That Your Prayers May Not Be Hindered

[music] [Speaker 1] The church as a fellowship cannot be more spiritual than the individuals and families that constitute them. Build with me the godly home. These are words of revelation and instruction in righteousness with Family Tent Ministry. May you be blessed as you listen. [music] [Speaker 2] We thank You for the privilege to be here. Blessed be the name of the Lord in the name of Jesus Christ. We are coming a little late online this morning because because of the heavy downpour, we are having challenge with the internet. But we have been able to come online on Telegram. Misla is yet to come up online because of poor internet connection, but we hope that Misla will come up, and those on Misla will be able to follow. But for now, we want to encourage everybody who is Let's see how we all come together on Telegram. I've sent messages here and there so that we can all be together this morning on Telegram while we await Misla to come up. Praise the Lord. Last month, we concluded on the issue of the tongue, and we saw how crucial and critical the issue of the tongue is when it comes to our marriage and our Christian life. We saw that it is very, very vital for us to realize that while the tongue seems like a little member, like the Bible says in the book of James, the tongue is capable of bringing so much either good or evil, depending on how we make use of the tongue. So it is important for us as Christians, because depending on how we use the tongue, we will live. And I pray that we will live good from the use of our tongue in our life, upon our life, upon our marriages in the name of Jesus Christ. Today, we are taking a new topic, which is "That Your Prayers Be Not Hindered." "That Your Prayers Be Not Hindered." And we are taking that topic from the book of 1 Peter 3. That's where that topic is coming from. Peter was speaking to husband and wife. Peter was speaking to husband and wife, and he encouraged them to use wisdom to manage if their prayer will not be hindered. And it's from that place that we took the topic for today: "That Your Prayers Be Not Hindered." That is 1 Peter 3. Let us look at that text. We pray, and then we move on this morning. 1 Peter 3, beginning with the husband and the wife, the concluding part of verse 7. It says, "Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife as to the weaker vessel and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered." And that is where we took the topic from for today: "That Your Prayers Be Not Hindered." That your prayers be not hindered. And as we move on this morning, I trust the Lord that it will be again a time of refreshing, a time of encounter, a time of light in the name of Jesus Christ. Let us go ahead to have a word of prayer. Almighty God, we thank You for this day. We give You glory, we give You honor, we give You adoration. We appreciate You for Your mercy and for Your love. We thank You for Your goodness. We thank You for Your grace. We bless Your holy name. We say, Lord, be Thou exalted in the name of Jesus Christ. Everlasting Father, we come into Your presence again this second Saturday in the month of June to fellowship together in scripture, to fellowship with one another. Lord, we pray that it shall be a time of encounter. Lord, we pray for our brethren on Misla, our brethren on Telegram, and those who are here physically. As we all combine together this morning from everywhere we are joining this program, Lord our God, we pray that it will be a time of refreshing in the name of Jesus. Lord, we are having challenges with the internet. We pray that this will be quickly resolved in the name of Jesus. Thank You, Eternal Father. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen. We are looking at the topic "That Your Prayers Be Not Hindered." "That Your Prayers Be Not Hindered." And we want to start from what I sent out yesterday. What I sent out yesterday was topic "That Your Prayers Be Not Hindered." Couples need to realize that greater things are at stake beyond the immediate issues presenting themselves as challenges in their relationship with each other. This is the burden of June marriage forum. It is important for husband and wife to realize that while there are many issues presenting themselves as challenges in their relationship, the reality is that beyond those issues that are presenting themselves, there are greater things that are at stake if those things are not managed with wisdom. That is the emphasis that the Holy Spirit, through Apostle Peter, was instructing us in the book of Peter chapter 3. And we want to go to that text together as we fellowship together this morning for this marriage forum. We want to, from this text, learn one or two things about our relationship and the need for us to put some things in their proper perspective so that as the Bible warns, we may not fall into the peril of our prayer being hindered. May our prayers not be hindered in the name of Jesus Christ. The scripture opens in this place in verse 1, telling wives that in like manner—if you are someone who has been following us in our marriage forum at different times, we have taken time to explain this verse 1 in our different earlier meetings—that the "likewise" here is coming from 1 Peter 2 of this book, where the scripture instructed servants to be submissive to their master, not only to the good and gentle but even to the harsh and the inconsiderate, telling the servants that it is to this that we are called as Christians, that if because of our conscience towards God we suffer wrongfully, it is commendable before God. That even if you have masters who will not in any way appreciate what you do and how you do them, if you have masters who are inconsiderate and are harsh, you should still do everything to live good, live correctly, live as Christians, following the example of Jesus who suffered wrongfully. And when He suffered, He did not threaten. When He was insulted, He did not insult back. Rather, He committed Himself to God. Now, it was against this backdrop that the exhortation continued in chapter 3, verse 1, where the Bible now says, "Wives, in the same manner..." And that is what we are starting from this morning. I only gave the background so that we can travel together. "Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives." That is, without having to argue or fight against them, because you kept doing good, because you are not repaying evil for evil. Rather, you are repaying evil with good. Your husband is not loving you, your husband is not doing right, yet you kept on doing good. You kept on, like the Bible encourages us in the instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ, the way the Bible encourages us in the instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ: "Love your enemy. Do good to those who hate you. So that you can be like your Father in heaven, who makes it to rain upon both the good and the evil." That is the exhortation here: that even when the husband is not doing what is pleasing to the wife, when the husband is not doing what is right, when the husband is not doing what he ought to do as a husband, or doing things that ordinarily would get the wife picked up, angry, the wife should do everything to comfort herself as a believer and in the face of injustice, in the face of wrong, continue to do good. Just persist in doing good. That is, persist in playing your role as a wife who fears the Lord, playing the role God expects her to play. Not because the husband is playing the role he should play or ought to play as the husband, the wife should remain where the Lord has instructed her to remain. She should not, because of the evil of the husband, do evil. Should not, because the husband insulted, insult back. Should not, because the husband do what is wrong, begin to threaten and to fight and to talk and to tongue-lash, backlash, and all of that. That is what the Bible meant by "even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word..." In the New Living Translation, "You wives must accept the authority of your husband. Even though they refuse to accept the good news, your godly life will speak to them better than any word. They will be won over." So what this place is making us to see is that, yes, possibly there are situations in which the husband, what the husband is presenting, what the husband is bringing forth, what the husband is displaying, is something that is annoying, is something that is