Main Text: Gen.18:17-19
Memory:
For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.(Gen.18:19)

Trust is very important in your relationship with your spouse. When there is high level of trust, your spouse may be ready to go to any level in supporting whatever you embark upon.
Following are some of the sources of loss of trust in a minister’s home:
You May Betray It Through Immorality.
Immorality is the source of fall for many ministers of God and is the reason why countless people have lost the trust of their spouses. Imagine a woman who discovers that you are having an affair with a member of the ministry. Whenever you go for external ministrations she will conclude that it is another opportunity for you to commit adultery. How easily can such woman identify or run with the vision God has given you? Ministers of God are highly prone to sexual temptations. When you fall into it, it will not only negatively affect your relationship with God, it will also make you to lose the trust of your wife and reduce her commitment to your ministry.
Don’t lose the trust of your wife through immorality.
You May Lose It Through Disobedience.
Another potential way of losing the trust of your spouse is through disobedience to God. Your not being obedient to God who has given you the vision is a way of communicating to your spouse that the vision is not important to you. If the vision is not important to you, how could it be more important to someone who is supposed to be your helper?

You May Lose It Through Lack Of Integrity.
Are you a man of your word? A man of integrity is a honest man; a man that is the same whether in the secret or in the open. How reliable are you? When your spouse notices that your actions are opposite to your words or preaching, it makes you to lose her trust.
You May Lose It Through Wasteful Spending
Can you be trusted to be prudent in the management of finance? Many have lost the trust of their spouse and the entire ministry through wasteful spending.
You May Lose It Through Laziness.
Even if you are a full-time minister, how many hours do you spend on the assignment God has given you?
You May Lose It Through Undesirable Relationships.
Sometimes, your wife may just be against a particular person because of the way of life of that person. The person may even be a minister of God. When you move with people who cannot be trusted, you may lose her trust.
You May Lose It Through The Evil Workings Of The Devil.
Often, many lose trust through no fault of theirs. The devil may play on your ignorance to set you up with a particular problem that can make you to lose the trust of your spouse (2Cor.2:11).

Discussion Points With Your Spouse
* Is there any way we have been losing our trust in each other?
* What are the steps we can take to restore trust in each other so that the vision may be positively impacted.

PRAYER
My father and God I separate myself from anything that is making me to lose trust in Jesus’ name.

QUOTABLE QUOTE
IF YOU LOSE THE TRUST OF YOUR SPOUSE, IT MAY NOT BE REGAINED SOON, AND THE CONSEQUENCES WILL ALWAYS BE VISIBLE AROUND YOU. -Dr. Mike Oluniyi

Main Text: Hab.2:2-3
Memory:
And the Lord answered me, and said,
Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables,
that he may run that readeth it. (Hab.2:2-3)

You can’t actualize your vision alone; you need others to run with the vision. Among the those who will be used by God for your vision to become a reality is your spouse.
Today, we are going to look at some of the principles that can help towards making your spouse to believe in and run with your vision.

The Principle Of Vision Sharing.
If you desire your spouse to run with your vision, he/ she must understand what your vision is all about. Does your wife know what God has called you to do? (Hab.2:2-3)
The principle of building according to the given pattern.
Building according to pattern is all about doing what God has shown you in the vision you were given (Heb.8:5b). Every diversion from your vision confuses your spouse and makes her to see inconsistency and reduces the trust she has in the vision.
The principle of goal-setting.
Goal-setting is vital for your spouse and others to know what to do next (1Cor.14:8). Your vision is so broad but you need to break it down into time-bound achievable goals. When it is in such state, it motivates everyone involved to achieve success.
The principle of role appreciation/ fault-blindness.
The principle of role appreciation and fault blindness propagates the appreciation of the contributions of your spouse to the ministry and the refusal to hammer on her faults. Many of us are guilty of condemning whatever our spouse does and emphasizing their faults.
The principle of acceptance of complementary vision.
This principle talks about accepting and co-owning the vision God has given your spouse.
Many ministers of God are at war with their spouse over the vision that God has given their spouse. There are also pastors who feel threatened about the gifts of their spouse.
The principle of spousal counsel and evaluation.
Spousal counsel and evaluation here is about being open enough to allow your spouse to evaluate what the ministry is doing and give a word of advice. When your wife has a say through counseling and evaluation, it gives her the feeling that you are in the ministry together. She might want to go the extra mile to ensure that things work out well for the ministry.
The principle of joint altar.
The principle of joint altar is such a powerful catalyst for your spouse to run with your vision. Anything you pray about, you will be on the lookout for it to come to pass.

