PREVAILING BY THE POWER OF PRAYERS (2)

Bible Texts: Eph.5:25-27, Col.3:19, Rom.5:5, 2Cor.5:17, 1Cor.13:4-8, Gal.4:19, Philp.2:13, Lk.18:1, Mk.9:29, Matt.7:7, Eph.6:12-18, Rev.12:10-11

Yesterday, we began this teaching series by understanding why the husbandman must pray and we considered the first focus area, which is the prayer for himself as the man.

Today, I want us to consider the second focus area for the husbandman and that is the prayer for himself as the husband.

As the husband, your responsibilities are to your wife whom God has given to you (Gen.2:18-25, Pro.19:14). And the Bible provides the principles that will make you live a fulfilled and happy life as the good and godly husband.

Husbands, love thy wife as Christ has loved the church and gave himself for it (Eph.5:25)

The only commandment that God gives to you is to love your wife, not as the world loves but as Jesus Christ loves. This is because the ways of the love of Christ is true, selfless and enduring but the ways of the world are transactional, selfish and conditional (1Cor.13:4-8).

Now, it is impossible to love your wife as Christ has loved the church with being helped by the Spirit of God (Jn.15:5). This is why you need to pray to God for His help to love as Christ loves by praying for the spirit of the love of Christ to be firmly planted in your hear (Rom.5:5).

Your wife may not meet your expectations because she is not perfect. She is bound to make mistakes. Hence, without the power of the love of Christ in you, you will give up on her and the relationship you have with her. This is why you need to pray for the empowerment of the Spirit of the love of Christ to be evident in your life so that it can help you overcome all her limitations.

The ways of Christ’s love is what manifest in physical attributes like patience, kindness, forgiveness, hope, goodwill, sacrifice, endurance, self-control, tireless giving and faith (1Cor.13:4-8). It is for this reason that you must pray for yourself as the husband.

It is the love of Christ that motivates you to pray for your wife to attain the fullness of God’s perfect will for her rather than complain about her attitude, compare her with other women and murmur about her shortcomings. When you have discovered what God desires for your wife from the word of God, the love of Christ moves you to pray them for her in your prayer time (Philp.2:13, Gal.4:19).

There is a war against the relationship between the husband and his wife. Principalities, powers and rulers of darkness in high places are waging constant war to destroy the partnership between the husband and his wife (Eph.6:12-18). This is what has accounted for the increasing cases of divorces, even among believers. But with prayers, you and I can overcome this onslaught and be endued with the power of Christ’s love to love our wife as Christ loves the church  (Mk.9:29, Lk.18:1, Rev.12:10-11).

SPIRITUAL EXERCISE

• Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You for making me a husband.
• Father, in the Name of Jesus, teach me how to function as the good and godly husband.
• Father, in the Name of Jesus, guide me by Your word to do Your will as the husband.
• Father, in the Name of Jesus, empower me to keep my prayer altar burning as the husband.
• Father, in the name of Jesus, empower me to walk in the fullness of my responsibilities as the husband.
• Father, in the name of Jesus, guide me through Your word to remain on course as I love my wife as Christ has loved the church.
• Father in the name of Jesus, let Your love be shed abroad in my heart and let me live it inside out.

FAITH CONFESSION

I am made in the image and likeness of God and I take responsibility to love my wife as Christ has loved the church and gave Himself for it because that is what makes me the good and godly husbandman in Jesus name. Amen.

The devotional IN TUNE WITH GOD© is published by The Husbandman Mission International, Headquartered in Abuja, Nigeria.

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Jesus Christ is Lord over all.

Bro. Ebenezer O. Igure

Head of Mission

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