Ephesians 6:17 - The "Word" Hidden in Our Heart

The psalmist said in Psalm 119:11, “ThyWord have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.”  When you’re seekingto win someone with the Word of God—the Gospel of Jesus Christ—it may need tobe more like a concealed weapon. It’s hidden down in your heart, but you’reable to draw it out at just the right moment and use it effectively to bringthat person into contact with God Himself. If you come blasting away at them witha shotgun of God’s Word, they may run before they ever truly hear. So, myfriend, how important it is to have the Word hidden in your heart. And the onlyway to hide it in your heart is to memorize it. Someof us or probably thinking, “I can’t memorize.” I used to think that. But I’llnever forget what happened right after I became a believer on February 21, 1971,which was 55 years ago yesterday. My life totallychanged. God began to work in my heart, and I fell in love with the Word ofGod.Iwent up to Dayton, Ohio, to Dayton Baptist Temple, where my dad was preachingthat Sunday. I listened to him bring a message on memorizing Scripture—hidingGod’s Word in your heart. He had just produced a little book called TreasurePath to Soulwinning. It contained 180 verses that you could memorize at apace of five verses a week. When my dad finished his message I was highlymotivated to begin memorizing the Scripture and so I made a commitment tomemorize those five verses each week. Atthat time, I was working construction in Cincinnati, Ohio. I went back home andbegan memorizing those 180 verses. I was so excited because my dad had given usa simple method: Say each verse five times in the morning and five times atnight—ten times a day. Say it out loud. Just read it. Don’t try to forceyourself to memorize it. Simply read it out loud five times in the morning andfive times at night, every day for a week.Doyou know what happens at the end of that week? It’s amazing. The verse justsettles into your heart and mind. You’re able to recall it. I’ll never forgetthat book. I memorized those 180 verses in just a matter of weeks instead ofnine months, simply by repeating them over and over. ThenI thought, “If I can memorize 180 verses like that, I wonder if it would workon an entire chapter?” So as a brand-new Christian, I took James chapter 1. Iread the entire chapter, 27 verses, five times every morning and five timesevery night. I was working construction, and during the day I might think aboutit, pull out my Bible, and glance at it again. It was amazing! At the end ofthe week, I could quote James chapter 1 from memory! Ibegan memorizing other chapters. When I went to Lynchburg Baptist College thatfall of 1971, I heard Jerry Falwell said that one of his favorite chapters wasPsalm 37. I thought, “If Psalm 37 is his favorite, I need to memorize it.” So Idid. Then I fell in love with Romans chapters 1 through 3 and memorized them.After that, I memorized Romans 6, 7, and 8. Then I memorized Matthew 5, 6, and7—the Sermon on the Mount. Later as a young pastor I finished memorizing thewhole Book of James. I simply fell in love with the Word of God and hid it inmy heart. Myfriend, when you hide God’s Word in your heart, you are preparing yourself forbattle. Satan does not wait for you to look up a verse before he tempts you. Heattacks suddenly. That’s why Scripture memory is not just for children inSunday school. Hiding God’s Word in your heart—having that weapon ready—is forsoldiers. And we are soldiers. It’s not just for students in a classroom; it’sfor those who are engaged in spiritual warfare. Today,I trust you’ll say, “By the grace of God, I will begin memorizing at least oneverse a week.” That’s 52 verses a year. In 10 years, that’s more than 500verses.  Ipray we’ve encouraged you today to hide the Word in your heart. To beprepared to face the trials, tribulations, temptations—whatever may come. Andwhen they come, you will be ready with the Word of God.