32527 Memorizing God’s Word

There are five basic ways for you to grow in your knowledge and experience with God’s Word: Hear it, read it, study it, memorize it, and meditate on it. Memorizing God’s Word has tremendous benefits.

One of the most important reasons for memorizing Scripture is because our memories are short.  Research has shown that after 24 hours you accurately remember:

5% of what you hear

15% of what you read

35% of what you study

57% of what you see and hear

100% of what you memorize

Noted author, and counselor, Henry Brandt, once wrote: “I still consider Bible memorization the single most important aid in my Christian life and in my counseling.”

Dawson Trotman, past president of the Navigators said, “I know of no form of intake of the Word which pays greater dividends for the time invested than Scripture memory.”

In Matthew 4:1-10 we actually see Jesus overcoming Satan’s temptations by using scripture. He probably didn’t have the scriptures in written out form … he was using them because he had learned them as a child and could recite them! 

Here’s the story:

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”

But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’”

Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.”

Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. “I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.”

“Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’” (NLT)

It’s actually easy to memorize verses: 

  • Start with one verse. 
  • Write it down if possible.
  • Repeat it several times.
  • Say it in your own words. Identify why it is important.
  • Repeat it to a friend or family member.
  • Think about how you might apply it to your life.
  • Once you have it memorized, review it every day for 30 days.

It will be yours to take with you wherever you go! 

Here are a few verses for you to memorize to get started!

“How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” – Psalm 119:9, 11, NIV

 “So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.” – Deuteronomy 11:18-19, NLT

“Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.” – Colossians 3:16, NLT

“I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:38-29, NLT

People often say “I just can’t memorize things.” But that simply is not true! We memorize information all the time for business, sales presentations, stock market quotes, sports, and daily commitments. Athletes memorize whole play books, team standings, player stats, etc. It’s not memory that is lacking, it’s motivation.