The bible is filled with promises to encourage and help us. But did you know that your Father God has set aside specific sections of scripture for you individually? You won’t be the only person who especially benefits from those scriptures, but God has placed certain scriptures with promises that pertain for your life that may not be as needful or meaningful to someone else. They will have their own promises from God that won’t be as important to you.

Some years ago I was introduced to the idea that God gives each of us certain sections of scripture for us to fully experience. All the scripture is ours, undoubtedly. Yet, different lives take different courses, and for whatever course our life takes, there can be specific sections of scripture that will resonate deeply with us to help and encourage us in our lives, in our walk with the Lord. For example, the record of Hannah in 1 Samuel as an infertile woman longing for a child, would not have as much significance to a woman with many children who never struggled with infertility. It doesn’t mean there isn’t learning and encouragement for the woman who has not had that particular struggle, but it will probably carry greater weight for a woman who can relate to that specific difficulty.

In April 2014 the Lord “gave” me Psalm 18 as an “inheritance word.” Reading this psalm brings me inordinate joy, hope and encouragement. Many times I would break down in tears at a certain point because I felt that part of the psalm so deeply.

Psalm 18 has sweeping grand language and imagery. The commentator Matthew Henry says this about Psalm 18: “The poetry is very fine, the images are bold, the expressions lofty, and every word is proper and significant; but the piety far exceeds the poetry. Holy faith, and love, and joy, and praise, and hope, are here lively, active, and upon the wing.

Barnes commentary says, “It is a song of victory, and is beyond doubt the most sublime ode that was ever composed on such an occasion. David, long pursued and harassed by foes who sought his life, at length felt that a complete triumph was obtained, and that he and his kingdom were safe, and he pours forth the utterances of a grateful heart for God’s merciful and mighty interposition, in language of the highest sublimity, and with the utmost grandeur of poetic imagery. Nowhere else, even in the sacred Scriptures, are there to be found images more beautiful, or expressions more sublime, than those which occur in this psalm.”

I don’t use the word sublime so I had to check out its definition. For those of you like me, here is how Dictionary.com defines sublime. 1. elevated or lofty in thought, language, etc. 2. impressing the mind with a sense of grandeur or power; inspiring awe, veneration, etc. 3. supreme or outstanding. 4. complete; absolute; utter.

So, there you go.

Psalm 18 wasn’t my first inheritance word. I think my first must have been Psalm 73 where Asaph describes his jealousy at the prosperity of the wicked. He is so honest about how beautiful and easy their lives appeared and how it pierced his heart…until he went into the sanctuary of his God. There God reveals the truth to him about the situation of the wicked.

Psalm 73:18, 19 NLT

Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.

In an instant they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors.

As a young person I felt deeply pained by the seeming ease and beauty of the “cool kids.” After I spent two years being severely bullied at a neighborhood elementary school I thought if I could become popular, I could avoid the pain and stigma that traumatized me through the third and fourth grade. So, when I moved schools in the fifth grade I began working toward that end. But of course that wasn’t the answer, and only led me to different pains and hurts.

Somewhere in my adolescence I discovered Psalm 73 and it soothed my soul many a night.

I use journals like this to record my discoveries from my inheritance scriptures.

Over the years, different sections of scripture seemed to leap off of the page and wrap themselves around my heart. Many of you have probably experienced this yourself if you think about it. For those of you who have not had that experience, God still has an inheritance scripture for you!

The speaker who introduced me to the idea of this, encourages folks at the end of his conferences to simply pick a number between 1 and 150. Shoot, pick two, pick three. God can certainly be mysterious, but he can also be incredibly simple and works with us right where we are. Think about when the eleven apostles chose the final apostle in Acts 1. They cast lots. Lots were stones or sticks with markings on them. It is a recorded way that disciples prior to the day of Pentecost used to determine the will of God. The point here is the Holy Spirit can give you the right number.

You can pray and worship and be still in the presence of the Lord prior to picking the number if that feels better to you. I’m not saying one way is right or wrong. Depending on the day, I may prefer stillness and worship prior to seeking an answer. Other times, I might just feel peaceful to pick a number.

Go to the Psalms and find the corresponding Psalm. Look at this scripture. Does it resonate with you? Do you find particular importance in the verses? Does it impact your emotions deeply?

For me, I did not initially understood how Psalm 18 applied to my life, but the promises and the description of God’s response to David’s/my cry brought a powerful emotional experience. The image of God barreling out of heaven on winged chariots to respond dramatically and magnificently to my cry was significant.

Find a nice journal for your inheritance scripture and save the first several pages to become your table of contents. Begin to study your scripture. Make notes in this journal about discoveries of your inheritance word. It’s something God wants you to fully experience. If there is a name in the scripture, it means you have access to their anointing.

As you begin to ponder this idea, I believe you will begin to discover that you have individual scriptures, scripture groupings, whole psalms or chapters.

Happy treasure hunting!