Main Text: Isa.54:15-17
Memory:
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Is.54:17)

A lot of battles that we fight in marriage are really spiritual battles which we ignorantly fight physically. However, anyone who fights a spiritual battle physically is bound to lose.
You may not believe that there are spiritual forces or supernatural arrows that may be sent to scatter your marriage but it does not negate the fact that they exist. Following are some of the sources of the arrows:
– Those you might have offended.
– Those that just envy the way you and your spouse lovingly relate with each other.
– Those who desire to have you or your spouse.
– The arrows may come from home – your own relatives or those of your spouse having the feeling that the unity in your home is so strong that you or your spouse is not paying adequate attention to them.
– It may be from your competitors who feel that your life will be disorganized once your home is destroyed.
– It may be due to an unbroken curse.
– Finally, spiritual attack may be attracted to you through your past or present ways of life or even that of your parents. A man who has been married for twelve years without any child went for prayers and it was revealed to him that he was cursed by his former girlfriend whom he impregnated but rejected the pregnancy. During the pains of delivery, the lady cursed him that if really he was the one that impregnated her, he would not experience the joy of fatherhood until he returned to claim the child.

So, the battle of principalities and powers can only be fought spiritually. Therefore, if you notice an abnormal trend in your family,
1. Pray for discernment
2. Pray on steps to be taken
3. If there is need for restitution, take step
4. Pray for deliverance
5. If it is an inherited curse, declare yourself and entire family free by using relevant scriptures

In fact, you should not even wait until you experience the battle before you start soaking your spouse and entire home in the blood of Jesus and declaring your home a forbidden territory for the devil.
Discussion Points With Your Spouse
* Carefully look at your home. Is there anything happening or a trend you need to pray about in the light of the above?

PRAYER
Father, make me spiritually sensitive so that I won’t be fighting spiritual battles physically in my marriage in Jesus’ name.

QUOTABLE QUOTE
ANYONE WHO FIGHTS SPIRITUAL BATTLE PHYSICALLY IN A MARRIAGE WILL LOSE THE BATTLE OVER HIS HOME

Main text: Lk.22:31-32
Memory:
But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: … (Lk.22:32a)

The battle of the anchor is the battle which you must fight in your marriage to ensure that you don’t lose your faith. When the anchor of a ship is in place, it cannot be drifted away by the turbulence of the sea. Your faith in God serves as the anchor which holds you steady when the storms of life come. One basic fact of life is that it won’t always be rosy. While we pray that it will always be beautiful, ugly situations you don’t pray for will rear its ugly head. These ugly situations are often so distressing that you may take the wrong steps if you lose faith in your God. However, if your anchor is in place, there are numerous assurances from the word of God which will keep you steady so that you won’t be swept away by the turbulent times. That is the message to you in the following scriptures:
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (Jn.16:33)
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkestthrough the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. (Is.43:2)

The devil will definitely try some pranks with your home since he knows that spiritually stable homes are not easily manipulated by him. He will do everything practically possible to bring violent storms that will threaten the ship of your marriage. This should not be surprising to you anyway. After all, the scriptures have this to say about him:
The thief cometh not, but for to steal and to kill, and to destroy. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly [John 10:10]

You should know and be convinced that whatever may come your way must have been experienced by another person even in a worse manner. You must also know that every problem has an expiry date. If only you can remain connected to your God, a time will come when the matter will become a testimony that you may share to encourage others.

Discussion Points With Your Spouse
• If you are going to be sincere with yourselves, will you say that you have the anchor? In other word, have you given your life to Jesus Christ?
• If you have given your life to Him, how will you describe your level of faith in His ability to handle all difficult situations in your life and home?

PRAYER
My father and my God, may my faith in you never fail in Jesus’ name.

QUOTABLE QUOTE
WITHOUT THE ANCHOR OF YOUR FAITH, THE SHIP OF YOUR MARRIAGE EASILY DRIFTS TOWARDS DESTRUCTION. – Dr. Mike Oluniyi

Main Text: Amos 6:1-2
Memory:
Woe to you who are at ease in Zion, And trust in Mount Samaria,…(Amos 6:1)

The battle of ease is the kind of battle that is personally waged against your marriage ignorantly by you yourself when you feel that you have ‘arrived’. This battle is self-inflicted and so it is a difficult battle since you may not even be aware that you are the one waging the war against your home.
As human beings, we often manage success with carelessness. When God has blessed us, we have the feeling that the success is due to our wisdom and therefore often become proud and ungovernable and start going after what we should not really pursue. We often fail to realize that our success is by the mercy of God. Many who kept their homes through the period of lack, often fail when success comes. You may not know a man that is faithful to God and his marriage vows until success comes. A man who appeared to love his wife during the period that he is struggling may start seeing the faults that were not visible to him when God blesses him with a good car and considerable income. A woman may also ignorantly cause her home a lot of damage when success comes. The battle of ease must be fought and won so that the story of your marital life that started well will end well.
How To Win The Battle Of Ease
• Have a mentor that your spouse can report you to because the battle of ease creates an illusion of invincibility around you which makes you to feel too important for anyone to talk to.
• Humble yourself as it will help you to win the battle of ease.
• Be grateful to God; many that are better than you have ended up with bitter stories.
• Make up your mind that you will always be open to the counsel of your spouse.
• Put God first and be prayerful.
• Be careful of the friends you keep.
• Make up your mind that when success comes, you will remain faithful to God and to your marital vows.

