If we’re serious about experiencing victory as we stand for the restoration of our marriages, we MUST learn to live and walk by faith, and when that’s an area of weakness in our stand, we’re obviously not devoting enough time and study to understanding everything the Bible tells us about how important it is. And Hebrews 11:32-34 leaves little doubt that everything we’re standing for is accomplished through faith, because it says And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. And what more do we want or need than to have our weakness turned to strength, the ability to conquer the kingdoms trying to kill steal and destroy our husbands, marriages and families, and to gain what has been promised? Since EVERYTHING we want is accomplished through faith, we should be willing to do WHATEVER it takes to help us have the faith necessary to walk and live by faith NO MATTER WHAT WE HEAR AND SEE. So in addition to spending a lot more serious time studying the Bible, we are blessed to have messages like the ones from Dr. Creflo Dollar from yesterday and today. So I strongly encourage you to watch Faith and How it Works (Part 1) and Faith and How it Works (Part 2), and have a notepad handy for making notes. And it would be a very good idea to print out Hebrews 11:32-34 and put it on your refrigerator, or even on your bathroom mirror…somewhere you’ll see and READ it often! Faith IS the key that unlocks the door to all of our dreams, and whether or not we develop it is up to us and it’s something no one else can do for us.

One of the most important spiritual principles for us to understand when we’re standing for marriage restoration is the power of faith, so I was really excited that Pastor Doreen and Dr. Creflo Dollar both had such awesome messages about faith today.

Even though I have heard and read the phrase “according to your faith” so many times before, it never quite took on the awesome meaning it did as I read Pastor Doreen’s message this morning. Today was the first time it fully registered in my mind and spirit that what it REALLY says is that you’ll get WHAT you believe, or what you believe IS WHAT you’ll get. If only we could truly grasp how critically important and true that is! So many of the verses in the Bible about faith could be summed up that way. So if we could get that and then understand how important it is to make sure that the words we speak line up with the things we’re believing in faith, we’d be sending the devil packing! And another passage I read recently that took on a much greater meaning than I remember from before, and confirms the undeniable connection between faith, the things we speak and how that brings glory to the Lord, is 2 Corinthians 4:13-18 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. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Since it’s so important for us to gain a much better understanding of the faith needed as we stand for the restoration of our marriages, it is my most sincere hope and prayer that we will learn to access the supernatural power of faith and put it into practice as we stand for the full and complete healing and restoration of our marriages and families, because I know we’re all way past ready for that and if we could just BELIEVE it, we’ll GET it!

As I listened to Joyce Meyer’s TV broadcast message this morning I couldn’t help thinking that it wouldn’t have been a more perfect message for women standing for marriage restoration even if she knew we were her audience and that the title could easily be “The Hindrances to the Blessing of Marriage Restoration.” She certainly covers many of the same issues I talk to women about all the time, but it’s hard to beat Joyce when it comes to effectively making a point, so I VERY STRONGLY urge everyone standing for marriage restoration to listen to The Number One Hindrance to Being Blessed – Part II. And here’s a link to the first part of this awesome message, The Number One Hindrance to Being Blessed – Part I.

And since one of the issues battled the most when standing for marriage restoration is unforgiveness, it might be a good idea to be reminded of what Jesus told us in The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant in Matthew 18:21-35, which says:
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. “The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.
When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”
And that “in your heart” part is VERY important, because IF we continue to harbor ANY unforgiveness in our hearts, it WILL rear its ugly head eventually, and more than likely, at the worst possible moment. So if we’re still experiencing strong emotions about the things our husbands have done to hurt or disappoint us, or if those thoughts still come unbidden to our minds, we have NOT truly forgiven them and we need to ask the Lord to help us do that.

It’s not at all uncommon when standing for the restoration of our marriages to ask God why He allowed this to happen, and why we are going through this difficult time. And even when we finally understand more about the biblical dynamic of godly marriages and we’re truly honest and accept and acknowledge our own mistakes and failures, we also have to understand that God’s ULTIMATE purpose is the glorification of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. However, when we’re in the midst of our pain, anger, disappointment and confusion, that’s not so easy to understand and accept, but the sooner we do, the better off we’ll be, because it gives us a totally new perspective. IF what we’re going through is supposed to bring glory to Jesus, how could that happen without the restoration of our marriages when there’s no glory for Jesus in the destruction of our families and the devastation of our lives, especially when the Bible tells us that God hates divorce, as we see in Malachi 2:13-16 (AMP), which says:
And this you do with double guilt; you cover the altar of the Lord with tears [shed by your unoffending wives, divorced by you that you might take heathen wives], and with [your own] weeping and crying out because the Lord does not regard your offering any more or accept it with favor at your hand. Yet you ask, Why does He reject it? Because the Lord was witness [to the covenant made at your marriage] between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously and to whom you were faithless. Yet she is your companion and the wife of your covenant [made by your marriage vows]. And did not God make [you and your wife] one [flesh]? Did not One make you and preserve your spirit alive? And why [did God make you two] one? Because He sought a godly offspring [from your union]. Therefore take heed to yourselves, and let no one deal treacherously and be faithless to the wife of his youth. For the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I hate divorce and marital separation and him who covers his garment [his wife] with violence. Therefore keep a watch upon your spirit [that it may be controlled by My Spirit], that you deal not treacherously and faithlessly [with your marriage mate].