provoking, is something that is not okay at all. It's something that is not okay at all. That is what is presenting itself before you as a wife. And that is what I was trying to say yesterday in the message that I sent out. That was what I was trying to say. That's what I was trying to call our attention to. When I said that it is important for us, husband and wife, to be aware that sometimes in our relationship, what will be presenting themselves to us could be indeed nauseating, could be indeed annoying, could be awkward, sometimes be something not pleasant. Couples need to realize that greater things are at stake beyond these immediate issues presenting themselves in your relationship. The immediate issue presenting itself in your relationship is that your husband is annoying you. Your husband is doing what he ought not to do. Your husband is not obeying the good news. Your husband is not playing the role he ought to play. Your husband is insulting you. Your husband, in one way or the other, is not considerate. Your husband is self-centered. Your husband is haphazard. Your husband is not loving, like the scripture instructed him to do. How are you to respond? That is what is presenting itself in your relationship. How are you to respond to it? How are you to respond? The Bible says the best way to respond is to respond with godly living. What is godly living? It's to respond by not being revengeful. It's to respond by not giving evil for evil. It's to respond by being meek. It's to respond by being good. It's to respond by giving good for evil. It is to respond by not visiting your husband as he visited. But to give him according to the instruction of God for your own life, that "Wives, be submissive." You keep doing good to him. You keep doing what you ought to do. You stay there. The Bible says the husband will be won over, will be won over mostly by your godly life than by your argument, than by your being revengeful, than by your being insulting, than by your tongue-lashing, than by your backbiting and evil speaking. Those things cannot readily win him because evil cannot produce good. Backbiting, tongue-lashing, revengeful, they are all evil. You cannot be sowing evil and expect good to come out. You will be reaping what you are sowing. So the Bible says the way forward to kill evil is not to sow evil, but to sow good. That is, you keep doing good, the man will be readily won over by good. So for on account of the wife to her husband, the Bible is saying that what will be presenting itself in the immediate relationship with your husband may be things that are not pleasant to you. What will be presenting themselves may be things that are not okay to you. When these things are the things presenting themselves, you need to know that if you don't face this issue the right way you should face them, you will be destroying things greater. You will be destroying some more greater things. What your husband is doing is affecting you. Yes, quite well. It's not making you happy. It's affecting your joy. It's affecting your peace. It's affecting you in a way. But the Bible is saying that, depending on how you react to this thing, your action may even destroy things that are greater. It may be destroying things that are more valuable. It may lead to marring and mortgaging things of higher value than what you stand to gain if you begin to fight back, if you begin to fight back, do evil for evil. Okay, I will revenge. I will give you back. You say you are mad? I will show you that if I am to borrow the words, I am madder than you or I am more mad. I have more madness than you have. I will show you. When those things look like a way forward, the Bible says it's not a way forward. Rather, it is many, many steps backward. It is driving the marriage backward and backward and backward. Because when you begin to do that, there's an ultimate thing. The ultimate thing is that because you are disobedient to God in trying to deal with the challenges you are having, then God cannot stand up for you. God will not be able to stand up for you. And don't forget something: "Except the Lord builds the house, they labor that they labor in vain." All your labor over whatever the things you are doing, "I have done this, I have done this, I have done that," they are all in vain. So instead of responding in a way that everything you are doing would be in vain, there are better way to respond. When you respond in that way, you will be losing the backing of God. When you respond with being revengeful, when you respond by doing evil, when you respond by being insulting, when you respond by tongue-lashing, when you respond by backbiting, when you respond by giving evil for evil, you will lose the backing of God. And that is the greater things that you are losing. Because the only thing that you need when you are having a challenge is the backing of God. In other words, when you don't react the way you ought to react, you will be losing the greatest thing you need to win the battle. The greatest thing you need to win the battle is God. But by the way you are reacting to the issues that are presenting themselves to you, you are losing divine backing. What is more valuable to you? Now, having said that, the scripture now says that it is important for for wives to know this because of a very important thing. What is the important thing for which wives should know this? The important thing that God now says follows in verse 3. He says, "Do not let your adornment be merely that of outward." Is what he's saying here, it's not as if women should not adorn themselves, they should look haggard, rough, or unkept. No, that's not what the Bible is saying. What the Bible is saying is that beyond outward beauty, there is a greater and deeper and higher beauty. Unbelievers, people who don't know God, they concentrate on this outward beauty. But there is a beauty that is higher. When we normally say in our adage, "iwa l'ewa," that is, real beauty is in character. That's what the Bible is saying. That beyond how a woman dress herself up with fine hair, gold, this, that, all of those adornments that they put on themselves, a woman is not beautiful when she lacks character. The real beauty of a woman is in her character. That's what the Bible is saying. That's the emphasis here. He says, "Don't let your adornment be merely..." Don't think that what makes you beautiful is merely how you dress, is merely how your hair is set, is merely how you wear gold. It's not merely that. That's not where your adornment should merely be. Your adornment transcends that. It transcends that. Another version of this says, "Don't, don't be concerned about about outward beauty that depends on fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, and beautiful clothes." Another version say, "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment." That is, your sense of beauty. He's talking about an inner attitude to something. A woman should a godly woman should understand that some things make her beautiful. And what makes her beautiful is not her dress, her blouse, her her earring, her whatever. It's beyond all of that. What makes her beautiful is the kind of character she displayed, particularly when the situation is not pleasant, when the situation is not favorable. Everybody tends to be nice when you have favorable circumstances. You don't know the real character of people. You know the real character, who someone really is, how mature, how beautiful the person is, how much of God the person knows and carries in the face of suffering wrongfully, in the face of provocation, in the face of unfavorable circumstances. Women should begin to understand that beauty, real beauty, comes from ability to do good in the face of evil, in the face of people provoking. Somebody doing evil, doing doing what is not pleasant, and you are able to respond with good. You are meek enough. You are not revengeful. That is where beauty is. And that is what Peter and women should know. That's what she should know. And that is what the Bible is saying when it says, "rather, let it be in the hidden person of the heart with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is this is precious in the sight of God." What the Bible is saying is that when your husband doesn't obey the word, when your husband is not living godly as he should live, what is precious to God about your life is your ability to respond good for evil. Your persistence in doing good in the face of