THE OVERWHELMING BENEFITS OF INTERNALIZING THE WORD

THE OVERWHELMING BENEFITS OF INTERNALIZING THE WORD

Will Overwhelm the Hindrances That Would Keep Us from Internalizing the Word

The greatest trick of Satan is to get us taking an action which appears to be God’s will when in fact it falls far short.  Ex:  Satan would like to entice you to attend the Mentoring Classes regularly, but not to memorize and meditate and apply God’s Word to your own life and miss the enormous blessing.  So the lesson today is two fold:

1. Consider the incredibly wonderful benefits of internalizing the Word.
2. Look at the hindrances you must confront in internalizing, but which you can overcome if you really desire to obey God and enjoy His indescribable blessings.

 

1. The Incredible Benefits from Internalizing God’s Word.

1. Because I believe the Bible is God’s inerrant Word (2 Timothy 3:16).
2. Because Jesus memorized Scripture (Matthew 4:1-10).
3. Because it will conform me into the image of Christ (2 Timothy 3:17; Romans 8:29).
4. Because of the promise of success in my life (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1-3).
5. Because it builds my faith (Romans 10:17).
6. Because it gives me victory over the devil (Ephesians 6:17).
7. Because it protects me from sin during times of temptation (Psalm 119:11).
8. Because it comforts me during trials and bereavement (Psalm 119:92).
9. Because it trains my mind to “think on these things” (Phil. 4:8-9).
10. Because it gives my mind something to meditate on as I am drifting off to sleep.
11. Because it gives me confidence while I am preaching.
12. Because it reminds me of God’s wisdom while I am counseling (Psalm 119:24).
13. Because it allows me to help others more accurately (Proverbs 22:20-21).
14. Because it gives me boldness when I am witnessing.
15. Because it gives me answers when I am defending the faith (1 Peter 3:15).
16. Because it helps me know when someone is teaching error.
17. Because it helps me study the Bible, comparing Scripture with Scripture.
18. Because it enhances my prayer life, because I can remind God of His Word.
19. Because it trains my mind in truth to see through the lies of the devil.
20. Because it gives something for the Holy Spirit to use when He wants to speak to me. (John 14:26; Psalm 119:24).”[1]

 

1. Hindrances to Internalizing God’s Word.
   1. I have never had a good memory.  (You would change your tune if someone were to offer you $100 for each verse you would memorize.  We remember what is important to us.  Bill Bennett says, “It’s hard by the yard, but a cinch by the inch.”)

 

1. I have other demands on my time, and I’m just too busy.  (We will make time for those things that are important to us.)

 

1. I have failed before.  (You have only failed if you have stopped trying).

 

1. It seems very boring, and I’m just not interested.  (Though there are times when the discipline of memory seems to be mechanical, remember that God only wrote one Book.  He expressed Himself to us through that Book.  I want to know Him better by internalizing that Word.  I love Him therefore I love His Word.  Imagine my wife writing a personal letter to me, and I never read it.  That would be unthinkable because I love her).

 

1. I cannot remember the verses I have worked on in the past. (Verses that you have worked on in the past will come back as you review them).

 

1. It takes too long to see any progress.  (‘Progress’ is seeing what God does in you and through you during the process; it’s not simply how many verses you memorize).

 

1. I am too old (or too young), and it will simply be too difficult for my. (You are never too young to start, and never too old to quit.  God’s Word is eternal, and worth any amount of effort for us to remember it.)

 

1. I don’t know how.  (I hope that this lesson will help you learn how to memorize Scripture.)

 

1. People around me don’t seem to care, and think it is a waste of my time.  (Find some other people around you that value God’s Word, and spend time with them.  Join an accountability group where you can stimulate one another.  See Proverbs 13:20 and 27:17).

 

1. I might become too prideful.  (Allow the first five verses you memorize to be on pride and humility.)

 

It is amazing how many excuses and reasons we will give for not challenging ourselves in this incredible spiritual discipline.  However, if you consider the benefits, many of these excuses simply fade away.”2.

