The power of the word of God is without limit or boundaries. As we speak, let us never doubt the power of the word. When spoken by the Spirit, it has power to change souls. We should seek to bless others who are struggling by touching their hearts with the Spirit through the word of God.
“Pull Down, by the Word of God, All the Pride and Craftiness and Bearing Down in Pure Testimony”
The ministry of Alma helps us gain perspective on the cycle of prosperity and pride manifested so persistently in the history of the Book of Mormon. So often individuals, communities, and entire nations allow abundance and prosperity to cloud spiritual vision and make pride the prime motivator in life. It is of utmost urgency that we follow prophetic counsel in avoiding pride and hard-heartedness, which inevitably lead to the collapse of moral values and the destruction of the spiritual framework of life. There is no lesson from the Book of Mormon that is more pervasive than the admonition to avoid pride.
Following the defeat of Amlici and his revolutionary initiatives, many members of the Church become prosperous, forget God, and acquire the spiritually-suffocating characteristic of pride. Many become unkind and uncharitable, and their behavior negatively affects the growth of the Church. To counter this pernicious influence, Alma relinquishes the judgeship seat to preach the “word of God unto them, to stir them up in remembrance of their duty” (verse 19). This campaign of “bearing down in pure testimony against them” (verse 19) is the only action that seems to Alma capable of defeating pride.