The Importance of Filling Your Life With Scripture

Andy Davis

I hold in my hand a miracle.  The Bible is a miracle, and I challenge you to give me any
definition of a miracle that our Bible does not qualify.  It was the Word God sent, for faith
comes by hearing so that we might be saved.  James 1:17 – God chose to give us birth
by the word of truth.  The Scriptures are able to make us wise for salvation through faith
in Christ Jesus (2 Tim. 3:15).

There are elect people who have not been justified yet; there are justified people who
are not finished being sanctified.  The finish line of salvation is the resurrected body;
therefore, we are not finished yet, and we are in danger every hour.  We need the
ministry of the word of God every hour.  The doctrines of grace, the five points of
Calvinism have been precious to me most all of my Christian life.  Most believers are
aware of the “p” of tulip–the perseverance of the saints.  But I have come to have a
different view of perseverance over the past couple of years.  It is much more dynamic;
Jesus continues to save me, continues to project me until I am brought to glory.

The ongoing ministry of the Word keeps our faith in Christ strong.

John 15:1-8
The centrality of this message is abiding, remaining, and dwelling in Christ.  This
fruitfulness comes only from abiding in Christ, and abiding in Christ does not come apart
from abiding in the Word of God.  Look at verse seven and eight:

7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be
done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to
be my disciples.
I want trace out this theme of the centrality of the Word.  Then I want to speak generally
how this will be beneficial and helpful, and giving practical helps in studying Scripture.

1.  Eternal life comes by the Word (3)

“You already clean because of the Word I have spoken to you.” We must be washed by
Jesus or we do not go to heaven.  Nobody’s will is stronger than Jesus’.  Clean means
justified–to be pure in the sight of God.  God is looking on us as clean–he sees us pure
and clean in Christ because of the word spoken to you.  Rom. 5:1–we have peace with
God; Heb. 10:22–hearts sprinkled and consciences cleansed.
2.  Eternal life is sustained daily by the Word (2, 4)

Sanctification is the ongoing work of cleaning by the Spirit with the Word of God.  The
Father is cleaning you all the time–he is pruning you.  God is cleaning those who are
already clean.  There is a direct relationship between justification and sanctification.  We
are sanctified daily by the same means we are justified–the word of God.  We have an
essential daily walk with Christ through the Word (4).

This is a dynamic walk with Christ.  It is life-giving sap from the vine to branch. 
Everything you need for life is flowing from the vine, but you must remain in the vine. 
You cannot thrive today with the fellowship you had yesterday with God.

3.  Fruitfulness in ministry depends upon your communion with Christ (5)

Healthy communion with Christ is guarantees fruitfulness in ministry–fruit that will

remain.  1 Cor. 3 talks about the testing of our works by fire.  If we have done is burned
up, we will suffer loss.  Justified people will suffer loss.  Do you want to suffer that loss? 
God has appointed us to bear fruit that lasts.  What does it mean by fruit?  Not just
evangelism, it is that; but it is anything that we do by faith following the leadership of the
Spirit and using of our spiritual gifts–even giving a cup of cold water in Jesus’ name.  It
is money given in secret, putting sin to death, praying to the Father in the closet–any of
these things and more, and I say that it is impossible apart from abiding in Christ to do
anything of eternal consequence.

4.  Communion with Christ moment by moment depends on Scripture (7-8)

“If you remain in Me, and My words remain in you . . .”

His words must live in you for you to constantly to be abiding in Christ.  In this way, you
will continually be transformed to the image of Christ.  It is total saturation of the word of
God, transforming you over decades.  Constantly immersion in God’s Word we will be
transformed–constantly moving through your mind changing the way

5.  Effective personal prayer life depends upon Scripture (7).

Ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.  That’s not, “Lord won’t you buy me a
Mercedes-Benz.”  What you wish is different; you are transformed in what you want. 
You want Christ exalted to the ends of the earth.  A great example of this powerful
effective prayer was George Mueller.  He ministered 10,000 orphans over 64 years.  He
had that kind of German discipline with prayer journals.  He cited over 50,000 examples
of answered prayer, 30,000 of them answered on the same day.  All of the prayers were
saturated by the Word of God–gleaning principles, patterns, and promises He could
bring back to God in fervent, effectual prayer.  His life verse was Psalm 81:10:
I am the Lord your God,
who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

Word at Work in Your Life

The central need of the hour according to Don Carson is to know God better.  The core
of true worship is revelation and response.  God reveals and we respond.  Your prayer
life should be motivated and constrained by the word of God.  When you understand
what God has done, who he is–then you will worship.  Pray richly.  Pray deeply. 
Mortification of sin depends upon intimate acquaintance with the Word of God.  Jesus is
our model in this.  When he was in the desert, he did not bring anything with Him except
the word of God.  The sword of the Spirit put the devil to flight.  The more Scripture you
have internalized, the more weapons you give the Holy Spirit to fight the devil and live
with spiritual victory.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly!  You will never exhaust
Scripture and its truths.