So if God stands as a witness to the covenant of our marriages and He hates divorce and warns husbands not to treat their wives treacherously and faithlessly, it ’stands to reason that He is “for us” and on our side, which means Romans 8:31 (AMP) gives us every reason to believe and expect GOD to defend and protect the covenant of our marriages, because it says What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?] And then we have the Lord’s awesome promise in Isaiah 41:10-13, which says:
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. “All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
And even though there are many Bible verses making it clear that our battle belongs to the Lord, here are just a few to remind us:

1 Samuel 17:47
All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

2 Chronicles 20:15
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.

2 Chronicles 20:17
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.’ “

2 Chronicles 32:8
With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.

So when we’re standing against the odds and all earthly hope and expectation that our marriages can be restored, it’s very important for us to have absolute confidence that God can and WILL fight this battle for us and restore our marriages, because He hates divorce and it’s HIS battle! Once we truly understand and believe that, we’re able to live for the Lord’s glory even while we’re waiting for His deliverance, because of the faith and confidence we have in Him to do everything His word promises. And then our lives bear witness to how the Lord is glorified when we’re going through difficult times, as revealed in 2 Corinthians 4:6-9 (AMP), which says:
For God Who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts so as [to beam forth] the Light for the illumination of the knowledge of the majesty and glory of God [as it is manifest in the Person and is revealed] in the face of Jesus Christ (the Messiah). However, we possess this precious treasure [the divine Light of the Gospel] in [frail, human] vessels of earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power may be shown to be from God and not from ourselves. We are hedged in (pressed) on every side [troubled and oppressed in every way], but not cramped or crushed; we suffer embarrassments and are perplexed and unable to find a way out, but not driven to despair; We are pursued (persecuted and hard driven), but not deserted [to stand alone]; we are struck down to the ground, but never struck out and destroyed;
And 2 Corinthians 4:15-18 (AMP) reveals how the Lord is using this time in our lives for His glory, because it says:
For all [these] things are [taking place] for your sake, so that the more grace (divine favor and spiritual blessing) extends to more and more people and multiplies through the many, the more thanksgiving may increase [and redound] to the glory of God. Therefore we do not become discouraged (utterly spiritless, exhausted, and wearied out through fear). Though our outer man is [progressively] decaying and wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day after day. For our light, momentary affliction (this slight distress of the passing hour) is ever more and more abundantly preparing and producing and achieving for us an everlasting weight of glory [beyond all measure, excessively surpassing all comparisons and all calculations, a vast and transcendent glory and blessedness never to cease!], Since we consider and look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are visible are temporal (brief and fleeting), but the things that are invisible are deathless and everlasting.

And finally, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 reveals another important way the Lord uses our personal trials to bless others and bring glory to Him, because it 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. So there’s always a purpose in the trials and tribulations the Lord allows in our lives, and it’s ALWAYS for the ultimate glory of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

There’s ONLY one way to be defeated or lose in our stand and spiritual battle for the restoration of our marriages and the salvation of our husbands, and that’s giving up on the promises and power of God! And we have assurance that we can rely on God’s faithfulness to deliver on His promises in Numbers 23:19, which says God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? That’s why it’s so important for us to make up our minds whether we believe the word of God or not, and if we can’t accept and believe the truth of this verse and every other verse found in the Bible, we might as well give up right now, because if we don’t take God at His word, we have NO right to claim its power and promise, and shouldn’t be using His name as we stand for marriage restoration. And we certainly won’t have the grace we need to glorify the Lord while we do it! God WILL do EVERYTHING He says He will do, and the ONLY thing that could possibly keep us from receiving ALL that He’s promised is our inability to trust Him and our failure to WAIT for Him to fulfill His promises, which He WILL do when the time is right according to His perfect plan.

