We’re in the midst of a series at Eastridge Church called “Lies We Believe,” where we’re looking at the common lies that we tell ourselves – or that Satan tells us – that we fall for and how to combat them.

Our speaking pastors have been sharing tools to help the church family fight the lies that we all fall for. Our lead pastor shared his list of affirmations from scripture, and throughout the series, our pastors have extolled the virtue of memorizing Bible verses.

I’ve learned scripture over the years, usually by osmosis, but I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve never made a concerted effort to commit God’s word to memory until now. I’ve been inspired by this sermon series to make more of a go at it.

But why memorize scripture? Pastor and blogger Paul Chapman writes, “If Christians knew the amazing benefits of memorizing scripture, [they] would make it a priority.” Beyond helping combat lies with the truth, there are loads of reasons that learning verses and passages from the Bible, and here are just a few.

 

Memorizing scripture is spiritual exercise.

The Apostle Paul writes to his protégé Timothy, “…train yourself to be godly. ‘Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come’” (1 Timothy 4:7b-8, ESV). Learning the word of God is a form of training for godliness. Just like working out builds our spiritual muscles, memorizing scripture builds our spiritual muscles.

 

Memorizing scripture helps us engage our minds.

The older I get, the more aware I am of how important is to keep your mind fresh and active, and what better way to do so than with the Bible?

In the Gospels, Jesus asks a lawyer what the Bible says to do to inherit eternal life, and he quotes the Torah: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27, ESV, emphasis mine). Part of loving God with your mind is engaging it with his word.

 

Memorizing scripture deepens our intimacy with God.

When we’re more familiar with God’s word, we draw closer to him. Brooke Espinoza writes:

I’ve found that memorizing Scripture has given me more knowledge of God than anything else. When I memorize Bible verses, I notice all the intricacies I would have missed if I had merely read through the passage. It’s the difference between driving through my neighborhood and walking through it. When I drive, I’m able to see some of the beauty in the neighborhood, but I miss the details of the individual flowers, plants, and trees. However, when I stroll my way through it, I can take my time absorbing all the details.

Committing the inspired word of God to memory helps us grasp his promises, understand his ways, and even feel his love more than we do when we’re not actively memorizing scripture.

 

Memorizing scripture helps us resist the temptation to sin.

The psalmist writes, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11, ESV). Knowing what the Bible says can help us avoid the traps of sin. Jesus used scripture to combat the devil’s temptations in the wilderness. I know you’re probably thinking, “Yes, but Jesus was perfect.”

Remember the words of the author of Hebrews: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15, ESV). Jesus, our great high priest, set the standard for how we can defeat sin with scripture.

 

Memorizing scripture helps us focus on the good.

There’s a natural human tendency for our minds to wander to the negative. Focusing on good and pure thoughts takes work, but it’s always worth the effort. Paul tells the Philippian church, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8, NLT).

There’s no better source for honorable, lovely, and excellent thought than the Bible, and the best way to put those things at the forefront of our minds is to memorize scripture.

 

Memorizing scripture gives us wisdom.

I don’t know anybody who doesn’t want to grow in wisdom, and there’s no better way to develop wisdom than through scripture. As the Psalmist says:

Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts (Psalm 119:97-100, ESV).

Learning and memorizing God’s wisdom from the Bible makes it personal, and as a result, we can’t help but grow in our own wisdom as a result.

Now that we know at least some of the why, let’s talk about how to memorize scripture. There are tons of ways to keep scripture in front of you to help you commit it to memory. You can go old school with index cards. Tape them to your bathroom mirror, put them on your desk at work, or carry them around with you. The act of writing the verse on the card helps you memorize it too.

Or you can harness technology. There are Bible memorization apps, or you can choose software for your computer (I highly recommend Logos). In my nascent efforts to commit Bible verses to memory, I’m relying on both old and new ways, with a combination of index cards and tools that Logos has to help you learn scripture.

Whatever method you use to memorize God’s word, you’ll be pleased with the benefits, and you’ll find yourself drawing closer to God.

 

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Photo by UnlockingTheBible