PRAYING FOR MY SPOUSE TO BE A GOOD STEWARD OF OUR RESOURCES

"What if we as couples were to live as if we truly recognized that God owns everything (Psalm 24:1), and our job is simply to manage and invest His resources for His purposes? How would that change our mind-set toward our bills, what we buy, where we eat, and what we do? How would we use our time differently? And how much joy and freedom would we experience if we remembered that our legacy in life and our reward in eternity depend not on our bank accounts but on the lives God touches through us?" Evan, T. (2016). Chapter 10, Resources. In 1042110467, 797252129 T. Evans (Author), Kingdom marriage: Connecting god's purpose with your pleasure (p. 123). Coral stream, IL, IL: Tyndale House.

Me and my husband are in a Couple's Sunday school class and we're currently reading "Kingdom Marriage" by Tony Evans. The quote above comes from the book. While posing the questions to myself are easy because I know the reason behind my answers, posing them to my spouse and having a discussion may not be so smooth. Why, you ask...because humans are selfish and stingy! Yep, I said it.

The very fact that Mr. Evans had to remind us that we really don't own anything and everything we have belongs to God, proves that point.  Our flesh nature is to hold onto things and not share.  To claim ownership and consequently, become slave to the things we "own" (house, car, credit card, etc.).  

The great "love" chapter in the bible (1 Corinthians 13) talks about what love is and what love means.  The New International Version (NIV) uses the word 'love', but the King James Version (KJV) uses 'charity'.  It's been said that you can't love and not give.  Giving shows love!

Dear Lord, I lift up my spouses heart and head to Your will concerning our resources.  We know that You are the source of all our resources.  We know that You are our true provider and everything that we have is because You have provided.  Great is Thy Faithfulness unto us!  I lift up every concern that my spouse may have about our resources.  Where they see lack, I ask that You give him/her peace in Your word that says, "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread" (Psalm 37:25).  Thank you for giving him/her a cheerful heart, so that he/she can give according to the riches You have bestowed on us.  In Jesus name, amen!

PRAYING FOR A PURPOSE DRIVEN MATE

Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.  For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.  Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.  Delight thyself also in the Lord:  and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.  Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.  (Psalm 37:1-5)

When your spouse is following God's purpose for his/her life, the lord can and will open doors to abundant blessings.  The natural thought would have one thinking of monetary blessings, but following God's purpose yields an abundance that we won't have room to receive.  The things that are priceless, like the fruit of the spirit.  The scripture goes on to say, of those that operate in God's purpose, that they "shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." There's a saying that if you do something you love, you will never work a day in your life.  When your spouse seeks to do what God wants him/her to do; it takes away a lot of the stress and strife sometimes connected to a paycheck.  

Lord, we pray that You will reveal Your purpose for our spouse so that he/she will bring glory to Your kingdom.  We thank You for the gifts that have been imparted to our spouse.  We thank You for leading, guiding and directing the path of our spouse and we also declare that he/she will follow, trust and obey Your will for them.  If there is any doubt or uncertainty about what You would have them do or where You would have them go, we pray that You make it clear and plain to them.  Thank You God, for knowing what's best for our mate.  Amen!

 

PRAYING FOR GODLY RELATIONSHIPS

Sometimes in our life, we all have pain, we all have sorrow.  But, if we are wise, we know that there's always tomorrow...LEAN ON ME!!

In these unprecedented times of uncertainty, it is more and more important that we have godly relationships to help us maintain.  We need those people in our lives that we can be vulnerable with and to whom we can vent.  The people that will not only hold you when you're going through, but will also hold you accountable when you're trying to run away.  It's important to pray that your spouse has those same relationships!  Not just good, healthy relationships, but godly relationships. 

Heavenly Father, I thank you for the godly relationships in my life and in my spouse's life.  When the world has tossed us to and fro, we're grateful for those that avail themselves to us for prayer, comfort and counsel.  We thank you for the prayer warriors that intercede on our behalf, for the disciples that challenge us in our deeds, for those that offer godly counsel and covering.  Help us to always seek the relationships You have purposed for our lives, that will glorify Your and Your kingdom.  In Jesus name, Amen!

PRAYING GOD'S WILL FOR MY SPOUSE

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).

When things are not going my way, I wish that I could say, I recite this verse.  I wish that I could say my first response is to sing, "whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say; it is well..", but the reality is--that's not true.  My initial reaction is resistance.  I wonder 'why me', 'why this', 'why now'.  I have not yet attained the maturity level required to offer the prayer of "Thy will",  because frankly, I don't want to submit my will to God's will.

The word WILL in context means "of what God wishes to be done by us".  It is His determination for us, His thoughts towards us.  Now imagine that in your prayers.  God's determination (versus our determination) in everything we commit to prayer...especially our spouse!  Mmm hmm...It's hard to pray the retaliation prayer, when you start off with God's will as the qualifier for the prayer.  Don't act like you don't know about the retaliation pray. 😊

Lord, I want Your will to be manifested in my spouse's life.  I pray that every desire and wish You have for my spouse be manifested in their life.  When my spouse is unsure of their purpose; I pray and agree with Your wishes for their life.  I agree that my spouse will delight in You.  I agree that my spouse will commit their way to You; trust in You and You shall bring all things to pass according to Your will.  I agree that you will bring forth righteousness in their life.  Thank you for the manifestation of love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance.  I agree with health, prosperity, wisdom and wealth for my spouse because I want Your will for them.  If my spouse is operating in Your will, my spouse will be blessed, I will be blessed, our family will be blessed.  It is so.  Amen!

PRAYING SO I DON'T SLIP!!

"When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.   Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.  You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.  Whom have I in heaven but you?   And earth has nothing I desire besides you.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.  Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.  But as for me, it is good to be near God.  I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds."  Pslams 73:21-28 (NIV)

The hardest thing to do, in my opinion, is to pray for someone that you feel has hurt you or betrayed you.  In our human/flesh state, we don't feel that the person deserves our prayers and if we're honest, oftentimes we want the total opposite of blessings for someone that has caused us pain.  The pain is deeper, the closer that person is to you or the more value put on the relationship.  There are many relationships that can cause pain in our lives, familial, friendships, even work relationships; but the one that can hurt the most is the marriage relationship.  Why?  It's because our spouse is the one person to whom we're most vulnerable.  Accordingly, our spouse is one person that can hurt us like no other.  So when that happens, our natural inclination is not to pray for them.  However, if you don't want to find your foot slipping and yourself headed for a fall; you must pray for them!  When we do good, despite the wrongs done to us; "...the Lord shall reward thee" (Proverbs 25:22).  Now when you read that scripture, it's talking about an enemy and I'm not saying your spouse is your enemy.  I AM saying that satan will have you believe your spouse is the enemy and that's why it's even more important that we combat the REAL ENEMY with the proper weapon.

Lord, I know that Your love is for everyone.  I know that even when/if I don't feel like loving my spouse; You still love them!  In my bitter and broken state, it is easy for me to yield to my flesh and not Your spirit.  If I'm honest Lord, I'm tired of going through the motions, but You have not given up on me, so I won't give up either.  You continue to hold me close, so I will continue to hold on.  I give You all my hurts and fear.  If pain is weakness leaving the body, as I am weak in your presence; I now know that You are taking the pain away and strengthening me.  Your word says, "And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken" (Ecclesiastes 4:12).  Thank You Lord for never letting me go...never letting us go.  Amen!