continued provocation. That is what is precious to God. You become a vessel that is precious to God. That is what you stand to gain when you learn to react to whatever your husband is doing, particularly when they don't obey the word. Of course, you will behave well when they obey the word of God. There is nothing. You will be nice when they are nice to you. Won't you be nice when they are nice to you? Of course you'll be nice. But the beauty of your life don't come out when things are nice. The beauty of your life don't come out when things are favorable. The beauty of being a Christian, of being godly, of being a child of God, is not display when everything is nice and good and rosy and fine. No. God is saying that, hey, your life becomes wow when in the face of provocation, in the face of being bitter, in the face of your husband not being godly, in the face of your husband not doing what he ought to do, you are able to return him good for evil, blessing for evil, and continuously persistently doing good. You become a precious vessel in the sight of God. And then God is able to stand up for you. So when you don't manage what is presenting themselves to you very well, the nauseating thing coming from your husband, if you don't learn to manage it according to this wisdom the Bible is giving us in this exhortation of this apostle, Apostle Peter, to us as Christians, you are losing a valuable thing: the backing of God and acceptance with God. The backing of God and acceptance with God. That's what is at stake for the wife. So you need to be careful. Now, having said that, the scripture now says that it is how women, holy women, that's how they behave themselves, that's how they carried their life. He uses Sarah as an example. That's what we have in verse 5 and verse 6. I want to go to that of the man. So when it goes to that of the man in verse 7, he said, "Husbands, likewise..." You see, in the same way again. In the same way. That is, how do you respond to provocation in your relationship, to the foolishness of your wife, to the annoying things in your wife, to those things that want to embitter you that is emanating from your wife? Those behavior that are provoking, that are annoying, those behavior that seem to piss you off. How do you respond to them? How do you respond to these things? How do you respond to them? And the way you also handle them, determines a lot of things also. You will be losing something very, very valuable. And for that of the husband, he made it very clear. He said, "that your prayers be not hindered." So you see, that is what got our topic. So in a way, you find that both for the husband and for the wife, there is something at stake. But let me first focus on this matter of the husband. The husband likewise, in the same way, dwell with them with understanding. What is the understanding you need to dwell with with your wife? Giving honor to the wife as to weaker vessel. Understanding that, you know, in your relationship with your wife, your wife is more likely to provoke you than you will provoke her. So sometimes when you are talking as a man, and you are saying, "In fact, me, I can never do that to you. As a man, I've always tried to do good. But you, you are always doing this." It's trying to not understand what the Bible is saying. The Bible is saying that because she's weaker, this issue of likewise, likewise, likewise, you'll be more on her side. You will have that women, women have this tendency to do more of these things that in a relationship the husband will cause foolishness. The husband will cause stupidity. More than men are likely to display it to their wives. So since you are aware that in fact, this one of my wife is too much, my own is more than I can hold. You need to understand that you are the man. You are the man. You are the man in the situation. While you find at different times she annoy your wife and your wife is doing everything to cope, the person God wants you to understand is that my wife is likely to provoke me more than I provoke her. You must honor that. You must understand that it takes things that are high to be the head. You must ahead in patience. You must be ahead in forbearing. You must be ahead in tolerating. You must be ahead in meekness. You must be ahead in reconciliatory spirit. You must be ahead in not tongue-lashing. You must be ahead in not backlashing. You must be ahead in not backbiting. You must be ahead in not complaining. You must be ahead in not godly. You need to understand that while the Bible says that it's the possibility husband may misbehave, wife should learn to adapt themselves, and that possibly wife misbehave, and husband should learn to love them, it is equally important for the husband to know that the wife is weaker in this thing. So if provocation your wife, if what comes from you is 30 percent, what is likely to come from your wife will be 40, will be 50 or 60. This is what you need to understand as a man and comfort yourself. You need to honor her as a weaker vessel. That is, you need to bridle your anger. You need to learn to hold your peace. You need to learn to look away. You need to learn to overlook. You need to learn to let not to give her a bit for her bit. "I will show you as a man. I will show you that all those..." foolishness. It's very, very unfortunate. The reason why you should understand that if you don't react this way, is what the Bible is making us to see: that your prayers be not hindered. May your prayers not be hindered. Many couples today have destroyed the altar of prayer. Their prayers have become what cannot be answered. Their prayers have become what cannot go beyond the roof of their house. Their prayers have become what cannot what cannot be answered over their life, over their marriage, over their children, over their career. Ah, many couples today have destroyed their prayer life. And they don't understand that the real problem that they are having is that they have by themselves closed the door of heaven against their marriage. While you keep thinking your husband is the problem, or you keep thinking your wife is the problem, you forgotten there is something the scripture warned us about. That, look, handling issues where you annoy each other or provoke each other is something that we should not rule out in the relationship. It's something that will come up. So that you have your husband sometimes inconsiderate, he's busy, he's bitter, your wife busy, your wife bitter, my husband busy, my wife busy, my wife busy, my wife bitter. Those things, they are not necessarily completely and out of place. Bible do not rule out the reality that we can annoy each other. So God already made provision for wife first to take it in and for husband to learn to take it in. And the reason why they should take it in is so that they can allow God to keep working in their marriage. It is God that can build your marriage. So God wants you to handle issues in your own that can keep allowing God to build your marriage for you. But because you have become revengeful towards what your wife is doing, because you become revengeful towards what your husband is doing, you have ended up coming to a situation where God is no more building your marriage for you. So your marriage no longer has God's backing. And what makes your marriage not to have God's backing, I want you to know, is because of the way you react to your spouse, not because of the wrong that your spouse did. I hope you understand me. Because God already made us to see that sometimes husband may not obey the word, may not provoke, may do something that are not right, that are not correct, that are not expected, that are foolish or stupid. And wife too could do the same. And so if that is the lot of the two of you, you will be conscious of posture of yourself. You don't close heaven against your marriage. While you keep thinking your husband is the problem, or you keep thinking your wife is the problem, you forgotten there is something the scripture warned us about. That, look, handling issues where you annoy each other or provoke each other is something that we should not rule out in the relationship. It's something that will come up. So that you have your husband sometimes inconsiderate, he's busy, he's bitter, your wife busy, your wife bitter, my husband busy, my wife busy, my wife busy, my wife bitter. Those things, they are not necessarily completely and out of place. Bible do not rule out the reality that we can annoy each