At any moment Satan could slither through your front door. As 1 Peter 5: 8 warns us, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”
Is your marriage at a breaking point? Do you know how to handle the enemy that is trying to destroy your marriage? Let me explain to you 4 strategies that can help you overcome the enemy in your marriage.
THE 4 STRATEGIES TO OVERCOMING THE ENEMY
Recognize your enemy – The devil is your enemy NOT your spouse. I can not stress that enough. The devil wants you to focus on the things your spouse does to annoy you or upset you. He wants your marriage to fall apart. And if you don’t move fast at the first sign of your spouse upsetting you, bitterness and resentment will start to set in.
The bible says Satan comes to kill, steal, and destroy. The apostle Paul urges the church at Corinth not to be ignorant of Satan’s schemes. Because when you are aware of the tactics of the enemy, you will be better equipped to stand against his schemes.
2 Corinthians 2:11 says, "…..so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes."
Satan knows better than most what God intends for our marriage to be. He disguises himself as a voice of reason and comes to you in moments that are unguarded. He plants seeds of doubt about things that God has revealed to you already to be true. He is pure evil and wants nothing more than to ruin a healthy marriage.
Activate God’s strength inside of you –
Psalm 18: 39 says, "You have armed me for the battle; you have subdued my enemies under my feet."
2 Samuel 10: 12 says, " Be courageous! Let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. May the Lord's will be done."
You are to know your identity in Christ. Know that you are God’s child and because of that, know that you have his strength within you in order to fight back.
Know you have spiritual weapons – Warriors need weapons. And you have spiritual weapons that you can use to fight off Satan. You can read my blog post “What is the Armor of God” to know how you can use the armor.
Ephesians 6: 10-12 says, "A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places."
Ephesians 6: 13-18 says, "Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the good news so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere."
Know that you don’t have to struggle alone. The enemy wants you to think you have to deal with the issue all by yourself. But if you share your struggles with a trusted friend it sheds light on the subject and therefore keeps you from being in the dark with the enemy.
See your victory –
1 John 5: 4 says, " For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.
Priscilla Shirer once said, “We don’t fight for victory, we fight from victory.”
Have faith that your marriage will be ok. Let your faith be bigger than your issue. Give thanks that your marriage is already healed and that the issue you and your spouse are fighting over has already been won. Because it has! Declare that you have victory over your marriage and believe it!
Consider how many times God has protected you and your family from spiritual warfare. Rather than taking God’s blessings for granted, gratefully recall the victories he has given you.
WE MUST BE ON THE ALERT
The enemy can do many things to make sure that your marriage does not stay together. You can become so busy with everyone and everything that you neglect God, your spouse, and your family.
If you are having problems in your marriage, don’t lose hope. First, look to God to help you. Second, look within yourself. See if there is anything that you are putting before the Lord. Where are your priorities? Ask God to search you. Third, confess the sin that God has revealed to you. And last, pray for God to help you to approach your spouse. You need to approach only with God’s wisdom and not from your own understanding.
PRAYER TO HELP COMBAT THE ENEMY
Heavenly Father, I am coming to you today to ask for help. My marriage is not what it should be and I need your guidance and wisdom. Lord, I ask you to search me and know my heart, test me, and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you and lead me along your path. Forgive me for _______. Help me to be a better spouse and to be able to approach my spouse with this issue so that we can be on the same page. So that we can work this issue out together. Thank you for my spouse. And thank you for the love you have for me. In Jesus’ name, I pray Amen.
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