Since the Lord’s already blessed me with an awesome testimony and praise report of my own about NEVER giving up on His faithfulness, I hope sharing it encourages someone else not to EVER give up on any miracle they’re praying and waiting for. My desire and burden for my husband’s salvation and walk with the Lord has always been even stronger than my desire for marriage restoration. And even though it took almost 14 years of praying without end, including nine years without a word from him or knowing where he was, God faithfully answered my prayers about a year and a half ago, and even used me to lead Him to the Lord! And despite my natural disappointment when he was convinced that being saved meant he should marry the woman he was living with at the time, I can truly say that the Lord has even given me the grace and peace needed to face that too. And in recent days the Lord has rewarded my faithfulness and prayers with the greatest gift of all, which is giving me a glimpse of the man of God He is molding and shaping my husband into, because that’s still the greatest desire of my heart. So NO matter how hopeless or impossible our situations look, we must keep our eyes on the Lord and continue praying, keeping Colossians 4:2 in mind, because it says Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And there’s no better way to state the importance of waiting on the Lord than the wisdom expressed by my husband recently when he wrote “…as we know God’s timing is very slow and calculated. He waits for all the pieces to fall into place just right…..when WE LET HIM that is.” So let’s wait on the Lord and let Him do what it takes to put all of the pieces in place for the restoration of our marriages, because He IS working behind the scenes in ways we can’t possibly see or understand, and IF we wait on Him and humble ourselves under His mighty hand, He WILL lift us up in DUE time just like 1 Peter 5:6 promises!

So it is my sincerest hope and prayer that my personal testimony of God’s faithfulness when we persevere in standing on the power and promise of His Word encourages and blesses any of you who might be struggling with thoughts of giving up on God instead of standing with Him for the restoration of your marriages! He’ll NEVER forsake us or leave us and He WILL answer our prayers, though in His perfect time and not ours. SO NEVER GIVE UP ON GOD!!!

The following prayer from Sharon Kornegay of WIN focuses on fasting as many associated with the World Intercessory Network are participating in a corporate fast today and tomorrow. And since it’s an excellent prayer when we’re fasting, which I often get questions about, I know visitors to our site will appreciate it as well. So I’ve included links to the Bible verse references to make them easier to read, which I recommend doing, especially the first five, which are biblical references to fasting. And the prayer can be changed as needed to personalize it to focus more on your specific situations and prayer needs.

Luke 2:37
Daniel 9:3
Matthew 6:16
Isaiah 58
Esther
Lord, I lift up the ones who do not yet realize the love that You had for us. I pray today that there souls will be saved.
We were once sinners. But one day, we had to yield to the power of the anointed one and his anointing.
I pray today that the Holy Spirit will minister grace and touch the hearts of those who are stiff-necked and stubborn, helping them to heed to the voice of Your calling. I pray today that they will begin to earnestly search for You with all of their heart. I pray that their soul will begin to thirst for You and that their whole bodies will yield to You.
In Jesus’ name, the devil is bound. He is not lord over us and we refuse to give in to his tactics, schemes, or tricks.
Jesus is Lord. He is Lord of all. King of all Kings. The only true and living God.
We command satan to loose the chains off of the people. The blood of Jesus is delivering them right now from the hands of satan. I put a halt to all distractive, disturbing, and destructive measures against them and us.
The Son of God made manifest, that He would destroy the works of the enemy (1 John 3:8; John 2:15-17; Acts 16:16-19).
We lift up our hands to You oh Lord. We think of You today. We meditate about You throughout the night (Psalm 63:6).
Lord, we know that there are many issues in our lives that may seek to overwhelm us. Yet, we trust in Your Word. Your Word is our Victory!
I thank You today that no weapon formed against Your people shall prosper and every tongue that rises up against them in judgment is condemned.
We are not wimpy Christians. We are strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon us. The spirit of wisdom, understanding, divine counsel, supernatural might, knowledge and of the utmost fear of Jehovah. As we advance, we are divinely empowered and increase in skill and understanding (Isaiah 11:2-3; Colossians 1:9-11, 3:10; Ephesians 1:17-18).
God, I call unto You today. I ask that You stretch out Your mighty hand against every lie every tactic, every wicked device of satan and destroy it in the name of Jesus.
I boldly pray that You will be glorified in the atmosphere that we work in, live in, walk in, and worship in.
Father, expose everything that satan does and give us resisting power. Knowing that the battle has already been fought and won. We must resist him through the authority of the name of Jesus. Jesus’ blood has sealed us until the day of redemption.
Every feeling of heaviness, defeat, oppression, and depression is cast upon the Lord. His name is a strong tower. We shall not be moved.
We declare today as the day of victory!
I thank You Father that the anointing destroys every yoke. Every chain and fetter, every bondage, every captivity, every assignment, every allegiance, every soul tie is severed in the name of Jesus. I speak to every high thing that would exalt itself against the knowledge of God and against me. I command it to cease right now in the name of Jesus.
I am in blood covenant with the Lord Jesus Christ and am free to serve and worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. The devil will not make me uneasy or uncomfortable.
My name is written in the palm of God’s hand and I declare that my prayer and time with the Lord and my commitment to serve the Most High God shields me. I realize that the supernatural world is more real than what my eyes behold. Yet, God hasn’t given to me the spirit of fear. I am protected by the Anointed One and His anointing. Fire walls, smoke screens, and a bloodline form hedges of protection around me and hide me from the scourge of the enemy, familiar spirits, and all demonic personalities, making it difficult, if not impossible for them to effectively track or trace me in the realm of the spirit. There shall be no perforations or penetrations to these hedges of protection (Job 1:7-10; Psalm 91:1-16; Exodus 12:13; Zechariah 2:5).
Lord, I thank You that the name of the Lord is a strong tower. I shall not be moved by my circumstances. I am like a tree, planted by the rivers of water. The rivers will flow in my life today. They will flow freely, unhindered by anything. The blood of Jesus releases me to worship Him wholly and freely.
I thank You that every person who is receiving this prayer today will rise up and live. Call upon the name of the Lord to help in the time of troubles.
I thank You that every dry area of our lives are filled with the anointed one and His anointing. We are healed and saved from our enemies. Let the redeemed of the Lord begin to say so. Every loud and boisterous voice against us and wicked threat against us is destroyed in the name of Jesus. We overcome evil with good. We shout to the Lord with a voice of triumph. Blessed by the name of the Lord! Father, I shout out Hallelujah to the Most High God! You reign supreme! I thank You that we are like an olive tree, thriving in the House of the Lord. We trust in Your unfailing love forever and ever. We praise You forever. We wait for Your mercies in the presence of Your people. We sing for joy in the shadow of Your protecting wings. We follow close behind You; Your strong right hand holds us securely. Those plotting to destroy us will come to ruin. All those who trusts in You will praise You while liars will be silenced.
We will lift up our voices and declare Your glory! We will put on our praise and worship and have a party in You, celebrating the victory! This is our receiving day. We thank You that we will get answers this week. We will glorify Your mighty name and live in total victory! We will not be slaves in our homes or on our jobs or to others. We will only yield to Jesus. We will stand still and know that You are God.
In Jesus’ mighty name I pray.
AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!
Sharon R. Kornegay
World Intercessory Network

