You’ll Never Read The Bible the Same Way After This

Many believers find themselves frustrated with surface-level Bible reading, gaining temporary inspiration but lacking long-term spiritual transformation. To overcome this and fully experience the benefits of God’s Word, you must approach the Scripture not merely as a natural text, but as a supernatural, life-giving source. This shift requires moving past basic study and allowing the Word to permeate your spirit for true revelation.

The sources utilize Jesus’ Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13) to illustrate the proper method for receiving truth, ensuring a harvest of 30, 60, or even 100 times as much as was planted.

1. Rejecting Superficial Reception (The Footpath)

The first barrier to growth is receiving the Word in the wrong place, symbolized by the footpath. This represents those who hear the message but don’t understand it.

The Danger of Mental-Only Reception

If the Word is received solely in the mind—treating Scripture purely as a historical or philosophical text—it fails to reach its intended destination in the spirit.

• Information vs. Revelation: Information informs; revelation transforms. Superficial reading leaves the Word vulnerable.
• Demonic Theft: If the Word does not become revelation and permeate the spirit, the evil one comes and snatches away the seed. The thief (the devil) first steals the word, then he can kill and destroy (John 10:10). The enemy can fight you in your mind, but he cannot fight you in your spirit.

The Necessity of the Holy Spirit

You cannot understand the Word without the Holy Spirit. Relying solely on intellect alone prevents reception of divine truth.

• Spiritual Truth: Scripture is spiritual; the words Jesus speaks are spirit and life. People who aren’t spiritual cannot receive these truths, finding them foolish, because only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means (1 Corinthians 2:14).
• Fellowship, Not Just Reading: When you approach the Bible, you are not just reading a book; you are fellowshipping with a person (the Holy Spirit).
• The Author is Present: When you read, you can have the one who inspired every word sit right next to you and give you the truth. The Holy Spirit will teach you everything and will remind you of everything Jesus has told you (John 14:26). Simply ask the Holy Spirit for help to understand.

Faithfulness Leads to Abundance

God rewards those who diligently seek revelation. To those who listen to His teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. If you use well what God has already revealed, you are prepared to receive more.

2. Developing Deep Roots (The Rocky Soil)

The rocky soil represents those who immediately receive the message with joy, but lack deep roots. Consequently, they fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.

The Danger of Hype Without Depth

Excitement and passion alone cannot sustain you when trials come.

• Initial Excitement Fails: Many believers start with passion and fire, but when a trial or heartache comes along, they become angry with God or disappear.
• Excitement vs. Depth: While excitement in teaching is not mutually exclusive from depth, excitement can’t make up for the lack of depth. True longevity requires a depth of the knowledge of the word of God.
• Spiritual Warfare: You must take in the Word to produce depth because you are in spiritual warfare. If your roots are not deep, a small current or little bit of rainfall can move you along when the storms come.

Cultivating Consistency and Diligence

Building deep roots requires discipline and commitment to the Word.

• Beyond the “Tweetable”: While encouragements from Christian reels, devotionals, or the “verse of the day” are honorable, believers cannot settle for these superficialities.
• Study and Schedule: You must study to show yourselves approved unto God. You need to know the Word from Genesis to Revelation and develop an appreciation for its implications and nuances.
• Prioritize the Word: If you are too busy to read the Word daily, you are too busy. You need to schedule the rest of your life around daily Bible reading, not the other way around.
• Love, Not Legalism: Consistency must be driven by a love for the depth of the word of God, not by legalism, reaching quotas, or counting chapters. This love causes you to get “hooked on every word,” seeing revelation and instruction.