2 Nephi 1:31 Wherefore, because thou hast been faithful thy seed shall be blessed with his seed, that they dwell in prosperity long upon the face of this land; and nothing, save it shall be iniquity among them, shall harm or disturb their prosperity upon the face of this land forever.
Whooo Hoooo!! By applying the principles we have learned through our study of 1 Nephi we should be at the promise land—the Kingdom of God. —“We have obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands; a land which the Lord God hath covenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed.” (2 Nephi 1:5) The way to the promise land is by traveling on fertile ground which is hydrated by the living waters of Christ, hugging the iron rod with all our might and soul, inquiring of the Lord for direction and knowledge, going and doing all that the Lord has commanded, and then standing as a witness of the goodness and love of the Lord. (Previous come, follow me challenges.) Only those who follow God can find safety in the “land of promise.” “This land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them.” (2 Nephi’s 1:7)
2 Nephi 1:10 But behold, when the time cometh that they shall dwindle in unbelief, after they have received so great blessings from the hand of the Lord—having a knowledge of the creation of the earth, and all men, knowing the great and marvelous works of the Lord from the creation of the world; having power given them to do all things by faith; having all the commandments from the beginning, and having been brought by his infinite goodness into this precious land of promise—behold, I say, if the day shall come that they will reject the Holy One of Israel, the true Messiah, their Redeemer and their God, behold, the judgments of him that is just shall rest upon them.
There will be constant attempts to remove the faithful from the land of promise, “it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things.” (2 Nephi 2:11) Satan is real and has been attacking the righteous from the beginning, “because he had fallen from heaven, and had become miserable forever, he sought also the misery of all mankind.” (2 Nephi 2:18) Never fear! The plan is set for our success, “Spirit is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. And the way is prepared from the fall of man, and salvation is free.” (2 Nephi 2:4) “Men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil.” (2 Nephi 2:5) This makes the choice completely ours, “the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself.” (2 Nephi 2:16) We can choose to remain on the land of promise through our righteousness, “Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.” (2 Nephi 2:27)
2 Nephi 1:20 Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; but inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence.
One of the sneakiest and most successful tricks of the adversary on the faithful is distraction. We must wake up! “Awake; awake from a deep sleep” (2 Nephi 1:13) Being lulled to sleep by the adversary can chain us, because he is keeping us from further growth and from being the Lord’s hands here on earth. “Shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of men, that they are carried away captive down to the eternal gulf of misery and woe.” (2 Nephi 1:13) “Awake! and arise from the dust, and hear the words of a trembling parent,” (2 Nephi 1:14) Follow those who have set the path before you. Lean upon their faith if you need to for a time, and feel the love of the Lord, “I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love.” (2 Nephi 1:15) Repentance aligns our will with God’s, and strengthens us so that the adversary has no power over us. “Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.” (2 Nephi 4:28) This is the power of righteousness—we become strong in Christ! “Awake, my sons; put on the armor of righteousness.”(2 Nephi 1:23)
2 Nephi 2:14 And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your profit and learning; for there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon.
Once we are awake, we must find delight in the things of the Lord. “My soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard.” (2 Nephi 4:16) That is in whom we can trust, “I know in whom I have trusted. My God hath been my support. He hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep. He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh. he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the night-time. upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carried away upon exceedingly high mountains.” (2 Nephi 4:19,20,21,23,25)
2 Nephi 1:21 arise from the dust, my sons, and be men, and be determined in one mind and in one heart, united in all things,
The greatest part of the Kingdom of God or the land of promise is the redeeming power of the Savior that gives us the hope we need to endure mortality with full energy and purpose of heart. “Redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth. He offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered. No flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.” (2 Nephi 2:6,7,8) He has completed his part, now we must do our part. “For he gave commandment that all men must repent.” (2 Nephi 2:21) “Keep the judgments, and the statutes, and the commandments of the Lord in all things.” (2 Nephi 5:10) “For his ways are righteousness forever.” (2 Nephi 1:19) Those who choose to follow him will be a “choice and a favored people of the Lord,” (2 Nephi 1:19) who “shall dwell safely forever” in the “the land of their inheritance;” the promises land. (1 Nephi 1:9) Where they will “industrious and to labor with their hands,” and “build a temple,” (2 Nephi 5: 17,15) where the ordinances and covenants of the Lord can be made and kept, which will serve as a protection for all those who love God.
2 Nephi 4:35 Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen.
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I wanted to add the sweet prayer of Nephi at the end of 2 Nephi chapter 4, it’s a prayer we can all hold near and dear to our hearts!
2 Nephi 4:30 Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
31 O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?
32 May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite! O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I may walk in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in the plain road!
33 O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way—but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy.
34 O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.
35 Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen.
-Written by Sherri Jorgensen
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