I was really impressed with Dr. Charles Stanley’s TV broadcast message from a week ago Sunday, and meant to use it in a SOF post before now, but something else always seemed to come up. And even though I have quite a few other things on my mind today, I feel led to get back to Dr. Stanley’s message about the importance of walking in the ways of God.

Even though we’re already pretty familiar with verses holding out great promise if we “commit” to His way (Psalm 37:5-6) and if we “acknowledge” God in all of our ways (Proverbs 3:5-6), it might be surprising to learn that there are a LOT of other verses clearly spelling out the benefits and blessings we attain and are guaranteed when we walk in the ways of God. And I hope and pray that seeing some of the verses below and listening to Dr. Stanley’s awesome message, will dispel the mistaken idea anyone might have that obedience has anything to do with doing “good works” to insure our salvation or to make up for the sin and mistakes of our pasts. Because that’s a lie straight from the pit of hell, and something Satan loves to use to steal our peace and joy and cause us to live under the bondage of legalism, which ultimately leads to condemnation. But Romans 8:1-2 assures us, Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. So the ONLY thing that makes our salvation possible and the ONLY thing that atones for our sin is the blood of Jesus Christ, so it’s important to dispel any mistaken notion that we live in obedience to “prove” that we’re saved or to atone or make up for our past mistakes, which the following passages of scripture ought to make pretty clear:

Deuteronomy 10:12-14
And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good? To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it.

1 Kings 2:2-3
“I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, show yourself a man, and observe what the LORD your God requires: Walk in his ways, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and requirements, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go, and that the LORD may keep his promise to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’

Deuteronomy 5:32-33
So be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.

Deuteronomy 8:5-10
Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you. Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and revering him. For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills. When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.

Deuteronomy 11:22-23
If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow—to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways and to hold fast to him-then the LORD will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you.

Deuteronomy 26:17-19
You have declared this day that the LORD is your God and that you will walk in his ways, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws, and that you will obey him. And the LORD has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the LORD your God, as he promised.

Deuteronomy 28:9
The LORD will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the LORD your God and walk in his ways.

Deuteronomy 30:16
For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.

2 Chronicles 17:3-4
The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because in his early years he walked in the ways his father David had followed. He did not consult the Baals but sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel.

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.

Isaiah 30:21
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

Jeremiah 7:23
but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in all the ways I command you, that it may go well with you.

So besides numerous Bible verses making it clear that if we love the Lord we will obey Him, BECAUSE we love Him, such as John 14:15, which says “If you love me, you will obey what I command., and John 14:23, which says Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him., and even John 14:24, which says He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me., we obviously have a LOT of totally self centered reasons to obey the Lord and walk in HIS ways. So I recommend getting a pen and notepad to take notes while listening to this awesome message from Charles Stanley from October 8, 2006, The Best Way, because the BEST reason to walk in the ways of God is that it is indeed THE BEST WAY! And when we’re standing for marriage restoration or any other miracle, we can’t afford to do less than our best to make sure we get ALL of God’s best!

