Since it’s very unpopular to teach what the Bible says about suffering in the lives of Christians, most of us were probably very unprepared when we found ourselves in the midst of it and found it necessary to stand against the gates of hell for the restoration of our marriages. In fact, I was surprised to find out how much the Bible actually says about how much Christians suffer, and why God uses it and how we’re supposed to react to it. Dr. Charles Stanley’s TV broadcast yesterday about how God uses suffering in the lives of Christians is what prompted my study today, and one of the most interesting things I observed is that some of the men God loved and used the most are among those who suffered the most. But that’s certainly not in keeping with everything we hear about what is supposed to happen when we become Christians. Yet when we look at the life of Job, David, Jesus and Paul, just to name a few, we see that they all experienced great suffering and persecution, which should make us want to understand it a lot better, especially when we consider how different the outcome of their lives might have been if they had not dealt with their suffering exactly as they did. But other than saying that suffering is always intended for the ultimate glory of the Lord and that when we’re in the midst of it, we have to trust Him by putting our hope in His word and praising Him, I think the best thing to do is just share the following passages of scripture which I selected from the many that are available, to help us better understand how our suffering is used for the Lord’s glory and how to react to whatever suffering we encounter in our lives as Christians:

Job 30:26-27
Yet when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, then came darkness. The churning inside me never stops; days of suffering confront me.

Job 36:15-16
But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction. “He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food.

Psalm 22:24
For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.

Psalm 42:9-11
I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?” My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, “Where is your God?” Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

Psalm 119:49-51
Remember your word to your servant, for you have given me hope. My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life. The arrogant mock me without restraint, but I do not turn from your law.

Psalm 119:107
I have suffered much; preserve my life, O LORD, according to your word.

Psalm 119:152-154
Long ago I learned from your statutes that you established them to last forever. Look upon my suffering and deliver me, for I have not forgotten your law. Defend my cause and redeem me; preserve my life according to your promise.

Isaiah 38:16-18
Lord, by such things men live; and my spirit finds life in them too. You restored me to health and let me live. Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back. For the grave cannot praise you, death cannot sing your praise; those who go down to the pit cannot hope for your faithfulness.

Isaiah 54:4-5
“Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood. For your Maker is your husband—the LORD Almighty is his name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.

Mark 5
He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

Acts 5:41
The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.

Acts 9:15-17
But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 5:1-5
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Romans 8:17-18
Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

2 Corinthians 1:7-9
And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

Philippians 1:27-30
Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

1 Thessalonians 1:6
You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 2:2
We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition.

2 Thessalonians 1:4-5
Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.

2 Timothy 1:7-13
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 2:8-10
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

2 Timothy 3:10-15
You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

James 5:10-11
Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

1 Peter 1:6-7
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

1 Peter 2:19-21
For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

1 Peter 2:23
When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.

1 Peter 3:13-15
Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

1 Peter 3:17
It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

1 Peter 4:12-16
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.

1 Peter 4:19
So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

1 Peter 5:8-11
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

The above passages leave little doubt that suffering for the sake of Jesus is an inevitable part of being a Christian, and listening to Charles Stanley’s message, He Uses Our Suffering, will really help us understand God’s purpose for our suffering and how we need to respond to it by putting our hope and faith in His word as we trust and praise Him…no matter what!

God is SO AWESOME and He never ceases to amaze me! Yesterday, I had several email messages to respond to, and spent a lot of time on the phone, including getting acquainted with two of our new ladies. So I worked on my SOF post in between doing that, and one of the email messages inspired the post I worked on throughout the day, because I had told someone that idle hands are the devil’s workshop, which I thought was in the Bible, but later discovered is NOT true. Or at least I couldn’t find it. Unfortunately, that’s the way the day continued going as I searched for the passages of scripture to back up what I felt the Lord had led me to write, which is unusual. But I did find a few verses to make the point that God disapproves of idleness and that He doesn’t want us to waste time, because He has a purpose for our lives now and every day, and He expects us to do whatever He puts in front of us to do each day no matter what else is going on in our lives. When I run into problems while working on my post, I usually check my spirit to see if that’s really what the Lord wants me to write about, but I wasn’t getting that message in my spirit yesterday, so I kept plugging away at it! My posts usually start with a title (even though I might change that a little somewhere in the middle or after completing it) and then I search for the passages of scripture to back it up, unless the Lord has already brought them to my mind, as He often does. I finally had all of the scripture I intended to use and had it all formatted, with a pretty good idea of how to express what I wanted to write, when I took another call last night. Then when I got off the phone and returned to the computer to complete the post, everything I had worked on all day was gone! I couldn’t believe it! I took that to mean that was NOT the right message after all and I just hadn’t picked up on it. So I started working on another messaged based on one of the conversations I had with one of the ladies during the day, but that wasn’t working either! So guess what I did? I gave up and went to bed!

So imagine my amazement when I listened to Joyce Meyer’s TV broadcast this morning and her message was about not being too busy (or distracted by our marital problems) to live our lives with purpose! And what a perfect passage of scripture she use, which is Ephesians 5:15-17 (AMP), because it says Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people), Making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil. Therefore do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is. But the verse before that is especially important for everyone who feels lost, dead, or empty because their mate has walked out on them and said he or she does not love them anymore and doesn’t want anything to do with them, because he or she loves someone else and they just want to be happy…blah, blah, blah! Because Ephesians 5:14 (AMP) says Therefore He says, Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine (make day dawn) upon you and give you light. Oh what an AWESOME promise that is, and so, so true! The Lord just wants us to awaken to Him and HIS direction for our lives so He can live in us and shine through us!

