from battle, and finally having Uriah treacherously killed. The same person who faced Goliath with faith and courage allowed himself to be lead "by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he was [bound with a] strong cord forever."[10]
Contrast King David with Joseph sold as a slave to Potiphar. Potiphar's wife tries to seduce him on multiple occasions. "And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her... or to be with her."[11] Joseph recognized the "flaxen cords" and when he accidentally enters the house and finds he is alone with Potiphar's wife "he...fled, and got him out."[12]
My heart yearns for the day when I can stand before my Savior and hear Him say to me "Well done, thou good and faithful servant..."[13] With all my heart I want to be a Hyrum Smith or a Joseph in Egypt.
Always be Watchful
To watch means to be alert and on the lookout, to be careful or cautious, to remain vigilant. 1 Thessalonians 5:6 states "Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober." Mosiah 4:30 clarifies "But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds... ye must perish..." The scriptures are clear that the responsibility of avoiding and resisting temptation is ours. Doctrine and Covenants 58:28 affirms "For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves." The verses before and after this provide some additional insight into what it means to have the power within us. "Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; ...he that doeth not anything until he is commanded... and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned."[14] In other words, being watchful means not waiting to be commanded in everything.
Perhaps you are viewing things you shouldn't just because no one has specifically said "Thou shalt not watch such-and-such". Perhaps you are eating or drinking things that are harmful just because no one has specifically said "Thou shalt not eat or drink such and such". Those who are watchful hold themselves to high standards based on the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. They listen to warnings from prophets and make personal quiet changes to conform knowing that these warnings are how - quote- "the hen gathereth her chickens under her wings" for protection.[15]
Hymn 240 teaches us how the Lord provides such protection:
"He'll call, persuade, direct aright,And bless with wisdom, love, and light,In nameless ways be good and kind,But never force the human mind."
As an example of how the Lord warns without "commanding in all things", listen to this warning from Elder David A. Bednar.
"I raise an apostolic voice of warning about the potentially stifling, suffocating, suppressing, and constraining impact of some kinds of cyberspace... experiences upon our souls. The concerns I raise are not new; they apply equally to other types of media, such as television, movies, and music... Sadly, some young men and young women in the Church today... neglect eternal relationships for digital distractions... that have no lasting value. My heart aches when a young couple-sealed together in the house of the Lord for time and for all eternity by the power of the holy priesthood-experiences marital difficulties because of the addicting effect of excessive video gaming or online socializing."[16]
Notice that he does not list specific dos and don'ts nor does he stipulate a particular rating that is "OK" or a certain number of hours per week that are appropriate; but rather warns in a clear way allowing us to take initiative - to act for ourselves. Are you being "watchful" and heeding his warning?
It is very likely that your patriarchal blessing includes specific warnings given to you personally. These warnings usually refrain from specific do's and don'ts allowing the growth that occurs when one is proactive without being commanded in all things. Are you treating these warnings solemnly and being especially "watchful" in the areas emphasized in your patriarchal blessing?
Another scripture that teaches us how to be "watchful" is 1 Nephi 15:24 "And I said unto them that... whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction." Do you discipline yourself and study the scriptures consistently?
More than 12 years ago while living in the Detroit area and employed in the auto industry I was asked to take a business trip to Las Vegas. Our firm developed fuel pumps and had contracted with a taxi company to test prototypes - a great way to accumulate high miles in a short amount of time. The pumps had been installed in several taxis and needed to be removed and brought back for analysis. I was to be accompanied by two other employees of our company whom I had never met. We would spend 3 days working from about midnight until 6 or 7 am -- the hours when the taxis were least likely to be on the road. As I prepared for this trip a coworker commented to me about the vulgar nature of the two I would be traveling with. The Holy Ghost made a deep impression on me that I should beware -- that satan would use this opportunity to tempt me. The feeling was so poignant that I considered refusing to take the trip. As the trip grew nearer I decided to talk to my bishop about it. He expressed confidence in me and advised me to take the trip but to follow promptings about precautions I should take. I told the Lord in prayer that I wanted to return with honor to my family and asked him to inspire and help me.
As the trip began it was clear that the individuals I was with were truly vulgar and immoral. Since we only had one rental car to share between us I decided not to accompany them to restaurants because I was certain they would go places that were inappropriate. Instead, I said "no thank you" to their invitations and stayed in the hotel and ordered room service. The maintenance bays at the cab company where we worked were littered with pornographic leaflets. I had previously committed to myself that I would not even glance at them. Since we were limited to working from midnight to 7 am we had a lot of free time. I even felt that I should not turn on the television in the hotel even though it appeared that the trip would result in 3 days of boredom. Instead I retreated to the haven of The Book of Mormon for hours each day. At the end of the trip my soul was soaring like an eagle and I returned to my family with honor.
Always be Prayerful
As I studied this aspect I was astonished at how many scriptures exhort us to pray to be protected from temptation. Here are a few:
- Alma 13:28 "... humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear...;
- 3 Nephi 18:15 "... ye must watch and pray always, lest ye be tempted by the devil, and ye be led away captive by him.