If you want your spouse to be passionate about your vision, it does not just happen. There is a need to work towards it and even when it is achieved, there is a need to keep paying attention to the above principles as they will make your spouse to believe that she is a significant stakeholder in the ministry.
Discussion Points With Your Spouse
* Discuss each of the principles above with your spouse and see how far you can observe them.
* Is there anyone of the principles that can’t work for you even if you are a businessman and not a minister of God?

PRAYER
My father and God, may my spouse be encouraged to run with my vision in Jesus’ name.

QUOTABLE QUOTE
YOU ARE THE GREATEST DETERMINANT OF WHETHER OR NOT YOUR SPOUSE WILL RUN WITH YOUR VISION. – Dr. Mike Oluniyi

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matt.6:24)

Your spouse may be used either by the Holy Spirit to strengthen your ministry or by the devil to weaken or destroy your ministry. It all depends on who is making use of him or her. You should note that it is a spouse that is growing spiritually that can be used by the Holy Spirit to help your life and ministry. Consequently, it is important that you take steps to encourage your spouse’s spiritual growth so that at any point in time, she will be an instrument in the hands of God to help your ministry.
Pray For Her And With Her.
The scripture talks about one chasing a thousand and two putting ten thousands to flight. There is tremendous power in praying together as a couple concerning your ministry. Praying for your wife is also vital during your own personal prayers.
Encourage Your Spouse To Seek God’s Face In Decision Making.
Encouraging your spouse to rely on God when taking decisions is important because someone that relies on God’s leading will not do anything that will be inimical to the progress of the ministry even when offended.
Let Your Spouse Know That The Answer Is Not Always YES.
There is need for your spouse to know that the fact that things are not working the way expected does not mean God has abandoned the project. Sometimes, the answer to prayers may be NO or WAIT.

Discourage unholy influences.
Those that your spouse associates with are a very significant determinant of whether or not the Holy Spirit will make use of her in your ministry.
Encourage Your Spouse To Have a Role Model.
Who is the role model or the mentor of your spouse? A good role model may be the spouse of a senior minister of God who is a good influence in his or her spouse’s ministry.
Encourage Your Spouse to mentor upcoming ones.
It is also important for your spouse to mentor others because true mentors don’t want to disappoint their mentees.
Encourage Your Spouse to value heaven.
Your spouse will likely be willing to make herself an instrument in the hand of the Holy Spirit if she values heaven and knows that the fulfillment of ministry is a significant part of what defines whether one will have a testimony like that of Apostle Paul. (2 Tim.4:7-8)

Whether it is the Holy Spirit or the Devil that will make use of your spouse is often a resultant effect of your efforts. You need to pray that God will give you the grace to sacrifice anything you need to sacrifice to be able to achieve this, because the benefits accumulate over time.
Discussion Points With Your Spouse
* What steps can you take to make each other to be greater instruments in the hands of the Holy Spirit?

PRAYER
Father, make my spouse to become a help for me in life and ministry in Jesus’ name.

QUOTABLE QUOTE
YOUR SPOUSE IN THE HAND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE GREATEST HELP FOR YOUR LIFE; IN THE HAND OF THE DEVIL, YOUR SPOUSE IS THE GREATEST DESTRUCTIVE AGENT IN YOUR LIFE. – Dr. Mike Oluniyi

