Prayer Meeting - April 2nd - God's Word Internalized

For this week's Prayer meeting, Melody started a series called "The Vital Signs of Life" and shared some of her personal testimony. Her focus was "Scripture memorization" and how that has impacted her life! Her goal was to challenge and motivate those in attendance to seek to make "Scripture Memorization" a solid part of their devotional walk with God. "The goal is Complete Sanctification right?" she challenged? "So how is that developed?"

"Sanctify them through thy truth....thy word is truth!" John 17:17

Below are a few highlights from her notes shared during Prayer Meeting

There are FOUR THINGS that I think Satan attacks the hardest in our own lives!

ONE: Satan employs every possible device to keep us from deep meditative study of the Bible!

"Satan employs every possible device to prevent men from obtaining a knowledge of the Bible; for its plain utterances reveal his deceptions." GC 593

Now you know, Satan doesn’t care so much if you know a lot of Bible facts, just as long as they don’t change your life! But He will work at all cost to keep you from studying the Bible with a surrendered deep desire to Know God and to follow His every word. All we have to do is look at our own lives and we can see how he seeks to do this!

TWO: He employs every possible device to keep us from deep soul-searching prayer!

"Prayer is the breath of the soul. It is the secret of spiritual power. No other means of grace can be substituted, and the health of the soul be preserved. Prayer brings the heart into immediate contact with the Well-spring of life, and strengthens the sinew and muscle of the religious experience." In Heavenly Places pg 83

What happens if we don’t breath? We die....so it happens spiritually!

THREE: He employs every possible device to keep us from Praising God in our trials and from growing in faith...

"The season of distress and anguish before us will require a faith that can endure weariness, delay, and hunger--a faith that will not faint though severely tried....Those who exercise but little faith now, are in the greatest danger of falling under the power of satanic delusions and the decree to compel the conscience. And even if they endure the test they will be plunged into deeper distress and anguish in the time of trouble, because they have never made it a habit to trust in God. The lessons of faith which they have neglected they will be forced to learn under a terrible pressure of discouragement... When waves of despair which no language can express sweep over the suppliant, how few cling with unyielding faith to the promises of God." GC 621

FOUR: And He employs every device possible to keep us from being obedient in our lives and witness!

"Heaven with its attractions is before you, an eternal weight of glory, which you may lose or gain. Which shall it be? Your life and your character will testify the choice you have made. I feel the more anxious because I see so many indifferent upon the subjects of infinite importance. They are always busy here and there about matters of minor importance, and the one great subject is put out of their thoughts. They have no time to pray, no time to watch, no time to search the Scriptures. They are altogether too busy to make the necessary preparation for the future life. They cannot devote time to perfect Christian characters and in diligence to secure a title to heaven." Our High Calling page 44

We'll be talking about all FOUR areas over the next couple months, but tonight we're going to zero in on Number One - Diving into God's Word, not only in study, but also by learning to put His Word in our hearts!

Briefly let's look at 5 powerful ways that Scripture Memory will bless our lives.

1: Scripture Memorization helps us to really Know our Faith

II Tim 2:15
I Cor 2:5
I Tim 3:16,17
John 5:39
Acts 17:11
Isa 8:20

2: Scripture Memorization Enables us to Answer for our Faith

Isa 43:10
I Pet 3:15
Ps 119:42,46
Luke 21:14-15
John 14:26

3: Scripture Memorization enables us to gain Victory in daily battles

II Cor 10:13
II Pet 1:4
Matt 4
Rom 15:4

4: Scripture Memorization enables us to Prepare for the Time of Trouble ahead

Eph 6:10-18
I Pet 5:8
I Cor 16:13
Ps 27:5
Matt 24:35,13

5: Scripture Memorization adds Power to our Prayer life and Relationship with Jesus

Rom 8:26-39
John 15:7
Eph 3:20
Rom 4:20
Phil 4:6

Closing Thoughts:

We live in a quick-fix, do-it-yourself society...but that mentality isn't going to work when it comes to building a faith that will last til the end.

"There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death..." Prov 16:25

Memorizing lots of Bible verses does not save us any more than doing other good works.... It is having a surrendered and committed relationship with Jesus Christ...so that when He comes back.... He can say, "I know you!"

"For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast...." Eph 2:8-9

However, scripture memory draws us closer to the goal of knowing Christ personally....it helps us think like He thinks, love as He loves, and hate what He hates!!! And that’s our goal - complete surrendered sanctification!!!

"I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect will of God...." Rom 12:1,2

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...But as many as received Him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name." John 1:1,12

Resources for Scripture Memory Programs

http://www.fast.st/
1-800-501-4024

http://www.thywordcreations.com/
1-800-347-WORD

http://www.sealingtouch.com/
580-661-3837