Fortifying the mind with scripture is our defense against the dark sentences that the world would place upon our souls. The Lord has great and precious promises available to us that we might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world, through lust. {See 2 Peter1:4-11}

Scripture passages are available for our help when putting on the whole armor of God that we might be able to stand against the wiles of the enemy. {See Ephesians 6:10-18} But how do we put scripture into our minds in an effective way where we can use it when needed most? If you don’t have a photographic memory, it may take some strategies and a little effort to put important scripture to memory. We are told that we need these scriptures to be partakers of the divine nature and to be fortified with the armor of God. Let me share with you some tips for memorizing scripture. If these scriptures are vital during ordinary times, how much more so through the day of trouble! Don’t wait to put the scriptures in your heart and mind.

BIBLE MEMORIZATION MADE EASY: Download Bible Memorization Made Easy – PDF

A technique for memorizing scripture begins with simply reading the verse or range over and over until it becomes familiar. Make up a list of the verses so that you can read and rehearse them. You can do this over a span of time which is useful for you. When you are familiar with the scripture, then begin to memorize one or two verses at a time day by day until it is embedded in your memory. This works great for larger portions. Short verses you may only need to read repeatedly to become familiar with it. The visual or audio familiarity with the scripture will make memorizing much easier.

Once you have memorized a scripture in your list, it helps to cement it more solidly in your memory if you first list the beginning of the text along with the book, chapter and verse(s). It is also helpful in some cases to add a column for an acronym when trying to remember the verses of a particular book. Take the book of Deuteronomy for example. In my list, I have some difficulty remembering which verse goes with which text. So I made up an acronym NBOBOB to go beside each scripture in Deuteronomy. You can use an acronym or letter for a single text also. A letter of the alphabet helps me remember what word the text starts with. An acronym can give you a more information about the verse, or can give you the beginning letters of several key words in the text. See the Excel Memory Planner for an example. You can also use this document to adjust your memory verse helper to your liking.

But eventually, when you have rehearsed your scripture over and over again, you will want to have only the listing of the references without the text helps.

Stage three then, is to practice pulling your scriptures without any cheat sheet. We may not always have a list in front of us. In other words, try to remember all of the Psalms that you know and even in order.

How do you keep the memory verses fresh? Repeat those scriptures that you have learned, perhaps taking 20 or so to repeat every day in addition to what you are currently memorizing. It isn’t easy to get through a long list of memory verses every day and still find time to learn new ones. And of course the bigger the list gets, the more you have to manage it.

SUMMARY OF MEMORIZATION STEPS: Download Bible Memorization Made Easy – PDF

1. Make up a list of the verses you are learning. Read the verse or range over and over until it becomes familiar. You can do this quickly or over a span of time. 2. When you are familiar with the scripture, then begin to memorize one or two verses at a time day by day, adding to what you learned the previous day until the scripture is embedded in your memory. This works particularly well for large sections. 3. Once you have memorized a scripture in your list, it helps to cement it more solidly in your memory if you first list the beginning of the text along with the book, chapter and verse(s). 4. Use acronyms and letters of the alphabet to help you remember the first word of a text, or as the beginning words for a group of texts within a book. A letter of the alphabet helps you remember what word the text starts with. An acronym can give you a more information about the verse, or can give you the beginning letters of several key words in the text. 5. Eventually, when you have rehearsed your scripture over and over again, you will want to have only the listing of the references without the text helps. 6. Finally, when you have thoroughly cemented the scripture in your mind, practice pulling your scriptures without any cheat sheet. We may not always have a list in front of us. In other words, try to remember all of the Psalms that you know and even in order. 7. Repeat those that you have learned, perhaps taking 20 or so to repeat every day in addition to what you are currently memorizing.

MEMORY VERSE HELPER DOWNLOAD EXCEL MEMORY PLANNER – XLS

In the Memory Planner, you will see icons such as a red heart and an arrow in a green box. The hearts signify that the verse has been memorized. The green box with the arrow is a tag alerting you that the verse has not been memorized. You can move the icons and alter your planner spreadsheet according to your plans.

