Ten Ways To Meditate As Believers

Today we will be teaching ourselves ten ways to meditate as believers. Mediation in itself is to think about or over. To ruminate. To engage in contemplation or reflection. While contemplation is the concentration on Spiritual things as a form of private devotion, according to the Merriam Webster dictionary. Mediation is thinking deeply on God’s Word.

How about we review some of the portions in the scripture that talked about meditation.

Scriptural verses about meditation

Psa.1:1-3 “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.”

Joshua 1:8 “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.”

What are the ways a believer meditates?

Be Intentional.

The first step for a man who desires to seek knowledge of God’s Word is the readiness to do so with genuine intentions. A lot of Believers desire to meditate but not all are intentional and deliberate about it. Intentionality marks out one’s seriousness for growth.

We must exude intentionality on studying and ruminating on God’s Word, only then can growth be significant.

Seek a Quiet Place.

Remember that God is everywhere and we carry His presence with us. So irrespective of one’s location, meditation can take place.

How quiet is the environment for us?

Do Away With Distractions.

It is only normal that our minds wander away to a lot of things basic to human living. Thoughts of what to eat, thoughts of sales in business, tasks and project to be completed at work, customers dissatisfaction might even creep in, how to fuel the car, getting groceries for the children/ family but in as much as they are all considered important, we must exclude them totally at that point in time for the sake of meditation.

Taking away distractions is shifting our focus from our worries and cares to the word of God.

Meditation on God’s Word can not happen when our mind is not in order. Not to say that our needs are insignificant to God but to understand that we cannot major on minor. God speaks through mediations but will it happen when our minds are all over the place?

Take away worry, worry doesn’t solve worry. Take away cares, rather focus on who can take care of them all. Train your mind to take away distractions.

Set your Focus

Psa. 119:15 “I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.”

We place our focus by choosing or centering on a topic such as Love, Forgiveness, HolySpirit and so on. Also, in moments where we are lost on where to begin, we’ve the Epistles written by Apostle Paul to the Churches of God. The Four Gospels, in the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs as well as other books of the Bible. Regardless of how little the time we have created for meditation is, what’s important is how we use it. Even in meditation that calls for focus on God’s Word, there’s a place for Full Focus, centering our meditation on topics, themes in the books of the Bible.

Seek for Help and Guidance of the HolySpirit

The need to seek for the Help and the Guidance of the HolySpirit us to cancel out self reliance. It goes a way to show that what we are involved in is not a novel, not a regular book written by Chimamanda Adichie, Woke Soyinka or Akin Alabi. It’s a spiritual investment and must be take as such.

Be open to interpretations by the Spirit of God for understanding on our meditative efforts.

Study the Scriptures

Study calls for depth in reading. Line by Line, word for word, meanings – for our understanding.

In Bible meditation, we take note of the Pre-text, Text and Post-Text. This takes place when we have focused on a theme, topic, subject of the Bible.

In Bible Study, we take note of who’s speaking, what’s been said and to who what what has been said. Basically, we ought to understand context in study of the Bible.

Also, in aiding our understanding, we make use of other tools. Such as other Bible translations that interpret the words in their originals. We search for unfamiliar words using dictionary or thesaurus. Study Bible by Jimmy Swaggart is a good example.

Pray

In as much as we do our part in making use of research materials that help to clarify that which was read. It is crucial that we pray over what we’ve read. The essence of prayer is to show that we do not rely on our own selves for the interpretations. We pray to the Father that the Spirit of God helps us to see and understand what has been written down.

A lot of times, we tend to interpret the scriptures based on our own capacity. Until our eyes are open by the Spirit of God, we do not see all that He has prepared for us.

Eph. 1:17-22

17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

Apostle Paul praying for the Ephesian church that the eyes of their inner man is opened, enlightened, praying that their eyes are flooded with light that they may come to know what their inheritance is. It is a thing for God to have prepared inheritance for His own, it is another thing for the believer to come to the knowledge of that light. The light that comes through prayer.

Several references and evidences from the Epistles where Apostle Paul prayed. Prayer aids our meditation.

Eph. 3:14-19

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

We see another evidence that Apostle Paul prayed. Prayer is key. Prayer is total reliance – on God.

Reflect on the Word.

There’s an effect of prayer on the mind of the believer. It changes his mind set. This is the point where the believer comes to the understanding of what’s being said. It is as real as knowing one’s clothing

There’s a reflection as it applies to our identity. We begin to see God’s plan for man and understanding sets in.

Ponder to Remember.

When we ponder to remember, we take it to heart. We take notes. Either with pen and paper or on our phone application. Point is Notes are being taken.

Memorize

We memorize on what we have thought aloud over and over and the words begin to settle on our inside. Consciously, we take them to heart.

Apply.

Meditation itself is not an end but a means to an end. It would be a futile effort if there are no pointers to our meditation.

Rom.12:1-2

In application, there’s a reflection. The Word of God is our manual for living. By meditation, we renew our minds.

Rom.12:1-2

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

The result of meditation has to reflect on our lives. It calls for application. And application is responsibility. Christianity itself calls for responsibility.

We must wake up to this responsibility. The onus is on us if we choose to grow, the help is there for us to grow.

2Tim. 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.