- Eat the spiritual food

God created man from the dust, and He breathed His breath of life into him. Like this, humans became living beings. As humans, we have a mortal body, but we also have an eternal spirit living inside of us. In order for us to live a true life, we need to nurture not only our physical body, but we must also take care of our spiritual life. Just as our physical body dies without food, our spirits grow weary and finally die if they are not properly fed.

Jesus says in Matthew 4:4 that "man does not live from bread alone but from every Word that comes from the mouth of God." It is the Word of God that gives life to our spirit. We need to hunger for the Word just as our body desires daily food. We need to nurture our spirit properly by studying from the Holy Scriptures. When listening to the Word, it is important to have an attitude that longs and desires to hear it.

- Tips on studying the Bible

Marvelous things happen when believers learn to sit quietly, listen, and meditate on the Word. The Bible is "God's love letter" to you. Just relax and let Him speak to you through it. As the Psalmist cried, "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law" (Psalm 119:18).
The following pointers may be helpful to gain the very most from your times of meditating upon God's Word:

1. Prepare your heart as you would for an intercessory prayer (i.e., confess sin, take authority over the enemy, and acknowledge dependence on the Holy Spirit for insights).
2. Ask the Lord where in the Bible He wants you to begin meditation. Focus your attention on one or two verses or take in an entire chapter.
3. Read each verse slowly, word by word.
4. Ponder each word carefully (much like a cow chewing its cud over and over). Seek to fully digest each word and phrase.
5. Remain sensitive to the Holy Spirit to reveal fresh insights.
6. Apply the verses to your own life and respond as the Lord directs.

The following may be the result of your meditation:
1. A greater desire to seek God
2. Conviction of sin
3. Praise and thanksgiving
4. Intercession for others
5. Further study
6. Specific application of what you have learned.

- Bear the correct attitude of faith

Meditation is never true meditation unless it creates a response towards God. Your attitude should be like a child, totally dependent on the Holy Spirit and not on your own intelligence for fresh insights. Your response should be a continuing obedience and submission to new truths and insights which you have gained. God is always faithful to provide more grace as we come to know Him more and more. He delights in our expectation.

Ask for and expect to receive new understandings from God's Word as you meditate. Too often we don't expect, and therefore are not available to readily receive.

Meditation is a key to spiritual prosperity and fruitfulness as expressed in Joshua 1:8. Our keynote verse explains, "...meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." This isn't a promise for material abundance, but rather a rich promise of fulfillment and spiritual success as we come to know God in greater measures.

Consider another promise: "But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers" (Psalm 1:2-3).

Many who see the importance of meditation begin enthusiastically, but quit before it really becomes a spiritual habit. It is something that requires discipline. You can challenge yourself on with this:

"The more I press on to meditate in the Word, the more I will see God Himself."