How to develop an effective study life.
Studying the word of God is coming to know Him in order to grow into the life and reality that has been destined for us. When you have been established on this mindset, then you are ready for an effective bible study and growth.
The eye is the lamp of the body. So if your eye is sound, your entire body will be full of light.
Matthew 6: 22
Knowing Christ is coming into light (that light is knowledge).
The purpose of this blog post is to detail my journey explaining how I effectively embraced studying my bible. As a person who never liked reading or studying anything while in school, infact anytime I open a book it gets foggy and my brain suddenly feels blocked.
Around 2019, I got an invitation from the Lord to “ know Him”, even though these two letter words appears easy to understand, as of that time I did not know what exactly it was and mostly from God’s perspective, but I know I did one thing, I started longing to know Him in the way I though was right, started opening my heart to Him, I was obeying every instruction, worshiping, attending every Christian meetings and gatherings and not knowing all He wanted from me was to sit so He can teach me.
One time we had an awesome vigil in 2021 where we prayed in tongues all night, at the ending, our leader raised a song “light me up like a candle, light me up, light me up” and the Lord told me right there, “ to be lighted is to open your bible and study to know me, that is how light comes”. light is knowledge.
Immediately I got home that morning, someone I know called me and she said “ as I was praying this morning, the Lord said I should tell you to start studying your bible” and I realized that the time she said the Lord gave her that message was the same time I was singing that song with all of my heart. I kid you not, the attack on my life that period was overwhelming, I never knew that all I needed was the accurate knowledge of the word and walking in it which has the power to dissolve every battle and attack of the enemy.
That was a period I intentionally dedicated to pray out every darkness (witchcraft and every other thing that accompanied it) around me (as my little mind was thinking) but I was doing it ignorantly. We really underrate the power of the cross and living in its reality, we’ve invested so much on interpreting, seeing and applying the scriptures wrongly.
As I began studying, at first, I honestly did not know what I was doing, I had difficulty understanding, my mind was clouded, what I was reading was foggy, but I had to stay anyways. As the time went by, He gave me a teacher, then a timetable, now I have a particular time I study each day – two hours in the mid day and two hours in the evening.
Once it’s that particular time, I must be on my study table irrespective of how I feel, it made studying more effective and instilled discipline that I never thought I had even had though I was still finding it difficult to understand anything on my own, but thank God for my teacher who was of great help and I could ask questions too.
In all these, I wasn’t allowed to listen to any other teacher/preacher or messages, in His words “if you want to grow, your ear cannot be everywhere” , then He led me to Galatians 2:20.
I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Galatians 2: 20
He instructed that I pray that verse and keep praying it, I did and discovered that as I prayed, the residue of the fallen man was falling off me, my mind was becoming clearer and brighter, then we moved to praying 1 Corinthians 2:12.
Now we have not received the spirit [that belongs to] the world, but the [Holy] Spirit Who is from God, [given to us] that we might realize and comprehend and appreciate the gifts [of divine favor and blessing so freely and lavishly] bestowed on us by God.
1 Corinthians 2: 12
I prayed this scripture with an open heart in worship to Him like my life depended on it, well it did. My understanding became more clearer, the scriptures opened, I no longer struggle with it like before. Whenever I’m studying it feels like a gentle stream flowing within and all around, no single blockage, His presence becomes strong like I’m worshiping in truth.
For whatever reason, my interest for reading and studying increasingly grew till date, I literally I can’t wait for my study time each day and I feel His presence strong every time I sit on that seat ready for Him to teach me.
Brief recap:
– Personal bible study is a must for all believers.
– Be grounded in this understanding that studying is coming to know Christ in order to get the revelation of our identity (to know you).
– Incorporate discipline and trust in this process even when its not making sense.
– Keep your heart open and let it remain open.
– Have a realistic time table.
– Stay in joy always: The text says,” with joy we draw from the well of salvation” your mind cannot be opened to receive when you are sad and depressed ( writing from experience).
– Invite Him first: I say this prayer anytime I’m about to study “ open the eyes of my understanding, that I will know and understand all that has been giving to me in Christ Jesus and the steady grace to walk in that reality.
– Cultivate the habit of memorizing one scripture each day.
– You do not need to cover 10 chapters a day, the aim is to understand, therefore, if it’s only one verse you stayed on even for a week, it is very okay. The goal is to allow Him teach you.
But be doers of the Word [obey the message], and not merely listeners to it, betraying yourselves [into deception by reasoning contrary to the Truth]. For if anyone only listens to the Word without obeying it and being a doer of it, he is like a man who looks carefully at his [own] natural face in a mirror; For he thoughtfully observes himself, and then goes off and promptly forgets what he was like. But he who looks carefully into the faultless law, the [law] of liberty, and is faithful to it and perseveres in looking into it, being not a heedless listener who forgets but an active doer [who obeys], he shall be blessed in his doing (his life of obedience).
James 1: 22-25
It is one thing to have this knowledge of the truth, but it is true wisdom to walk in the truth you have known. The Lord told me, “A truth you don’t live is not a complete truth”.
You are unstoppable!
Love X Uju.
