5 Tips to Start Reading the Bible On a Regular Basis
It really is so important to read the Bible on a regular basis. The Bible is our spiritual food. It feeds and strengthens our spirit. It supplies faith and gives us the ability to hear God. It brings wisdom and direction for our lives.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. John 1:1-2 NKJV
The Bible is kind of like sugar. If you don’t ever eat sugar, you really don’t have any desire for it. But if you start eating sugar daily, you start craving it more and more.
This is the way the Bible is. If you start reading just a little bit every day, your desire for it grows. The hardest part is just getting started; so here are five tips to start reading the Bible on a regular basis:
1. Invite the Holy Spirit
If you’re reading the Bible without the involvement of the Holy Spirit, it will likely be dull and quite hard to understand.
The Holy Spirit is the One who breathes life into the words of the Bible and brings understanding to you.
The Bible is not meant to be understood on a mental, intellectual level. It is a spiritual book that speaks to you on a spirit level. It is meant to be understood by revelation that the Holy Spirit brings. This is one of the first things that happens when you receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. You begin to understand the Bible! Suddenly it comes alive and the dots begin to connect. You start to understand how to apply it to your life, and then everything changes! Bible reading becomes exciting and life-giving.
Jesus told His disciples that He had many things to say to them, but they couldn’t receive it until the Holy Spirit had come.
I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; John 16:12-13 NKJV
This is still true for us today. So much of what God wants to communicate to us is only able to be understood with the help of the Holy Spirit.
If you haven’t received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, I highly recommend you receive this wonderful gift. Read more about this here:
Every time you open the Bible, invite the Holy Spirit to teach you and bring revelation and understanding.
However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. John 16:13 NKJV
2. Start Small
When starting any new habit, it’s important to start small. I mean really small. The habit of reading the Bible is actually more important than how much you read. Start as small as necessary. Maybe it’s a chapter a day. Maybe it’s two verses a day. Consistency is more important than how much you read when building this habit.
It may help you to set aside a certain time of the day where you read the Bible. Maybe it will help you to set a timer and stop when the timer goes off. You could print a Bible reading plan or find an online version. Whatever it takes to start developing this habit.
Remember that action creates emotion. Don’t wait until you feel like reading the Bible before starting. Just do it, and the emotions will follow. Maybe it will help to leave your Bible open in a certain spot or put a Bible in your car. Make it easy and visible.
As you start small and build this habit into your life, you can eventually build on it and spend more time in the Bible. Forming the habit is the most important part!
Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established. Proverbs 16:3 NKJV
3. Listen to Teachers who Love the Bible
There are some teachers in the body of Christ who especially love the Bible and teach from it constantly.
When you listen to these kinds of teachers, something is imparted to you. Their love for the Bible will rub off on you.
Listen to teachers who are spirit-filled and have revelation of the Bible. They know how to apply it to their lives and teach it to others.
As you listen to those who have gone before you and received the benefits of a life in the Bible, your motivation to be like them increases!
Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. Hebrews 13:7 NKJV
For some recommended resources, click here.
4. Pray in the Spirit
The Bible says that when you pray in tongues, you speak the mysteries of God.
For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 1 Corinthians 14:2 NKJV
One of the best ways to begin to understand the Bible is to pray in tongues. You can even pray in tongues as you read it.
Another benefit of praying in the spirit is that it builds up your spirit (insert Jude). Your spirit strongly desires the Word of God. As you pray in the spirit, this desire for the Bible is activated and grows.
But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God”. Matthew 4:4 NKJV
For more about praying in the spirit, read How to Activate Speaking in Tongues.
5. Pray for the Desire to Read the Bible
for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:13 NKJV
God will give you the desire for more of His Word. Have you asked Him? When you ask Him, believe you receive when you pray, and you will have it.
Begin to confess things like “I love the Bible. I am addicted to reading the Word of God. I love my time in the Bible every day”. Your heart will begin to follow the voice of your confession.
Sometimes there is demonic opposition that tries to stop you from reading the Word. In this situation, you need to take authority over the demonic forces. Jesus said He has given us authority over all the power of the enemy. (Luke 10:19) Take authority over these hindrances by speaking out loud something like:
“In the Name of Jesus, I bind any demonic force trying to hinder me from reading the Bible. I declare that I am a consistent Bible reader”.
What is Your Motive?
If your motive for wanting to read the Bible is to please God or somehow earn points with God, your efforts are in vain.
God is pleased with you based on what Jesus has done, not based on you somehow checking the boxes and doing your religious duties. Reading the Bible is for your benefit! As you read the Bible, you will find out what Jesus has done for you and who you are now in Christ.
The Bible is a love letter from God to you. It brings life, healing and solutions to every situation. Within its pages contains more wisdom than you could ever need.
My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Proverbs 4: 20-22 NKJV
Benefits of Reading the Bible Regularly
God has a lot of promises for people who read the Bible regularly. In fact, these promises are quite incredible.
Look at some of these promised benefits:
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Joshua 1:8 NKJV
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. Psalm 1:1-3 NKJV
Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of your life will be many. Proverbs 4:10 NKJV
My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Proverbs 4: 20-22 NKJV
And I will walk at liberty, for I seek Your precepts. Psalm 119: 45 NKJV
He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Psalm 107:20 NKJV
This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has given me life. Psalm 119:5 NKJV
Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction. I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have given me life. Psalm 119: 92-93
The Best Way to Read the Bible in One Year (Plus Motivation to Keep You Going