EXODUS 20:2-17 I am the Lord your God which brought NUMBERS 23:19 God is not a man that he should lie DEUTERONOMY 4:1-2 Now therefore hearken O Israel DEUTERONOMY 4:4 But ye that did cleave unto the Lord DEUTERONOMY 4:9 Only take heed to thyself and keep DEUTERONOMY 4:20 But the Lord hath taken you DEUTERONOMY 5:29 O that there were such an heart in them DEUTERONOMY 8:18 But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God JOB 23:10 But he knoweth the way that I take JOB 28:28 Behold the fear of the Lord, this is wisdom PSALMS 1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the PSALMS 4:3 But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly PSALMS 19:7-14 The law of the Lord is perfect PSALMS 20:7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will PSALMS 23 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want PSALMS 25:1-2 Unto thee oh Lord, do I lift up my soul PSALMS 27:1-5 The Lord is my light and my salvation PSALMS 27:10-11 When my father and my mother forsake me PSALMS 27:13-14 I Had fainted unless I believed to see the goodness PSALMS 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous PSALMS 37:1-10 Fret not thyself because of evildoers PSALMS 41:1-3 Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord PSALMS 46 God is our refuge and strength PSALMS 50:14-15 Offer unto God thanksgiving PSALMS 51:10-12 Create in me a clean heart oh God, and renew a right PSALMS 52:7 Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength PSALMS 52:8-9 But I am like a green olive tree PSALMS 55:22 Cast all thy burdens upon the Lord PSALMS 77:13 Thy way, oh God, is in the sanctuary PSALMS 91 He that dwelleth in the secret place PSALMS 103:1-5 Bless the Lord, oh my soul PSALMS 107:17-19 Fools because of their transgression PSALMS 119:1-3 Blessed are the undefiled in the way PSALMS 119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way PSALMS 119:11 Thy word have I hid in my heart PSALMS 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet PSALMS 121 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills PROVERBS 3:1-2 My son, forget not my law; but let thine PROVERBS 3:5-10 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart PROVERBS 3:11-12 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; PROVERBS 3:25-26 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation PROVERBS 3:27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, PROVERBS 16:32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty PROVERBS 19:17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord PROVERBS 20:11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether it PROVERBS 20:22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil PROVERBS 21:23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth PROVERBS 21:31 The horse is prepared against the day of battle PROVERBS 22:22-23 Rob not the poor, because he is poor PROVERBS 24:17-18 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth PROVERBS 24:28-29 Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause PROVERBS 29:25 The fear of man bringeth a snare PROVERBS 29:26 Many seek the ruler’s favour PROVERBS 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield ISAIAH 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord ISAIAH 4 And in that day seven women ISAIAH 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not ISAIAH 12:2 Behold God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid ISAIAH 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace ISAIAH 26:20-21 Come my people. Enter thou into ISAIAH 35:3-4 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble ISAIAH 40:31 But they that wait upon the Lord ISAIAH 41:10 Fear thou not for I am with thee ISAIAH 50:7 For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be ISAIAH 51:1 Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness ISAIAH 51:11-13 Therefore the redeemed of the Lord ISAIAH 53:4-5 Surely he hath borne our griefs ISAIAH 58 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like JEREMIAH 12:05 If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied JEREMIAH 17:5-15 …cursed be the man that trusteth JEREMIAH 29:11-13 For I know the thoughts that I think AMOS 3:7 Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth ZECHARAIAH 4:6 Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit ZECHARAIAH 10:1 Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time MALACHI 3:10-11 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse MATTHEW 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son MATTHEW 5:3-12 Blessed are the poor in spirit MATTHEW 6:9-13 Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be MATTHEW 6:19-21 Lay not up for yourselves MATTHEW 6:22-23 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye MATTHEW 6:24 No man can serve two masters MATTHEW 6:31-34 Therefore take no thought, saying What shall MATTHEW 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist MATTHEW 11:28-30 Come unto me all ye that labor MATTHEW 28:19-20 Go ye therefore into all the world LUKE 11:13 If you then being evil JOHN 3:14-15 And as Moses lifted up the serpent JOHN 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that he gave his only JOHN 7:17 If any man will do his will JOHN 8:32 And ye shall know the truth JOHN 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled JOHN 14:13-16 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name JOHN 14:21 He that hath my commandments and keepeth JOHN 14:26-27 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost ROMANS 3:23 For all have sinned and come short of the glory ROMANS 6:16 Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves ROMANS 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God ROMANS 8:1-2 There is therefore now no condemnation ROMANS 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time ROMANS 8:28-29 And we know that all things work ROMANS 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love ROMANS 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore brethren ROMANS 12:17-21 Recompense to no man evil for evil EPHESIANS 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding EPHESIANS 4:30-32 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God EPHESIANS 6:10-18 Finally brethren, be strong in the Lord PHILIPPIANS 1:6 Being confident of this very thing PHILIPPIANS 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice PHILIPPIANS 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by PHILIPPIANS 4:8 Finally brethren, whatsoever things are PHILIPPIANS 4:11-12 For I have learned in whatsoever state PHILIPPIANS 4:13 I can do all things through Christ PHILIPPIANS 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need 1 CORINTHIANS 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you 1 CORINTHIANS 15:51-55 Behold I show you a mystery 2 CORINTHIANS 10:3-6 For though we walk in the flesh 2 CORINTHIANS 12:9 My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is COLOSSIANS 3:8 But now ye also, put off all these 2 TIMOTHY 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear 2 TIMOTHY 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God 2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God HEBREWS 10:16-23 This is the covenant that I will make with HEBREWS 12:1-7 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed JAMES 1:2-8 My brethren, count it all joy when ye JAMES 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation JAMES 1:19-20 Wherefore my beloved brethren, let every JAMES 3:9-10 Therewith bless we God even the Father JAMES 4:6-10 God resisteth the proud JAMES 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, 1 PETER 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called 2 PETER 1:4-11 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great 2 PETER 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise 1 JOHN 1:7-9 But if we walk in the light as he is in REVELATION 14:6-12 And I saw another angel fly in the midst REVELATION 21:1-27 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth REVELATION 22:1-22 And he showed me a pure river of water of life

