The same thing can be said about remembering what is in the Bible. It tells us in Mark 13:11 - "When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit." This verse talks about when we are arrested. But if the Holy Spirit can remind us and teach us what to say in a stressful situation, why not in everyday situations? What if you need to tell someone a scripture verse and you don't have a Bible handy? Couldn't the Holy Spirit remind us of that verse when we need it? Of course he could. I recently ran across this in a book I am reading: "The Holy Spirit promises to remind you of what is there. If there is nothing there to be reminded of, whatever do you expect the Holy Spirit to do?" (R.T. Kendall, Holy Fire).
How are we to know what is in the Bible and have the Holy Spirit remind us when we need it, any time any place? Read the Bible. Not just once, but over and over and over and .... Sometimes it may seem dull and dry and redundant but like the first aid classes I sat through and thought they were a waste of time, a time came that I needed it and it was there to pull from. Does that mean we will remember EVERYTHING we read in the Bible? Of course not. But a careful systematic reading over the Bible over and over will give the Holy Spirit something to work with when we need it. Sometimes you may not remember the reference, but that's OK, you know it is God's Word and it is just as powerful. Could the Holy Spirit tell of what is in the Bible if you have never read it? Of course, He is God after all, but if you store it in memory by reading and/or memorizing, then you will be more likely to use it and it will have a greater impact on your life and on your circumstances and can be a help for others when they need it. But the key is taking the time to dust off your Bible and read it, not just once in a while, but consistently. Find a Bible reading plan that fits your lifestyle and your comfort level and go through it over and over. There are many that are partial or whole Bible plans, you can go as fast or as slow as you need to, but the key is to read it. The more you read it, the more you get, and the more it changes you into His likeness and the more you will know what to say in those times you need something to say.
Hebrews 4:12 says "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." One thing I have learned about this living word is that even if I have read a passage many, many times, I still can learn something new from it and can allow it to speak to me and my circumstances. It is not difficult to give 10-20 minutes a day to read the Word of God. Look at it this way, it is His love letter to you and what better way to get to know Him better and to see what He may have to say to you than to read it, then read it again, and then read it some more.
