President Nelson’s concluding remarks at our most recent General Conference stirred my heart and mind. He taught that another meaning of the word ‘Israel’ is “Let God Prevail”. He asked these inspiring questions:
- Are you willing to let God prevail in your life?
- Are you willing to let God be the most important influence in your life?
The word ‘prevail’ is defined as:
- prove more powerful than opposing forces; be victorious.
- widespread, current
- persuade or convince someone to do something
Since hearing our prophet’s address, I’ve spent time each day examining my life looking for areas where my will has yet to fully allow Christ to prevail. Through prayer, pondering and study, the Holy Ghost helped me identify some of my behaviors and priorities that compete with or prevent Christ from prevailing in my life. I am so grateful He shows me my weaknesses when I come unto Him by following His servants.
For the last time, Christ is calling to gather all His sheep. His sheep are those who hear His voice and know His name. Through our prophet today, President Nelson, He has made his name and the name of His kingdom on earth ever more conspicuous. And His special, apostolic witnesses are diligently working to focus our minds and hearts on hearing Him. Now is the time to turn our hearts and minds fully to Him. And we always hear best what our eyes, ears, mind and heart are focused upon.
To better hear Him, we must put aside our distractions and sins. We must focus on Him, replacing the lesser things in our lives with His saving work and glory. This is repentance. This is the way we allow Christ to prevail in our lives. As we yield to His enticings, the Holy Ghost will sanctify us. He will lead us to Christ who is ready to forgive, to strengthen, to purge from us any disposition to do evil, and fill us with a desire to do good continually. Through this sanctifying process, our mind, heart, will, even all that we are, become His. We then truly become one with Him and our Father in Heaven, even as the Savior taught while ministering in prayer with the Nephites:
Father, I thank thee that thou hast given the Holy Ghost unto these whom I have chosen; and it is because of their belief in me that I have chosen them out of the world. Father, I pray thee that thou wilt give the Holy Ghost unto all them that shall believe in their words.
Father, thou hast given them the Holy Ghost because they believe in me; . . . And now Father, I pray unto thee for them, and also for all those who shall believe on their words, that they may believe in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one.
Brothers and sisters, I know Jesus Christ lives. I know He is calling and gathering His sheep to Him. He said: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me”. We hear what we are paying attention to, and we treasure that which most captures our attention. As a first step in allowing Christ to prevail in our lives, we must identify and evaluate where and what we give the most attention. This is our treasure. This is what we love.
I pray that we can follow the prophet and let Christ prevail in our lives. I invite you to turn greater attention and focus on Him. To the degree we do, He enables us to be a part of His gathering Israel. There is nothing that brings more joy than when He uses us to be a part of His great mercies. I promise that your focus on Him will give you eyes to see things as they really are. The most important ‘thing’ He will help you see ‘as it really is’ – is you. You will know you are His. His son or daughter, whose exaltation has been prepared if we will but let God prevail. In the saving name of Jesus Christ, amen.
President David L. Francis
2nd Counselor, Pocatello Idaho Highland Stake Presidency