Why Read The Bible? Power and Purpose Of God’s Word.

Why Read The Bible?

Many people tell you when you get saved how important it is to read the Bible every day, but most don’t say more than that. This leaves new and old believers alike unaware of the importance of daily Bible reading. Most people who do not read their Bible are simply ignorant of its power and purpose. Their disinterest stems from ignorance and a flawed perspective of the Bible being just a book. But that all changes today. If you are already in the word daily but looking for some tips on reading your Bible, check out “Tips For Reading And Understanding The Bible”. Otherwise, let’s get into it.

Understandably, the thought of reading the Bible can seem intimidating at first, but it doesn’t have to be. Rather than looking at the Bible as a massive book you have to force yourself through, think of it as God’s letter to you, His child. What does God, the creator of all things, want you to know in this ‘letter’? What has God mentioned repeatedly in it, and what does this ‘letter’ teach us about who God really is?

But the sad truth is, if you received a lengthy letter from your favorite music artist, celebrity or athlete, you would jump to read it. God in His sovereignty and righteousness does the same, yet it goes unread, collecting dust on the nightstand. We all should be collectively ashamed of ourselves as a creation. This is just another example of the rebellious spirit that dwells within us that wars against the spirit of truth?

What Happens When You Read The Bible Every Day?

When you incorporate God’s word into your life daily, it will transform your thinking, attitude and behavior. As you are being washed in the word daily, you’re learning who God is, what Christ did, and why we desperately need a savior. Certain verses will jump out at you, shifting your perception as your thinking becomes aligned with that of Christ. Abiding in the word, you’ll set your sights on the eternal things, no longer caring about the former and carnal things of this world.

I have experienced the transformation that comes from abiding in God’s word, and it is quite unexplainable. There were things I assumed I would never be free of. Toxic thinking patterns, emotional issues, past hurts and betrayals. If medication couldn’t help me, surely this was just who I was and how I was hard-wired, I thought. But that was just another lie from Satan.

I carried around so much brokenness, hate, and pain. The anger was only there to conceal the hurt underneath that left me so vulnerable. As if that were not enough, I too was full of unforgiveness, resentment and hatred towards certain people. I figured I would just carry that heavy load with me for my entire life. It wasn’t until I allowed myself to receive God’s word did these things change. The scriptures exposed all of my hatred, unforgiveness and bitterness. Suddenly, I no longer tolerated feeling sorry for myself. I faced the truth that I was a complete reprobate. After that, I humbled myself in the sight of God in heartfelt repentance and continued in His word regularly..

One by one, God peeled off the layers of sin, sorrow, and hopelessness. Changing my thinking, my feelings, my morals and standards and of course, my beliefs. It wasn’t until I could forgive and pray for my enemies regularly, in love, that I recognized I was transformed and altogether a new person.

Determining to read through your Bible is a decision only you can make.

— Jim George, A Man After God’s Own Heart

The Bible Is More Than Just A Book

I have read many books over the years and I can confidently say, “this is not just another book”. Below is a list of examples to remind ourselves of the power and purpose of the Bible, and why it is truly so special to those who believe.

• Never has any book possessed the ability to search, convict, and soften the wicked hearts of men.

• Studying Bible scripture brings about godly wisdom, discernment, and strong faith. 

• It encourages us, while directing our steps towards the narrow path that is God’s will for us. 

• The Old Testament was a foreshadowing of things to come, Jesus.

• It’s teeming with truths and warnings of things to come, so we’re not caught off guard, filled with fear, or deceived. 

• Scripture constantly points to Jesus giving us the true standard which we measure all things by. 

• It gives us valuable and practical information on our enemy, his schemes, and how we can overcome through the blood of The Lamb.

• Reading the Bible replenishes our spirit. Just as food is to the body, the word of God is to believers.

Why read the Bible, you ask? Well, how could you know any of these things if you are not reading and studying your Bible? How can you effectively follow Christ if you’re not reading God’s word? Scripture always points to Jesus, and Jesus always directs us to the Father. For this reason, abiding in the word aligns us with Gods will.

Why Do Some Christians Find It Difficult To Read The Bible?

If someone came up to you and offered you a brand-new tech device with never seen A.I capabilities, said to give those who use it daily great guidance in life, and much wisdom, would you take it? I bet once a day you would use it, even if it’s just to see if it really does what it says. There is something in all of us that desires knowledge and wisdom. The same desire that has led man to explore the world since the beginning of time.  

That being said, why then do we struggle to realize God’s word is much more than that? Much more than any man-made device, no matter the technology it possesses. I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather get my wisdom from the Creator rather than the creation. When people say they want the truth, what they really mean to say is they want hidden knowledge that is self focused. Seems as those there is a spiritual tug of war, pulling us away from what we are trying to draw close to. Satan wants to keep Christians out of the Bible by any means. At times, you can actually witness this spiritual battle bleeding into the physical world. 

Spirit of Slumber

In the early stages of being drawn to God, you bet I struggled with getting into the Bible. I didn’t realize it right away, but I was dealing with spiritual warfare. The enemy was trying to keep me out of the word. Whenever I began reading the Bible, an overwhelming fatigue would come over me. Yawning repeatedly, my eyelids would suddenly feel too heavy to hold open. Before long I could no longer fight the sheer exhaustion. Ultimately, more often than not, I closed my Bible and would fall asleep. But then I noticed something strange. I could read the other books I was reading during that time with no problems. I wasn’t getting hit by a spiritual wall of fatigue. It was only occurring whenever I was reading the Bible.