- Doctrine and Covenants 10:5 "Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan..."
It is clear that we need to be disciplined and consistent in our personal prayers. We are commanded to pray "morning, midday, and evening"[17] and to always have a prayer in our hearts. If there was ever something that we must not neglect it is consistent personal prayer. "Ere you left your room this morning did you think to pray?"[18]
Not only do these scriptures teach us to pray often and consistently, they also teach us that we should pray specifically about being protected against temptation. Although our own "watchfulness" is crucial, it is not sufficient. 1 Nephi 10:6 teaches "Wherefore, all mankind were in a lost and in a fallen state, and ever would be save they should rely on this Redeemer." We are often taught in the church about the need to be cleansed from sin. I don't think we understand completely what that means. Clearly it means that we need to be cleansed from previous sins and be forgiven of them. But it means more than that. It means that our natures must be changed so that we are less and less likely to sin in the future until our entire self has been transformed. Mosiah 5:2 states "... the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, ... has wrought a mighty change in us, ... that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually." Here is how Elder David A. Bednar explains it.
"Most of us know that when we do wrong things, we need help to overcome the effects of sin in our lives. The Savior has paid the price and made it possible for us to become clean through His redeeming power. Most of us clearly understand that the Atonement is for sinners. I am not so sure, however, that we know and understand that the Atonement is also for ... good men and women who are obedient, worthy, and conscientious and who are striving to become better... We may mistakenly believe we must make the journey from good to better and become a saint all by ourselves ... Individual willpower, personal determination and motivation, effective planning and goal setting are necessary but ultimately insufficient ... Truly, we must come to rely upon "the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah" - 2Nephi 2:8."[19]
Ether 12:27 teaches "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."
I would like to share a personal experience from my life that illustrates this principle. In my early youth, pride and peer influence began creeping into my life as it does with many adolescents. I began to take offense easily and was quick to anger. In the 1980's the phrase "burn'd ya" was a way to shown how clever you were at putting others down in a way that made them feel frazzled and unable to defend themselves against your clever criticism. Being good at "burning" people fed one's pride and served to build an increasingly rebellious nature. I succumbed to these temptations and at times responded in hurtful ways to my parents and siblings. Despite this great weakness, I had developed a pattern of consistent personal scripture study and prayer which allowed the Holy Ghost to prick my conscience often. Each time I would get angry and arrogant I would feel disappointed in myself. I finally vowed with intense personal commitment that I would quit it.
Overcoming this weakness, however, was not that easy. Day after day I would try to control my anger by sheer will power. Day after day I would falter. My personal prayers began to include petitions to the Lord to help me with this weakness and these petitions became more and more sincere as they continued for perhaps 3 or even 4 years. By the time I was approaching 16 years of age I still hadn't completely overcome this weakness. Sure I had made some progress but came to the frightening realization that although I was doing my very best it just wasn't enough. I began feeling helpless against this obstacle and knew that it stood in the way of my exaltation. My prayers then began sincerely acknowledging that I just couldn't fix it and that I desperately needed his help. I humbly began asking for a miracle.
What occurred throughout the next months happened quietly and almost imperceptibly until one day I was in a situation that normally would have offended me and made me angry. I recall saying to myself "Wow, I don't feel offended or angry at all". When this continued month after month I realized that a miracle had occurred for me. Not only did I not get angry but I had become very patient -- my weakness had been turned into a strength. I humbly witness to you that it was the grace of my Savior that performed this transformation. I testify that "it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do."[20]
Helaman 5:12 "... remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."
The words of the Hymn "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" reveals the prayer that is in my heart:
O to grace how great a debtordaily I'm constrained to be!Let thy goodness, like a fetter,bind my wandering heart to thee.Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,prone to leave the God I love;here's my heart, O take and seal it,seal it for thy courts above.(text by Robert Robertson)
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Notes
[1] Elder M. Russell Ballard, "Be Strong in the Lord", July 2004 Ensign
[2] "Foreordination," True to the Faith, 2004,69-70
[3] Jeffrey R. Holland, "Sanctify Yourselves," Liahona, Jan. 2001, 49; Ensign, Nov. 2000, 40
[4] D&C 20:3
[5] D&C 23:1
[6]Letter: Cowdery to Whitmer, 28 July 1847
[7] The Papers of Joseph Smith, ed. Dean C. Jessee, Deseret Book Co., 1989-92, 1:168
[8] D&C 124:15
[9] D&C 124:95
[10] 2 Nephi 26:22
[11] Genesis 39:10
[12] Genesis 39:12
[13] Matthew 25:21
[14] D&C 58:27,29
[15] 3 Nephi 10:5
[16] D&C 60:13, Elder David A. Bednar "Things as They Really Are", CES Fireside Broadcast Originating from BYU-Idaho on May 3, 2009
[17] Alma 34:21
[18] Hymn 140
[19] Elder David A. Bednar "The Atonement and the Journey of Mortality" April 2012 Ensign
[20] 2 Nephi 25:23
[21] Text by Robert Robertson