Since today’s Small Straws message from Marsha Burns is so timely and important to all of us as we stand for the restoration of our marriages, I just had to share it! And so like God, the timing is perfect, as earlier today I discussed unforgiveness with one of the FAM members who was feeling troubled by a hurtful past experience with her husband, wich led me to suggest that she ask the Lord to reveal if there were still issues of unforgiveness that she needed to deal with. And, as many of the FAM members know, unforgiveness has been a topic of discussion for the past week or so.

It’s not at all unusual to hear of marriages being very close to restoration when everything comes to a screeching halt for no apparent reason, or of marriages being restored only to fall apart again, which I believe is caused in many cases by unforgiveness. One thing we can all be absolutely certain of is that if we still have unforgiveness in our hearts, no matter how deeply buried it is, it WILL eventually rear its ugly head, AND it will do so at the worst possible moment! When we have forgiven a past wrong, hurt or disappointment, it no longer has power to cause us pain or distress. So if thoughts of that event still come unbidden to our minds and still cause strong emotions, we have NOT forgiven it, no matter how much we’d like to convince ourselves or others that we have. And without genuine, unconditional forgiveness, it’s impossible to create and maintain the atmosphere of grace that’s necessary for redemption, and without redemption, lasting restoration is not possible. So we all need to take the following message from Marsha Burns to heart and ask the Lord to reveal ANY areas of unforgiveness still buried deep in our hearts.

“October 13, 2006: Make the right choices to get your heart right before Me, says the Lord. Your desert experience has its roots in rejection, bitterness, and unforgiveness. I tell you truly that you cannot ride out of your desert until you release everyone and everything from the past. This is a time when you can once and for all be done with all injustice and reproach and move ahead in My plans and purposes. You will not regret making choices for freedom — yours and theirs.
Matthew 6:14-15 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

You can access Marsha Burns’ Small Straws messages here, as well as sign up to receive them by email.

There’s little doubt that the most challenging aspect of standing for marriage restoration is waiting, so it’s VERY important for us to learn how to turn our time of waiting into something useful and productive for the praise and glory of the Lord. And the best way to do that is to stay focused on what the Lord puts before us to do EACH day in obedience to Him. When we don’t know what else to do, thanks to His word, we DO know what it takes to be obedient. And if we get up every morning with a determination to be obedient to what we know He wants us to do THAT DAY, with absolute confidence that’s what it takes for His will and plan for our lives to be perfected, we can make our time of waiting a lot more joyful than dreadful!

More than likely, none of us could seriously say that our circumstances are nearly as despairing as Job’s, yet in Job 14:14, even he said If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come. > And Psalm 37:34 assures us that the Lord WILL exalt us and deliver us, and our marriages, from Satan’s intended destruction if we wait and do things HIS way, because it says 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. Then Psalm 119:166 says I wait for your salvation, O LORD, and I follow your commands. So God obviously expects us to live and walk in obedience to His word while we’re waiting for HIM to restore our marriages, which is confirmed in Isaiah 26:8, which says Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. So that brings us right back to the point that during our time of waiting, the Lord EXPECTS us to live our lives in obedience to His word with a desire and purpose to bring praise and glory to His name. And it’s not insignificant that the counsel found in Psalm 37:7, which says 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.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.

Perhaps the following passages of scripture will give us a better idea of the attitude the Lord expects from us while we’re waiting, as well as the encouragement we need while we wait for HIM to restore our marriages:

Romans 8:25
But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

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

Micah 7:7
But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.

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

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!

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.

Romans 8:18-21
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

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.

Titus 2:12-14
It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

Hebrews 9:28
so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

James 5:7
Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.

Hebrews 6:15
And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.

God is so awesome! When I wrote yesterday’s post, I had no idea Joyce Meyer would begin such a powerful series of messages about “Keeping God First” on her TV broadcast today! But that just goes to prove once again the Lord’s faithfulness to confirm the word He wants us to get!

Based on Matthew 6:33 (NKJV), there’s no doubt that we’re the ones who benefit the most when we put the Lord first in our lives, because it says But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. And since many of the passages of scripture we depend on as we stand for marriage restoration tell us to trust in the Lord with all our hearts, rely on Him, acknowledge Him in ALL our ways, and commit ourselves to HIS ways, It’s very important to consider how well we’re doing according to what Jesus said about God’s commandments in Matthew 22:36-40, which says “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” So if we’re NOT putting the Lord first in our lives, we’re not committing ourselves to His way and we’re not acknowledging Him in all our ways, much less trusting and relying on Him. As Joyce says in the following messages, it takes discipline in the beginning to do the things necessary to put the Lord first in every area of our lives, but when we do, we’ll NEVER regret it and before long we can’t imagine how we ever got along without it! And we should remember that our God is indeed a jealous God; in fact, according to Exodus 34:14, God’s Name Is Jealous! However, the choice is ours to make, as His word tells us in Deuteronomy 30:19-20, which says This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

So please MAKE the time to listen to Keeping God First – Part I and Keeping God First – Part II. They are both excellent messages and very important to us as we stand for the restoration of our marriages and consider what place we’re giving God in our lives.

