Intro
The world’s view of marriage is, “What can I GET from Marriage?”… it’s about receiving love! Our greatest need is NOT to be loved… we are already loved by God unconditionally. Our greatest need is to learn how to love like Christ loves the church. It’s two people learning to love God and each other… together.
God invites couples to walk in unity and to make Him the 3rd strand in their relationship.
12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. – Ecclesiastes 4:12 NIV
The Intimacy of Prayer
3 Types of Intimacy in Marriage
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- Spiritual Intimacy: The unity of souls through prayer, worship, and faith.
- Emotional Intimacy: The connection of hearts through communication.
- Physical Intimacy: God’s gift to physically express covenant love.
Marriage is not just for a husband and wife to build emotional and physical intimacy… but also spiritual intimacy through prayer and God’s Word. It’s important to have your own prayer and Bible study time with God… but the intent is to have time with God, together as a couple! That is what builds your spiritual intimacy.
Less than 1% of married couples who pray together everyday, end in divorce.
7 In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered. – 1 Peter 3:7 NLT
Spiritual Intimacy: “so your prayers will not be hindered”.
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- Peter assumed that husbands and wives would pray together.
- It is the prayer life that indicates how things are going in the home. If something is wrong, the prayers will be hindered. You won’t want to pray together.
- It forces you to work through the problems.
- You can’t stay upset at the other person while praying for them.
19 “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” – Matthew 18:19-20 NKJV
Practical Ways to Pray Together
1. Pray with Vulnerability
16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. – James 5:16 ESV
2. Pray Daily
Book: “Praying for Your Husband from Head to Toe” by Sharon Jaynes
3. Worship Together
4. Read a Scripture Together and Discuss It
5. Speak Blessings Over Each Other
21 Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. – Proverbs 18:21 NKJV
6. Hold Hands When You Pray
7. Fast Together Occasionally
Benefits of Praying Together
1. Peace Fills the Home
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV
2. God’s Presence Becomes More Tangible
3. Intimacy Deepens…not just Spiritually & Emotionally, but also Physically
Barriers to Praying Together
1. Pride
2. Distractions
3. Fear or Shame
24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. 25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. – Genesis 2:24-25 NKJV
Adam and Eve had dominion over creation and were to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. They were physically alive, which means their souls were in union with their bodies. They were spiritually alive, which means their souls were in union with God. Adam and Eve were secure and significant.
They had a sense of belonging to God and to each other. They were naked and unashamed because they had nothing to hide and therefore no need to cover up. That is what Oneness in Marriage looks like!
4 Love is patient (remember we are work in progress!) and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. – 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV
12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. – Colossians 3:12-15 NLT