other. So God already made provision for wife first to take it in and for husband to learn to take it in. And the reason why they should take it in is so that they can allow God to keep working in their marriage. It is God that can build your marriage. So God wants you to handle issues in your own that can keep allowing God to build your marriage for you. But because you have become revengeful towards what your wife is doing, because you become revengeful towards what your husband is doing, you have ended up coming to a situation where God is no more building your marriage for you. So your marriage no longer has God's backing. And what makes your marriage not to have God's backing, I want you to know, is because of the way you react to your spouse, not because of the wrong that your spouse did. I hope you understand me. Because God already made us to see that sometimes husband may not obey the word, may not provoke, may do something that are not right, that are not correct, that are not expected, that are foolish or stupid. And wife too could do the same. And so if that is the lot of the two of you, you will be conscious of posture of yourself. You don't close heaven against your marriage. While you keep thinking your husband is the problem, or you keep thinking your wife is the problem, you forgotten there is something the scripture warned us about. That, look, handling issues where you annoy each other or provoke each other is something that we should not rule out in the relationship. It's something that will come up. So that you have your husband sometimes inconsiderate, he's busy, he's bitter, your wife busy, your wife bitter, my husband busy, my wife busy, my wife busy, my wife bitter. Those things, they are not necessarily completely and out of place. Bible do not rule out the reality that we can annoy each other. So God already made provision for wife first to take it in and for husband to learn to take it in. And the reason why they should take it in is so that they can allow God to keep working in their marriage. It is God that can build your marriage. So God wants you to handle issues in your own that can keep allowing God to build your marriage for you. But because you have become revengeful towards what your wife is doing, because you become revengeful towards what your husband is doing, you have ended up coming to a situation where God is no more building your marriage for you. So your marriage no longer has God's backing. And what makes your marriage not to have God's backing, I want you to know, is because of the way you react to your spouse, not because of the wrong that your spouse did. I hope you understand me. Because God already made us to see that sometimes husband may not obey the word, may not provoke, may do something that are not right, that are not correct, that are not expected, that are foolish or stupid. And wife too could do the same. And so if that is the lot of the two of you, you will be conscious of posture of yourself. You don't close heaven against your marriage. While you keep thinking your husband is the problem, or you keep thinking your wife is the problem, you forgotten there is something the scripture warned us about. That, look, handling issues where you annoy each other or provoke each other is something that we should not rule out in the relationship. It is something that will come up. So that you have your husband sometimes inconsiderate, he's busy, he's bitter, your wife busy, your wife bitter, my husband busy, my wife busy, my wife busy, my wife bitter. Those things, they are not necessarily completely and out of place. Bible do not rule out the reality that we can annoy each other. So God already made provision for wife first to take it in and for husband to learn to take it in. And the reason why they should take it in is so that they can allow God to keep working in their marriage. It is God that can build your marriage. So God wants you to handle issues in your own way that can keep allowing God to build your marriage for you. Don't because you have become revengeful towards what your wife is doing, because you become revengeful towards what your husband is doing, you have ended up coming to a situation where God is no more building your marriage for you. So your marriage no longer has God's backing. And what makes your marriage not to have God's backing, I want you to know, is because of the way you react to your spouse, not because of the wrong that your spouse did. I hope you understand me. Because God already made us to see that sometimes husband may not obey the word, may provoke, may do something that are not right, that are not correct, that are not expected, that are foolish or stupid. And wife too could do the same. And so let that be known that what makes your marriage no longer have God's backing is not because of what your spouse did, but because of how you reacted to your spouse. So instead of being revengeful, what God wants you to do is to handle issues in your marriage in such a way that God's backing remains. Why would God not want to answer your prayer? It is because of your reaction to your spouse. So finally, what makes your marriage have a problem is not the foolishness or stupidity of your husband or your wife. What is making your marriage have problem or where you are right now, is your response to the foolishness and the stupidity. It's your response. The way you have been responding. The way you have been responding. Wife have responded in a way that she's no more valuable to God. And God is not backing her up. Husband have responded in a way that God doesn't want to answer your prayer. So eventually who is losing? Instead of, "In fact, this marriage is not working," you pray for this job, you don't get it, your children, your prayer, it seems not to be answered, you're running from pillar to post, the marriage is not working, you pray for this, it did not come, you ask for that, in fact, this marriage is... how did you get to that point? You've come to the point that your responsive to the foolishness and stupidity that pop up in your relationship. So the Bible encourages us that we should be careful so that our prayers be not hindered. Many couples today have destroyed the altar of prayer. Their prayers have become what cannot be answered. Their prayers have become what cannot go beyond the roof of their house. Their prayers have become what cannot what cannot be answered over their life, over their marriage, over their children, over their career. Ah, many couples today have destroyed their prayer life. And they don't understand that the real problem that they are having is that they have by themselves closed the door of heaven against their marriage. Why are you still thinking your husband is the problem, or you keep thinking your wife is the problem? You forgotten there is something the scripture warned us about. That look, handling issues where you annoy each other or provoke each other is something that we should not rule out in the relationship. It's something that will come up. So you have your husband sometimes inconsiderate, he's busy, he's bitter, your wife busy, your wife bitter, my husband busy, my wife busy, my wife busy, my wife bitter. Those things, they are not necessarily completely and out of place. Bible do not rule out the reality that we can annoy each other. So God already made provision for wife first to take it in and for husband to learn to take it in. And the reason why they should take it in is so that they can allow God to keep working in their marriage. It is God that can build your marriage. So God wants you to handle issues in your own that can keep allowing God to build your marriage for you. Don't because you have become revengeful towards what your wife is doing, because you become revengeful towards what your husband is doing, you have ended up coming to a situation where God is no more building your marriage for you. So your marriage no longer has God's backing. And what makes your marriage not to have God's backing, I want you to know, is because of the way you react to your spouse, not because of the wrong that your spouse did. I hope you understand me. Because God already made us to see that sometimes husband may not obey the word, may provoke, may do something that are not right, that are not correct, that are not expected, that are foolish or stupid. And wife too could do the same. And so let that be known that what makes your marriage no longer have God's backing