Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Genesis 1:26 NKJV
What is the one word in the above verse that has triggered Satan’s attack on marriage from the Garden of Eden until now? Dominion. God gave Adam and Eve authority overall creation, and that same authority extends to us today. God created mankind in His own image, blessed them, and put them in charge.
Not only did Satan seek to deceive Eve into sin, he sought to divide and conquer. His assault on marriage has never ceased.
When the enemy keeps a home in chaos, he keeps the couple from magnifying God’s kingdom. Husbands and wives take aim at one another as the devil crouches in the corner laughing. He is the source of that feud. Not your husband, ladies. And not your wives, gentlemen. No, the culprit is the devil. He targets our marriages, and instead of promoting God’s purposes with our lives, we begin to fall for Lucifer’s schemes, promoting our individual purposes.
In a previous post, I described the marriage covenant as a portrait of Christ and the church. Satan desires to mar God’s masterpiece. He slithers into our homes, creating havoc, hoping to shatter the image of God.
The enemy cannot rob us of our salvation, but he can make our lives miserable. He steals the harmony from our homes. Conflict rages like a wildfire. The strain of tight finances or the burden of a medical crisis weigh heavy on families. Caring for elderly parents, raising your grandkids, or a special needs child all take a toil on husbands and wives. We snap. We say something less than kind. We raise our voices. We quarrel.
Why doesn’t God stop the evil one from creating so much discord? He allows Satan’s divisiveness to continue for our benefit. We learn to trust God. He strengthens us through our trials. We will experience answered prayer as we overcome obstacles through God’s power. When we employ the spiritual weapon of prayer, our marriages will shine more gloriously for God. We recognize the work of the devil. We are on the alert for enemy attack, and we refuse to fall prey to his sly tricks.
Think about the last twenty-four hours. Was there conflict, frustrations, or perhaps some complaining to a friend? Now you know the real source behind every irritation. Make a point to clue your spouse in on who may be responsible for your problems. Once you both realize the truth, guard your marriage with spiritual discernment and prayer. Instead of fighting one another, fight the real enemy as you pray. The couple who prays together, slays the devil together.
Lord, give us spiritual wisdom to discern the attacks on our marriage. Help us band together as one flesh and stand firm against the enemy. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
DIG DEEPER
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, (Ephesians 6:12-13a NKJV)
HIKING THE TRAIL
Who do we wrestle against? Who are we not fighting? What do we need to do in order to withstand in the evil day?
RESOURCE
Learn more about spiritual warfare in Eyes of Faith: Winning the Battle Between Our Feelings and Our Faith HERE
Originally posted on February 14, 2020 @ 3:05 am