In her excellent message this morning, Joyce makes the point that God places the same call on all of our lives for each and every day of our lives, which we tend to overlook because we’re expecting and looking for something “big” and “unique” (which He probably does have planned for us), but He can’t move us into that bigger and better plan until we’re faithful in the “little” stuff or basics that He calls all of us to do. Just think about it. If God tells us to do something a certain way, and promises that when and if we do that, He will do something specific for us, and then if we don’t do things the way He told us to and He rewards our disobedience with the blessing He promised anyway, wouldn’t that make a mockery of His word? Wouldn’t that make Him a liar? Well, we know God is not a liar and He’s not going to be mocked! Galatians 6:7 makes that very clear, because it says Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. So if we want to reap the awesome blessings and promises of God we need to start paying a lot more attention to whether or not we’re sowing the seeds of obedience and doing things HIS way instead of ours! That means reading and studying the Bible so we know what His word teaches us about His ways and what He wants us to do, because just as Deuteronomy 32:47 tells us They are not just idle words for you—they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.” And until we demonstrate to the Lord that He can trust us to be faithful and obedient concerning the “little things” He asks and expects us to do, we have no right or reason to expect Him to give us or call us to more, as He told us in Luke 19:17 (NASB), which says “And he said to him, ‘Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to be in authority over ten cities.’

The following verses are just a few to give us a better understanding of how God views being idle, including idle words and thoughts (notions), and help us understand why it is something to be avoided, because He expects us to “occupy” until He returns, and while HE works on the restoration of our marriages and families. He just wants us to DO our part, and TRUST Him to do HIS!

Proverbs 31:27
She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Isaiah 58:12-14
Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings. “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the LORD’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the LORD, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.” The mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Colossians 2:18
Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions.

1 Thessalonians 5:14
And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

2 Thessalonians 3:6
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.

2 Thessalonians 3:11
We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies.

1 Timothy 5:13
Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to.

Luke 19:13 (KJV)
And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.

And here’s Joyce’s awesome message, Where Are You Going In Such A Hurry?, which is filled with great advice for all of us, especially when we’re in a time of waiting while the Lord works on our behalf for the restoration of our marriages. So I hope we’ll all make a much greater effort to live EVERY day with purpose, and that purpose is to bring praise, honor and glory to the name and kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

It’s always so neat when we hear a verse or passage of scripture that we’ve heard so many times before that we practically know it by heart, and all of a sudden the Holy Spirit
gives us a totally new way to look at it! That’s what happened as I was reading a devotion this morning that used Luke 8:46-48; the story about the woman with issue of blood. It was like a light bulb went off in my head, and instead of hearing about the woman’s healing, I heard that when we stay close enough to Jesus to touch His garment, power goes out from Him and we are healed and will live in peace! I couldn’t wait to go check out the rest of the passage and couldn’t believe how different it looks to me now. Here’s Luke 8:43-48, which says And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.” Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” And in The Amplified Bible it says And a woman who had suffered from a flow of blood for twelve years and had spent all her living upon physicians, and could not be healed by anyone, Came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His garment, and immediately her flow of blood ceased. And Jesus said, Who is it who touched Me? When all were denying it, Peter and those who were with him said, Master, the multitudes surround You and press You on every side! But Jesus said, Someone did touch Me; for I perceived that [healing] power has gone forth from Me. And when the woman saw that she had not escaped notice, she came up trembling, and, falling down before Him, she declared in the presence of all the people for what reason she had touched Him and how she had been instantly cured. And He said to her, Daughter, your faith (your confidence and trust in Me) has made you well! Go (enter) into peace (untroubled, undisturbed well-being).

Wow! There’s SO much about this woman’s situation that we can relate to as we apply it to our own situations as we stand for the restoration of our marriages. First, she had tried everything known to man to resolve her problem, as we all have. But NOTHING worked, as we’ve all discovered! In total and utter desperation she turned to Jesus, thinking that she just needed to get close enough to Him to touch His garment, because she hoped and believed He would heal and restore her, but she had to fight against the pressure of the crowds to do that, which is something we know ALL about too! Then when she got close enough to Him, at the very moment she touched Him, she was instantly healed and delivered, and was immediately aware of the Lord’s healing power in her body and life, just as we are.

Since Jesus already knew who had touched Him, it’s obvious He didn’t need to ask who it was. But He knew how important it was for the woman to give her testimony…if He hadn’t insisted on knowing who it was, and if the woman hadn’t come forward and testified, we wouldn’t know about her miraculous healing and restoration today, and her testimony wouldn’t have given the hope and encouragement to the countless people it has for generations, just as it does today. And the same thing is true about sharing our praises and testimonies, which are evidence and proof of the Lord’s awesome power and faithfulness! They’re also used to bring hope and encouragement to those who need it, just as we all have at some time or another, especially during difficult times. That’s why 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 says Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

Another very important point I noticed for the first time, which always seems to be overlooked and lost in this passage is how the woman realized that her act of faith could not go unnoticed by Jesus! wow! How wonderful and reassuring it is to be reminded that our Lord and Savior will NOT fail to notice when we demonstrate and walk in faith, putting all of our trust and confidence in Him as this woman did. And Jesus’ reminder that it is BY FAITH IN HIM that we are healed and restored; that our prayers are answered, and through which we are able to live in peace (which means untroubled, and with undisturbed well-being) is not at all insignificant!

