It’s that time again! Today’s topic is meditation. In previous posts, we talked about meditation, but this is such an important topic it warrants yet another post. In fact, it isn’t overstating it to say that your meditation will determine your destination in life. The direction your life takes is largely determined by what you are thinking and saying.
Common Myths
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the word “meditation”? Your thought might be something similar to the definition in the dictionary.
“1 to engage in thought or contemplation; reflect.
2 to engage in transcendental meditation, devout religious contemplation, or quiescent spiritual introspection.”
Sometimes we want to bring the Bible AND our religious thought process into our relationship with God. God isn’t interested in a religious relationship with you. He wants your conversations and interactions to be real.
So start by removing that religious thought of some dude sitting with His legs crossed saying, “Ummmm” or sitting silently. The truth is that true, Biblical meditation is much different than that. As you will see today, our words have power. When we meditate, we are using the power of our words to change the way we think and speak.
Myth: Meditation is What You Think
The first myth that I want to address is the myth that meditation is only what you think. Again this goes back to that religious idea of someone sitting quietly in a room with candles and worship music. (You get the picture)
Let’s start by looking at our primary verse for today.
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Joshua 1:8 KJV
This verse is talking about meditation. That word meditate in this verse means “of articulate sound” in Hebrew. See the truth is that there is power in the spoken Word of God. The power of God rests in the tongue.
When God created this entire universe, what did He do?
He Spoke
That is the power of Words. We are made in the image of God. Think about it. We are the only things on this planet with the same ability as God to SPEAK. You don’t see animals talking in English or Spanish. Why? The very ability to speak comes from God above.
Myth: It Doesn’t Matter
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Proverbs 18:21 KJV
What you say is what you get. Your meditation determines your destination. Remember the old saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” We all know that isn’t the truth. In fact, Jesus likens speaking bad about someone’s character equal to murdering that person.
It does matter what you say. Your words shape everything about you whether you realize it or not.
Meditation Changes You
Why does God want us to meditate on His Words? When you meditate on God’s Word, it does a few things.
1 Forces You to Think About God
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Philippians 4:8 KJV
It’s one thing to know what you’re supposed to do, and it’s a completely different thing to see how you are supposed to do it. That takes a whole different level of revelation. The most basic benefit of speaking and reciting (meditating) the Word of God is that it forces you to think about God. Instead of thinking about all the trash that flows between all of our ears, it forces us to think about God.
I’ve heard some people say – I myself said it at times – “It’s impossible to only think on what’s true, honest, just, pure, lovely, etc.” The truth is that yes if you simple sit there as the world and your surroundings speak garbage that your ears hear it IS impossible to think on good things.
You have to hear good things to think about good things. That is the point. When you speak the Word over yourself you are filling your spirit with the Word of God.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Proverbs 4:23 KJV
Protect your heart by protecting your ears.
2 Fills your Heart with Life
45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
Luke 6:45 KJV
This goes right along with what our last point was. When you fill your mouth with Words of life, your own spirit (your heart) hears those words and is filled with life. That means that when trouble comes or someone needs something you will have the words to speak because you have filled your heart with them.
In Mark 4, it says that the sower sows the Word.
14 The sower soweth the word.
Mark 4:14
When you speak the Word of God out of your own mouth, your spirit hears the words and they are planted in the ground of your own heart. Make sure that the words you speak are God’s and life not the world’s and death.
10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)
1 Corinthians 9:10 KJV
God is the one who multiplies the seed you sow until your very presence and conversation overflows with the Word of God and annointing.
How to Meditate
Now that we have some of the basics out of the way, HOW? How do we actually meditate on the Word. Here are the basics.
1 Locate One Scripture
Start by finding one scripture that discusses whatever problems you are currently facing in your life. Make sure that it applies to YOU.
2 Write it Down
For me, I print the scripture out on a piece of paper. You could put it on your phone or on a sticky note. The point is to have it where it can be in front of your face.
3 Read it Out Loud as you Pray
Take time to pray to God every morning. I place my paper with goals and scriptures in my car and look at it in the morning. You do what works for you. The point is that you pray and bring the scriptures up to the Lord. When I say pray, I am talking about reciting the scripture and then speaking in tongues.
Pretty soon you’ll notice that as you pray normally these scriptures that you fill yourself with will start coming out of your mouth almost unconsciously. That is the Word of God coming out of your spirit and not your head!
If this seems confusing to you, simply start where you are at. Do the action steps and then the understanding of what is happening will start to come.
Diligently Do
The problem is not lack of knowledge it’s lack of application. If you do what we outlined in this post here today, you will see a complete shift in your life. Your thoughts will be different. Your actions will change. Even your goals will probably shift.
Our problem is that we don’t diligently do what we know to do. God will meet any Christian where they are at. It is up to us to do what we know to do. I really encourage you to do this. I am not saying anything that someone else hasn’t already preached. It’s the application of these things that really means something though.
For more posts like this one check out here or What are the “Fruits of Righteousness”.
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