“Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.” (1 Corinthians 14:13-15 NKJV)
“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:17-18 NKJV)
“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” (Jude 1:20-21 NKJV)
I am getting ready to start a “100 Day Fitness Challenge.” I have been asking the Lord to lead me in how to approach this and one of the things He challenged me to do was to memorize and meditate on 100 verses (one a day – just like a vitamin). In response I asked the Holy Spirit to teach me about these spiritual disciplines. He revealed something to me that helped me see memorizing and meditating on scripture in a whole new light.
He started by explaining that there are parallels between spiritual gifts and spiritual disciplines. The principles that apply to one many times apply to the other. Also, the human objections that are raised over one, will many times be raised over the other.
He then impressed upon me that scripture memorization and meditation are foundational spiritual disciplines that parallel the spiritual gifts of speaking in tongues and interpretation of tongues. What does that mean?
Just like speaking in tongues, memorization bypasses my natural mind and goes directly to my spirit. Both tongues and memorization “edify” (strengthen and build up) my spirit. Left by themselves they are “unfruitful” to my mind, but powerful to my spirit. Many reject speaking in tongues because it sounds like “foolishness” to them. It’s thought that there is no value to something that doesn’t benefit my understanding. Many also think of memorization as something of little or no value for the same reason. I live in a culture that elevates reason over faith. There is constant pressure to throw out anything that I cannot fully understand.
The spiritual discipline of meditation parallels the spiritual gift of interpretation of tongues. In the same way that interpretation of tongues accompanies the gift of tongues making it valuable to both the spirit and the mind, when meditation accompanies memorization, the Word I have hidden in my heart begins to renew my mind. Together I receive maximum results for both my spirit and my mind.
I am designed to live out of my spirit. From my spirit, I renew my mind, and discipline (control) my body. The world, and religion consisting of form without power, is body dominated, and elevates the mind. Little, or no, emphasis is put on the spirit. Therefore, it is no wonder that scripture memorization and meditation have been so completely neglected.
I am all for anything that puts the Holy Spirit in charge, and builds up my spirit. That is why I am sold out to…
…Eric’s Life Lesson # 126: ” “Scripture Memorization and Meditation feed my spirit and renew my mind.” Part 2: Parallel Truths: Gifts and Disciplines