In this post, I shall cover a point in
Five Habits for Effective Christian Living. It is about bringing the Biblical words that we read from our mind into our heart. It is only when the Word is planted in our heart that we can believe, and then by acting on it and to know fully, without needing to believe anymore, that it works.
The process is Read -> Meditate -> Believe -> Act -> Know.
Meditation - Bringing Words from Mind into the Heart
Meditation could be also described as seeding the heart with the Words. Here are steps (need not be in sequence. repeat any step when needed):
- Read aloud, Repeat, Memorize. (For the eyes to see, the ears to hear, and the mind to focus. Use our 5 senses for input as much as possible).
- Break it into the key subject, verb, object. Put back the modifiers/qualifiers.
- Word by Word exposition and visualization
- Rephrase. Get a tagline for easy recall.
- Put “Ourselves” into it. Apply in our own life.
- Listen to the Holy Spirit.
- Think about it whole day.
- Write it down and Say it out.(ØStephen Covey (8th Habit) said writing is more powerful than visualization. It bridges the conscious and the subconscious mind. It is a psycho-neuromuscular activity and literally imprints the brain).
Try it with Mark 11:23
Here is the most powerful verse on faith and giving command on God's words. It is also Kenneth Hagin's favorite. The context (one must always read any verse in its context) is in Mark 11:12-14 and 11:20-25. This incidence is commonly known as "The Cursing of the Fig Tree". There are quite a few interpretations about why Jesus cursed the fig tree - such as "hypocrisy" because the tree show signs that it had figs but it did not when Jesus went closer to pick the figs. But I think the true lesson of this incidence is revealed in Jesus' teaching on faith given in 11:22-25 - How to Pray Effectively.
Mar 11:22 And Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God.
Mar 11:23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.
Mar 11:24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Mar 11:25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."
The Breaking Up and Putting Back of Mark 11:23
The teaching of Faith begins with v22 "Have faith in God"
- Have : must have this faith. Don't have don't work.
- Faith in God only, not in anything else. Faith in science, in others, don't work well.
I shall use mind map to visualize the breaking up and joining back of 11:23 as shown below:
- Begin with thinking about the speaker - Jesus. Who is he? What authority? Is he reliable? Is he powerful? etc.
- Truly - Jesus says it is very important and it works.
- say to you: What has Jesus got to do with me? What is the relationship that he share this working principle with me?
- Note the tag line "Whoever says and believes shall be granted him"
- Note the other qualifiers to give details on the whoever, says what, believe what, get what.
Rephasing - "
I get what I say and believe in God".
I don't get whatever I say, but only in what God says because v22 says have faith in God. God's promises to us are in the Bible. There are many promises like eternal life, shalom peace, health, wealth, success, relationships, good spouse, good children, long life, etc.
Listening to the Holy Spirit
As you meditate on His words, be aware and sensitive to the inner voice of the Holy Spirit. He will lead you with concepts and other verses to think about and relate. He may bring people into your mind for you to pray for them or even incidents, and needs that show you that God is interested in giving you the answers.
Application:
What is your mountain of need as the Spirit reveal and your inward deep desire? Relationship, healing, job, children,etc ? Find a promise in the Bible to stand on. Then say out the answer that you need. Such as "I command you, sickness, to go away, be cast into the sea". Then believe in your heart and doubt not when we receive contrary news from doctors or others or even our body. Every you encounter such bad news, say it out that you believe God's words and speak to the sickness (not to God. God already given you the authority) to go away. Your need will be answered according to your saying and believing. Sometime it takes time to see the answer but the it already begin. When did the fig tree die? The moment Jesus cursed it. But it took the next morning to be seen on the outside.
Giving Thanks
We don't have to wait to seen the full answer to give thanks. Give thanks now. We took driving test, enter university knowing for sure we shall pass and get our degree. We ordered our furniture and wait for it to be delivered to our house. We are happy when we place the order. Happier when we fully receive it. But giving of thanks begin when we order it. Order it - whatever is your need, find the promise that the Holy Spirit reveal to you, in God's name and give thanks to Him.
See also
Meditating on God's Words using Mind-mapping