is not because of what your spouse did, but because of how you reacted to your spouse. So instead of being revengeful, what God wants you to do is to handle issues in your marriage in such a way that God's backing remains. Why would God not want to answer your prayer? It is because of your reaction to your spouse. So finally, what makes your marriage have a problem is not the foolishness or stupidity of your husband or your wife. What is making your marriage have problem or where you are right now, is your response to the foolishness and the stupidity. It's your response. The way you have been responding. The way you have been responding. Wife have responded in a way that she's no more valuable to God. And God is not backing her up. Husband have responded in a way that God doesn't want to answer your prayer. So eventually who is losing? Instead of, "In fact, this marriage is not working," you pray for this job, you don't get it, your children, your prayer, it seems not to be answered, you're running from pillar to post, the marriage is not working, you pray for this, it did not come, you ask for that, in fact, this marriage is... how did you get to that point? You've come to the point that your responsive to the foolishness and stupidity that pop up in your relationship. So the Bible encourages us that we should be careful so that our prayers be not hindered. Many couples today have destroyed the altar of prayer. Their prayers have become what cannot be answered. Their prayers have become what cannot go beyond the roof of their house. Their prayers have become what cannot what cannot be answered over their life, over their marriage, over their children, over their career. Ah, many couples today have destroyed their prayer life. And they don't understand that the real problem that they are having is that they have by themselves closed the door of heaven against their marriage. Why are you still thinking your husband is the problem, or you keep thinking your wife is the problem? You forgotten there is something the scripture warned us about. That look, handling issues where you annoy each other or provoke each other is something that we should not rule out in the relationship. It's something that will come up. So you have your husband sometimes inconsiderate, he's busy, he's bitter, your wife busy, your wife bitter, my husband busy, my wife busy, my wife busy, my wife bitter. Those things, they are not necessarily completely and out of place. Bible do not rule out the reality that we can annoy each other. So God already made provision for wife first to take it in and for husband to learn to take it in. And the reason why they should take it in is so that they can allow God to keep working in their marriage. It is God that can build your marriage. So God wants you to handle issues in your own that can keep allowing God to build your marriage for you. Don't because you have become revengeful towards what your wife is doing, because you become revengeful towards what your husband is doing, you have ended up coming to a situation where God is no more building your marriage for you. So your marriage no longer has God's backing. And what makes your marriage not to have God's backing, I want you to know, is because of the way you react to your spouse, not because of the wrong that your spouse did. I hope you understand me. Because God already made us to see that sometimes husband may not obey the word, may provoke, may do something that are not right, that are not correct, that are not expected, that are foolish or stupid. And wife too could do the same. And so let that be known that what makes your marriage no longer have God's backing is not because of what your spouse did, but because of how you reacted to your spouse. So instead of being revengeful, what God wants you to do is to handle issues in your marriage in such a way that God's backing remains. Why would God not want to answer your prayer? It is because of your reaction to your spouse. So finally, what makes your marriage have a problem is not the foolishness or stupidity of your husband or your wife. What is making your marriage have problem or where you are right now, is your response to the foolishness and the stupidity. It's your response. The way you have been responding. The way you have been responding. Wife have responded in a way that she's no more valuable to God. And God is not backing her up. Husband have responded in a way that God doesn't want to answer your prayer. So eventually who is losing? Instead of, "In fact, this marriage is not working," you pray for this job, you don't get it, your children, your prayer, it seems not to be answered, you're running from pillar to post, the marriage is not working, you pray for this, it did not come, you ask for that, in fact, this marriage is... how did you get to that point? You've come to the point that your responsive to the foolishness and stupidity that pop up in your relationship. So the Bible encourages us that we should be careful so that our prayers be not hindered. Many couples today have destroyed the altar of prayer today. Their prayers have become what cannot be answered. Their prayers have become what cannot go beyond the roof of their house. Their prayers have become what cannot be answered over their life, over their marriage, over their children, over their career. Ah, many couples today have destroyed their prayer life. And they don't understand that the real problem that they are having is that they have by themselves closed the door of heaven against their marriage. Why are you still thinking your husband is the problem, or you keep thinking your wife is the problem? You forgotten there is something the scripture warned us about. That, look, handling issues where you annoy each other or provoke each other is something that we should not rule out in the relationship. It's something that will come up. So that you have your husband sometimes inconsiderate, he's busy, he's bitter, your wife busy, your wife bitter, my husband busy, my wife busy, my wife busy, my wife bitter. Those things, they are not necessarily completely and out of place. Bible do not rule out the reality that we can annoy each other. So God already made provision for wife first to take it in and for husband to learn to take it in. And the reason why they should take it in is so that they can allow God to keep working in their marriage. It is God that can build your marriage. So God wants you to handle issues in your own that can keep allowing God to build your marriage for you. Don't because you have become revengeful towards what your wife is doing, because you become revengeful towards what your husband is doing, you have ended up coming to a situation where God is no more building your marriage for you. So your marriage no longer has God's backing. And what makes your marriage not to have God's backing, I want you to know, is because of the way you react to your spouse, not because of the wrong that your spouse did. I hope you understand me. Because God already made us to see that sometimes husband may not obey the word, may provoke, may do something that are not right, that are not correct, that are not expected, that are foolish or stupid. And wife too could do the same. And so when that is the lot, God made the two of you to be conscious of posture of yourself. You don't close heaven against your marriage. Why are you still thinking your husband is the problem, or you keep thinking your wife is the problem? You forgotten there is something the scripture warned us about. That, look, handling issues where you annoy each other or provoke each other is something that we should not rule out in the relationship. It's something that will come up. So you have your husband sometimes inconsiderate, he's busy, he's bitter, your wife busy, your wife bitter, my husband busy, my wife busy, my wife busy, my wife bitter. Those things, they are not necessarily completely and out of place. Bible do not rule out the reality that we can annoy each other. So God already made provision for wife first to take it in and for husband to learn to take it in. And the reason why they should take it in is so that they can allow God to keep working in their marriage. It is God that can build your marriage. So God wants you to handle issues in your own that can keep allowing God to build your marriage for you. Don't because you have become revengeful towards what your wife is doing, because you become revengeful