I later learned about the spirit of slumber that comes over people when they read the Bible. Yet another unclean spirit doing whatever it can to keep you from God and from the truth that will effectively evict them from your flesh. With this information in mind I took my problem to God, prayed spiritual warfare prayers, and shortly thereafter I received deliverance from the spirit of slumber. After much faith and diligence in seeking God, the difference was night and day; I enjoyed reading the Bible so much, I often ran late because I lost track of time reading the word. I had an unquenchable thirst for the word of God that I had never experienced before. No longer was I being hindered by the spirit of slumber. Once I was loosed of that, my Bible reading and study time took off and I finally was receiving what was intended for me to receive.

Distractions and Interruptions During Bible Reading

If Satan is anything, he is absolutely persistent and willing to play the long game. Satan didn’t like the fact I was abiding in the word daily. He didn’t like that I was discovering not only the power and authority of Jesus, but the access we have to it as believers. So what did he do? He sent other spiritual distractions my way. On cue, the distractions would manifest as if premeditated and set to a timer. Let me explain. Every time I would sit down to read the Bible, disruptions would abound. My phone would start ringing, someone would knock at the door selling something, my daughter yelling “mom” from the other room, or the cats would suddenly start fighting, or the smoke alarm batteries would beep from being dead. You name it, he tried it. I mean come on, it’s just so obvious there is something spiritual trying to prevent you from opening this book.

There Is No Substitute For The Bible

People attempt to substitute God’s word with self-help books, advice from friends and family, yoga and meditation and a bunch of other self relying acts. Christians, you are no exception, we can just as easily fall into a similar situation. Substituting reading the Bible with devotionals and/or sermons and other Christian books. But nothing, and I mean nothing, can replace the Bible and what it provides for those who read it in faith.

More often than not, when I’m finished with my bible study, you’ll find me headed to the nearest person in the house; to share what I’ve just read and learned. There is such an excitement that comes along with receiving revelation from God’s word. You can’t help but want others to experience what you have. My husband and I still get excited to share with each other what we’ve received from the Holy Spirit during our bible study. The Bible is a very powerful tool, and I couldn’t imagine living without it. The word of God is everything which I stand upon, and it has never failed me.

Open up your Bible and study it. You’ll be amazed by what you learn as you read through the scriptures. When you sit down to open your Bible, you’re not just reading words on a page. There is something much more powerful taking place in the spiritual as you receive the word, discover the truth, and unpack the wisdom within the scriptures to apply to your life.

People cheer the Bible, buy the Bible, give the Bible, own the Bible – they just don’t actually read the Bible.

— John Ortberg

Takeaway Message and Encouragement For Reading The Bible

Sadly, many people who claim Christ never take the time to open up their bibles, yet are deceived into believing they are living a life pleasing to God. How can you possibly know what is pleasing in the sight of God if you don’t even read the word he has preserved for you?

For Christians who read the Bible it is our sword, and to go a day without it is as foolish as going into a medieval battle without chain-mail, or a sword. Reading the Bible will draw you closer to God, it will change you, and grow you. Pay attention to the spiritual warfare that shows up whenever you’re getting into God’s word and deal with it immediately. Don’t continue to allow it to hinder your ability to receive your daily bread.

Approach your Bible reading in humility and be of a teachable spirit. Allow the scriptures to search your heart and point out areas you need to deal with. Apply what you learn from your Bible study and implement it into your life. Sometimes you gotta ask yourself, “Would I do this, or say that, if Christ was standing right here?” Usually the answer is a resounding NO, trust me, I know because I ask myself that all the time. It keeps me in check because I realize Christ is in-fact standing right there with me. 

No matter what you’re going through in life, you can always find help and comfort in the scriptures. I’ve been in the middle of hysterical ugly crying, but through the tears I reached for my Bible to read the word out loud in between sobbing breaths. Maybe your exact situation isn’t described verbatim in the Bible, but you will find a parallel to draw from. Break down your problem to its simplest form: making it topical. Then you can search out verses having to do with that topic, asking the Holy Spirit to lead you.

For example, maybe you have recently lost a loved one, and now you’re struggling with overwhelming grief and pain. Read Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 34:18, Proverbs 3:5-6 or 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15. The Bible includes everything you will ever need. Feeling anxious? Read Philippians 4: 6-7. Feeling depressed? Go to Psalms 40:1-3. Feeling thankful? Check out Psalms 118:28-29. 

My Top 3 Online Bible Reading Resources

If you’re not familiar with the books of the Bible or their order, take advantage of online bible study sites. Here are a few I like to use. Some of them also have mobile apps you can keep downloaded on your phone for quick access.

• BibleGateway

• BibleStudyTools

• BlueLetterBible

• TheBibleProject– This is one of our family’s favorite resources. My husband and I incorporate it into our daughters homeschooling. Not only is it great for kids because of its engaging visuals, it’s super useful for adults as well, especially if your newly saved. Check out their YouTube channel, The Bible Project, here. 

My Christian Bible Study Recommendations

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