Praying for God's Will

I have to admit right away that the title of this post is a play on words. Technically, my husband is God's Will! This post is really about...

The bookmark I had in my notes from Life Action
which convicted me to be more specific
as I prayed for Will.

As a wife, the greatest ministry opportunity I have is to pour out my life, my energies, my heart, and my time for my husband. I have let him down in this area over and over and over and over again through the years. In fact, I'm pretty sure I've almost never lived up to my vows to love, respect, and serve him the way I promised. But one thing that I have grown in is praying for him consistently.

About 8 years ago, a revival ministry (Life Action) visited and inspired us as a church to seek the Lord wholeheartedly. One of the lasting changes in me that came from that visit was that I began praying specifically for Will and for our children (we were not even pregnant with E at the time, if I remember correctly), almost daily.

Moved by an idea I heard in one of the sessions, I began praying for specific areas of Will's life each day. Here is my list. Please know that it's largely based on notes and a handout from Life Action, with a couple additional verses of my own...I did not come up with this idea! I wanted to share it, though, in case someone was looking for a way to focus during prayer time for her husband, too.

Sunday = Seeing God's Sovereignty
1 Timothy 6:15-16: ...He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.

Also - Romans 8:28, Proverbs 16:9, and Proverbs 16:33.

Monday = Mind
2 Corinthians 10:4-6: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

Also - Philippians 4:8 and Romans 8:6-7.

Tuesday = Trust & Faith
Psalm 62:7-8: In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah

Also - Proverbs 3:5-6, Hebrews 11:6, and Psalm 56:3-4.

Wednesday = Wisdom
James 1:5-8: If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Also - Proverbs 9 and James 3:17.

Thursday = Truth
Psalm 119:9-16:
How can a young man cleanse his way?
By taking heed according to Your word.
With my whole heart I have sought You;
oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!
Your word I have hidden in my heart,
that I might not sin against You.
Blessed are You, O Lord!
Teach me Your statutes.
With my lips I have declared
all the judgments of Your mouth.
I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
as much as in all riches.
I will meditate on Your precepts,
and contemplate Your ways.
I will delight myself in Your statutes;
I will not forget Your word.

Also - Colossians 2:2-3, Proverbs 4:5, and Romans 10:17.

Friday = Faithful
Proverbs 5:15-18:
Drink water from your own cistern,
and running water from your own well.
Should your fountains be dispersed abroad,
streams of water in the streets?
Let them be only your own,
and not for strangers with you.
Let your fountain be blessed,
and rejoice with the wife of your youth.

Also - Matthew 25:23, Luke 16:10, and Psalm 101.

Saturday = Spiritual Leadership
1 Timothy 3:1-3: This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Each day = Love the Lord & Resist Pride
Deuteronomy 6:5: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

James 4:6: But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:
“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

I hope that this is an encouragement for anyone reading it to begin right now to pray more often for your spouse! Whether you use these suggestions, or you find another way to focus your prayer time, remember that it is one of the biggest blessings that you can give your beloved. And since I learned the hard way, I'll add this: pray that the Spirit would use these verses to change you, too!! Focusing too much on how you want God to work in your husband without asking Him to work in you is a recipe for pride, strife, and a hurting marriage.

Which resources would you recommend for learning how to pray for your husband?

Praying for God's Will,
for His glory!
~Lisha

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