| A gigantic castle built high onto the cliffs | | | | to stand up against the Devil's evil tricks. |
| was surrounded by a massive twenty foot thick | | | | For we are not fighting against human beings |
| rock wall on three sides and a heavy wood | | | | but against the wicked spiritual forces in |
| door reinforced with metal. The ocean | | | | the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, |
| protected its rear side with a shore line of | | | | and cosmic powers of this dark age." |
| jagged fearsome looking boulders that | | | | |
| prevented all boats from accessing its | | | | What does this have to do with marriage? It |
| shores. It was an impenetrable fortress | | | | has everything to do with marriage. Look at |
| protected with parapets attached to the walls | | | | yourself as if you are a castle no matter how |
| for the thousands of armed forces that | | | | strong you are in the spring there is always |
| further guarded it from enemy attack. | | | | an army that wants to take you on and destroy |
| | | | the world that you created for yourself. They |
| It was an awesome sight that had intrigued | | | | want what you have and they will stop at |
| many kings and mighty generals who tried | | | | nothing to get it. |
| without success to conquer its people and | | | | |
| bring its kings to an early grave. Yet every | | | | This is how our world works. When you love, |
| spring without fail a new ambitious army | | | | Satan wants to destroy your marriage because |
| would defiantly take a stand and wage war! | | | | he hates love. Satan stands for everything |
| | | | that can possibly go wrong in your marriage. |
| Have you ever wished that your relationship | | | | God on the other hand stands for love. |
| was as strong as a castle built on a gigantic | | | | Because you love you are following God. |
| rock? A refuge where you would feel totally | | | | Satan fights against love because he is the |
| safe and secure where nothing could penetrate | | | | enemy of everything good. |
| the fortress you built around your family. | | | | |
| People couldn't break your marriage up! | | | | A great battle is raging outside the walls of |
| Raging storms could not topple the steel and | | | | your marriage wanting to topple the walls and |
| stone that kept you safely knit together | | | | end your love. The only way to save the |
| against all forces of natural disasters and | | | | marriage is to understand how to shield |
| wars. | | | | yourself from the war that is meant to |
| | | | annihilate your marriage. |
| Wouldn't it be wonderful if you were provided | | | | |
| with everything you needed in order to keep | | | | Whether you are a Christian or you don't pay |
| your marriage strong and true? Boy wouldn't | | | | any attention to God, you will still be |
| it be great? Except, in today's world, a | | | | attacked if you love someone. For God is |
| marriage like this is seldom protected | | | | love! Your only defense is to understand |
| against the bad things that normally happen | | | | what kind of offense you must build in order |
| to people. | | | | to fight back! |
| | | | |
| Most marriages fail in the first one to three | | | | Ephesians 6: 13, "So put on God's armor now! |
| years. Even though the couple are in love, | | | | Then when the evil day comes, you will be |
| they can't stand up against the controversy | | | | able to resist the enemy's attacks; and after |
| that takes place when one of them loses a job | | | | fighting to the end, you will still hold your |
| or goes through a sickness that makes them | | | | ground." |
| dependent on their mate. When the love dulls | | | | |
| and real life suddenly kicks in, they notice | | | | You must have a strong belief system in God |
| their mates flaws and they realize how much | | | | if you want a long-lasting marriage. The |
| they must sacrifice for the other person's | | | | only way to do this is to read your Bible and |
| children who were born from another marriage. | | | | pray for protection against Satan. A couple |
| | | | who prays together stays together! When you |
| When you are a Christian and your marriage is | | | | are in a world that is intertwined with an |
| in shambles you blame God. You did | | | | unseen spiritual world your only defense is |
| everything right and yet all you do as a | | | | activating your faith in God and casting all |
| couple is fight. You don't understand why | | | | of your cares onto Him. |
| God won't make the other person see that they | | | | |
| are wrong and you are right. Doesn't God | | | | God is your offense and your defense against |
| want your marriage to work? | | | | Satan's evil forces. Satan fights against |
| | | | love, while God holds love together and makes |
| On the other hand if God was never a part of | | | | it strong! |
| your marriage, then you cry and become | | | | |
| emotional, while telling all of your friends | | | | Ephesians 6: 16-18, "At all times carry faith |
| what a liar you married. They are very | | | | as a shield; for with it you will be able to |
| consoling while pointing out to you the other | | | | put out all the burning arrows shot by the |
| person's flaws, but behind your back they may | | | | Evil One. And accept salvation as a helmet, |
| be secretly laughing at your mistake. | | | | and the word of God as the sword which the |
| | | | Spirit gives you. Do all this in prayer, |
| Unfortunately either story can be millions of | | | | asking for God's help. Pray on every |
| peoples experience when they fall head over | | | | occasion, as the Spirit leads. For this |
| heels for the wrong person. Most people have | | | | reason keep alert and never give up; pray |
| no idea what makes a good marriage and being | | | | always for all God's people." |
| blind to the other person's flaws is one of | | | | |
| the prices you pay when you take a flying | | | | God wants to help you stand up against the |
| leap into the passion of love. | | | | evil forces that want to topple your castle |
| | | | into the ocean below. He wants to make your |
| What makes a marriage a union that stays | | | | marriage so strong that nothing can stand up |
| together no matter what the couple faces in | | | | against it and make it fail. God wants to |
| life? When you are dealing with people it is | | | | Save your relationship and make it last in to |
| not black or white. It takes work that can | | | | a 50 year commitment, but you must ask Him |
| only happen when both are no longer two | | | | for His help. |
| people; but one. This takes a supernatural | | | | |
| power! It takes praying to a higher power | | | | Joshua 5:13&14, "While Joshua was near |
| than ourselves. It takes knowing how God | | | | Jericho, he suddenly saw a man standing in |
| wants two people to make it in order to stand | | | | front of him, holding a sword. Joshua went |
| up to the bad things that are meant to | | | | up to him and asked, 'Are you one of our |
| destroy love on the earth. | | | | soldiers, or an enemy?' |
| | | | |
| If you really want to know what makes a | | | | 'Neither,' the man answered. 'I am here as |
| marriage strong then you must look at our | | | | the commander of the Lord's army.'" |
| world for what it is. It is a battleground | | | | |
| of good versus evil. It is a journey that | | | | Joshua was about to take the Israelites into |
| takes you on a quest of knowledge that is | | | | the Promised Land. They were going to have |
| meant to pit you against opposition so you | | | | to fight! Because they prayed and relied on |
| will make the right choice. | | | | God, he sent them a supernatural army to |
| | | | fight for them. |
| It is an emotional rollercoaster that can | | | | |
| take you on the most exciting ride that you | | | | When you are in a great game of life you will |
| have ever experienced in life. But in order | | | | face opposition. But when you activate your |
| to hold tight to your love you must | | | | faith in God, He will send out thousands of |
| understand the rules to playing the game of | | | | Angels to defend your love. Our prayers make |
| life. | | | | us strong. Our belief system gives us the |
| | | | faith to stand up against family problems, |
| Ephesians 6:10-12, "Finally, build up your | | | | sicknesses, devastating storms, and the wars |
| strength in union with the Lord and by means | | | | that will happen to people. This is how you |
| of his mighty power. Put on all the armor | | | | make your marriage last: build your castle |
| that God gives you, so that you will be able | | | | on the solid rock of God! |