When we look at the covenant of marriage, the benefits of this godly union come to the forefront. Marriage was God’s idea from the beginning, and it opens the way for God to bless not only the married couple, but also their families, communities, and nation through them. None of this is possible, however, without marital unity, and this unity is not easily achieved because there are many things designed to oppose it.
Marriage is difficult partly because the world teaches us selfishness; that life is primarily about me, my feelings, and what’s in it for me. Many times we are winning the battles against each other but losing the war in our marriages. There needs to be a shift in how we operate in order for godly marriages to succeed.
We often use our words to inflict pain and walk away feeling good, and we don’t recognise that we are playing into the hands of Satan because we are giving him a stronghold and destroying our own ability to protect ourselves from him. When we do that, he easily steals, kills, and destroys important things in our lives. The Scriptures implore us, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2 (NIV).
The Apostle Paul instructs us in Ephesians 6:10-12, “… be strong in the Lord and in His great power. 11 Put on the full armour of God so that you can fight against the devil’s evil tricks. 12 Our fight is not against people on earth but against the rulers and authorities and the powers of this world’s darkness, against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly world.” This is only effective when we do things God’s way.
“Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labour in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. 2 In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat – for he grants sleep to those he loves.” Psalms 127:1-2 (NIV). This teaches us that every endeavour in life must be based on a relationship with God. Doing what He says and living in obedience to Him. This is especially true when it comes to our marriages. If we want the benefits, we must step into oneness.
Marriage forces us to adjust, change, and grow if we want it to do well. If marriages are to be strong, if they are to glorify God, if they are to be a blessing to us and others, then we must be submitted to God’s transformational process. This kind of marriage must be built on the bedrock of a strong and serious relationship with Jesus Christ.
Satan and this whole world system fights against marriage in venomous and unrelenting ways. Oftentimes we don’t understand the evil and spiritually strategic belief systems that we’re being fed. If the enemy can get us to agree with his way of doing things and disagree with God’s way of doing things, he can win the battle. Once he brings disunity, he can attack every area of our lives and win. While we are busy fighting each other, or fighting a godly way of thinking because it is not a ‘modern way’ of thinking, he is using our pain to eat away at our unity.
Walk in unity and start defeating Satan’s plans.