What the devil sees in your marriage. “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.” Luke 14:26 1

What do think the devil sees in your marriage? Does he see an opportunity? Do you understand Ephesians 4:17-27? “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.” In the context of this passage can Paul only be talking about when you are meeting with the church? Isn’t it about recognizing in your life what is making you angry. It is not sinful to be angry, but are you giving place to the devil by being angry over something in your marriage? 2

WHAT DOES THE DEVIL SEE IN YOUR MARRIAGE?  Do you ever ask yourself the question, “Why am I angry?”  Many times we are not truthful with ourselves concerning the true answer to this question. 3

“Neither give place to the devil.”  The devil will see who or what you put first in your marriage as will your mate and children.  The devil now sees you replacing the wisdom of God for what you think is right as you fight to gratify yourself above your mate!  The devil now has a place to stand so he can destroy your friendship with your mate. 4

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; (does not keep a record of wrongs.) HCSB does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 5

Have you abandon the precepts of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7?  Do you lose your temper with each other over the smallest things?  Do you use the words “always and never” in a defense or accusation of each others short comings?  Do you play the “blame game” in which no one wins, but everyone loses? 6

Have you abandon the precepts of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7?  Do you hold grudges and drag up old hurts in order to win an argument?  LOVE KEEPS NO ACCOUNT OF WRONGS 1 Corinthians 13:5 7

1 Peter 3:7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered. 8

Colossians 3:19 “Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.” Do you still open the door for her? Do you forget to tell each other how much you love each other when the baby cries in the middle of the night, or when the young children are demanding of your time? Or do you just say - (Your Turn!) 9

Matthew 10:37 “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” Children can become a source of idolatry, which parents must guard against for the sake of the child. 10

1 Timothy 3:1-7 Titus 1:6-7  “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;”  “if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money,” 11

How Shall the Young Secure their Hearts and Guard their Lives from Sin? If we the parents do not love one another as husband and wife, how will the children learn to love God, or respect any kind of authority figure in their lives? Mark 10:13-16; Jesus said, “But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.” 12