Wow. We are fighting right now against some amazing opposition. Just saying that kind of makes me feel strange...but it is clear to me that Satan is furious about our marriage. There are all kinds of things: feelings of pressure and frustration, wanting to just bail out, sudden changes in other relationships that are causing stress and anxiety and anger and strain and hurt, trouble with health and jobs and so on and so forth.
I'm tired. I'm angry. I'm weary. We are in need of a canopy of prayer and spiritual covering. I would like to ask those of you who are reading out there to fight with us against the enemy...we are desperate for the life and freedom that Jesus has for us.
God told me something a while ago when Amy and I were struggling with some other issues. He said, "Jesse, this is a small thing. You will face much worse." (God's so encouraging sometimes, isn't he?) But he also brought me back to the truth that Christ has overcome the world, made a public spectacle of the powers that be by the cross, and has given us authority in his name.
So there it is. This is a call for the church: Amy and I ask you to rise up now and be who you are. We can't fight this alone. Stand with us!
Father, I praise you for who you are. You have been good to us all this time. I know that you will continue to take care of us, because you're a wonderful Father. Thank you for the promise of heaven and the fact that we have a home with you. I declare your rule and reign in my relationship with Amy, in my work, in my finances, in my relationships with other people. You are king and God. I want you to be praised and honored by our lives. Accomplish your will in us, the way you have it planned out in heaven. Take care of our needs today--you know better than we do what it is we need. Forgive us for our sin, and cleanse us with Jesus' blood. Protect us from the enemy and teach us what you would have us learn through the situations we find ourselves in.
I also stand against the powers of darkness in the authority of Jesus Christ. Thank you for your work--your cross, your resurrection, and your ascension. I have died with you, Jesus, and my old nature is put to death with all its pride, idolatry, selfishness, and self-glorification. Through your resurrection I have new life, and I live through you. By your ascension I am seated in heaven and have been given authority over the enemy through you. In your authority, I declare all agreements with Satan null and void, and renounce them in Jesus' name. Your covenant, Father, is the only one I recognize. I invite you to be my king and I ask to walk with you.
Thank you, Father, for new life in you.
4 comments:
Jesus, give Jesse and Amy grace for one another. Teach them to hold onto you during the times when they feel like their relationship is being shaken. You are the one that will hold them together as long as they both shall live. Bless their perspective and fill their minds with your peace and joy. YOU ARE IN CONTROL and I thank you for giving that understanding to Jesse and Amy.
I'm praying for you brother.
Hi Jesse and Amy, Chris and I will stand with you as you face these trials. Just remember that engagement is a foreshadowing of marriage. What you learn during your engagement period will only further how you face trials in your marriage, believe me they will come. But conflict is a beautiful thing, if we never faced conflict we would never know unity in Christ.
In the midst of your conflict remember this (a little pointer a pastor gave us when we were to be married and has stuck with us ever since)... What is goal of marriage? Intimacy. Picture a triangle with Jesse and Amy on the bottom two points and facing upward at the top is intimacy-your goal. The closer you move together toward your goal the more differemces you discover, differences cause conflict. At this point you have two choices, 1. Move away from the conflict resulting in getting further away from your goal, or 2. Work through those differences, consider them the catalyst that sends you soaring into the adventures of discovering intimacy with your mate.
There were many times I thought about thispicture as Chris and I were conflicting late into the night. The fear subsides as my perspective changed to the fact that when we get through this we will be that much closer to our goal of intimacy!
Hope this helps guys, bless you!
You're doing great to remember that it is satan coming against you and not the people who you are having conflict with. remember that as others see you learning to cleave to one another, satan whispers lies to them that they are not important to you any more etc. the leave & cleave process is hard on those being "left" and for many opens a toehold of jealousy etc, for satan to exploit. also remember that knowing or guessing that people are "jealous" or hurting about the relationship changes, can open you up to satans "whisper campain". he will tell you that "you don't need to listen to them, they are just jealous". he will tell you this for two reasons. 1. to make sure you miss helpful advice. 2. to cause the other person hurt & damage your relationship with them. sometimes it's so easy to see how satan is manipulating other people to hurt us, that we miss how we are falling into the same trap and hurting them.
May God be with you both
HeidiK
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