Okay, so in my last post I mentioned that I was going to touch on five blessings that can be gotten from memorizing the Word of God. Without further delay, let’s dive right into it!
1) The Blessing of Instruction
‘…Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.’ (Josh. 1:7-8, NASB)
One obvious blessing we get from the Bible is instruction—knowing God’s heart, knowing God’s will, knowing God’s law. In it we find instruction for how to live our lives, make decisions, conduct relationships; it is through God’s Word that the child of God forms a right worldview needed to be ‘in the world, but not of it,’ like the saying goes.
Now, I know most of us while operating some sort of gadget we own would rather just know what to do in a certain situation, rather than having to always turn to the manual; in a similar sense, it is profitable to know the instruction of the Bible rather than having to turn to it all the time. I am in no way suggesting that you stop turning to your Bibles! I am simply suggesting that there might not always be an opportunity to do so, and part of forming a Biblical worldview is being so immersed in the Word of God that it is stored in your heart and applied by the work of the Holy Spirit—ever leading, ever shaping, ever renewing the mind to think and see rightly.
2) The Blessing of Conviction
‘What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.”’ (Rom. 7:7, NASB)
Following on from the previous point, we find that by extension of being shown the right way through the instruction of the Bible, we are made aware of the wrong way also. In His mercy, God uses His Word to instruct our consciences, which then warn us when we are veering off the path. This especially can be a blessing in those times when we recall to mind specific passages of the Bible which deal with the very sin we are caught up in, and I believe for the true believer, it serves to hasten our steps towards the cross of Christ and repentance.
3) The Blessing of Comfort
‘This I recall to my mind, and therefore I have hope. The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.’ (Lam. 3:21-23, ESV)
One of the most beloved books in the Bible is the book of Psalms, rich in its theological and doxological content; one of the main reasons I have found that people love this collection of songs and poetry, however, is how they soothe the heart, mind and soul when going through trying times—probably because the author(s) went through harsh trials also but found encouragement in the Lord. Recalling these balms of the soul indeed helps an aching heart and a troubled mind, but how can you recall from memory what isn’t there?
A common practice I have found is having specific passages that talk about specific things that can be easily accessible when dealing with those certain circumstances, as they help point our attention to God and provide the right focus and perspective when things get challenging. Granted, you could have these passages bookmarked on your phone or written up on your wall, but not seeking to store them in the treasury of your heart could be a sign of spiritual laziness—being content with its usefulness for now, but not thinking about its long-term enrichment of your soul. Like a tree that soon withers and dies due to shallow roots and lack of nourishment, so is a faith that isn’t firmly rooted in the Word of God (Col. 2:7).
4) The Blessing of Authority
‘…you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls off, but the word of the LORD endures forever.” And this is the word which was preached to you.’ (1 Pet. 1:23-25, NASB)
Have you ever been in a conversation or situation which you felt like you knew the right way to go or the right answer, but lacked confidence to put it forward because you weren’t sure? I know I have. I also know that it is much better to keep quiet than to presume to speak on things you don’t know (or at least to speak with full assurance of things you are not quite assured of). In the same vein, then, wouldn’t you feel more confident being assured that you knew you were doing what to be right, because it had God’s seal of approval?
God, who holds His Word in very high regard (Ps. 138:2; Num. 23:19), has given His Word to us as the believer’s highest authority on earth. What this doesn’t mean is that we can twist Scripture to fulfil our selfish motives and try to make God our accomplice by saying He approves of our actions (as people have often done and still do). What it does mean is that the child of God can have full assurance of his/her decisions and actions when founded rightly on the inerrant Word of God.
Similarly, having the Word of God stored in our minds enables us to take authoritative steps in our walks of faith, as these steps have been instructed by the Word of God—the believer’s highest authority on this side of heaven.
5) The Blessing in Warfare
‘…Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm… and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.’ (Eph. 6:13, 17b, NASB)
The final blessing of memorizing Scripture we will consider today is its blessing in our spiritual warfare. Just as a soldier would be ill-advised (to say the least) to venture out to war without proper preparation and equipment, similarly the child of God would be ill-advised (again, to say the least) to seek to fight against ‘the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places’ (Eph. 6:12, NASB) without the ‘sword of the Spirit’.
The believer’s weapon of choice is the summation of God’s unchanging and infallible decrees, promises, and testimonies through which the Spirit enriches the soul of the child of God. For example, how would we stand against the accuser’s cry of our guilt unless we knew what Christ accomplished for us, and that there is no condemnation for those in Him? (Rom. 8:1) Or how could we handle the harsh realities of death unless we were assured of the glory that awaits the believer after? (1 Cor. 15:50-57)
In and through the Word of God we are built up and are able to fight our doubts, our fleshly weaknesses, and that great enemy of our souls.
The Application
In case you didn’t notice, the intertwined and interrelated blessings I have listed above are simply some of the blessings of reading and knowing the Word of God. Over time, I have come to realize that to know the Bible cannot be separated from storing it in your heart. This isn’t a call to rote or a demand for word-for-word memorization, but rather the saturating yourself with it, meditating on it, and being so rooted in the Word of God that His words become yours. Indeed, that is my prayer for myself; I hope that maybe it could be yours too.
‘…read it regularly. This is the only way to become “mighty in the Scriptures.” A quick glance at the Bible now and then does little good. At that rate you will never become familiar with its treasures, or feel the sword of the Spirit fitted to your hand in the hour of conflict. But store up your mind with Scripture, by diligent reading, and you will soon discover its value and power. Texts will rise up in your hearts in the moment of temptation. Commands will suggest themselves in times of doubt. Promises will come across your thoughts in the time of discouragement. And thus you will experience the truth of David’s words, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11); and of Solomon’s words, “When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you” (Proverbs 6:22).’ – J.C. Ryle, ‘Thoughts for Young Men’, Ch. 3: General Counsels to Young Men
