Why scripture memorization is important

When the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus wielded the sword of the Spirit and the devil fled Matthew The Word has power!

Several times in the Bible, God connects his blessing with a continual meditation on his Word. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Psalm 1 also describes a man who delights on the Word of God as blessed. It logically follows that if you truly delight in the Word, you will think about it so much that it will fuse into your memory.

The blessing that comes is not necessarily health, wealth, or prosperity, but rather will be something far greater: spiritual vitality, profound hope, and greater communion with the Creator of the Universe and Lover of your soul.

For this reason, Paul exhorts in 1 Thessalonians to be ready to encourage other believers with the truth. When we have verses and passages ready, we can more easily build up other believers in the truth.

This point is especially relevant for pastors. The pastor froze, not having any passages completely memorized. We are urged in 1 Peter to always be ready to give a defense for our hope in Christ. We should memorize Scripture so we can walk unbelievers through the salvation message and help them understand their sin and need for a Savior. The deeper we know God, the deeper we know his will for us.

Because this was an issue, just about everyone knew the importance of memorizing at least the most vital numbers. Apply that to Scripture memory. Sure, in our technology-drenched lives we may shrug off Scripture memory because every verse in the Bible is just a few taps away. But what happens when we are dealing with issues and struggling with problems?

What happens when we face life challenges and the enemies attack? In my experience, this never happens. But what if we stored key passages in our hearts?

What if we filled our mind with Scripture that we could recall and meditate upon? Psalm provides a key reason Scripture memorization is so important: I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you ESV. That knowledge, applied, allows us to follow Him more closely and effectively.

Memorizing Scripture is not about passing a test or impressing your friends. When we commit the Scriptures to memory, we prepare ourselves to live in the way Jesus has commanded us. We are more prepared to face everyday battles, and we set ourselves up to grow in spiritual maturity. How important is memorization when it comes to the Word?

It could be the difference between remaining stagnant in your walk with God and thriving and growing as a disciple of Jesus. YouVersion Bible App. Get a free download of our Visual Guide for Making Disciples in infographic and printable forms along with updates from Replicate Ministries.

These verses show us all sorts of reasons for memorizing Scripture and holding it near our hearts, but verse 11 is the one that always sticks with me. Memorizing Scripture can prevent us from sinning. There are a variety of apps available to aid you in memorizing Scripture. As you memorize a verse, the app automatically schedules the next time you need to practice based on how many times you have repeated the verse correctly.

The more times you repeat it correctly, the longer you can go without practicing it. One nice thing about this particular app is that you only have to type the first letter of every word in the verse, not the whole word, making it quicker and easier to memorize!

I used to use the notecard method, where you write out each memory verse on one side and its reference book, chapter, and verse on the other side. If you prefer handwritten methods, this is definitely the way to go! Notecards are portable, but not quite as portable as an app. Memorizing Scripture with a friend is a great way to encourage each other!

Whether you memorize a verse each week with your small group Bible study or a longer passage every month with a long-distance friend over FaceTime, involving other people can help keep you accountable as you consistently memorize verses.

To start your Bible memorization journey consider getting The Lutheran Study Bible: Journal Edition to take notes in the margins and highlight important verses.

The world is full of hurting people. As Christians, we are called to love those around us and remind them of their place in God's story. Although the decades may come and go, students, parents, and teachers can take peace knowing a relationship with God is eternal and not Prophets, priests, kings, and more are all inspired by the work of