“Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.”
Joshua 1:8 NLT
The first thing we must understand as we set out to understand the thoughts and ways of God through scripture is that God must determine our pace and our idea of an impactful Bible Study session or process. It is important to not set out to study the Bible with your own static ideas of what it means to have an impactful bible study because it changes depending on the seasons of your life.
Some seasons it means reading only one verse in a chapter and sitting with it for a week. It can be reading chapters leisurely to feed your spirit with information. It can be studying bible characters for an entire season of your life. So it is important to let God inform this endeavor from start to finish for us.
Decide every day that you’re going to interact with the word of God unfailingly. Whether it’s one verse, one chapter or one book for as little time as you can spare or as much time as possible. Let it begin from your will that you will read the word of God everyday without excuses. Train your mind to see Bible study as something vital or important in your life that you cannot afford to go without.
Understand that you need the help of the Holy Spirit to do everything and understand anything so ask for the help of the Holy Spirit in prayer before and after you study. Resolve that you will not lean on your own understanding, or try to unravel anything with your own power. Make it a conscious habit to always say a prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to help you see truth and be flooded with light.
In the seasons where you’re led or able to, set a structure around it. 30 minutes/1 hour daily, and then one day in a week where you can spend hours. Be careful not to idolize this structure or be bound to it to the point where you cannot easily move away from it when God calls you to something different. Understand that structures don’t last forever and you will get tired of them eventually. You also need to know how to move with God through different levels of your zeal for Him.
Finally, it helps to develop a genuine curiousity for the word of God and understand how it helps you become better as a person. This way, you won’t consider bible study as a sacrifice you’re making for God and you will enjoy the process of studying.
Prayer Point:
Dear God, I thank You for the gift of The Bible. I receive the capacity to make the most of this gift and grow in love with and consistency in this endeavor in the name of Jesus I have prayed, Amen.
Meditation Prompt:
Spend some time speaking to the Holy Spirit about the current system you have for Bible study and how it can be better. Don’t forget to journal!
Prayer Prompts:
6:00 am: Pray for Northern Nigeria. Pray that the gates of hell will not prevail over the church in the North. Pray for strength for our siblings there.
9:00 am: Pray for the ones who are hungry and destitute in your country. Pray that God continues to sustain and send helpers to them.
12:00 pm: Pray for five churches that come to mind. Speak blessings over them as led by The Holy Spirit.
3:00 pm: Pray for your family, that God continues to shelter every member in His love and goodness.
6:00 pm: Pray for divine protection, that you and everyone you hold dear is safely cocooned in the hollow of God’s palm.
9:00 pm: Ask God what He wants you to pray about.
NO WAYYYYY. Wait . God is really saying read your Bible to me . You don’t understand, I just listened to a vn where she said God told her to speak to me about my devotional life and like Bible reading .
It’s been so hard for me and I get so tired after jumping bus in Lagos .
Just for me to open gmail and see this message ? On BIBLE STUDY?
I even noticed I started saying oh I have read this newsletter I’ll read my Bible later , absolutely NOTHING should take the place of knowing God through His word , clearly it’s as important as prayer !
It definer my equips the believer .