By Deborah Jabs

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The Word of God says that a person is of the seed of his father.  Those who are born of God have his seed in them.  [1 John 3:9]  

If a person’s father be the God of heaven, then that person does not sin for his Father’s seed is in him.  This is a particularly unpopular teaching today, one that is rarely heard.  The Bible does not speak error, so this is a truism that must be unpacked and relearned.

The seed of the Father of heaven causes us to be in a saved condition, not because we have lost the power of choice, but because the way of the Father is in us and we have been born again of the ways fo the Father.  One who has been born again unto his Father in heaven is not likely to turn back unto a life of sin because his Father’s seed is in him.  Yet it is clear that the power of choice is not removed for this goes against the gospel of love.  God never forces us to cooperate. 

The saved condition is a spiritual state where the direction of our lives is not in the path of sin unto death.  The Bible says there is a sin unto death.  [ref]  The sin unto death is the understanding we have lost as a whole.

What is the sin unto death?  It is the sin where one capitulates or ceases resisting almost even to the point of negotiating with one’s conscience, pushing the knowledge of right living to the side out of our direct attention.  One may do so due to excusing sin for the sake of the human nature.  It is also the sins one commits because of a lack of knowledge of how to overcome, either by avoidance of information or by a lack thereof for any reason.

To live a life direction that is in the path of overcoming, putting on the full armour of God and waging the war of Jacob’s struggle that puts us in the saved condition. 

Without Christ’s atoning sacrifice there would be no opportunity for salvation whatsoever.  His atonement has given us a fresh start as though we had never sinned.  But consider that without Christ’s work of sanctification there would be no deliverance from the life of sin for sanctification is the process Christ works in us throughout our lives.  Sanctification requires our placing ourselves under the authority of Christ and assumes a position of spiritual cooperation with Christ.  We are to put on the full armour of God and wage the war of Jacob’s struggle. 

The war of Jacob’s struggle necessitates struggling with God in place of struggling with sin.  The war is waged against the enemy by cooperating in certain ways.  The soldier of God is to do daily practice the spiritual disciplines: 

1.  Guard the sentinels

2.  Spend thoughtful time in devotion to God

3.  Read from the Word of God

4.  Pray and talk with God

5.  Intercede for others

6.  Learn truth that you be not deceived

7.  Memorize scripture that the Word may be hidden in your heart and keep you from the desire for sin.

8.  Put into practice right living

9.  Share truth and you testimony with others

10. Struggle with God for deliverance from every sinful trait.  This should be in place of struggling directly with the sin.

When we struggle directly against sin, we often end up doing so in our own strength and find ourselves about as successful as trying to pull ourselves out of a pit while holding on to ropes of sand.  To be successful, resistance must be met with the following biblical steps when we are tempted:

1.  Be truthful about the Word of God and what is expected of his followers.  Don’t make excuses for sin in your life.

2.  God resists the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.  Remember this and trust in his promised grace and deliverance.

3.  Submit yourself to God first.

4.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

5.  Draw nigh unto God and he will draw nigh unto you.

6.  Cleanse your hands and purify your hearts.  Throw off double mindedness.

7.  Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and he will lift you up.

James 4:4-6

We must place ourselves where God has specified for us to remain safe in the saved condition, not having reached perfection, but living from strength unto strength as found in 2Peter 1:4-11.

As a final note…

King Josiah fought a battle God never asked him to fight.  He died in battle.  So also we often fight a battle God never asked us to fight.  He has not asked us to fight the spiritual battle in self strength.  He has asked us to trade in our ropes of sand for the reigns of righteousness.

For further reading on this topic download the e-book Harnessing the Power of the Will.