Using the SOAP Bible Study
DISCLOSURE: THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING I GET A COMMISSION IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A PURCHASE THROUGH MY LINKS, AT NO COST TO YOU. PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO.
SOAP is a phenomenal way to study the bible. It is a simple way to dive into the word of God and see all the blessings He has sent into your life.
Using the SOAP method really helps you break down your bible reading, and assist you to have the strongest relationship you can with the Lord.
Studying your Bible is such an important part of keeping your relationship with God strong. The Bible is the word of God and lays out what He has done and what the example to follow.
I have personally been using this SOAP bible study journal that I created to help myself keep all my notes in one place and give myself a space to dive deep into the Word. I will link it here.
SOAP is an acronym that stands for
S: Scripture
O: Observation
A: Application
P: Prayer
Using this guide it can help you get meaningful spiritual growth from reading your Bible. So let’s break this down!
The Letter S:
The S stands for Scripture
This one is pretty easy, write down what verse you are studying, or whatever verse stuck out to you.
Writing down the verse really helps you stop and focus on them, since you literally are having to write it down.
There are some wonderful SOAP templates on Etsy, they make it cute and aesthetic to study the Word. (I have linked my Etsy store here, I have tons of SOAP templates to pick from and they're cute!)
The Letter O
The O stands for observation.
Taking a step back and observing is beneficial in almost any situation so why would studying the Bible be any different.
We need to step back and see the big picture and observe what the Lord is truly saying in the verse.
Observation is about looking at what is there. It is not trying to interpret the verse to fit what you want it to say but observing what the Lord is actually saying to us.
It is good to pay attention to when the passage was written as well as who wrote it, who it was addressed to. Another thing to think about is what principles, promises, laws, or lessons are being said in this verse
The Letter A:
The A stands for Application.
The main goal of studying the scriptures is to make a connection with God and have guidance for our lives.
Memorizing and being able to quote verses is not enough when adding the gospel into your life. It is more about how can you live this way.
You truly need to apply it to your life. This is the most important part of the SOAP method.
You need to apply the word of God to your life to allow Him to really change your life and work through you.
An exercise that really helps me is to make a list of things someone with a great testimony does and then start to do those things.
When I did this exercise I wrote down daily bible study. So starting that day I did daily Bible study. My relationship with the Lord has grown and I have been able to strengthen my testimony.
I know that if you do this as well your testimony will grow and thrive.
The Letter P:
The P stands for prayer.
Prayer is one of the most important things you can do ever.
It is truly the way you can communicate with the Lord. I personally pray before and after my Bible study, I ask the Lord to help me in my study and to grow closer to Him.
You can NEVER pray too much, keep in constant contact with God.
It is essential to pray. You can tell the Lord about your problems, and thank Him for all the wonderful blessings He has sent your way.
You will be amazed when you talk to God about any issue you have or which is burdening your mind. He can grant clarity and guidance. He gives wisdom liberally to all who ask (James 1:5).
Pray for anything and everything, nothing is too small or too big to bring to the Lord.
Conclusion
Reading the Bible will do nothing but bring you closer to the Lord. There is no down fall to diving into the word and breaking it down with SOAP will help you create the relationship you desire with the Word and the Lord.
Do not miss out on blessings, take advantage of the amazing book God gave us.
Using SOAP is easy and helpful to create building blocks for a strong foundation of faith to stand for the test of time.