How to Hide God’s Word In Your Heart

Psalm 119:11

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

One great reason many believers are so shallow and worldly is because they fail to hide God’s Word in their heart. It is said that sin will keep you from God’s Word, but God’s Word will keep you from sin. Jesus taught in Matthew 22:29 when He says, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. The psalmist said that he hid God’s Word in his heart so that he might not sin against God. The psalmist knew the power of God’s Word and how it can cleanse a person from sin and keep them from it.

We see this truth taught in Psalm 119:9, Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. God’s Word not only cleanses you from sin, but it keeps you from it. It cannot be emphasized enough to hide God’s Word in your heart if you want to keep your life from sin. Let me share four ways to hide God’s Word in your heart.

First, you must read God’s Word. The mind is an amazing thing in that it stores everything you see. You may think that reading God’s Word does you no good, but you will find that it sinks into your heart as you read it. I have always found that those who fall in sin failed to read God’s Word daily. Those who begin to slip away from God have let the reading of God’s Word slip from their daily life. God’s Word cannot be hidden in your heart if you don't take time daily to read it.

Second, you must memorize God’s Word. Memorization is simply repeating something over and over again until it is ingrained in your mind. You could memorize God’s Word if you put effort into it. I often hear people say they just can't memorize, but it is amazing how they have memorized the channels of their favorite television programming, and they have memorized where their favorite places to go are located. It is not that you can’t memorize God’s Word because of your inability to memorize, but it is because you won't take the time to repeat God’s Word over and over again that keeps you from memorizing it. Anyone can memorize God’s Word if they put the effort toward it.

Third, you must apply God’s Word to hide it in your heart. There is something about obeying what God’s Word tells you to do that helps you to hide it in your heart. I have often said that the best training is on-the-job training. You learn what you are supposed to do in the classroom, but you engrain it in your mind when you apply what you learned to life. The same is true with God’s Word; you learn God’s Word by reading it, but you hide it in your heart when you apply it to your life. The more you apply God’s Word to your life, the more you will find God’s Word will take over your heart and keep you from sin.

Fourth, teaching God’s Word will help you to hide it in your heart. I have learned that when I take something I have learned and teach it to others is when it becomes engrained in my heart. One reason you need to apply what you have read in God’s Word is so that you will be qualified to teach it to others. Becoming a Sunday school teacher will help you to hide God’s Word in your heart because you have to study God’s Word to teach it. You will find God’s Word hidden in your heart when you apply these four steps, and the hiding of God’s Word in your heart will cleanse your life of sin and keep you from sin.