My life coach last week when talking with my son, expressed the same understanding, explaining to him the difference between the soul and the spirit. Why we can have the Spirit of God in us but still operate in our flesh and have strongholds in our emotions. She stated that the Lord has written His word on our hearts. That's why even people that do not want to acknowledge there is a God still know right from wrong. His word says..
Jeremiah 31:33
“I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people."
Hebrews 10:16
"This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the LORD: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds."
These are just a couple. The point is His word is already alive in the earth. It already rest in the hearts of man. We just need to speak it forth. As I dwelt on this concept, His word is already written on our hearts, it became so beautiful to me. I began to make it my prayer over my husband. I began to thank and praise the Lord that His word was already in my husband. That it would now begin to spring forth and produce good fruit. The Holy Spirit would begin to bring it to life in my husband and that he would begin to align with it, understand it, and hunger for it, move with it. At some point as I became joyous with my praise I began to see an image of God opening His mouth and His words just began to flow into my husbands opened mouth. It flowed like a music bar just filling him. His words looked like dancing music notes. It was so melodius. I don't even know if that is a real word, but His word was flowing like a melody into my husband. I became so excited and started praising and shouting "Yes Lord! Sing into my husband! Sing over my husband! Let him become your delight! Make him full of your joy!! Fill him with your word with your praise!" (so on) I knew the Lord was in my husband now.
I then began to pray my favorite prayers and declarations such as my husband is led by the Spirit and does not fulfill the lust of the flesh. He is drawn to the Lord by His unfailing loving kindness. He walks the path of righteousness. He is surrounded by the presence of God who is in relentless pursuit of him and overwhelmed with His love, and so on. I pulled out my The Power Of A Praying Wife book and began to pray over his fatherhood, emotions, and attitude. When finished there I began to praise the Lord with Psalm 100:4
"Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name."
I found myself going back to this verse saying, "Lord, I am thankful to him, and I praise his name."
Then I caught myself and said Lord I'm sorry I didn't mean to ...and He stopped me. He let me know it's okay to be thankful to my husband. It's okay to praise him. He knows I was not praising my husband as a means of worship. He wants us to have that kind of attitude towards our spouses, regardless of how they are acting.(That is the sacrifice of praise!) He wants us to come before Him rejoicing over our spouses. That is what puts a smile on His face and allows Him to move and change the atmosphere around our situations and in their hearts, as well as our own. It was a joyous time!
Remember even Sarah called Abraham lord, and it was not considered disrespectful to God. It was the highest form of respect. Respect leads to love.
Ephesians 5:22
"Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord."
How do you love the Lord?
I texted my husband, " I am thankful to you! I praise your name...Mr....!"
He didn't respond, but that's okay. This journey is about learning to love unconditionally and without expectations. I almost hate saying it because then I'm tested on it. But I am being tested and trained anyways. It's just so hard! lol It's okay because I am learning to trust in the Lord completely. Do you understand what that means??? It means a more deeper intimacy with God. It means a more powerful you. A you that is unafraid, NOT LACKING ANYTHING!! It's okay to sow seeds of love without expectation. It doesn't make you less of a person. God will not allow love to take away from you. You always reap what you sow. Trust HIM!!! It helps me to personally look back and acknowledge all the times my husband said I love you and I never responded with the same words. I showed him by doing things for him, but I rarely said I love you to him. Now I know how he felt and I am sorry. I would say I am regretful but I was delivered from all that as of yesterday. Yes, I got to put myself in the judgement seat. It was a good experience and one to write about in the next blog.
Bless your spouse.
Jeremiah 31:3
“I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with loving-kindness."
Thank you Lord for loving (spouse/child/friend name) and loving them with an everlasting love. Thank you for drawing (spouse/child/friend name) with your unfailing loving kindness.
And His promise to you my love..
Jeremiah 31
4 I will build you up again
and you will be rebuilt...
Again you will take up your tambourines
and go out to dance with the joyful.
5 Again you will plant vineyards...
the farmers will plant them and enjoy their fruit.
12 They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion;
they will rejoice in the bounty of the Lord—
the grain, the new wine and the oil,
the young of the flocks and herds. (your finances, substance)
They will be like a well-watered garden,
and they will sorrow no more. (personalize this. I will sorrow no more)
13 Then maidens will dance and be glad,
young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning into gladness;
I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.
14 I will satisfy the priests with abundance,
and my people will be filled with my bounty,”
declares the Lord.
16 This is what the Lord says:
“Restrain your voice from weeping
and your eyes from tears,
for your work will be rewarded,”
declares the Lord.
“They will return from the land of the enemy.
17 So there is hope for your future,” declares the Lord.
“Your children(spouse) will return to their own land."