Hello friends,
This weekend Alex and I had the great honor of being apart of a wedding. This was not just any wedding. It was the wedding of two of our dearest friends. Two people, we have grown up with and love very much. To people who love to worship!
Several months ago they came to us and asked us to be apart of their day. As they were talking through their plans the bride said something that did not completely make sense to me until the day of the wedding.
I do not want a wedding ceremony, I want a worship service.
I understood she wanted worship to be apart of her day, but I did not fully understand how much so until the day of the wedding. These two people are worshippers. So it should have been no surprise that this would be a part of their wedding; however, they took it a step further. They wanted their first act as a married couple to be an act of worship. So after the vows and the rings, the band started playing, “Faithful till the End” and the bride and groom worshiped their God, together. They had become one in the sight of God and then they became one through worship to God.
As I stood to the side watching this couple, I saw a couple completely unified at that moment. I saw a couple with one sole focus. I saw a couple using one of the many weapons the Lord has given us to fight our battles- worship
Worship as a Weapon
We live in a fallen world. This is getting more and more evident to me as the days pass. Every day brings more news of brokenness, sickness, and hopelessness. It is so easy to let this weigh us down if we are not careful. Jesus did not keep the state of our world a secret to us. In fact, He flat out told us how bad it would be, but He also left us with a promise.
I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.] John 16:33
He told us the truth but He left us with a promise. Yes, things will be hard some times but I give you peace(perfect peace) to walk through it. This is great news but…
How can we apply this to our marriage?
Stronger Together
Jesus left us with a wonderful promise. He promised us peace that passes all understanding. We literally have everything we need inside of us at our disposal. Unfortunately, sometimes it is hard to wrap our brains around that. This is one reason why it is so important for a couple to be unified spiritual. We are all under attack by an enemy who hates us and wants to kill us, our loved ones, and our most important relationships.
As a married couple, we have the ability to tap into that peace together, we have the ability to lift one another up and help each other. Marriage offers a defense against the attack of the enemy by offering a safe place and spiritual support.
The Word tells us two are better than one. I believe this is especially true in marriage!
Two are better than one because they have a more satisfying return for their labor; for if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and does not have another to lift him up. Again, if two lie down together, then they keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? And though one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Worship as Warfare
There are a lot of stresses right now that are threatening our peace. There are a lot of new stresses right now that we would not have dreamed of 4 months ago. To say we are under both a physical attack and a spiritual attack is an understatement. These attacks can take a toll on our marriages if we are not careful. The fear and division can cause strife between you and your spouse if you are not intentional about turning toward each other instead of away. Fortunately for us, we have been given a way to fight back!
2 Ways to Fight Your Battles with Worship
In the Old Testament, we find the Children of Israel! They had just come out of slavery and we going toward the Promised Land. The first big battle they faced was Jericho! Two things jump out of this story to me that can be applied in our own personal battles.
- They knew who the true enemy was, and focus their attack on them
- We do not see the Child of Israel fighting among themselves here. They are unified with a common purpose. They knew who the enemy was and they knew who we on their side.
Marriage Take Away- Your Spouse is not the enemy! You are on the same team. Fight together against the true enemy not each other.
- The Worshippers went first.
- With the story of Jericho the Children of Israel are told to circle the city, but not to say away for 7 days. However, the worshipers went first. They were literally the ones that lead the way, and theirs was the first sound that was heard before the city was defeated.
Marriage Take Away- A couple that worships together is a focus to be reckoned with. A couple focused on God can defeat any attack which comes their way.
By identifying who your true enemy is and then becoming unified spiritually with your spouse your marriage will be a success. Will there still be hard times? Will attack still come? Yes, they will; however, you and your spouse will overcome it as you worship together!
Little children (believers, dear ones), you are of God and you belong to Him and have [already] overcome them [the agents of the antichrist]; because He who is in you is greater than he (Satan) who is in the world [of sinful mankind]. 1 John 4:4
You can do this!
We are praying for you!