One of the saddest aspects of marriage restoration ministry is seeing so much awesome human potential for the furtherance of God’s kingdom wasted, because so many “standers” become so preoccupied with the restoration of their marriages that they end up doing little or NOTHING to use the gifts and talents God has blessed them with for the praise and glory of Jesus. In fact, it’s entirely possible that such preoccupation could actually hinder the marriage restoration they’re so desperate for, based on what Jesus told us in Matthew 25, particularly based on The Parable of the Talents (verses 14 to 30), which says:

“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.
The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
“The man with the two talents also came.’Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
“Then the man who had received the one talent came.’Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. “‘Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Since Jesus used this parable to describe the kingdom of God, it must be important for us to understand as we strive to learn how things work in accordance with His will and word. And reading it leaves NO doubt that when we use the gifts, talents and ability the Lord blesses us with for the purpose and glory of His kingdom, He will bless us with even more. On the other hand, it’s just as clear that when we don’t use the gifts, talents and ability He’s blessed us with for His purpose and glory, He will take even that away from us. So it’s very important for us not to become so preoccupied with the restoration of our marriages that we lose sight of the work the Lord is calling us to do NOW! And He does have work for us to do every day of our lives. He didn’t die on the cross just to give us fire insurance, and when we got saved and made Him LORD of our lives, it wasn’t just so we could “add a little Jesus” to our lives. Many of us now realize and understand that it was BECAUSE we put our husbands and marriages before the Lord that we ended up in the situations we find ourselves in today. But do we also recognize that we’re doing the same thing now? Only this time, it’s the restoration of our marriages that we’ve allowed to take first place and priority in our lives. That’s just about all we think about, all we talk about, and most of what we pray about, which puts us in danger of James 4:3 being applied to our prayers, because it says When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

I am persuaded that the ones who experience the restoration of their marriages in the end are those who come to understand that “it is NOT about us!” We are not here for any other purpose than to bring praise and glory to Jesus Christ, as Ephesians 1 makes clear. And when we understand that and start living our lives with that in mind; that’s when we will see the power of God move in our lives like never before. When we reach a point in the process of standing for marriage restoration that we become so concerned and burdened for the deliverance and salvation of our husbands that our own desire to have them back pales in comparison, our focus changes and we’re finally able to give the Lord His rightful place in our lives. I wonder how many of us could honestly say that we’d be willing to forfeit our dream of marriage restoration if that was necessary for the salvation of our husbands. My heart breaks for the women who can’t stop looking at what their husbands did/do wrong, and seeing themselves as innocent victims, long enough to acknowledge their own shortcomings and the glorious power of God, because, as long as we’re so focused on everything Satan intends to steal, kill and destroy our marriages, our husbands and our families, we’ll never experience the Lord’s power to work it all together for our good, and for HIS praise and glory.

Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that many of us could honestly say we focus nearly as much time, thought and attention on what pleases the Lord, what He wants, what He thinks, how He feels and what He’s doing as we do our husbands, which says an awful lot about our priorities. And too often, when we do give time, thought and attention to the Lord, much of it is focused on or motivated by our desire for the restoration of our marriages. So it’s important to make an assessment of our relationship with the Lord and what we’re doing with the gifts, talents and abilities He’s blessed us with and how we’re using them, or not using them, for His praise and glory and for the furtherance of His kingdom. After all, His promise to give us the desires of our hearts requires us to “delight” in Him, as we see in Psalm 37:4, which says Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Since we all want the desires of our hearts, all we have to do is start delighting ourselves in the Lord, and when we do that, we won’t be able to avoid using the gifts and talents He gives us, because our hearts will genuinely desire to bring Him praise and glory!

The following poem is something the Lord put on my heart this morning as He gave me a burden for someone very dear to me who is going through a difficult time in his life right now. And it’s certainly something all of us can relate to as we stand for marriage restoration, because we’ve all experienced similar moments of despair and hopelessness. But Jesus paid a precious price and covered the cost to give us victory over every weapon Satan hopes will destroy us. So it’s up to us to determine whether or not Jesus paid the cost in vain, and the only way to make sure He didn’t is to make the most of EVERYTHING He died to give us! Be blessed and encouraged!

When darkness is all around,
And when all hope has hit the ground;
When my life is so filled with despair,
And I don’t even care;
When there’s so much to worry about,
And there seems no way out;
When I have no reason to smile,
And feel I can’t go another mile;
When nothing makes any sense to me,
And a better future I just can’t see;
When I think of what lies ahead,
And would rather be dead;
When the devil has convinced me of all I’ve lost,
It’s my Jesus who says “But I paid the cost.”