1. The Bible has errors, and it’s not reliable! It’s not the Word of God, but the word of man. (2 Timothy 3:16)
2. You’re not saved. (John 1:12; John 10:28; 1 John 5:13)
3. God has given up on you. (Phil. 1:6)
4. Your past is too bad. You can’t overcome it. (Phil. 3:13-14)
5. There’s more pleasure in sin than in following God. (Ps. 16:11)
6. It’s my body and I can do with it what I want. (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)

 

 

 

7. Your sin will not hurt anyone. (Romans 8:6; James 1:15)
8. Not even God can forgive what you did (1 John 1:9; 1 Tim 1:15)
9. It doesn’t pay to live for God. (Ps. 73)
10. You’d be happy if only you had ________. (Phil. 4:11-13)
11. You are not needed (1 Cor. 12:22-23)
12. No one will ever find out (Numbers 32:23)
13. You’re too good for God to send to hell. (Romans 3:23; Isaiah 64:6)
14. You’re not worthy (Luke 15:21-24; Heb. 4:16; 2 Corinthians 5:21)
15. God doesn’t care about you. (1 Pet. 5:7; Isaiah 41:10, 13)
16. This crisis is too difficult for you to bear. (Psalm 119:92)
17. If it feels right it must be right. (Eph. 4:22-24; heart is deceitful)
18. No one will ever know what you are about to do… Go ahead… no one is watching! (Heb. 4:13)
19. It’s okay to take revenge: he/she deserves it! (Romans 12:19)
20. You have a right to be angry. You were hurt. (Eph. 4:31-32)
21. God is keeping something good from you… (Ps. 84:10-12)
22. You could be happy if only you had a little more money. (Heb. 13:5-6; 1 Tim. 6:6-10)
23. You’ll never have victory over this sin. (Phil. 1:6)
24. Go ahead… God will forgive you anyway! (1 John 3:6, 9)
25. You won’t have to suffer the consequences! (Gal. 6:7-8) (Romans 14:12) (Hebrews 12:6) (James 1:15).
26. It’s just a little sin. It’s not a big deal. (1 Pet. 1:14-16)
27. You can’t change… That’s just the way you are. (2 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 12:2)
28. This temptation is impossible to resist. (1 Cor. 10:13)
29. You’re the only one who has to deal with this. (1 Cor. 10:13)
30. Don’t tell anybody about this… You can overcome it by yourself. (Jas. 5:16)
31. If you forgive them, no one else will make them pay for how they hurt you. (Romans 12:19-21)
32. It doesn’t pay to stay in the battle. (Gal. 6:9)
33. No one loves you (John 15:9)
34. God won’t hear your prayer (1 John 5:14-15)
35. God won’t mind a little compromise. (Colossians 3:5-6; Ephesians 5:3)
36. It’s okay to do this sin because the Bible doesn’t specifically talk about it. (1 Corinthians 6:12)

 

1. Sex is OK as long as you love each other. God wants you happy. (Heb. 13:4; 1 Cor. 6:18-20 TLB)
2. People get away with adultery. (Proverbs 5:3-5; Proverbs 5:8-11).
3. Lust is not a big deal (Job 31:11-12 NLT)
4. I can’t control my sex drive. (1 Thessalonians 4:3-6)
5. A little fantasizing doesn’t hurt anybody. (Matt. 5:27-30)
6. Looking at a few pornographic pictures won’t affect me. (Proverbs 6:25-27; Psalm 101:3)
7. Radical action against sin isn’t necessary (Matthew 5:29-30; 2 Timothy 2:22)
8. God made you this way. Go ahead and give in to your desires. (1 Cor. 6:9-11)[3]

4. Too much purity will keep me from seeing and enjoying beauty. (Matthew 5:8; Psalm 11:7, ESV; Isaiah 33:17)