Finally, as I read this passage again this morning, John 15:4-5 came to my mind because it says Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. How much more peace and joy we’d all experience as we stand for our marriages and face every challenging situation in our lives if only we’d remember these powerful words from Jesus and make staying close to Him (close enough to touch Him) a priority in our lives instead of trying to figure out how we can do everything for ourselves. We just need to take Him at His word and believe and rely on the awesome promise we have in Psalm 37:4-6, which says Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. So let’s do our best to be more focused on staying close to Jesus; delighting in Him; committing ourselves to doing things HIS way; and trusting in Him, with absolute confidence in His power and faithfulness to bless us with healing and restoration!

While there are SO many issues and challenges we struggle with as we stand for the restoration of our marriages, the most difficult even after learning to deal with and overcome many others is waiting and putting all of our trust and confidence in God’s perfect timing! In the world of instant gratification we live in, waiting is not often required, yet it is a very essential part of standing for marriage restoration. And HOW we wait is very important in terms of the message we send to God and the world about our faith in His power and faithfulness. And the reason it’s so important to wait for God’s perfect timing is because there are often many time factors that could very significantly impact our situations, and many times these are things we don’t even know about, but God does. That’s why we have to put our trust in Him and rely on His awesome promise in Romans 8:28 (NASB), which says And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. The following passages of scripture help us understand how important timing is to God, because He has everything in HIS control and He had everything concerning us planned out long before our existence. They also teach us a lot about what God expects us to do while we’re waiting and what some of the awesome blessings and rewards of waiting for Him will be:

Psalm 69:13
But I pray to you, O LORD, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation.

Ecclesiastes 3:11
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Ecclesiastes 3:17
I thought in my heart, “God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time for every deed.”

Ecclesiastes 7:14
When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future.

Isaiah 64:4
Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.

1 Corinthians 2:7
No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.

1 Corinthians 4:5
Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.

1 Timothy 6:11-16
But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.

1 Peter 5:6-7
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Psalm 5:3
In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.

Psalm 27:14
Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

Psalm 33:20
We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.

Psalm 37:7
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Psalm 37:34
Wait for the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

Psalm 119:166
I wait for your salvation, O LORD, and I follow your commands.

Psalm 130:5
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.

Isaiah 26:8
Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.

Lamentations 3:26
it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.

Isaiah 30:18
Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!

Last Sunday Dr. Charles Stanley’s TV broadcast message was about God’s Schedule, and it’s a very encouraging message that reminds us of how important timing is in our lives as Christians, especially when we examine the lives of people in the Bible and see what a difference timing made in their lives. So let’s be wisely patient and wait to see what God has in store for us when the time, HIS TIME, is right!

One of the most difficult challenges when ministering to women whose husbands have left them (especially when adultery is involved) is getting them to stop focusing so much on what their husbands are doing wrong long enough to focus on what they’re doing and have been doing wrong. But even more important than that, is learning what we need to do to release the power of God to bring our husbands into alignment with His word. As we often

discuss, the first rule is to win our husbands WITHOUT A WORD, which is so totally contrary to our nature, but if women could truly understand the power released by walking in accordance with the plan and wisdom God reveals in 1 Peter 3:1-6 (KJV), we’d find it absolutely easy to do! Yet, isn’t that what faith is all about…believing and knowing something we have absolutely no logical reason to believe?

This morning Dr. Creflo Dollar continued his awesome Bible study on this powerful passage of scripture, and while this is a very important message for ALL married women, whether experiencing marital problems or not, it’s even more important for those who are. And since I can’t think of anything else to add to such a great message, here’s the link to the second part of Friday’s message from Dr. Dollar, The Supportive Roles of Marriage, which every married woman needs to listen to and bookmark for those times when we might need to be reminded of the wisdom it contains! And here’s a link to Friday’s SOF post, A Vital Matter of Obedience and Submission, which includes a powerful testimony from one of the FAM Fellowship members about what God has taught her about walking out these invaluable principles as He brings healing and restoration to her marriage and family. Be blessed!

As so often happens with the Lord, a repeating theme in the ministry over the past ten days or so has centered around “without a word”, “gentle and quiet spirit” and “submission” so I was thrilled to see that it was the topic of Creflo Dollar’s TV broadcast message today…and what an awesome message it is! Regular visitors to the site, and the FAM members know how vitally important I believe this is as a principle of marriage restoration. In fact, I have even stated that if I could only use one passage of scripture to instruct and counsel all women standing for the restoration of their marriages, it would have to be 1 Peter 3:1-6, which says Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.