He says “I paid the cost and penalty for your sins.”:
“This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.“ Matthew 26:28

He says “I paid the cost for your life.”:
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

He says “I paid the cost to give you hope and a future.”:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

He says “I paid the cost to renew your strength.”:
“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.” Isaiah 40:31

He says “I paid the cost to give you escape from every temptation.”:
“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV)

He says “I paid the cost to carry your burdens.”:
“Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.” Psalm 55:22

He says “I paid the cost to be your light in this dark world.”:
“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”” John 8:12

The following message and prayer is today’s prayer from WIN, which sends daily prayers throughout the world by email. And since this is one all of us can relate to and appreciate as we stand for the restoration of our marriages and the salvation of our spouses, I wanted to share it here. So be blessed!

God Morning/Afternoon to each of you.
This morning our prayer will target the spirit of offense.
Are you offended or do you know someone who is?
Wait, before you answer, I want you to think about it. Have you put up barriers or walls of separation? Have you withdrawn from an individual that maybe said something or did something to you that you didn’t like. If so, have you spoken to that individual about it? These are some questions that I had to recently ask myself. After answering them, I realized that I was offended. I know that I am not the only person who has dealt with the spirit of offense.
I looked up the definition of offense in my Biblical dictionary. It states- to transgress moral or divine law; cause difficulty, discomfort or injury. After reading that definition, the question also arises within me, “What about the many ways that we offend Christ?” I was floored. I immediately felt the need to repent. So often, we hold things against individuals who have offended us. But what if Christ held against us those times that we have offended him?

Father, in the name that is above every name, Jesus Christ, I come to You asking for forgiveness. Forgive me for the times that I have offended others and You through my words or actions.
I know that You will never prompt me to withdraw or separate myself from Your will or Your people.
I need You to help me in those moments when I feel overwhelmed and overshadowed by the words or actions of others.
I am beginning to realize that offenses will sometimes cause me to want to withdraw and become separated from those who are my brothers and sisters in Christ.
Yes, I realize that there are some actions of people that I must refuse to be a part of because I am a Christian. However, I must always be careful to become sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit to pray so that I will not allow the spirit of offense to withdraw me from Your will. Ultimately, the spirit of offense will result in me harboring unforgiveness in my heart.
Lord, Your Word provides the pattern for my life. Help me to gain an understanding of the way to deal with people who have offended me.
Help me to love as You have loved me. Yes, it is true that the enemy sometimes work through people. But help me to realize that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. Therefore, I must target those demonic attacks in the spiritual realm by using the Word of God which is my defense.
Heavenly Father, You are our refuge and our rock. You are in control of everything that happens in my life. I am Your servant, called by Your name. I will not let anything separate me from Your love or Your will for my life. Your Word declares that a brother offended is harder to win than a strong city. You have said woe unto them through which offense come. Thank You for cleansing and forgiving me of the guilt of the spirit of offense. I ask the Holy Spirit to search out and bring to light any schemes of darkness that have directed me so that I will not be entrapped or snared anymore by the spirit of offense. Satan is rebuked in the authority of the name of Jesus Christ off of my life and the lives of those who I am in contact with. I declare and proclaim that his works in my life is destroyed. Jesus has triumphed over him and His resurrection sealed his fate. Because Christ lives in me, I am now living a life triumph over satan in the strength of Jesus’ name. His efforts to offend, afflict, or deceive me are null and void. He will not rob me of the love, joy and fruit of my salvation. Through the power of the blood of Jesus, all powers of darkness assigned to me, sent to me, or surrounding me are commanded to leave.
Lord Jesus, You are my shield and my protector (Ps 97:10, Jn 17:15; 2 Thes 3:3) You are El Elyon, the Most High God, sovereign Lord of all things, visible and invisible. The presence of Your Spirit in my life redeems me from any form of destruction.
May Your glory follow me as a rear guard (Isaiah 58:8).
Thank You for driving the enemy away (Dt 33:27).
Your holy angels are assigned to my life to protect and deliver me from danger (Ps 34:7; 91:9-11).
Lord, as I close this prayer, I bring to You my burden for souls to be saved. I claim that those who are receiving this e-mail that are not saved or perhaps know of others who are not saved will know that it is Your desire that none perish. I pray that people will be stirred with a desire to seek salvation. Soften the hearts of any who resists the truth and plant seeds of the Holy Word into their minds and hearts. I pray that the will of those persons who refuse to come after You will be destroyed. Make them desperate for You. Bring them to You and destroy the power of satan in the lives of those who are practicing sin. Subdue the voice of the enemy. I pray that strongholds will be destroyed in the lives of those who are unsaved. Holy Spirit, move in Your power to separate away from them the powers and influences of unclean spirits. Unbelief is bound in the name of Jesus. I declare that they will hear the Word of the Lord and obey You.
We will not give in or stop praying for those who have refused to live a life pleasing to You. We will continue to call them out of darkness into Your light and we will see results. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Sharon R. Kornegay
World Intercessory Network
www.micahstampley.org/?friend=624
Checkout Micah Stampley!

