How to Read the Bible (Part 3): What to Expect

Learn how to read the Bible effectively and discover how meditation leads to revelation, spiritual growth, and obedience, plus practical steps to apply Scripture in your daily life.

In our last discussions on “Steps to Read the Bible Effectively,” we explored how to approach reading the Bible. First, before you read, we must recognize the importance of considering the state of our heart and how a free spirit plays a vital role in Bible reading.

From there, we moved to the second step, where we considered the methods of reading the Bible slowly, attentively, and repeatedly, rejecting speed reading and focusing on quality rather than quantity. The number of chapters we read does not matter as much as the revelation and understanding we receive from the Holy Spirit while reading.

To this, T.B. Joshua advised that we should pause, ask questions, and meditate on the passage until it becomes a reality to us.

In this part on how to read the Bible, we will explore what to expect when the first and second steps are carefully followed. But before we can understand what to expect specifically revelation, we must look at the term meditation. Revelation comes through meditation, where we turn the Word over and over again in our hearts.

So in this episode, we will answer the following questions:

• What is meditation?
• How do we meditate?
• What are the benefits of meditation?

How to Read the Bible: What is Meditation?

In T.B. Joshua’s numerous sermons on this matter, he constantly and consistently taught that meditation is a visit with God, and that it brings revelation. He also emphasized that meditation on the Word is a visit with God. This means that the Word becomes a part of us through meditation.

Many people play down the word meditation and mistake it for simply thinking. To clarify the difference between these two often-confused terms, T.B. Joshua taught that meditation means “think more.” He explained that we think about our situations, challenges, and crises often to the point where it affects our health. But when we “think more” (that is, meditate), we do not put our health in danger.

Meditation helps you discover the burden that lies upon your spirit, what is weighing you down and putting your spirit in bondage. Begin to meditate on what you read, not merely think about it. How can you do this? By turning what you read in the Bible over and over again in your heart. If you don’t turn it over and over, it will remain only on your lips.

Keep meditating on it until it becomes a reality to you. You may not understand it at first when you read it. That is why you must continue to meditate until it becomes real. You may not grasp it the first time – keep meditating.

Faith comes when the Word prevails over the thinking processes. When you enter that realm, God will not bring to your memory what you can recall yourself. He will strengthen your mind to remember, but He will not remember for you. Faith makes the Word prevail; it makes the Word overcome.

Since we have looked at what meditation is and how to meditate, we can now move on to the benefits of meditation.

Benefits of Meditation

The benefits of meditation go far beyond simply receiving revelation and understanding from what we read in the Bible and the questions we ask while reading. Meditation leads to obedience. In other words, meditation aids obedience.

Through meditation, we take the Word into our hearts, and when this happens, obedience becomes possible.

T.B. Joshua taught that it is the heart that converts what you are reading. You read and then take it to the “conversion room.” The conversion room refines it and sends it to the Holy Spirit. The word conversion here means to refine. Just as gold must pass through the furnace for refining, so the Word passes through the heart for conversion. At the end of this process, the Word can then dwell richly in your heart.

When the Word dwells in you, it produces prayer fruit. It is not only about committing the Word to memory which is indeed valuable, but allowing the Word to become an integral part of you. It must dominate you, rule you, and sanctify your spirit nature.

The Word dominating you becomes the Lordship of Christ in you. Allowing the Word to have right of way in your life is allowing Christ Himself to have right of way.

No one can be built up with mere philosophy or theories about the Word. The Word must live in you, and you must live in the Word, in order to walk with Jesus. We can only be a part of Christ when the Word dominates us.

How to Read the Bible: A Practical Application

As you put these lessons into practice, choose one verse or short passage from your daily reading. Instead of rushing to read more, carry that verse with you throughout the day.

Repeat it quietly in your heart, reflect on its meaning, ask the Holy Spirit questions about it, and let it shape your thoughts and responses.

By doing this consistently, even with just a single verse, you allow the Word to move from your lips to your heart, from your heart to your character, and from your character into obedience. Meditation becomes a lifestyle, and the Word begins to dominate your decisions, attitudes, and daily conduct.