Marriage–washed with water through the Word.  Present your spouse clean through the
powerful work of the Word in your marriage.  Talk with your children about the precepts
of God’s Word.  You need to saturate your child’s life with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Evangelism–give the Spirit a full array to address the unbeliever with the Word. 
Consider the case of Phillip in Acts 8 and his explanation of Isaiah 53.

Counseling–we should be competent to counsel one another.  As we saturate our minds

with the word of God, we will be able to bring out the appropriate Scripture to counsel a
brother or sister in Christ, to bring the truth of God to bear in their lives.

Basic Scripture Intake

Basic daily quiet time.  Less than 10% of students at an evangelical seminary have a
quiet time.  19 out of 20 seminary students don’t finish the race in Christian ministry. 
Are you having a quiet time early in the morning?  Why not imitate Jesus?  Better an
ounce of prevention than a pound of cure.

We need to study for breadth and depth.  I would read through the Bible in a year, and I
would recommend memorizing a book of the Bible in a year.  George Mueller read
through the Bible over 100 times in his lifetime–that is every six months for his entire
life!  In order to read through the Bible, you must keep with it.

You need to meditate on Scripture, not as water through a pipe, but pause and let the
words sink into your life.  Feed and give food to your inner man.  The first and greatest
duty is to get your own soul happy in the Lord first by study and second by prayer.  Let
God speak to you first and speak back to Him in prayer.  The goal is personal feeding
on Christ.
I say to you that memorization is the most efficient way to do all of this. Why should you
memorize Scripture?  God is commending Scripture memory to you, but He is not
commanding it.  If I was in 1985 offering you a million shares of stock in Microsoft, you
would buy it.  Memorizing Scripture will make you rich.

John 15:7–His words.  It is plural.  All of Scripture are Christ’s words.  How can you
have His words in you if you don’t memorize them?  The blessing is “much fruit.”  Let
the word of Christ dwell in you richly.  How does that not speak of memorization?

Psalm 1:2–on his law he meditates day and night.  Do you picture a big Torah scroll
before him?  The Psalmist is commending this to his readers. He was ready day and
night, and this commends memorization.

Joshua 1:8–do not let this book of the law depart from your mouth, let it stay in you, and
meditate on it day and night.

Psalm 119:11–hide the word of God in your heart.

James 1:21-22–the man who look intently and continues to do this, this is memorization

Deut. 6:6-9–the words that I command you shall be on your heart, when you walk down
and when you rise

Psalm 119:97 – I meditate on your law all the day long

Prov. 2:1ff–store up my commands within you

Prov. 7:1-3–keep my words and store up my commands within you; write them on the
tablet of your heart

Your Ten Best Excuses for not Memorizing a Book of the

Bible
1.  I don’t have a good memory.  You have a better memory than you think you do. 
Think of all the numbers and names you know.

2.  It will take up too much time; I am too busy. This is the most efficient use of your
time.  It will bless you in everything you do.  Invest your life in the Word of God.

3.  I am too lazy, and it’s hard work. The secret to memorization is repetition over time. 
Repeat, and repeat, and repeat over months.  It is hard work, but it is worth doing.

4.  I am not very interested; it seems boring.  Could the word of God really be boring to
you if you are justified by faith?  You haven’t seen the glories of the word of God.
5.  I have tried it before, and it never really worked.  Try it again.

6.  I don’t see the benefit of working that hard. I have given you numerous benefits.

7.  I read the Bible everyday; why do I need to memorize it? Satan isn’t going to wait for
you to get your Bible before he tempts you.

8.  I don’t know what translation to use. Use any reputable translation.  I use the NIV,
but any reputable one would work.

9.  I might become prideful. No, you will become prideful, so memorize verses on pride
to humble you.

10.  I don’t know how to do it. It is simply repetition over time.

The word of God is living and active.  If I could have one sin out of my life, it would be
pride.  That self-focus and selfishness, I would love to have it out.  Those who walk in
pride, God is able to humble (Dan. 4).  Is it a warning? Yes.  Is it a promise?  Yes. 
Store up the word of God in your hearts, and in the judgment day, you will not be
disappointed.

https://timmybrister.com/2008/06/nfc-ix-andy-davis-on-the-importance-of-filling-your-life-with-
scripture