I was recently honored by a request from the World Intercessory Network to be one of their prayer warriors, but I feel unable to make that kind of additional time commitment right now. However, I did agree to help out once in awhile, which I was asked to do today. So the following prayer will go out by email worldwide later today and I’d appreciate your prayers that it will be a blessing to someone in particular, and, of course, to all of you as well!

Our MOST AWESOME Heavenly Father…

With hearts full of praise and thanksgiving, we come before Your throne confessing our love and adoration for You, for You are great and mighty and worthy to be praised! Your arm is endued with power; Your hand is strong, Your right hand exalted. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; and Your enduring and everlasting love and faithfulness always go before You.
When we acclaim You, and walk in the light of Your presence, we are blessed. And when we call unto You, You answer us and show us great and unsearchable things we do not know. When we trust in You with all our hearts, and lean not on our own understanding, and acknowledge You in all our ways, You make our paths straight. When we delight in You, You give us the desires of our hearts. And when we commit ourselves to Your way and trust in You, You make our righteousness shine like the dawn and the justice of our cause like the noon day sun! Yes, Lord, You are indeed great and mighty and worthy to be praised!

And we thank You for the very extravagant gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ, the very precious bread of life; that whoever comes to Him will NEVER go hungry and that whoever believes in Him will NEVER be thirsty. Thank You for the sacrifice of His precious atoning blood for the remission of our sins, to purify us from all unrighteousness and to cleanse our consciences so that we can serve You, the one and only living God! Thank You for sending Him to heal our broken hearts, to bind up our wounds and to set the captives free. And since Satan comes only to steal, kill and destroy, we thank You that Jesus came to give us eternal life, and life more abundant. And thank You for giving us the keys of the kingdom of heaven and the assurance that what we bind on earth is bound in heaven and what we loose on earth is loosed in heaven.

So in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, we bind the power and conviction of Your word and the Holy Spirit to everyone reading this prayer, as well as to our friends, family and loved ones. And we send forth the sword of Your word to cut away anything ungodly or displeasing in our lives, and thank You for the power of the Holy Spirit to deliver and protect us from all harm and evil and to draw each of us into right relationship with You. And we loose your mighty power to destroy all strongholds and all manner of sin or bondage now operating in our lives. Thank You for turning stony hearts into hearts of flesh and for turning the hearts of broken relationships to healing and restoration. Thank you for defending and protecting the covenant of our marriages, Lord, and for blessing troubled marriages with restoration and reconciliation. Thank you that no weapon fashioned against us will prosper, and that the gates of hell cannot prevail against us, because the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. So 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.

May our work always be produced by faith, our labor prompted by love, and our endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. Bless us with the wisdom, grace and strength needed to live our lives so others always see You in us. May we be yielded vessels, living in faith and obedience for Your praise, honor and glory. And teach us to walk humbly as we seek peace and forgive others as You forgive us. Bless us with good health, righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Thank You for loving us so unconditionally, Lord, and for Your infinite mercy and grace! In the most precious and powerful name of Jesus Christ, we pray and give thanks! Amen.

To anyone who has not already made Jesus the Lord of your life, who might feel the Holy Spirit prompting you to do so right now, please say the following prayer:

Dear Lord, I know I’m a sinner and that the wages for my sin is death. But I also know that Jesus came to set me free from that death penalty by dying on the cross for the forgiveness of my sins. And then He rose again three days later and is with You in heaven right now. Jesus please come into my heart and be the Lord of my life. Cleanse me of all unrighteousness and forgive me of all of my sins, because from now on I’m Yours…I’m a Christian. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.

If you just prayed that prayer and meant it in your heart, you are now a “born again Christian” and it’s the best move you’ll ever make! But you need to tell someone about the decision you made, because Jesus said if we deny Him before men, He will deny us before His Father. So you can call me at 850-391-4073 or contact any of the WIN prayer warriors to help and encourage you as you begin the most awesome experience of your life! And welcome to the family and may the Lord bless and keep you and yours.

In His Love, Linda Wattu

The more we study and understand the awesome power of the spoken word, the more concerned we should be that so few Christians understand it, because our lives truly reflect the very words we speak, and some of us are speaking some pretty rotten things into being as we stand for the restoration of our marriages. Joyce Meyer’s TV broadcast today was totally awesome, so I hope listening to it will help all of us understand how vitally important this message is to us as we stand for marriage restoration and the salvation of our husbands. While the Bible is filled with verses telling us how significant and powerful the spoken word is, the following verses are just a few to consider as we examine the connection between what we believe in our hearts, the words we speak and the reality of our lives:

Romans 4:17
As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—he God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.

Jeremiah 23:28
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.

John 11:40
Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”

Luke 6:45
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.

Proverbs 18:7 (NKJV)
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “ Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you.

Proverbs 4:23 (AMP)
Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.

Hopefully listening to Joyce’s message will inspire all of us to seek a better understanding of what God’s word tells us about speaking things into being, because as Proverbs 18:21 (AMP) 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].