College Success Tip # 33 - Study Prayers & Declarations

Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Mark 11:24

It is written: “I believed; therefore, I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak.

2 Corinthians 4:13

A lot of students are overwhelmed with the issue of not knowing how to study. Many students seek direction in the area of study skills, one vital tip that I share to my students and clients is to Number # 1 ask God for wisdom, understanding, knowledge and revelation on how to study the subject matter as well as how long one should consider studying.

Prayer is essential and it is something that must be done in my opinion. . If you don’t know how to pray, then I suggest that you……. Pray! Talk to God ask Him! Even if you have to go in your study zone everyday praying the same thing, do it with confident faith knowing that God will come through for you and you will receive what you are asking for.

I personally went through a season when I was working on my graduate school degree when I felt like I did not know how to study. I would express this and people would say, WHAT! You have acquired your Masters and Bachelorette degree and now you are having study issues whilst working on a Doctorate degree. It didn't make sense to them and it caused anxiety within me, until............ I prayed.

Yes! Due to the new material and the way it was presented I had to approach studying a whole different way that didn’t just involve me memorizing information, I had to really understand the subject matter because this was my career! This is what I would be focusing on to make a living. I had to know what I was talking about in intellectual environments and amongst my educational peers who also obtained their Doctoral degrees. I had to know this information to disseminate to those I would scaffold in the educational field from educators all the way to students and families.

It wasn’t that I didn’t know how to study, I had to study in a way that I would always remember the content even after the class was over and I received my passing grade, the material had to stick. When I understood this, I started to pray before every study session. I also began declaring God’s word over me as I studied. I didn’t allow the negative words from my peers who were taking the same courses with me stop me from receiving and understanding the information. I didn't even allow myself to think negative for too long because I had already experienced the dangers of that in grade school, and I was not going back!

I heard so many people in class proclaim and declare that they would never

"understand educational statistics."

“educational research was too hard to understand”

“That instructor doesn’t know how to teach”

“It’s too much information to digest.”

“This doctorate program is too difficult.”

“No one ever really understands this stuff, we don’t need it.”

“I am only focusing on one area of a major test and I’ll focus on the other one at a later time, it’s just too much to study.”

I was like, Ummmm NO! I will not receive this negative talk or thoughts that I don’t know how to study!! No! Even though I didn't know what I was doing I knew who to go to and that was GOD!

And with consistency, I began to understand and the Holy Spirit infused me to understand what I was putting into practice and what I elected to say about myself.

So I want to encourage every prospective, current, returning, online, first-time, full-time, part-time Higher Education student whether you are working on your Associate, Bachelorette, Masters, Technical School, Graduate School Degree pray and ask God for wisdom daily in this area and declare God’s Word over you! Don’t focus on what you can’t do thinking that is going to be the outcome forever, focus on where you are and how you are believing by faith to become the scholar God has called you to be.

A short prayer before studying is as follows:

Our heavenly Father, Thank you for this day! Thank you for the opportunity to come boldly before you. I thank you LORD that you have already provided my needs and I ask for wisdom in this area of studying for this subject and content. I don’t know what to do but I am trusting you to lead me, guide me and help me to organize and study to be an effective student in every area and aspect of my life. I walk by faith and I am doing the best I can but I thank you for the Holy Spirit guiding me to do things that will empower me in this area where I feel weak. I am more than a conqueror and I thank you in advance for helping me in my studying as it relates to my concerns on how to study, where to study, what to study and how long to study. Thank you, LORD, in Jesus name, AMEN.

Some study declarations are as follows:

As I study God gives me the wisdom, knowledge, understanding and revelation to comprehend the subject matter.

I receive wisdom and I am a student who does my best!

I study with purpose!

God continues to guide my mind, thoughts and actions to stay focused as I study.

I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

I mediate on the word of God day and night, and I am successful and prosperous! (Joshua 1:8)

God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power. I am empowered to prosper in every area of my life!

I have everything I need! I lack no good thing as it relates to my life and my educational pursuits.

Scriptures to ponder:

2 Corinthians 9:9

Philippians 4:13