I believe this passage of scripture is something every woman standing for marriage restoration should read daily if that’s what it takes to make it sink in! And I hope and pray that married women who are not experiencing marital problems at this time know and understand how critically important it is to help keep their marriages strong and vital. Unfortunately, as discussed in yesterday’s SOF post, Learning To Walk In The Spirit, walking in obedience to this passage of scripture is totally contrary to our human nature and that’s why it’s so difficult to do. Yet, I’m firmly convinced that it makes the difference in whether or not we experience the restoration of our marriages, which the Lord has very clearly demonstrated time and time again in the past two weeks. Many FAM members could testify to the connection between their ability to do that and the relationship they have with their husbands. And now when I hear about total chaos and strife in a relationship, I’m fairly confident that the woman is not interacting with her husband in obedience and submission to the wisdom of Peter’s counsel. So I just wish there was a way to help make all of us understand the awesome power that is released when we submit to our husbands in everything just as Ephesians 5:24 tells us, Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

An easy way to help remember and simplify how to walk out the principles of submission and a gentle and quiet spirit is S-A-V-E, which means if it doesn’t Submit & Support, Agree & Affirm, Venerate & Validate, Encourage & Edify, then DON’T say or do it! It really is that simple, so I encourage everyone to try doing that for a day or so and see what happens. You won’t believe it. And this applies to EVERYONE and EVERYTHING when it comes to the words coming out of our mouths and everything we do concerning our husbands.

Earlier this week one of the FAM members shared a beautiful testimony of how the Lord has been working to bring healing and restoration to her marriage and family, and since I’m very much aware of how the Lord has changed her in this process, I was quite pleased when she felt led to share something about what she has learned on the FAM Fellowship website this morning. So I asked her if I could share it with the visitors to this site as well, because I know it’s a very important message and that it will be a blessing to everyone who reads and understands it. So, here’s the message from Jenn, which she simply and appropriately titles “Quiet and Gentle”:

Ladies,
Something has been laid on my heart, and now I feel it pressing on me and that the Lord is leading me to share one of the most important principles I’ve learned about standing for our marriages; and it’s also scripturally sound. In 1st Peter 3:4 it states “Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” I cannot tell you how many times this has come in to play in my stand. And I know that God is honoring me because I am standing firm on being quiet. Yes, ladies, our husbands can be cruel. They can be down right mean and vicious. But remember, it’s the Devil not them that is directing their mannerisms right now. However, when we argue back, yell, nag, complain, snap at them…Guess what? What man would want to be with a woman that acts that way? That is not the attractive nature of a woman’s beauty that God created. Look at what it states in the above verse, “unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit”. That is where our beauty is supposed to come from. Beauty from within. If you go further, Proverbs 27:15 states “A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping on a rainy day.” Proverbs 19:13 also states “A quarrelsome wife is like a constant drip.” I don’t know about you but a constant dripping rain is very depressing to me. What do you think it is doing to our husbands when we are constantly picking at them? Look at Proverbs 21:19…“Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife.” And lastly, Proverbs 25:24…“Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.” Do you see the common phrase in these scriptures? Quarrelsome Wife. The definition of quarrelsome is argumentative. This also means cantankerous, difficult, irritable, confrontational, grouchy, hot-headed… and it’s totally against scripture for a Christian woman. I have pretty much come up with a new saying for myself and I hope it helps you ladies too. I think about this a lot during the day. When things get tough, or I don’t agree with what my husband is saying or doing. I zip it up and I pray it up. And I don’t mean calling up all 20 prayer partners or TV prayer lines that are willing to listen to me whine and cry about the situation to have them pray for me. I mean getting on our knees in our prayer closet and crying to God, surrendering it to Him. I pray that this discussion will speak to each of you for encouragement and many blessings.
Jenn

And then the perfect message to follow Jenn’s words of wisdom and experience, is this awesome message from Dr. Creflo Dollar, The Supportive Roles of Marriage, which is an in depth study of the role of a wife based on the above passage of scripture from 1 Peter 3. This is one message every woman standing for marriage restoration should bookmark and visit often!

The second part of this message from Dr. Dollar is just as good, so there’s a link to it in the next SOF post, Winning Our Husbands Without A Word. Ladies, we need to listen to both of these messages often!

As women standing for marriage restoration and learning how to walk out the biblical principles of marriage restoration, we know all too well about that ever present struggle between flesh and spirit. But we also know that the spirit MUST win if we’re to have the victory we desire, because Philippians 3:3 says For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— And we can’t ever afford to forget Ephesians 6:12, which says For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. And that’s not just a reference to our battles with others, because many of the strongest spiritual battles we’ll ever fight are those fought for control between the realm of our flesh (or soul) and the realm of our spirit. And just as He always does, the Lord tells us exactly HOW to win that battle in John 6:63, which says The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. And Hebrews 4:12 further explains, saying For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. And then 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 tells us The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And that means making sure that our thoughts line up with the word, which is Christ according to John 1:1-4, which says:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
And that’s confirmed in John 14:6, which says Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’

So no matter how we cut it, there’s a very direct link between our relationship with Jesus and the time and effort we dedicate to reading and studying His word, and the only way we’ll ever overcome the battle between our flesh/soul and spirit is through the awesome power of God’s word. But Satan never wants us to submit our flesh to the control of God’s word, and the very sin that caused him to fall from grace is his most effective weapon as he does his wicked best to keep us from experiencing spiritual victory, and that is the sin we’re all way too familiar with, which is pride.