Discussion Points With Your Spouse
* Is there any way that the above message is referring to either of you?
* Just in case there is need to do so, is there any one you respect, to whom your spouse may report you and you will do what he or she asked you to do unquestionably?

PRAYER
Father, at any level of prosperity that you may take me to, let me remain humble so that I will not lose the battle of ease in Jesus’ name.
(For further reading; Deut.8:11-18)

QUOTABLE QUOTE
YOU MAY NEVER KNOW A MAN THAT IS FAITHFUL TO HIS MARITAL VOWS UNTIL GOD BLESSES HIM WITH MONEY; NOR A WOMAN THAT IS SUBMISSIVE UNTIL SHE ASSUMES POWER.- Dr. Mike Oluniyi

Main Text:1Tim.6-7
Memory:
Now godliness with contentment is great gain. (1Tim.6:6)

The battle of contentment is all about being contented with your spouse. Marriage creates a world of reality around you, the characteristics of which is peculiar to your own family alone. You will be doing your home a lot of good if you recognize these realities because if you fail to do so, it will be detrimental to the success of your home. The features of other families are different from your own. When you look at what God or circumstances have packaged into another family, that family may appear to be more blessed than your own. Covetousness often comes in naturally as you look at your family and conclude that God has not been fair to you. It is a real battle to prevent yourself and/or your spouse from unnecessary pressures that result from trying to catch up, take possession or bring down others.
There are several reasons why you may need to fight and win the battle of contentment. Some of them are:
– Lack of contentment will make you to be blind to the good features of your marriage.
– If you are not contented with your spouse, you can’t enjoy your family.
– When you are not contented with your family, it will make the home environment to be filled with uncertainty and fear of the next thing that might happen.
– You will see nothing wrong in being cruel and violent against your spouse because you are already obsessed with another person.
– Lack of contentment may expose your life and that of your family members to a lot of dangers.
– It may lead you to doing things that a child of God would not have done.
– It is very difficult for a covetous person to maintain good relationship with God as a result of ungrateful heart.

In other to win the battle of contentment, you may need to note the following:
• Always look at your spouse as the best thing that can ever happen to you.
* Be grateful to God about the circumstances of your family.
• Remember that your spouse, if possessed by another person, would be celebrated despite all the shortcomings you might have discovered in him or her.
• Remember always that one of the most expensive ventures in life is divorce. One may not know how expensive it is until he goes into it.

Discussion Points With Your Spouse
* Look at something in your spouse that makes him or her the best gift that God has ever given you.
* What do you feel should have been mentioned above as one of the reasons why you must win the battle of contentment.

PRAYER
My father and my God, I receive the grace to win the battle of contentment in my home. Let my spouse remain always attractive to me in Jesus’ name.

QUOTABLE QUOTE
IF YOU ARE NOT CONTENTED WITH YOUR SPOUSE, IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE YOU DRIFT AWAY FROM HOME. – Dr. Mike Oluniyi

Main Text: Rom.12:18-19
Memory:
If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.(Rom.12:18)

When there is a conflict and it is not properly managed, it grows deeper and deeper until it eventually becomes unmanageable. The effects are numerous but the problem with most couples in conflict is that they don’t really take time to consider its potential effect on their lives, members of their family and the society at large. The more the conflict deteriorates, the more damaging the effects are, not only on the couple but on others especially their children. Some of the effects are:
Loss of peace
Wasted resources
Loneliness
Unfulfilled life
Negative effect on children
Spiritual paralysis
Mental and physical torture which may lead to high blood pressure and untimely death
Divorce
Extramarital affairs

In other word, the effects of unresolved conflict are devastating on the physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of the husband and the wife. It may eventually lead to separation or divorce.
Perhaps the most important thing to know about the effect of marital conflict is that its effect is beyond the parties involved. It affects the children, the church and the society at large. For instance, a woman who is not at peace with her husband will very likely visit her frustration on whoever comes her way.

Another thing to note is that the more you allow the conflict to linger, the more damaging the effects may be on the home and those that are connected to the family.

Also, when there is conflict at home, your ability to make decisions that are based on the considered opinion and agreement between the two of you is seriously hampered. Your business decisions and other decisions will be of higher quality if you and your spouse are in agreement, taking joint decisions. Hear this scripture:

…One shall chase a thousand but two shall put ten thousand to flight…(Deut.32:30)

Consequently, when you are in conflict with your spouse, you are denying yourself of that power of agreement that God has put between husband and wife. You will be chasing a thousand instead of putting ten thousand to flight.

Finally, when there is conflict with your spouse, you run the risk of unanswered prayers. There is awesome spiritual power and potency in marital unity.

Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. (1Pet.3:7)

As a conclusion, let it be known that the effect of conflicts can be devastating on you, your spouse, children, society and your relationship with God. For this reason, though conflicts are inevitable in marital relationships, you must do everything possible to nip it in the bud before it grows and becomes something that will destroy vital relationships in your life.

Discussion Points With Your Spouse
* As you reflect, what are the factors that has helped you in managing conflicts in your home.
* What are some of the effects you notice whenever there is conflict between you and your spouse?

PRAYER
Father I receive the grace to overcome every obstacle to peace in my home in Jesus’ name.

QUOTABLE QUOTE
CONFLICT DEGENERATES BECAUSE MOST COUPLES DON’T KNOW THE POTENTIAL DAMAGING EFFECTS IT MAY HAVE ON THEIR HOME. Dr. Mike Oluniyi.