Introduction
Dr. R. A. Torrey wisely said, “You may have your all-night prayer meetings, and no one would dare minimize prayer, but you personally will not be an instrument the Holy Spirit will use to consistently bring souls to Christ until you familiarize yourself with God’s Word.” We need to be able to find the place where it is written – Luke 4:17.
Scripture text to prove the point – Job 22:22; 23:12; Psalm 1:2-3; 119:9, 11,72, 9, 103, 105, 111, 130, 133, 140, 162; Matthew 4:4, 1 Peter 2:2-3; Proverbs 3:3-4.
Down deep in the heart of every normal person born into the human race there is a three-fold desire; a desire to be happy; a desire to be wise; and a desire to be successful. Anyone who will schedule themselves to obey Psalm 1:2-3, Joshua 1:8, James 1:5 and Psalm 37:4 will realize this achievement in their life.
Why Memorize Scripture?
It is how we submit to God – Deuteronomy 6:6-7
- His Word leads us – Proverbs 6:21-22
- His Word keeps us – Proverbs 2:10-12; 6:24
- His Word talks to us – Proverbs 6:22
- His Word talks to sinners through us – 2 Corinthians 5:20; Philippians 2:12-13
- We prove to the Savior we love Him by obeying His commandments – John 14:15, 21, 23
- We give evidence we know Him by obeying Him – 1 John 2:3-4
God answers prayers of those who know and live out his word.
- When abiding in Christ – John 15:7
- When obedient to His precepts – 1 John 3:22
- When offered according to His will – 1 John 5:14-15
- When offered in faith – James 1:5-6; Mark 11:24
Meditating on the Scripture is the key to success – Joshua 1:8
- Outstanding examples of individuals
- Dwight Moody arose at 4:00 a.m. daily to mediate in the Word, after hearing Henry Moorhouse preach.
- Charles Spurgeon was given credit for spending three hours per day in the Word.
- Dawson Trotman, the originator of the Navigators, mastered 1,000 verses the first three years of his Christian life. He took his memorization course with him to Formosa, coupled with a soul winning program. He met with nine churches. Five years later the Word, through the believers, had increased (Acts 6:7), grew and prevailed (Acts 19:20), so there were ninety churches and one-sixth of the a million converts who had finished the first part of the memorization plan. Another 100,000 had accepted Christ whom Dawson Trotman and the workers were not able to get through the memory course.
- A common country boy heard a message on the benefits of memorizing the Scriptures. Eighteen months later he had memorized 420 verses. Six years later he saw 150 walk the aisle in one year whom he had witnessed to in the home.
- A deacon in Cincinnati claimed he accomplished more in one year after memorizing 315 Scriptures than he had in the previous 17 years of soul winning, even though he had been working feverishly to win them.
The Word Produces Joy In The Heart.
- When desired – Psalm 19:8-10
- When discovered – Jeremiah 15:16
- When devoured – Revelation 10:10
- Solomon, our example – Proverbs 3:13-18
- David, our pattern – Psalm 16:11
- His Word directs us into His Throne Room – Hebrews 4:16
God Selects Those Who Know His Word For Special Errands.
- Stephen – Acts 6:8; 7:1-60
- Philip – Acts 8:26-38
The Word Of God Controls Dedicated Soul Winners
- Works effectively through Him – 1 Thessalonians 2:13
- The word works salvation out to others – Philippians 2:12-13
- Confidence in the Word acknowledges that the “battle is the Lord’s” – 2 Chronicles 20:15-17
The Word Has Power To Produce Wisdom
- Simple become wise – Psalm 19:7
- Light and understating imparted – Psalm 119:130
- Wisdom, a necessity to capture the ungodly – Proverbs 11:30
- Rewarded at the end of the road – Daniel 12:3
The Word Saves The Soul
- Affects the New Birth – 1 Peter 1:23
- Produces a New Life – Hebrews 4:12
- Imparts a New Faith – Romans 10:17