MEDITATE ON THE WORD

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall MEDITATE in it DAY and NIGHT…” – Joshua 1:8a

The key Strategy to the experiencing the Fullness of the Word is to MEDITATE ON THE WORD – Day and Night! It is also the Secret of Good Success: “...that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Jos.1:8b). God wants us to succeed at whatever we do. Psalm 1 says of the person who delights in the Word and meditates in it day and night, “and whatever he does shall prosper” (Psa.1:3). Your success as a Christian is directly related to your relationship with God’s Word. You need the power of His Word working in your life.

It takes more than just reading the Bible for you to grow spiritually. When you learn how to meditate on God’s Word, you are able to move into a believing faith that always receives! To meditate means to: to think deeply or carefully about something.  Kenneth Copeland suggests these five steps to meditating on the Word:

Set yourself before the Lord: submit to His Word, instruction and authority. Invite Him to minister to your heart. To help prepare your heart for what He wants to speak to you, try spending some time quietly praying in the spirit. Acknowledge the integrity of His Word, and be open to whatever He wants to reveal to you.

Forgive: To meditate on the Word and receive from it, you must first forgive; otherwise, bitterness, anger and unforgiveness could block your blessings, peace and ability to hear from the Lord. Obey God’s command to put away anger; to take complete authority over anger. Then, you’ll be in position to hear from the Lord as you study His Word.

Dwell on the Word of God: Scriptural meditation simply means thinking about and reflecting on His Word. It means pondering a particular scripture and mentally applying it to your own circumstances again and again until that scripture permanently marks your consciousness. Go beyond reading a verse; camp there for a while; dissect it. Let the Holy Spirit give you revelation about that verse. Let it convict, sharpen, refine and encourage you. Let the Word transform you. That kind of meditation can affect your life in a way that almost nothing else can. It can, quite literally, alter your mind and renew it to the truth of God’s Word (Rom.12:2). 

Apply the Word personally: To meditate on the Word means you make it your first source, your first line of defense, and the final word on any matter you’re facing. When you need healing, for example, take the time to think again and again on the Word.  You will begin to paint a profile of yourself in your spirit that lines up with the Word of God. Then, instead of wondering what you’re going to do when you need healing, your spirit already knows you have it, so you’ll begin to act on it. You’ll receive it.

Let the Word mold and reform your thoughts: Meditation is all about taking time to envision God’s promise until it becomes a reality inside you. By focusing on the scriptural promises He has given you, you can put them to work in your life. As you meditate, you renew your mind to the truth in His Word. It will change and refine you and the way you respond to situations. You'll deal wisely and courageously in life’s affairs. You’ll have the confidence to do whatever the Word says, no matter what anyone else thinks.

Beloved, enjoy your seasons of meditation in the Word, but with realistic expectations. Fresh revelations may not flow every single time you read the Word. You don’t have to feel goose bumps at every interaction with the Word. Not every meal is a banquet. You may enjoy some meals more than others, but the aim is to get some ‘fuel’ in your system. It’s the same with God’s Word in your spirit. Relax. Enjoy the Word and let the Word do the work!