Basic Principles to Encourage and Simplify Memorizing Scripture

I. Ask for God’s strength to learn His Word and live its truth as a means of cultivating your love relationship with Him. Do it in God’s power, not yours. II Cor. 12:9-10

II. Be clear why you are memorizing scripture. Before starting, I urge you to write at least ten reasons for your decision to memorize scripture, and secondly, many reasons why you know you can succeed.

III. Commit to memorizing and systematically reviewing God’s Word daily for three months or some other specific length of time. Memorization is most difficult when you first begin. Freedom always follows discipline. Know that you are going to face many times of struggle and disappointment. No new discipline is easy. Satan will strongly oppose this one. Only drawing close to Christ as Lord and the power of God’s Spirit can see you through these initial efforts.

IV. Choose small portions of scripture at first. Master the verse at the beginning of the day and review it four or five times during the day. It is usually most helpful to have it on a card you can carry with you. This makes review much easier. I suggest one verse a week, or at most, two verses per week for the first three months. Learn the references by saying them before and after each time you review the verse. Both become part of you and increase confidence in your knowledge.

V. Determine to memorize each verse “word perfect” before memorizing additional verses. It takes no longer to review a verse word perfect than with mistakes, and it gives greater confidence. You may take two to four days with that first verse before you learn the second. Then, master the first and second before you add a third. Review each verse every day until you have memorized at least 12. If you have mastered the verses, that review will take you two to five minutes, unless you stop to meditate and/or pray the verse. Whenever a verse you are reviewing inspires you to pray, move into prayer. Then, return to the review process. The primary purpose is to be with God through scripture. Say the verses to Jesus. He is present and pleased with you. John 14:21

After you have memorized 12 verses, then each time you add an additional verse, eliminate the first one and then the next one, etc. This way, you can review all your verses daily in five minutes and it doesn’t become a burden. I suggest that you review all your verses on the Lord’s day each week. In this way, you can keep them sharp and forming your life, even when you have memorized 100.

VI. Energize your discipline through regular accountability to another person. Everyone should have somebody check them on their verses each week because of the strength and encouragement this gives you, and so you can know you have them word perfect. The key is a long obedience in the same direction. It will bless you and also the person with whom you share them.

VII. Faithfulness and faith will grow. Memorizing scripture in order to know God and His will for your life will become one of the most powerful blessings you will ever receive. If you learn scripture in order to respond to God’s love, pray in the light of those passages and live their truth in daily life, faith will grow as will the power of your prayers and the impact of your life. Share your adventure with someone else and, if they choose to join with you in this thrilling and life-changing adventure, I encourage you to pray for each other daily for the first month, using the 30-Day Prayer Covenant plan.