CHAPTER 28
REPETITION = VICTORY
Why do I say speak the verse seven times, three times a day, for seven days? Seven is a special number to God. Seven represents completeness. God rested on the seventh day. See Genesis 2:2. There are seven days of unleavened bread. See Exodus 12:15. Seven times seven years is the year of Jubilee! See Leviticus 25:8. Jubilee is a Sabbath of Sabbaths … a type of God’s perfect rest. There are seven lamps of fire burning before the throne of God, which are the seven Spirits of God. See Revelation 4:5. Anyway, you get the picture, seven (7) is a special number to God.
There is an interesting story in the Book of 2 Kings of when the Prophet Elisha was dying. Joash, the King of Israel, came to Elisha’s bedside and began crying because Israel was being oppressed by the King of Syria. Elisha told Joash that the Lord would deliver Israel from Syria, but Elisha told Joash he had to do something first:
AND HE SAID, TAKE THE ARROWS. AND HE TOOK THEM, AND HE SAID UNTO THE KING OF ISRAEL, SMITE UPON THE GROUND. AND HE SMOTE THRICE, AND STAYED.
AND THE MAN OF GOD WAS WROTH WITH HIM, AND SAID, THOU SHOULDEST HAVE SMITTEN FIVE OR SIX TIMES; THEN HADST THOU SMITTEN SYRIA TILL THOU HADST CONSUMNED IT: WHEREAS NOW THOU SHALT SMITE SYRIA BUT THRICE.
2 KINGS 13:18-19
Why was Elisha angry at King Joash? The King of Israel should have known a basic principle. Any child in Israel would have known that seven signified completeness. I imagine if Joash would have smote the floor seven times, Syria would have ceased being an enemy all together and probably would have become Israel’s strongest ally. We learn from this story that a country’s success, just like an individual’s success, depends on a person’s intimate knowledge of God and His Word.
FOR THE LEADERS OF THIS PEOPLE CAUSE THEM TO ERR, AND THEY THAT ARE LED OF THEM ARE DESTROYED.
ISAIAH 9:16
Why speak God’s Word three times a day? Remember what the Apostle Peter said about the Word of God being our spiritual milk. A baby does not nurse only once a week, we should speak God’s Word at least three times day just like we eat at least three times a day.
EVENING, AND MORNING, AND AT NOON, WILL I PRAY, AND CRY ALOUD: AND HE SHALL HEAR MY VOICE.
PSALM 55:17
Do not let slothfulness steal God’s blessing from you. Speaking a verse seven times, three times a day, for a total of 21 times a day, will take less than fifteen minutes out of your day. Do you really love Jesus? If you do you will memorize His Words.
IF A MAN LOVE ME, HE WILL “KEEP” MY WORDS: AND MY FATHER WILL LOVE HIM, AND WE WILL COME UNTO HIM, AND MAKE OUR ABODE WITH HIM.
HE THAT LOVETH ME NOT KEEPETH NOT MY SAYINGS: AND THE WORD WHICH YE HEAR IS NOT MINE, BUT THE FATHER’S WHICH SENT ME.
JOHN 14:23-24
KEEP. 5083. Tay-reh’-o; (a watch; perhaps akin to 2334); to guard (from loss or injury, properly by keeping the eye upon; and thus differing from 5442, which is properly to prevent escaping; and from 2892, which implies a fortress or full military lines of apparatus), i.e. to note (a prophecy); figuratively to fulfill a command); by implication to detain (in custody; fig. to maintain); by extension to withhold (for personal ends; fig. to keep unmarried): - hold fast, keep (-er), (ob-, pre-, re-) serve, watch. (The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, James Strong, LL.D., S.T.D., Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1984.)
Frankly, if a Christian cannot spend less than fifteen minutes a day, in order to speak and memorize one verse a week, I question their love for Jesus Christ. It appears from John 14:23-24 that Jesus also questions their love. However, if we will dedicate ourselves to keeping His Words, Jesus promises that both He and the Father will manifest themselves to us. This is the greatest benefit we receive from memorizing the Word of God. God will become more and more real to us. Our doubt flees away and it is replaced by our ever increasing faith in God and His provision for our lives.
Remember, you are in a battle with your flesh and the rulers of darkness. Your flesh is infected with sin and is more than happy for you to remain in bondage to sickness, poverty, fear, despair, and death. That is also where the Devil wants you. Your only chance for vibrant health, overflowing prosperity, perfect peace, and eternal life in this world, as well as the new world to come, is to have perfect trust in God’s Word.