Main Text: Eccl.4:9-10
Two are better than one. Because they have a good rewards for their labour. (Eccl.4:9)
There are at least seven reasons why your spouse is vital to a successful ministry.
It Is Not Good For You To Be Alone. (Gen.2:18)
There are aspects in your ministry that will be better handled by your spouse than yourself or any other person. When you are alone and consequently ask members of the opposite sex to handle it, it exposes you to temptations that may create problems that if not properly managed can destroy your ministry.
Your Indispensable Partner In Ministry.
By the reason of tenure, which is for a lifetime, your spouse is the only permanent member of your ministry. When some people leave, it may be painful, but, somehow, others will assume their role with the passage of time.
To Overcome Temptation.
Your spouse acts as a shield for you against the opposite sex. There is nothing you see in the opposite sex that is not available in your spouse given the right circumstances.
To Provide Checks And Balances.
When you want to take a decision and there is disagreement over the issue, it may be better for you to pray further before taking the step as God in a lot of situations may use your spouse to caution you.
The Best Motivation For Spiritual Growth.
In your quest to meet the spiritual needs of your family, you will discover that your family becomes one of the greatest motivations for your spiritual growth.
Your Best Prayer Partner.
If there is harmony in the home, God may reveal things to you alternately, so that if you miss a vital message He is passing across to you, your wife will not miss it. God therefore alternately reveals His mind to you so that you will know what to pray about.
Your Best Laboratory For Practical.
Through your marriage, God provides a laboratory where you can put into practice what you have been preaching.

When you fail to understand the importance of your spouse in your life vision, whether spiritual or secular, there are likely going to be problems which will be compounded over time.

Discussion Points With Your Spouse
* Confess to your spouse his or her importance in your ministry and other life endeavors.
* Discuss the likely problems that may arise when you ask another member of the opposite sex to be doing what your spouse is supposed to be doing in your ministry.
* How seriously do we take the counsel of each other?

PRAYER
I receive the grace to know the importance of my spouse and be able to carry him or her along in the attainment of my vision in Jesus’ name.

QUOTABLE QUOTE
YOUR SPOUSE WILL EITHER BE THE GREATEST FRIEND OR THE GREATEST ENEMY THAT YOU WILL EVER HAVE IN LIFE. – Dr. Mike Oluniyi

Main Text: 1Pet.3:1-7
Memory:
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)

The most significant and constant person in your life is your spouse. By reason of tenure, which in most cases is for at least two thirds of your entire lifetime, and closeness, your spouse is the person that will make the greatest impact in your life whether for good or otherwise. It is therefore a relationship that you should handle with utmost care.
The above is so true in the life of any person but in the life of a minister of God, it is more so. The success or otherwise of any vision depends to a large extent on the spouse and the home of the visionary. A problem in the marriage of any committed Christian or a minister of God speaks louder than any other problem in his life and ministry.
If you are reading this and you have a contrary opinion, you are likely to belong to one of the categories below:
• Your are divorced or separated.
• Your home is in disarray.
• You have an alternative attraction to your spouse.
• The trust you have in your spouse has been eroded.
• You have unwholesome friends.
• You have a questionable foundation in ministry.
• You don’t understand the reason why your spouse is such a problem for you in ministry.
• You married against the will of God.

If you are in any of the categories above, you may not readily agree that your spouse is the most important person in your life and ministry. However, your present challenges do not in anyway negate the fact that, after your relationship with God, the most significant person in your ministry is your spouse. You must therefore give the relationship between you and your spouse the prime place it demands.

It is however also equally important to note that there is no situation in which all hope is lost in your marriage. Even if it appears that things have broken down beyond acceptable levels, God can still do something about your home if He is invited in.

Discussion Points With Your Spouse
* Is there any issue that has affected the position of your spouse in your heart?
* If you are experiencing any challenges in your ministry or any other life endeavor in relation to your spouse, try to be frank with each other as to the reasons why it is so.

PRAYER
My father and God, I receive the grace to relate positively with my spouse so as to bring out the best in him or her as the greatest help for my vision to be actualized in Jesus’ name.

QUOTABLE QUOTE
BY REASON OF TENURE, WHICH IS USUALLY ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF YOUR ENTIRE LIFETIME, YOUR SPOUSE WILL BE THE MOST CONSTANT AND SIGNIFICANT PERSON IN YOUR LIFE. -Dr. Mike Oluniyi