“Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11 NKJV)
“I consider your Word to be my greatest treasure. and I treasure it in my heart to keep me from committing sin’s treason against you.” (Psalm 119:11 TPT)
“I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11 NLT)
“Your word I have treasured and stored in my heart, that I may not sin against You.” (Psalm 119:11 AMP)
“I have treasured Your word in my heart so that I may not sin against You.” (Psalm 119:11 HCSB)
“I have hidden your words in my heart that I shall not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11 ABIPE)
Psalm 119:11 is the main reason that I believe Scripture memorization is of great value. When I put verse to memory I am filling the treasure chest in my spirit with the words that the Holy Spirit will be able to bring to my soul (mind) in times of temptation. It is especially helpful in crisis situations in which I do not have the luxury of time to think and reason, or isolated moments in which nobody is looking.
Let’s say that I am on a business trip, tired, and feeling lonely. on top of that, my wife and I are not currently getting along. I am in a vulnerable state of being in my mind and body. Seeing my “weakened” condition, the enemy sends along an attractive young woman to entice me. Or maybe, it is something I see on the TV in my room as I am scrolling to find something to watch to wind down my day. It is at this vulnerable moment when the Holy Spirit will pop verses that I have memorized into my head in order to “wake me up.” The words that are filling my treasure chest will make or break me during this potentially life altering moment of choice.
Sin is not rational. Temptation hits hardest in the realm of emotions, desires, cravings, and needs of the body. To put it bluntly, sin is insanity. When my eyes are drawn to things that I would be better off not to look at, when my body is filled with lust, when my mind is going crazy, it is the word that I have hidden in my heart that keeps me from acting on the insanity of sin.
I want to live a pure life. I long to live each moment above reproach. It
is my greatest desire to live in a way that clearly re-presents Christ to all who are watching. Jesus was tempted in every way that I have been tempted, and He never sinned. He is the Word. I submit myself to the Holy Spirit in order to give Him the freedom to renew my mind, and control my body, so that like Jesus I am able to say that I was tempted, but I did not sin.
Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to use the words that we have hidden in our hearts to keep us clean and pure as we walk out…
…Eric’s Life Lesson # 285: Clean Living (Psalm 119:9-16) – Part 4 – Verse 11