towards what your husband is doing, you have ended up coming to a situation where God is no more building your marriage for you. So your marriage no longer has God's backing. And what makes your marriage not to have God's backing, I want you to know, is because of the way you react to your spouse, not because of the wrong that your spouse did. I hope you understand me. Because God already made us to see that sometimes husband may not obey the word, may provoke, may do something that are not right, that are not correct, that are not expected, that are foolish or stupid. And wife too could do the same. And so what then makes your marriage a problem is not the foolishness or stupidity of your husband or of your wife. What is making your marriage have problem or where you are right now is your response to the foolishness and the stupidity. It's your response. The way you have been responding. The way you have been responding. Wife have responded in a way that she is no more valuable to God. And God is not backing you up. Husband have responded in a way that God doesn't want to answer your prayer. So eventually who is losing? Instead of, "In fact, this marriage is not working," you pray for this job, you don't get it, your children, your prayer, it seems not to be answered, you're running from pillar to post, the marriage is not working, you pray for this, it does not come, you ask for that, in fact, this marriage is... how did you get to that point? You've come to the point that your response to the foolishness and stupidity that pop up in your relationship. So the Bible encourages us that we should be careful so that our prayers be not hindered. Many couples today have destroyed the altar of prayer today. Their prayers have become what cannot be answered. Their prayers have become what cannot go beyond the roof of their house. Their prayers have become what cannot be answered over their life, over their marriage, over their children, over their career. Ah, many couples today have destroyed their prayer life. And they don't understand that the real problem that they are having is that they have by themselves closed the door of heaven against their marriage. Why are you still thinking your husband is the problem, or you keep thinking your wife is the problem? You forgotten there is something the scripture warned us about. That, look, handling issues where you annoy each other or provoke each other is something that we should not rule out in the relationship. It's something that will come up. So that you have your husband sometimes inconsiderate, he's busy, he's bitter, your wife busy, your wife bitter, my husband busy, my wife busy, my wife busy, my wife bitter. Those things, they are not necessarily completely and out of place. Bible do not rule out the reality that we can annoy each other. So God already made provision for wife first to take it in and for husband to learn to take it in. And the reason why they should take it in is so that they can allow God to keep working in their marriage. It is God that can build your marriage. So God wants you to handle issues in your own way that can keep allowing God to build your marriage for you. Don't because you have become revengeful towards what your wife is doing, because you become revengeful towards what your husband is doing, you have ended up coming to a situation where God is no more building your marriage for you. So your marriage no longer has God's backing. And what makes your marriage not to have God's backing, I want you to know, is because of the way you react to your spouse, not because of the wrong that your spouse did. I hope you understand me. Because God already made us to see that sometimes husband may not obey the word, may provoke, may do something that are not right, that are not correct, that are not expected, that are foolish or stupid. And wife too could do the same. And so when that is the lot, God made the two of you to be conscious of posture of yourself. You don't close heaven against your marriage. Why are you still thinking your husband is the problem, or you keep thinking your wife is the problem? You forgotten there is something the scripture warned us about. That, look, handling issues where you annoy each other or provoke each other is something that we should not rule out in the relationship. It's something that will come up. So you have your husband sometimes inconsiderate, he's busy, he's bitter, your wife busy, your wife bitter, my husband busy, my wife busy, my wife busy, my wife bitter. Those things, they are not necessarily completely and out of place. Bible do not rule out the reality that we can annoy each other. So God already made provision for wife first to take it in and for husband to learn to take it in. And the reason why they should take it in is so that they can allow God to keep working in their marriage. It is God that can build your marriage. So God wants you to handle issues in your own that can keep allowing God to build your marriage for you. Don't because you have become revengeful towards what your wife is doing, because you become revengeful towards what your husband is doing, you have ended up coming to a situation where God is no more building your marriage for you. So your marriage no longer has God's backing. And what makes your marriage not to have God's backing, I want you to know, is because of the way you react to your spouse, not because of the wrong that your spouse did. I hope you understand me. Because God already made us to see that sometimes husband may not obey the word, may provoke, may do something that are not right, that are not correct, that are not expected, that are foolish or stupid. And wife too could do the same. And so what then makes your marriage a problem is not the foolishness or stupidity of your husband or of your wife. What is making your marriage have problem or where you are right now is your response to the foolishness and the stupidity. It's your response. The way you have been responding. The way you have been responding. Wife have responded in a way that she is no more valuable to God. And God is not backing you up. Husband have responded in a way that God doesn't want to answer your prayer. So eventually who is losing? Instead of, "In fact, this marriage is not working," you pray for this job, you don't get it, your children, your prayer, it seems not to be answered, you're running from pillar to post, the marriage is not working, you pray for this, it does not come, you ask for that, in fact, this marriage is... how did you get to that point? You've come to the point that your response to the foolishness and stupidity that pop up in your relationship. So the Bible encourages us that we should be careful so that our prayers be not hindered. Many couples today have destroyed the altar of prayer today. Their prayers have become what cannot be answered. Their prayers have become what cannot go beyond the roof of their house. Their prayers have become what cannot be answered over their life, over their marriage, over their children, over their career. Ah, many couples today have destroyed their prayer life. And they don't understand that the real problem that they are having is that they have by themselves closed the door of heaven against their marriage. Why are you still thinking your husband is the problem, or you keep thinking your wife is the problem? You forgotten there is something the scripture warned us about. That, look, handling issues where you annoy each other or provoke each other is something that we should not rule out in the relationship. It's something that will come up. So that you have your husband sometimes inconsiderate, he's busy, he's bitter, your wife busy, your wife bitter, my husband busy, my wife busy, my wife busy, my wife bitter. Those things, they are not necessarily completely and out of place. Bible do not rule out the reality that we can annoy each other. So God already made provision for wife first to take it in and for husband to learn to take it in. And the reason why they should take it in is so that they can allow God to keep working in their marriage. It is God that can build your marriage. So God wants you to handle issues in your own way that can keep allowing God to build your marriage for you. Don't because you have become revengeful towards what your wife is doing, because you become revengeful towards what your husband is doing, you have ended up coming to a situation where God is no more building your