Bulletproof Your Faith With This Jesus Challenge Secret: Scripture Memorization
When you think about memorizing Scripture, do you already feel defeated? 😞You’re at least probably a little skeptical. It seems like a daunting, if not somewhat unnecessary, task.
I mean, sure, it’s great for little AWANA kids who can proudly rattle off 30 verses by heart. But no grown, busy, working adult has time for that. Besides, it sounds really hard and unattainable.
Friend, I’m going to be honest with you.
👉 Yes, memorizing Scripture can feel overwhelming (*HINT: it’s not!)
👉 Yes, it might feel pointless (*HINT: you guessed it – it’s not!)
👉 And yes, your kids might always be better at it than you. (This one might be true.)
But if you’re not memorizing Scripture, you’re voluntarily missing out on a rock-solid and unsinkable faith. ⚓ You forfeit confidence in God’s Word, which obliterates the enemy’s sneaky tactics.
It’s one of God’s greatest weapons available at your fingertips, but you take a look at it and walk right on by, dismissing it as unachievable.
So before you keep walking, let me tell you there’s a way to memorize Scripture that’s so easy, that you might not even notice your verse library filling up!
The Jesus Challenge naturally incorporates Bible verse memorization into your daily life, helping you take baby steps to store God’s Word in your heart. Anyone can do it! It’s a slow, bite-sized, simple process, just like getting comfortable walking a mile a day.
Let’s Expose Some Common Myths about Scripture Memorization
You’ve probably thought to yourself – and might be thinking right now – “That sounds nice, but it’s just not for me.” 🙅🏻♀️
I want to dig into that and root out the lies holding you back from God’s blessing right now. Do you find yourself in any of these myths?
Myth 1: Only people with excellent memories can memorize Scripture. 🧠
God equips you with exactly what you need to be obedient to him. Remember Moses? He was a terrible speaker, and he knew it! But he obeyed God’s command to speak on behalf of the Hebrews, and God gave him everything he needed to free them from Pharaoh.
Here’s another way to look at it: if you’re bad at remembering things, that might be all the more reason for you to start memorizing Scripture!
Myth 2: Only people with free time can memorize Scripture. ⏳
The busier your life, the more you need God’s truth governing your mind. Max Barnett says, “If you are truly too busy, then maybe you are busier than God intended you to be. The problem is not usually a lack of time but a lack of heart. Ask God to help you deal with your heart and find some time to memorize His Word.”
Myth 3: I don’t need to memorize Scripture because it’s all on my phone. 🤳
Though you probably have a Bible app on your phone, much of your day is not spent on your phone. And you need to have access to God’s Word when you’re having a challenging conversation with a coworker.
🚗 When you’re driving home after a long day.
🤱 When you’re trying to help a screaming child.
😤 When you’re fighting frustration as you cook dinner.
You won’t be whipping out your phone in those moments – you NEED God’s Word stored away in your heart.
Myth 4: Memorizing Scripture means I need to memorize chapters and chapters. 📚
Not true! Scripture memorization starts small and grows as you practice it regularly over time. It doesn’t have to fit any particular mold, as long as you’re storing God’s Word in your heart. In fact, I bet you already know more verses than you realize!
Myth 5: Memorizing Scripture is too hard, complicated, and time-consuming for me. 😵💫
It doesn’t have to be that way. And I found a way that works perfectly with a busy life and full schedule. My Jesus Challenge offers a natural way to integrate Bible verse memorization into your daily walks without taking more time out of your day. More on that in a bit!
Myth 6: I already read the Bible every day. Why should I memorize it too? 📖
First of all, I’m proud of you for spending time in God’s Word every day! But God’s Word is deeper than our small brains will ever understand. Reading the Bible gives you a broad knowledge of God’s Word, but Scripture memorization takes you deep. Even if we work diligently at memorization, we’ll only ever memorize a small fraction of the Bible.
What’s the Point of Memorizing Scripture?
What are the benefits? To overcome something that feels so daunting, the reward better be pretty massive.
It is. 😏
Chuck Swindoll says, “I know of no other single practice in the Christian life more rewarding, practically speaking, than memorizing Scripture. . . . No other single exercise pays greater spiritual dividends! Your prayer life will be strengthened. Your witnessing will be sharper and much more effective. Your attitudes and outlook will begin to change. Your mind will become alert and observant. Your confidence and assurance will be enhanced. Your faith will be solidified.”
In that quote alone, he talked about SIX benefits of memorizing Scripture:
🙏stronger prayer life
🗣️ effectiveness in sharing the Gospel
☀️ positive attitudes
🧠 mental clarity
😎 boosted confidence
🤲 and a stronger faith.
Daily Benefits of Storing God’s Word in Your Heart.
Here’s what happens when you regularly memorize Scripture and meditate on truth. And remember, you can start small with some easy verses. 😅
First of all, wow, what a goal! 🤩 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “We all, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.” To become like Christ, we must consistently see him. Memorizing Scripture steadies our gaze on Him.
In Matthew 4:1-11, Satan tempts Jesus, and Jesus sends Satan running by immediately quoting God’s Word at him.
That’s awesome, but we’re not Jesus, so what about us? 😳
Psalm 119:9-11 says, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your word… I have stored up Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against You." Looks like the answer is the same for us. God’s already given us everything we need to resist the evil one!
When you memorize Scripture, it sits quietly at the forefront of your mind, offering you a fitting and quick response when someone needs counsel. And this time it’s not just your best human answer – it’s God’s living and powerful truth pouring out of your mouth into the life of another person. What an honor to share it!