As we study the Bible in search of marriage restoration principles, it’s obvious why submitting to the Lord’s word creates a lot of conflict within, because it requires us to TOTALLY ditch our pride, and that’s the only defense and protection mechanism most of us know. So we HAVE to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God with absolute faith and confidence that HE will lift us up in due time. And that’s just NOT natural, BUT it IS what walking in the spirit and giving our spirit the control it must have over our flesh requires. Yesterday, I was greatly blessed by the introduction to a website I was not familiar with, www.Soleyn.com, and the following is an excerpt from one of the studies I listened to this morning, in which Sam Soleyn stated:
So, the process by which we are transformed in our thinking is a process of death and resurrection where God takes you through and brings you through. The reason, obviously, and I’ve made this point but I’ll belabor the point to hammer it home, the reason that this is God’s way is that as long as we remain in the soul; as long as our soul governs our activities we are always going to operate out of the need to provide for ourselves and the need to protect ourselves, we’re always going to do that. And we will do that by total self-reliance on these three lusts: what needs to be done, how can it be done and can I do it, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, and this is the entrapment that Satan has set for us.
I know everyone standing for marriage restoration relates to that statement, so I strongly encourage everyone to listen to this message, Transitioning From Self-Reliance, which is an awesome lesson about the battle between our flesh/soul and spirit, which is something we really have to understand BEFORE learning how to walk in the spirit. And the transcript, with the text of the Bible references inserted, is available at this link, which might be preferable for some, because Soleyn is a very deliberate speaker. But he’s an excellent teacher and I’ve already learned an awful lot from the six lessons I’ve already listened to, so I’m pretty sure I’ll be using more of them in future post, especially when they are so applicable to the issues we face as we battle the gates of hell for the restoration of our marriages. So be blessed!

I doubt it’s possible for anyone to be very involved in marriage restoration ministry without a great burden and desire to understand what makes the difference between those who experience the fulfillment of their dreams and those who end up quitting and giving up on their marriages…AND God. A thought that kept coming to my mind when thinking about that was “being steadfast.” So I did a Bible study on being steadfast today and found a very important passage of Scripture that seems to offer an answer and explanation for why some remain steadfast and others don’t in 2 Peter 3:14-18 (NKJV), which says Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. So unless we CONTINUE to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, we are ALL capable of being led away by the error of the wicked and right into the destruction caused by twisting and misunderstanding God’s Word! So we need to make sure that we’re found to be living in peace, without spot and blameless, which we can do by diligently studying the Scriptures to insure that we’re living in accordance with what the Bible teaches. The following verses give us an even greater understanding of the blessings and importance of remaining steadfast as we stand for the restoration of our marriages:

2 Chronicles 27:6
Jotham grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the LORD his God.

Psalm 112:7
He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.

Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.

1 Peter 5:10
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

Psalm 51:10
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Psalm 108:1
My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my soul.

Psalm 11:7-8
The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. They are steadfast for ever and ever, done in faithfulness and uprightness.

Needless to say, there’s an awful lot of wise counsel and incredible assurance in the above verses, so we need to meditate on them often, especially when we’re struggling with remaining consistent and steadfast.

Today’s post is a little different, because of all the things I might think of to write about today, the only thing on my mind is just how awesome our God REALLY is! And I just want to give praise to His holy name!

First, my day started with one of the FAM members posting an AWESOME, God glorifying testimony about the healing and restoration the Lord has been working in her marriage and family! And for those of us standing for marriage restoration, hearing such a miraculous testimony and praise report is just about the most encouraging and uplifting news of all! And that’s because we have God’s word that what He did for her, He will do for us, based on Acts 10:34, which says Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. And Romans 2:11 says For there is no respect of persons with God. But one reason this particular testimony means so much to me personally is because I know all too well just how faithfully and consistently this woman has walked out the principles of marriage restoration in accordance with what the Bible teaches, which is just TOTAL confirmation of what the word tells us, especially concerning how important it is for us to know and understand God’s word and then to be DOERS, and not just hearers only.

And then this afternoon, one of our members had a final divorce hearing scheduled, and according to the world’s expectations, the odds of it going through were pretty good, since it had already been postponed for over a year for one reason or another…BUT WE NEVER GAVE UP! We said one last prayer together just before she left to meet her husband in the parking lot at the courthouse and the next call I got from her was very difficult to understand, because all I could hear in my ear was a lot of squealing! Praise the Lord, the hearing was put off until February, because her lawyer, who hadn’t returned her calls for two days was VERY sick and her husband agreed to and even suggested the postponement! Then after walking her to her car, much to her surprise and delight, he told her that he’d meet her at home…saying that she owed him!!! What an awesome God we serve!

Well, now we know why we can always rely on God’s promise in Romans 8:28-39, which the NIV Bible so appropriately titles More Than Conquerors, because it says:

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.
34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So, no matter what lies or weapons Satan brings against us and the restoration of our marriages, we just have to remember to tell that wicked devil what Proverbs 16:1 says, which is To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue. And we know what God says goes, because Isaiah 55:10-11 says As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. And we know nothing Satan does against us will prosper, according to Isaiah 54:16-17, which says “See, it is I who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work. And it is I who have created the destroyer to work havoc; no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the LORD.