marriage for you. So your marriage no longer has God's backing. And what makes your marriage not to have God's backing, I want you to know, is because of the way you react to your spouse, not because of the wrong that your spouse did. I hope you understand me. Because God already made us to see that sometimes husband may not obey the word, may provoke, may do something that are not right, that are not correct, that are not expected, that are foolish or stupid. And wife too could do the same. And so when that is the lot, God made the two of you to be conscious of posture of yourself. You don't close heaven against your marriage. Why are you still thinking your husband is the problem, or you keep thinking your wife is the problem? You forgotten there is something the scripture warned us about. That, look, handling issues where you annoy each other or provoke each other is something that we should not rule out in the relationship. It's something that will come up. So you have your husband sometimes inconsiderate, he's busy, he's bitter, your wife busy, your wife bitter, my husband busy, my wife busy, my wife busy, my wife bitter. Those things, they are not necessarily completely and out of place. Bible do not rule out the reality that we can annoy each other. So God already made provision for wife first to take it in and for husband to learn to take it in. And the reason why they should take it in is so that they can allow God to keep working in their marriage. It is God that can build your marriage. So God wants you to handle issues in your own that can keep allowing God to build your marriage for you. Don't because you have become revengeful towards what your wife is doing, because you become revengeful towards what your husband is doing, you have ended up coming to a situation where God is no more building your marriage for you. So your marriage no longer has God's backing. And what makes your marriage not to have God's backing, I want you to know, is because of the way you react to your spouse, not because of the wrong that your spouse did. I hope you understand me. Because God already made us to see that sometimes husband may not obey the word, may provoke, may do something that are not right, that are not correct, that are not expected, that are foolish or stupid. And wife too could do the same. And so what then makes your marriage a problem is not the foolishness or stupidity of your husband or of your wife. What is making your marriage have problem or where you are right now is your response to the foolishness and the stupidity. It's your response. The way you have been responding. The way you have been responding. Wife have responded in a way that she is no more valuable to God. And God is not backing you up. Husband have responded in a way that God doesn't want to answer your prayer. So eventually who is losing? Instead of, "In fact, this marriage is not working," you pray for this job, you don't get it, your children, your prayer, it seems not to be answered, you're running from pillar to post, the marriage is not working, you pray for this, it does not come, you ask for that, in fact, this marriage is... how did you get to that point? You've come to the point that your response to the foolishness and stupidity that pop up in your relationship. So the Bible encourages us that we should be careful so that our prayers be not hindered. Many couples today have destroyed the altar of prayer today. Their prayers have become what cannot be answered. Their prayers have become what cannot go beyond the roof of their house. Their prayers have become what cannot be answered over their life, over their marriage, over their children, over their career. Ah, many couples today have destroyed their prayer life. And they don't understand that the real problem that they are having is that they have by themselves closed the door of heaven against their marriage. Why are you still thinking your husband is the problem, or you keep thinking your wife is the problem? You forgotten there is something the scripture warned us about. That, look, handling issues where you annoy each other or provoke each other is something that we should not rule out in the relationship. It's something that will come up. So that you have your husband sometimes inconsiderate, he's busy, he's bitter, your wife busy, your wife bitter, my husband busy, my wife busy, my wife busy, my wife bitter. Those things, they are not necessarily completely and out of place. Bible do not rule out the reality that we can annoy each other. So God already made provision for wife first to take it in and for husband to learn to take it in. And the reason why they should take it in is so that they can allow God to keep working in their marriage. It is God that can build your marriage. So God wants you to handle issues in your own way that can keep allowing God to build your marriage for you. Don't because you have become revengeful towards what your wife is doing, because you become revengeful towards what your husband is doing, you have ended up coming to a situation where God is no more building your marriage for you. So your marriage no longer has God's backing. And what makes your marriage not to have God's backing, I want you to know, is because of the way you react to your spouse, not because of the wrong that your spouse did. I hope you understand me. Because God already made us to see that sometimes husband may not obey the word, may provoke, may do something that are not right, that are not correct, that are not expected, that are foolish or stupid. And wife too could do the same. And so when that is the lot, God made the two of you to be conscious of posture of yourself. You don't close heaven against your marriage. Why are you still thinking your husband is the problem, or you keep thinking your wife is the problem? You forgotten there is something the scripture warned us about. That, look, handling issues where you annoy each other or provoke each other is something that we should not rule out in the relationship. It's something that will come up. So you have your husband sometimes inconsiderate, he's busy, he's bitter, your wife busy, your wife bitter, my husband busy, my wife busy, my wife busy, my wife bitter. Those things, they are not necessarily completely and out of place. Bible do not rule out the reality that we can annoy each other. So God already made provision for wife first to take it in and for husband to learn to take it in. And the reason why they should take it in is so that they can allow God to keep working in their marriage. It is God that can build your marriage. So God wants you to handle issues in your own that can keep allowing God to build your marriage for you. Don't because you have become revengeful towards what your wife is doing, because you become revengeful towards what your husband is doing, you have ended up coming to a situation where God is no more building your marriage for you. So your marriage no longer has God's backing. And what makes your marriage not to have God's backing, I want you to know, is because of the way you react to your spouse, not because of the wrong that your spouse did. I hope you understand me. Because God already made us to see that sometimes husband may not obey the word, may provoke, may do something that are not right, that are not correct, that are not expected, that are foolish or stupid. And wife too could do the same. And so what then makes your marriage a problem is not the foolishness or stupidity of your husband or of your wife. What is making your marriage have problem or where you are right now is your response to the foolishness and the stupidity. It's your response. The way you have been responding. The way you have been responding. Wife have responded in a way that she is no more valuable to God. And God is not backing you up. Husband have responded in a way that God doesn't want to answer your prayer. So eventually who is losing? Instead of, "In fact, this marriage is not working," you pray for this job, you don't get it, your children, your prayer, it seems not to be answered, you're running from pillar to post, the marriage is not working, you pray for this, it does not come, you ask for that, in fact, this marriage is... how did you get to that point? You've come to the point that your response to the foolishness and stupidity that pop up in your relationship. So the Bible encourages us that we should be careful so that our prayers be not hindered. Look