When you soak your thoughts in God’s character and qualities, your picture of Him becomes sharper and clearer. Though we’ll never fully understand His magnitude, He doesn’t hide Himself from us. He very clearly and openly describes Himself in Scripture.
But when we simply read a portion of verses and then close the Bible, we barely graze the surface of His attributes. Only by memorizing and repeating verses about His character does deeper understanding and adoration finally sink in. And when it does, it changes the way we live, make decisions, speak, walk, work, feel, and think.
John Piper says, “Storing texts in our minds about God helps us relate to Him as He really is.” Imagine being able to say Psalm 103:8-14 by heart:
“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.”
When you can repeat that by heart, you’re free to simply worship anytime, any place! 👐 You get to enjoy God’s lavish love over you. You get to understand His heart towards you and relish in it. You get to experience God emotionally.
When God’s Word constantly cycles through your mind, His truth is the first obstacle that trial hits when it spirals into your world. Scripture protects your heart with peace in God’s promises and confidence in His character. When nothing’s going right and everything’s falling apart, those verses you memorized are your lifeline. 🛟
Psalm 119:105 says, “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” The more you know God’s heart, the more clearly and confidently you know what direction to take. It’s like downloading a holy GPS into your brain, guiding you, and shining a light ahead of you. 🧭
Now imagine if you memorized one short verse today.
WEEK 1: It’s not a huge change, but in one week, you’ll already see a difference. In the middle of a hectic day, that verse comes to mind, resetting your thoughts on truth. You respond less reactively and more thoughtfully. 😌You’re surprisingly encouraged by that small truth tucked away in your heart.
MONTH 1: Now fast forward a month. You’ve added a few more verses to your library. Your morning routine includes reciting these verses to yourself in the mirror, setting a purposeful tone for the day. 💪When unexpected challenges arise, you’re not tossed around by them. Your family and friends notice you’re more patient, relaxed, and somehow always joyful.
YEAR 1: Let’s jump to a year from today. Your mind is a treasure chest of Scripture. You’ve internalized so much of God’s heart that it’s naturally woven into every conversation, decision, and thought. You’ve faced trials with steadiness and poise that only comes from God. ⚓ You feel confident sharing your faith because it’s not just something you know about – it’s something you live.
And it all started with that one short verse. You could change your life and countless lives around you simply by taking that tiny first step. It’s so easy!
Let me show you what I mean. 👇
Making Scripture Memorization Easy With The Jesus Challenge
So how can you do this without eating more time out of your day?
When you sign up for my virtual Christian walking challenge, you commit to 40 days of walking or running one mile per day while reading an assigned portion of Scripture. The reading won’t take you a full mile, so you have extra time to pray and – you guessed it! – memorize Scripture.
Instead of carving out extra time solely for memorization, you can easily memorize Scripture during your built-in daily walks or runs. Moving while focusing on your memory verse helps reinforce it in your mind, connecting physical movement with your mental exercise.
One of the greatest strengths of the Jesus Challenge is the community support. 🤝 You’re part of a dedicated group that’s in this to fall more in love with God and His Word. Ask others to join you, share your process, recite verses together, and discuss their meanings with others in the group.
How to Practically Memorize Scripture With the Jesus Challenge
What does this look like? 🤔
How does feasible Scripture memorization play out in day-to-day life?
Let me offer you a few practical ideas to help you get started!
- Choose one verse to memorize at the beginning of each week. Recite it once at the beginning of your walk and once at the end of your daily walk. Choose a new verse next week.
- OR every ten days, choose a new verse to memorize. Recite it once at the beginning and end of every walk.
- Start small. Choose shorter verses that have meaning to you.
- Repeat that verse out loud until you finish the walk. This may seem mundane, but new things will leap out at you as you meditate.
- Say it out loud. Hearing yourself say it will help solidify it in your memory. 👂
- Emphasize a different word every time you repeat it. Emphasizing different words brings out a slightly different perspective on the meaning.
- Pray the verse. 🙏 When you say the verse as a prayer to God, it helps you internalize it and make it more meaningful and personal.
- Memorize verses alongside your accountability partner. Recite verses to each other at the beginning and end of every week.
- Recite the verse two times before you fall asleep every night. 😴The next morning you’ll wake up with it fresh on your mind!
- Write the verse on a notecard and hang it on your fridge or bathroom mirror. Every time you see it, recite it.
- On the first of each month, repeat all the verses you learned that month.
If you’re unsure where to start, here’s an excellent resource by the Navigators to help you narrow down what verses to start with.
Don’t Wait For the Day You Need it And Don’t Have It
I know it’s easy to feel hesitant and a bit overwhelmed. But don’t let the enemy use your fear to hold you back from God’s rich blessing waiting for you.
There is strength and peace available to you right now. Imagine having wisdom at the forefront of your mind and a deep connection to God as His Word is etched on your heart. 💗It will transform everything about your life and the lives of people around you.
If you’re worried you won’t have the time or skills to memorize Scripture, let me encourage you. The Jesus Challenge is designed to help you succeed! With our simple approach, community support, and practical habits, you’ll find memorizing Scripture not only doable but also deeply rewarding. 🥳
Remember, this isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress. And each time you repeat God’s Word to yourself, you fortify your faith and draw near to God’s heart.
Sign up for my next virtual Christian walking challenge and see how easy and powerful memorizing God’s Word is.