And Mark 9:23 makes it very clear why it is vitally important for us to believe that God CAN and WILL restore our marriages, even in the face of what in the natural realm looks totally impossible and hopeless, because it says ” ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” And When we have a hard time believing, that means we’re NOT spending enough time reading and studying the Bible, because Romans 10:17 says So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. And that’s because it’s not possible to read the Bible and get to know the Lord without realizing what a MIGHTY God we serve!

Over the past few days the Lord has really burdened my heart about one of the most disappointing experiences for me personally when ministering to women standing for marriage restoration, which is the inability to help them understand what it takes to actually walk through this difficult time of our lives with the awesome peace, joy and victory Jesus died to give us. But any time we refuse to do what it takes to get control of our thoughts, we give Satan control and the power to do exactly what Jesus told us he came to do in John 10:10, when He said The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. And this is a decision every one of us has to make for ourselves, because no one else has the power to take control of our thoughts and words to make them obedient to Christ and every word and promise found in the Bible.

So it’s up to us to make the choices and decisions to do (or not to do) what the Bible tells us it takes to be victorious and experience all of the blessings, protection and provisions Jesus came to give us. Look what Matthew 3:1-2 (AMP) says, IN THOSE days there appeared John the Baptist, preaching in the Wilderness (Desert) of Judea And saying, Repent (think differently; change your mind, regretting your sins and changing your conduct), for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. And Romans 14:17-18 tells us For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men. And 2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” So it’s very clear that this is something all of us have to make INTENTIONAL and DELIBERATE decisions to DO, and until we do, there isn’t anything anyone else can do to help us, even the Lord. He tells us how to do what we have to do to win the battle, but it’s up to us to DO it, and when we choose not to trust Him with all of our hearts and not to delight in Him and commit ourselves to HIS way or acknowledge Him in everything we do, we can not count on Him to make our paths straight or to give us the desires of our hearts. I know we don’t like to hear it, but other than His love, everything else from God is conditional, and that’s why James 1:22-25 says Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does. And we must remember that we CAN do ALL things through Christ Jesus who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13), and when we feel we can’t, it’s because we’re not trusting Him and relying on Him for our strength. Instead we’re trying to do things based on our own understanding, strength, and ability and not His. That’s why John 15:5 says “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. So these are decisions each of us have to make and I pray that everyone struggling with these decisions will make them sooner rather than later, because when we give in to thoughts and speak words contrary to the instruction and counsel from the word, we’re working against our own best interest and the restoration of our marriages and families. And we can’t EVER let Satan convince us that we don’t have the grace and strength to do what the word teaches, because he’s a liar and deception and doubt are HIS game and when we play into that, we will always lose. But Jesus came to give us victory over the devil and every weapon and thought he brings against us, but it’s up to us to make a decision about whether or not we will accept the victory and blessings Jesus died to give us.

As I said, this is something that’s been heavy on my heart for several days now, and I fully intended to write about it last Friday, but problems with my internet service prevented me from doing that. And like the Lord often works, I found out why that REALLY happened this morning when I listened to Dr. Creflo Dollar’s TV broadcast message, because it so perfectly ties into this post! So I hope anyone who still struggles with experiencing the peace, joy and victory we should have in Jesus Christ will make a commitment to spending more time in the word in order to draw the strength and wisdom we all need from it and listen very carefully to the following messages from Dr. Dollar from today and tomorrow.

Working the Kingdom of God System (Part 1)

Working the Kingdom of God System (Part 2)

And the following passages of scripture are a few we would do well to read and study until we’re able to fully understand them and PUT them into PRACTICE:

1 Peter 2:13-25

1 Peter 3:1-6

Ephesians 5:22-23

Ephesians 5:33
Proverbs 31:10-31

Philippians 4

What a blessing it is when we understand that we don’t have to fight the battle for the restoration of our marriages, because the battle really does belong to the Lord, just as we see in 2 Chronicles 20:15, which says He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. And nothing beats the peace and confidence we experience when we REALLY believe that, because we KNOW there’s no reason for fear or discouragement and that we CAN count on the Lord to deliver us just as He promised in 2 Chronicles 20:17, which says i>You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.'” And it doesn’t matter who is against us or how prepared they may be for the battle, because just like Proverbs 21:31 says, The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD. And in Hosea 1:7, the Lord tells us Yet I will show love to the house of Judah; and I will save them—not by bow, sword or battle, or by horses and horsemen, but by the LORD their God.” That means that our battle for marriage restoration and ultimate victory are in the hands of our Lord and Savior who loves us, and based on Proverbs 21:30, we know that There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD.

So as we learn to rely on God for the restoration of our marriages, Isaiah 40 is a very encouraging and comforting passage of scripture, especially verses 28-31, which say Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. It is God, and God alone, who has the strength and power to do all that it takes to bring healing and restoration to our marriages and when we put our hope in HIM, He will renew our strength and enable us to stand for our marriages without stumbling or falling, and without growing weary or tired.

Joyce Meyer’s TV broadcast message today is an excellent message for everyone standing for marriage restoration, so I strongly encourage watching Dealing with the Devil – Part II, and putting what she teaches into practice. While there’s very little or nothing we can do to win the battle for our marriages, when we honor the Lord by being obedient to the things His word teaches and acknowledge Him in all our ways, there’s nothing He won’t do for us, and we will have the strength, power and victory we want and need in Jesus!

