Wednesday 15th January 2020 Devotion
Scripture Reading:- Ephesians 6:11-24
Topic:- How To Pray During Marital Conflict [1]
Text:- Psalm 133:1
Young couples are often inadequately prepared for the conflicts that they are sure to encounter in their marriages. Learning how to resolve conflict is one of the most vital skills to develop in marriage.
The potential causes for conflict are virtually limitless; among the most common are issues related to sex, finances, and in-laws, not to mention parenting (for couples with children). Paul’s words to believers, in general, are applicable to both spouses as well:
1. Husband or wife, any struggle in marriage is ultimately not against your spouse! You’re engaged in a joint spiritual battle against the spiritual forces of evil—the devil and his demons—who are bent on destroying your marriage and poised to exploit any weakness or chink in your marital armor. Therefore, it’s vital that you put on the whole armor of God, both individually and jointly, and that you regularly pray with and for each other. See Ephesians 6:11-13.
2. Husband-and-wife biblical scholars set forth a robust biblical theology of gender, examining key texts, employing sound hermeneutical principles, and considering important historical influences related to the Bible’s teaching on manhood and womanhood.
3. Here are some things you can pray:
a. Pray for Protection
b. Pray that God would build a spiritual wall of protection around your marriage and family that Satan won’t be able to penetrate or destroy. Made up of fallen creatures redeemed by Christ, married couples are in desperate and continual need of spiritual protection.
c. Pray, therefore, that God would build, not merely low hedges, but towering walls of protection around your marriage and family.
d. Pray that He would build an impenetrable spiritual wall as you put on the whole spiritual armor of God. See Colossians 2:6-7.
e. Wives, pray for your husbands, that they will take his responsibility as spiritual leader in your relationship seriously. f. Husbands, pray for your wives in areas where they may be vulnerable or need encouragement and support as “the weaker vessel.” See 1 Peter 3:7.
g. Also, pray for marital unity, as unity provides protection. See Matthew 18:20.
h. Pray that God would grant you spiritual unity in your marriage and (if you have children) your parenting.
i. Therefore pray that there would be genuine contrition, repentance, and humility where your spouse has sinned against you or you against your spouse.
j. Pray that God would graciously enable you to forgive each other and for genuine and thorough reconciliation to take place. In this way, you’ll grow even closer and your marriage will become more intimate and tender as you’ll realize that we all fail at times and need each other’s forgiveness.
k. Pray for unity of purpose in your marriage: that you pull in the same direction and have the same desires—to please, revere, and honor God with your lives and the decisions you make.
l. Ask God to enable you to look to the Spirit to unify you and to transcend differences in background, gender, temperament, and other areas. See Psalm 133:1; Ephesians 4:3.
Prayer Point:- I command total unity both spiritual, mentally and physically should begin to manifest in my marriage henceforth by fire, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Happy Mid-Week!
