GETTING GOD TO ANSWER MARITAL PRAYERS (Part 2)

GETTING GOD TO ANSWER MARITAL PRAYERS (Part 2)

The first reason for God not answering our marital prayers is that we ask for SELFISH MOTIVES.

James 4:3 “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”

Spiritual Pride

The second reason for God not answering our marital prayers is because of SPIRITUAL PRIDE.

Ego exaltation is one of the most dangerous and deadliest sins.

2Cor.12:7 “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.”

Ouch!  Ouch!  A thorn in my flesh?!?

Can you imagine your dad coming at you with a thorn bush when you MISBEHAVED?

The blessing of the thorn in the flesh is God promises you divine grace and divine strength.

When I discipline my kids I tell them that the punishment will be enough for them to feel the PINCH.

That is what our heavenly father does to us by letting us feel the pinch.

PRIDE was Lucifer’s downfall and he wants it to be your downfall also.

Before the fall, according to Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 he was:

• Guardian of the throne “…The anointed cherub that covereth…”
• Full of wisdom.
• Perfect in beauty.
• Being next to God himself.
• His voice was an orchestra.

Satan was full of covetousness and greed by the supreme gifts God gave him.

Do you ever DISPLAY conceit and self-worship in your marriage?

You may think no, but selfishness is the first actions we have a tendency to display when we are angry with our spouse.

We BELITTLE their opinions and exalt our own ambitions.

There is a price to pay when we don’t put a cap on our emotional reactions.

Eze. 28:18 “You defiled your holiness with gainful lust; so I brought forth fire from your own actions and let it burn you to ashes.”

Wow!!  Do you still think it is clever to demonstrate spiritual pride towards your spouse?

Paul cautioned Timothy that a bishop should not be a novice or a new convert.  1Tim.3:6 “…in case he becomes conceited and incurs the doom passed on the devil.”

If you are saved and your spouse isn’t, be careful not to act more spiritual.

Paul was so concerned about this that he said we will receive the same PUNISHMENT as the devil.

Paul warns of the danger of being conceited in 2Cor.12:7 because of the “…abundance of the revelations…” given to him.

Spiritual pride is a subtle temptation that comes with even the smallest amount of success.

When God WITHHELD Paul’s answer to prayer so his pride won’t get exalted, it shows why God does not always answer more prayers for us.

Let’s keep spiritual pride out of our marriage.

HUMBLE yourself and partner with the Holy Spirit and partner with your spouse.

NOTE:  Tomorrow there will be Part 3 to this series.