It’s not possible to overstate the importance of identifying and using the weapons we have to overcome our REAL enemy as we stand for the restoration of our marriages, because it is NOT our husbands or even another woman. Ephesians 6:12 makes that very clear, because it says For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. So our enemy is Satan, and the sooner we realize and understand that and start acting accordingly, the sooner the Lord can and will work to restore our marriages.

Unfortunately, Satan is currently holding our husbands captive to sin, just as Paul revealed about himself in Romans 7:22-23, where he said For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. So we’re ALL susceptible to the wiles of the devil, which is why Ephesians 6:11 (NKJV) tells us Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. But the awesome good news is that Jesus came to set the captives free through faith in Jesus Christ, as confirmed in Galatians 3:22-23, which says But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. And we need not think we are above being deceived and lured into sin ourselves by the devil, because 1 Peter 5:8-11 warns Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. Then the same passage in The Amplified Bible says Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour. Withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset–rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined], knowing that the same (identical) sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole body of Christians) throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace [Who imparts all blessing and favor], Who has called you to His [own] eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the dominion (power, authority, rule) forever and ever. Amen (so be it). That means the devil is ALWAYS actively and aggressively watching for ANY opportunity we give him to pounce on us, but we CAN withstand him through our faith in Jesus Christ, and the Lord will ALWAYS deliver us in time.

As so often happens, I couldn’t believe how perfectly timed Joyce Meyer’s TV broadcast message this morning was after my SOF posts for the past two days, because the reason we need to understand the importance of faith and the power of God’s word is so we’re properly equipped to overcome the warfare Satan is now waging against us, our husbands, marriages and families. And we have Jesus’ assurance in John 10:10 (AMP) that He came to give us victory over every one of the devil’s wicked intentions, because He said The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). And Luke 10:18-20, even says He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” So Jesus came to give us victory over every weapon Satan is now using to destroy our husbands, marriages and families, but it’s only through our faith in the promise we have in the word of God and our willingness to live in accordance with it, that we can realize all that Jesus came to give us. So please listen to this very important message from Joyce Meyer about Dealing with the Devil – Part I, and then put it into practice.

I couldn’t believe it when I heard Pastor Creflo Dollar’s TV broadcast message this morning, because it was total confirmation of my post yesterday, which was actually posted very early this morning, because yesterday was such a hectic day! I love it when the Lord works through the power of the Holy Spirit to confirm messages like that, and I have no doubt it means that this is a very important message for someone in particular, so please listen to How to Apply Your Faith (Part 2), which is an excellent message about the importance of the word as we stand in faith for the restoration of our marriages.

One of the most awesome and encouraging verses that leaves no doubt that the word of God is life giving seed to us as Christians is 1 Peter 1:23, which says For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. And what a great blessing it is when we truly understand that verse, because it is through the living and enduring word of God that we are made imperishable through the faith and confidence it gives us in our Lord and Savior! And Jesus taught us even more about how VITALLY important the word is to us as Christians in The Parable of the Sower, which He described as the secret of the kingdom of God, obviously making this parable something we should pay a LOT of attention to and do our very best to understand. So here it is from Mark 4:1-20, which says:
1 Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge.
2 He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said:
3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.
4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.
6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain.
8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times.”
9 Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
10 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables.
11 He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables
12 so that, ” ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!'”
13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?
14 The farmer sows the word.
15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.
16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy.
17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word;
19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.
20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.”

So when we read and study The Parable of the Sower, it’s important to seriously take our own inventory and determine the kind of soil the word of God is being sown into in our lives, because we all fall into one category or the other and should be able to easily recognize ourselves somewhere in this parable. And if we’re anything less than the good ground that produces many times what was sown, we need to focus a lot more on our relationship with the Lord and how His word is being manifested in our lives.

Everyone standing for marriage restoration for a while has heard so much about faith that we might feel like screaming if we hear it one more time, especially if we’re unable to attain the faith we hear everyone else talking about. So it’s important to talk about faith in less general terms, because having a better understanding of what it is and how to get it, makes it more likely that we’ll be able to live our lives by faith, as so many Bible verses make it clear we’re supposed to do, including 2 Corinthians 5:7, which says We live by faith, not by sight. And Hebrews 10:38 even says But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.” Yet, it’s important not to confuse living by faith with living by the law, since Galatians 3:11 says Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.” And Hebrews 11:6 tells us why faith is so important to us as we stand for the restoration of our marriages, because it says And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. And Hebrews 11:1 gives us God’s definition of faith, which is Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see…that’s what God expects from us as we stand for the restoration of our marriages. Being sure of what we hope for is not so difficult, but being CERTAIN of what we can not see is a huge hurdle, but one we obviously need to overcome based on everything the Bible tells us about faith, especially that it’s not possible to please God unless we come to him believing that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Then in addition to faith being necessary to please God, Ephesians 6:16 tells us In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Since we’re in the battle of our lives for our marriages, definitely a matter of spiritual warfare, it’s very important for us to realize how faith can and must be used as a shield to fend off ALL of the fiery darts Satan throws at us every day of our lives. And we find the key to that in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, which says For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And the best example we have of how that works is the one Jesus himself set for us when the devil tried to tempt him, in Matthew 4:1-11, Where we see that every time Satan tried to tempt Jesus, He SPOKE the word of God back to him, and the devil finally gave up and left Him and then angels came and tended to Him! And just as that worked for Jesus, it works for us, because that’s what it means to take every thought captive, making it obedient to Christ! Reading John 1:1-4 helps us better understand that, because it says In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. So we reject and overcome the lies and deception of the devil by making our thoughts line up with the word of God, which is what it means to take our thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ.

