1. You will understand the verses you memorize much better.
2. The verses will come to mind when Satan is tempting you, when you are praying, and in conversations during the day.
3. Your memory will be greatly enhanced. I am amazed by how much more I remember, often without even trying. Where before I usually forgot what I heard almost immediately, now it sticks.
4. With the memorization of verses will come a desire to put them into practice which wasn't present before.
5. You will also experience a blessed new level of victory.
At time when I was actively memorizing, I learned the first 60 verses of Ps. 119 and Matthew 5—I learned all of the Sermon on the Mount the Lord. It wasn't easy and at first it was downright dreadful. But it is gets easier all the time. If I can learn so can you.
I found that understanding the passage more deeply was always a part of memorizing. Think about the meaning as you are memorizing.
I do have a method. I learn a verse, repeating it as often as I need, till I somewhat know it—I say somewhat because it takes working with it several times before it will be fully retained. Then I learn the second verse, repeating it until I have it down. Then I repeat verse one and two until I have them down as a group. Then I learn verse three, repeating it until I have it down. Then I repeat from verse two to verse three. When I have that down, then I repeat from verse one to verse three, repeating that group until I have all those verses together. Then I learn verse four and repeat it until I have it memorized. Then I repeat verse three and four together until they are down. Then I go from verse one to verse four. This continues to the next natural break. In the Psalms that usually means four to eight verses.
The King James Version and the New Kings James Version are more poetic and therefore easier to memorize. You will notice patterns that will provide you memory clues. I also carry a printed copy of the verses with me so that I can try to say them at various times during the day. Learning, reviewing during the day, re-looking at them in the evening, eventually the verses get into my memory. I also review whatever I am learning as the last thing I do before I fall asleep, and it is the first thing I think about in the morning.
You must try to repeat it correctly every time as much as possible:
Here is a vital point. YOU MUST SEEK TO ALWAYS DO IT CORRECTLY. Your memory functions outside of your conscious realization. You may be focusing on words, but your mind is actually putting it in as a pattern of words and sounds. Eventually that pattern will come out without your conscious efforts. This is somewhat akin to the memory found in your muscles if you play the piano. With the instrument, eventually you can play the piano without looking at the keys because the memory in your muscles sends your fingers where they need to go. If you always say the verse correctly you will find that you will eventually do it right most of the time. Accordingly, don’t feel like you are failing if you have to look at the verses before you repeat them. It is actually a good thing because the more times you do them correctly, the more you will do them right from memory. And, any time you repeat the verses, before you are done, look over the printed verses to make sure you did them right.
Don’t be frustrated if you don’t seem to remember at first:
The first time you return to your verses they will be hard to remember. Don’t be surprised. That is the way it always is.
Sometimes you will have to work hard to retain some verses:
Some verses just don't want to be learned. In that situation repeat the first phrase of the verse until you have that phrase. Then learn the next phrase, repeating it. Then go from the first. Work through the whole verse this way. Eventually it will come.
Don’t worry about learning multiple chapters or verses at a time. Your mind will store them separately and eventually you will be able to pull them out at will. I also learn promises regarding prayer during meals. Learning them comes easily after a time.
I share the power of Scripture because so many of your requests have to do with overcoming and victory. Instead of continuing to pray and NOT achieving victory, I am happy to share a secret that is making profound differences for me.
“Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” 2 Cor. 7:1
“Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD! Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart! They also do no iniquity; they walk in His ways.” Ps. 119:1-3
I don’t believe God would have asked us to be obedient children if He had not made provision for that obedience.
The following words are so true in my experience: “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought you, O LET ME NOT WANDER FROM YOUR COMMANDMENTS (Note God’s role in keeping us obedient). Your Word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against You.”
"But there is but little benefit derived from a hasty reading of the Scriptures. One may read the whole Bible through, and yet fail to see its beauty or comprehend its deep and hidden meaning. One passage studied until its significance is clear to the mind, and its relation to the plan of salvation is evident, is of more value than the perusal of many chapters with no definite purpose in view and no positive instruction gained. Keep your Bible with you. As you have opportunity, read it; fix the texts in your memory. Even while you are walking the streets, you may read a passage, and meditate upon it, thus fixing it in the mind." {CE 58.2}
Try to do some memorizing. I think you will be greatly blessed. Start with something shorter, however, like Ps. 1 or 23. Don't be afraid to memorize some spiritual "fiber," the "thou shalt" kind of verses, for in memorizing and applying you will discover the power of God. Let me know how it goes.
There was a time when I did a lot of running. To save wear and tear on my knees, I would run for ten minutes or so, then walk for thirty seconds. During the thirty second interval, I would memorize a verse of Scripture. When I began running again, I would go over that verse for ten minutes. I would also practice saying the passage since I was memorizing chapters at the time. I was greatly blessed doing so, and found I could sometimes memorize an entire chapter of Scripture during the course of a long Sunday run.
I have a friend who was struggling to be rid of an unwelcomed presence that was disturbing her sleep as she was sleeping. Eventually she felt led to write out promises regarding God's protection and placed them all around her room. The presence of those promises restored to her good nights of sleep.—Dan Augsburger