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Receiving Deliverance from Our Struggles through Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ can free us from any bondage that weighs us down.
Nephi taught “that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance” (1 Nephi 1:20).
That deliverance can free us from all types of bondage. Elder L. Tom Perry (1922–2015) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught how a variety of examples of deliverance are seen in the Book of Mormon:
“Many of the stories of the Book of Mormon are stories of deliverance. Lehi’s departure into the wilderness with his family was about deliverance from the destruction of Jerusalem. The story of the Jaredites is a story of deliverance, as is the story of the Mulekites. Alma the Younger was delivered from sin. Helaman’s stripling warriors were delivered in battle. Nephi and Lehi were delivered from prison. The theme of deliverance is evident throughout the entire Book of Mormon.”1 What other examples of deliverance in the scriptures can you think of?
Like individuals and societies in the Book of Mormon, we all have need of divine deliverance in our lives. Below are some examples with links to experiences of others who have felt the powerful deliverance that we can receive through Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. As you browse their stories, consider the burdens that are weighing you down, and pray for inspiration to know what Heavenly Father would have you do in your life to experience the deliverance that He and Jesus Christ offer us in all things.
Deliverance from Loss and Hard Times
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In her Portrait of Faith, Rachel Lighthall shares how showing faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and learning how to mourn the way God would have us mourn helped her family after they lost their home in a fire.
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In “A Reservoir of Testimony,” one individual shares how drawing on small witnesses of Christ over time helped after finding out about their father’s sinful life.
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In “In the Wisdom of Him Who Knoweth All Things,” Christopher Deaver talks about how the words of Christ brought him and his friend peace after each of their fathers died.
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In “A Magnificent New Chapter,” Sylvie Cornette discusses how drawing closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in the temple strengthened her after becoming a widow and then having to leave her job due to an accident that limited her mobility.
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In “An Unsent Answered Letter,” Elisabeth Allen talks about how the Lord answered every question she had when she struggled with her brother’s death by suicide.
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In “Finding Healing after My Dad Was Incarcerated,” Hannah Hauck describes how the Lord helped her forgive her father and rebuild her relationship with him after his narcotic drug addiction led him to incarceration.
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In “Jesus Christ Knows the Pain We Feel from Prejudice,” Sónia N. shares how turning to the Savior and His example helped her overcome the pain of decades of prejudice.
Deliverance from Sin
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In “Is Your Past Holding You Back?,” Jeff Bates shares how being sincere in his commitment to change while renewing his sacrament covenants each week helped him overcome sins that had held him back for years.
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In “How the Savior’s Healing Power Applies to Repenting from Sexual Sin,” Richard Ostler, a former bishop of a young single adult ward, discusses how he saw the power of Jesus Christ and His Atonement help young adults overcome the consequences of sexual sin.
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In “Finding Hope as a Single Expectant Mother,” Amanda Becker shares how she found purpose, forgiveness, and strength in the Lord through repentance.
Deliverance from Unexpected Circumstances
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In “What My Daughter’s Disability Taught Me about Grace,” Jeffrey S. McLellan talks about how he discovered ways the Savior’s grace can heal our broken hearts. Read about a similar experience of two sisters in “How the Savior’s Grace Applies to Both Me and My Family Member with a Disability” by Bruna F. Gonçalves.
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In “Experiencing Christ’s Power as an Amputee with Same-Sex Attraction,” Sheyla Ruiz Leon describes how the difficulties we face in life can help us come unto Christ and find peace in Him.
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In “Moving Forward after My Second Divorce,” Logan Steele discusses how taking simple steps, with the Savior as his guide, helped him move forward when he didn’t know what to do next.
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In “You Love, He Saves,” Krista Rogers Mortensen discusses how Christ helped her change her heart when she was praying that her children’s hearts would be changed after they left the Church. In “How My Heart Changed When My Brother Left the Church,” Anja Dögg Mathiesen shares a similar experience in her relationship with her brother.
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In “Our Perfect Triangle of Hope and Healing,” Angela Andrea Fernandez Rios describes how faith, prayer, fasting, and priesthood power brought her family miracles through God’s power.
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In “What Infertility and Being Single Taught Me about God’s Eternal Promises,” Lara Deppe shares how she found strength and hope for the future by trusting in God’s promises when as a single sister she was faced with needing a hysterectomy.
Deliverance from Depression, Loneliness, and Sorrow
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In “I Finally Admitted That I Had Depression. Christ Helped Me Out of the Darkness,” Nephi Tangalin describes how turning to Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and those around her enabled her to find hope and healing amid great depression.
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In “The Lord Stood by Me,” Elodie McCormick shares how Heavenly Father delivered her from loneliness through the service of those around her while her husband was away for a year in military service.
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In “Being Single Reminds Me To Trust God’s Whole Plan for Me,” one single adult describes how she overcame sadness of not being married by seeking God’s will for her life and trusting in His plan and direction.
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In “How the Book of Mormon Helped Me through Social Isolation,” Wlaldiane Kássia Bandeira Barros Da Silva talks about the strength she received from reading God’s words in the scriptures during periods of social isolation.
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In “Finding Spiritual Support after Joining the Church Alone,” Marcus Grant shares how Heavenly Father always provided him with someone to give him strength.
Deliverance from the Grasp of the World
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In “Why Are We Here?,” Gregorio Rivera shares how the Lord prompted him and his wife to move to a new location to help them refocus on the things of God and draw closer to Him as a family.
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In “Please Come Back,” Carlos Ferreira shares how returning to activity in Jesus Christ’s gospel was exactly what he needed to bless his family when the world weighed them down.