It’s very important to note that Jesus always responded to Satan’s temptations with the spoken word of God, which we need to do as well, because there are many Bible verses that talk about “speaking” our faith, such as 2 Corinthians 4:13, which says It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. And Jeremiah 23:28 says Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the LORD. And even though most of us have heard Romans 10:8-10 many times before, it doesn’t necessarily apply just to salvation in terms of being born again when it says But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. That certainly makes a very strong case for why we need to speak out loud the words of faith we believe in our hearts, as does Hebrews 13:7, which says Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. And the verse that so clearly spells out how important the word of God is to our faith is Romans 10:17, because it says Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. So we have to hear the word to believe it, and believing it is what gives us the faith to speak it, and when we speak the word when Satan attacks us in any way, our faith serves as a shield against him. And in the same way, our spoken words reveal when we don’t have the faith we profess, because as Luke 6:45 says The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. So when we speak words of doubt and disbelief, God and everyone else knows we don’t really believe the promises found in His word, so we are NOT living by faith and we are not pleasing God, because the words we speak reveal the true measure of our faith. And Proverbs 10:20 makes it clear that our spoken words are valuable, because it says The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is of little value. And one of the most important verses when considering the power of the spoken word is Proverbs 18:21 (AMP), which says Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]. So when we want the faith needed to speak life into our dead marriages, we have to read and study the word of God, listening to it as much as possible, until the words coming out of our mouths line up with it and create the shield of faith we need to repel every fiery dart Satan hurls our way.

The following verses are just a few to give us a better understanding of the power and faithfulness of God’s word and how it shields and blesses us.

Genesis 15:1
After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward. “

Psalm 33:4-6
For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love. By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.

Psalm 138:2
I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

Psalm 119:114
You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.

Proverbs 30:5
“Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

Divorce is quite often said to be even worse than death, which is so understandable, because with death there is a sense of finality that eliminates the uncertainty and confusion created by marital separation and divorce. Even though there are many emotions to deal with when our husbands leave, confusion is probably at the top of the list for most of us. And two of the things we’re usually most confused about are how and why this happened and what we’re supposed to do now that it has.

The first question is something we’ll probably never fully understand or have answered with real specificity, and women who insist on trying to make their husbands explain what they themselves don’t really understand, do great damage to the restoration process. So this is definitely one of those times in our lives when we REALLY need to apply the wise counsel found in Proverbs 3:5-6, which says Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. In fact, that probably gives us the only answer that matters as to why we are where we are today, because Jeremiah 18:15 says Yet my people have forgotten me; they burn incense to worthless idols, which made them stumble in their ways and in the ancient paths. They made them walk in bypaths and on roads not built up. And we know separation and divorce is not God’s way or path or what He intended for us, because we know He hates separation and divorce based on Malachi 2:16 (NKJV), which says For the LORD God of Israel says That He hates divorce, For it covers one’s garment with violence,” Says the LORD of hosts. “ Therefore take heed to your spirit, That you do not deal treacherously.”

So when we failed to walk in God’s ways, and when we failed to give Him the place He demands in our lives, we were walking in the dark and we were bound to stumble just as Jesus warned in John 11:8-9, which says Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world’s light. It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light.” And then Hosea 14:9 tells us Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them. And there’s no more important passage of scripture for women standing for marriage restoration that better illustrates the absolute truth of that than 1 Peter 3:1-6, which says:
Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.

So if I were told that I had to pick just one passage of scripture for all women standing for marriage restoration, it would have to be 1 Peter 3:1-6, because of its vitally important instruction, and because I have NO doubt that the women who come the closest to consistently walking it out are the ones who experience the restoration of their marriages. However, just as Hosea 14:9 says, it will become a stumbling block for those who rebel against it. But the women who understand it and consistently practice it will know and experience the awesome promise and assurance found in Psalm 119:165, which says Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble. And it’s only through God’s grace and unshakeable faith in Him that we’re able to walk out these important biblical principles, especially when facing so much change in our lives, where there’s nothing more than confusion and uncertainty in the natural realm of things. However, we also have to understand that our stand for marriage restoration is NOT about works. Instead it’s really about facing the fear of change and uncertainty with absolute faith in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, because when we put our trust in HIM, we will NOT be put to shame, as Romans 9:31-33 assures us, but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the “stumbling stone.” As it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” And when we keep our eyes on Jesus, and put our trust in Him, we can rely on the wisdom found in Proverbs 4:12, which says When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. So when the uncertainty and confusion naturally caused by marital separation or divorce threaten to overwhelm us, we need to remember that 1 Corinthians 14:33 (NKJV) tells us For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. And Philippians 4:6-8 gives us very specific instructions about how to avoid confusion and experience the peace we desperately want, because it says Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. So the next time confusion and uncertainty threaten to overwhelm us, we need to be doers of the word and not just hearers only, and then the Lord WILL be glorified!