In this chapter we talk about our husband’s mind. We may think we know everything about our husbands, but I can guarantee there are some places in his mind that we have never been let into. These are the places we need to pray over.
Stormie writes a little about her husband and his mind: “I used to attribute my husband’s mind struggles to his musical genius. You know the artistic temperament- bright and brilliant on one hand, dark and moody on the other. When he would get down, the words in his mind told him he was going to fail, be worth nothing, that he was incapable of doing what he needed to do. It had no basis in reality because he had those kinds of thoughts even in the midst of his most productive work. I didn’t realize for a long time that the mind battle he endured did not have to be written off as ‘just the way he is.’ Not did he have fight alone. If he and I were one, then an assault on his mind was an assault on me as well. I could stand with him in the battle by declaring, ‘This is not God speaking into my husband’s life, it’s the voice of the enemy. I’m not going to stand by and watch deadly games being played with his mind and our lives.’”
I don’t know about you, but I have seen this in my husband as well. I may hear things like, “I’m a failure,” “I can’t do anything right,” or “I am just not good enough.” Realizing that this is not just him, but Satan working in his life to bring him down, is the first step to helping him. We have to take a stand for our husbands in prayer and by encouraging them, letting them know that God created them fearfully and wonderfully and that we love them inspite of their failures. Encourage them to bring everything to God and let Him help them with their problems.
Stormie continues… “As I traveled the country with my speaking engagements and talked with women from all walks of life, I have been amazed to see how universal this problem is. In fact, it didn’t seem to matter what temperaments or backgrounds their husbands had, they experienced the same kind of lies in their mind. I finally realized that all men have an enemy who wants to undermine what God desired to do in their lives. Women have that same enemy, but men seem to be more vulnerable to his attacks in certain areas. Even the strongest man can get exhausted, overwhelmed, burdened, desperate, or caught up in things that keep him away from the presence of God. He doesn’t always have to see the traps of an enemy who wants him to believe that what he faces is insurmountable. His mind fills with words like ‘hopeless,’ ‘no good,’ ‘failure,’ ‘impossible,’ ‘it’s over,’ and ‘why try?’ A wife can pray that her husband will discern the lies and hear instead words like ‘hope,’ ‘prosperity,’ ‘possibility,’ ‘success,’ and ‘new beginning,’ and know that they’re from God.” I know that I have a lot of these same doubts and fears in my mind. If I am having them, than how much more is my husband having them? It is definitely something to be more aware of!
So what can we do? “The two most powerful weapons against the attack of lies upon your husband’s mind are the Word of God and Praise.”
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” -Hebrews 4:12
“By speaking God’s Word, you can reveal wrong thinking and it will lose its power. If your husband won’t do it for himself, you can speak the Word of God over him, either in his presence or alone in prayer, and see positive results.”
“Praise is also a powerful tool because God’s presence comes to dwell in our midst when we worship Him. In His presence we find healing and transformation for our lives.”
“Depression, bitterness, anger, fear, rejection, hopelessness, loneliness, rebellion, temptation, evil, and many diseases all begin in the mind. These things can control your life unless you take control of your mind first. That’s why God instructs us not to accept as truth everything we think. Let’s pray for our husbands to receive the mind of Christ and bring every thought captive under God’s control.”
Prayer:
“Lord, I pray your protection on my husband’s mind. Shield him from the lies of the enemy. Help him to clearly discern between Your voice and any other, and show him how to take every thought captive as You have instructed us to do. May he thirst for Your Word and hunger for Your truth so that he can recognize wrong thinking. Give him strength to resist lying thoughts. Remind him that he has the mind of Christ. Where the enemy’s lies have already invaded his thoughts, I push them back by inviting the power of the Holy Spirit to cleanse his mind. Lord, You have given me authority ‘over all the power of the enemy’ (Luke 10:19). By that authority given to me in Jesus Christ, I command all lying spirits away from my husband’s mind. I proclaim that God has given (husband’s name) a sound mind. He will not entertain confusion, but live in clarity. He will not be tormented by impure, evil, negative, or sinful thoughts, but be transformed by the renewing of his mind, that he may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Romans 12:2).”
“Enable him to be ‘strong in the Lord and in the power of His might’ (Ephesians 6:10). Help him to be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let his requests be made known unto You and may Your peace, which surpasses all understanding, guard his heart and mind through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6.7). And finally, whatever things are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, having virtue or anything praiseworthy, let him think on these things (Philippians 4:8).
Power Tools:
-II Corinthians 10:3-5
-Romans 8:6
-Romans 7:23
-Romans 7:25
-Mark 12:30
Questions:
1. Have you been praying for your husband at least 5 minutes a day?
2. Last time we talked about our husband’s temptations; were you able to pray for him in this area?
3. Did you notice any changes?
If you would like to discuss the Bible Study with others, please join the message boards here:
http://community.wivesoffaith.org/
Popularity: 3% [?]