at what the Bible says. It says in the book of Ephesians, Ephesians chapter 4. Look at the encouragement the Bible gave us so to know for our life and how we relate. I read from verse 1, chapter 4, Ephesians chapter 4. "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called." Wife, I am begging you to walk worthy of this calling. What is the calling? The calling that we are called, husbands, I am begging you, in your relationship with your wife, there is a calling. You must walk worthy of the calling. That calling that I am talking about is in that Peter, that 1 Peter chapter 2, chapter 3 that I read. You know I gave the background in chapter 2. What are we called to? What is it to which we were called? I read 1 Peter chapter 2. I'll read from 20. Look at what we were called to. "For what credit is it if when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? If you do wrong and take it patiently, you don't have any credit for it." If you don't do what you ought to do and you are punished for it, you don't have any credit. If you enjoy the punishment, there's no credit, of course you are supposed to bear your punishment patiently. It says, "But when you do good and suffer, if you are doing good, yet what you are getting for that doing good is wrong, is evil, is wrongful, what you are getting for being good to people is that, and you still keep doing that good. It says, but when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called." So if your wife, if your wife is doing wrong and you're doing good to your wife, if your husband is doing wrong and you're doing good to your husband, you persist in this, you persevere, you continue in this, you refuse to do anything, you know, repaying evil for evil, you continue in doing good. It says "for to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example to follow in his steps. Who committed no sin." He didn't do anything wrong. Yet your husband is not loving you as he ought to love you. You've done nothing wrong. Yet your wife is not submitting to you as she ought to submit to you. You've done what you need to do to this woman, and yet she's misbehaving. She's disrespecting you. She doesn't do what you ought to do. Or you have done all what you need to do to the man. You have been so supportive. You have been so so supportive, and all you can get from this man is selfishness and self-centeredness. It's disrespect and disregard and inconsiderate, being inconsiderate and being self-centered. That's all you are getting. It says "who committed no sin. You have done no wrong. You check your heart, you check yourself, there is nothing wrong that you are doing. You have done all what you need to do to this man, and yet he's misbehaving. My daughter or my son, you have done nothing wrong. All your ways are please, they are pleasing to Me. You have kept holy spirit. Everything you are doing, the holy spirit have marked you correct, correct, correct, good, good, good, good, good. If that is the case, then must become like Jesus, who committed no sin. Although many times, that is not always the case. You have your own wrong that you have done. But we are saying that if it is that you have done no wrong, you check your relationship with your spouse, there is no where you did anything wrong. You can pass yourself in all the points, all your points is A1, A1, A1, A1 plus, A1 plus, A1 plus. That is the point. You check your relationship with your spouse and everything, A par excellence. Your behavior is godly par excellence, is good par excellence. You committed no sin. And no deceit is found in your mouth. You have not done anything. You have not by your tongue, you are not repaying the evil that comes from your tongue. You have not been insulting, you have not done anything, you have not threatened." It says "who being reviled, your husband is insulting you, your husband reviled you, he did not revile in return. You have suffered, yet you have not threatened." And if that is the situation, I'm saying that that is what you are called to. You are not you are not someone who doesn't know what he's doing. You know what you're doing. That is your ultimate call. That is our call. That is how we relate to our spouse. It is our call. That is our call. That is the matter of the "likewise, you wives; likewise, you husband; likewise, likewise," just like wives, the way Christ did it, you too likewise, go and be like Christ. That is your present call. And that is what the Bible is exhorting us to in Ephesians chapter 4. That Ephesians chapter 4, verse 1. He says, "I, therefore, the prisoner of our Lord Jesus Christ, beg you to walk worthy of the calling to which you were called." How do you walk worthy of that calling? "With all lowliness," that is humility. "Gentleness." "Longsuffering." You cannot walk worthy of this calling without lowliness of mind. Calm down, calm down, calm down, calm down. Bring down your mind. Calm down, calm down, calm down. All this agitation, "hey, hey, I will this, I will that, hey, hey," all these things, calm down, lowliness of mind, humility. You have a God behind you. There is a Father that can fight better than you can fight. He is the man of war. Nobody can defeat Him in battle. Jehovah, call Him "Olori Ogun, Onigbeja." He can fight your battle. You are supposed to hold your peace, for the battle is not yours. The battle is the Lord's. He can fight the battle. So you have to walk worthy of your calling with lowliness, with gentleness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love. You see? Husband, go and forbear your wife in love. Go and walk worthy of your calling. Wives, go and walk worthy of your calling. Walk worthy of your calling, that your prayers be not hindered. You have hindered your prayers. Your prayer over your marriage, over your children, over your career, over your labor, the works of your hand, your prayer, so many marriages have destroyed the altar of prayers today. They have closed heaven against themselves. They have closed heaven against their marriage. They have closed heaven against their children. They have closed heaven because of this relation you know, the way they react to their short-coming, the short-coming of one another. Don't close heaven against your marriage. Don't close heaven against your prayer. Don't close heaven against your children. Don't close heaven against the works of your hand. Don't close heaven against your labor. Don't close heaven against your life. Don't close heaven. You have closed heaven. You have destroyed the altar of prayer over your life, over your marriage. What is it that you are contending with your husband for? What is it that you are contending with your wife for? Go and drop your contention. Look at your wife in the face today and determine in your heart, "I will begin to do this woman good from now on." Wife, look at your husband today and make up your mind, "no matter what, I will do this man good." I make up my mind. This is my calling. I have been called to this. If you are a child of God, I speak to you by the word of the Lord today and by the spirit of prophecy. I speak to you today that if you will go back to your marriage and you will go back to honor the Lord, the Lord will honor you. I speak to you by the spirit of prophecy. I speak to you by the word of the Lord. If you will go back home today, if you will go back to your marriage today to honor the Lord, the Lord will honor you. Let's say the grace together. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forevermore. Amen and amen. [Speaker 2] This message is coming to you from Family Tent Ministry, a Christian ministry involved in enriching the lives of singles and married through preaching and teaching of God's word, discipleship, family life enrichment, social and community development, and mission heat. Our regular activities are discipleship class every Monday, 5:00 PM, Adolescent and Singles club every first Saturday of of every month at 10:00 AM. Marriage forum second Saturday of every month at 10:00 AM. Family life seminars, regular school outreaches, and everyday counseling. For further counseling, you can reach us at our location, Life Camp by the first bridge, Ilere community, opposite The Rejoice filling station along Ijeare road, Akure Ondo State Nigeria. You can also reach us through our social media handles, familytent@yahoo.co.uk, familytentministry01@gmail.com, www.familytentministry.org. Our phone numbers are 08033861136, 07033613848. God bless you all.