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 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!