A husband should be a spiritual strong man protecting his family from enemies (the world, the devil, and the flesh) that seek to destroy them. Read or listen to this material from Your Marriage God’s Way to learn how to lovingly lead your wife.

https://youtu.be/xS-XKOLYGuM

A husband should be a spiritual strong man protecting his family from enemies (the world, the devil, and the flesh) that seek to destroy them.

Table of ContentsSpiritually Strong HusbandsStrong Husbands Spiritually Protect Their HomeWhat Does It Take for a Husband to Be Spiritually Strong?A Spiritual Strongman Prevents His Family from Being PlunderedStrong Husbands Are Not Bound, Blind, or MuteWhat Does This Look Like Practically?Christ Provides the Victory over SatanStrong Husbands Put Christ FirstHusband, May I Speak to You Directly?Footnotes

Spiritually Strong Husbands

I started lifting weights in college, and for years, I worked out four or five days per week, month after month, year after year. Sadly, I think I cared more about my physical than spiritual strength. The constant goal was growing more muscle and lifting more weight. I wish I would have had an even stronger desire to grow in my sanctification and become more like Christ because little did I know that only a few years later, physical strength would take a backseat to the mental, emotional, and—most importantly—spiritual strength needed to be a Christian husband and father.

When your family is experiencing a trial and looks to you for strength, the number of pounds you can lift in the gym could not be more irrelevant. At that moment, the family needs mental, emotional, and spiritual strength, which the family can draw on—especially spiritual strength that can help lift the family the way physical strength can lift a barbell.

Likewise, when a wife is discouraged, defeated, or depressed, she doesn’t need a man with big muscles. She needs a husband who says, “Would you like me to read a few psalms to you? This is a difficult time, but with the Lord’s help, I know we can make it through this. Can I tell you about these verses I read that will be very encouraging?”

By way of example, at the time of this writing, our youngest, Lydia, who is less than a year old, has been sick for the last few days. She hasn’t been sleeping well, which means we—especially Katie, who’s been getting up trying to nurse her—haven’t slept well. When we were recently up in the middle of the night, Katie was in tears because she didn’t know what to do; physical strength couldn’t have meant less to her. What did matter to her was when I asked, “Can I pray?”

When a young man asks me whether he is ready to get married, I ask him, “When things are difficult, and your family suffers, can you hold them up in prayer and point them to Christ as the answer to their needs? Are you ready to gather your wife and children regularly around the Word of God? As the head of the home, will you take responsibility when things don’t go well? If you answer no, you don’t yet have the spiritual strength to marry.”

Many husbands care for their wives physically, mentally, and emotionally. A man doing so may appear to be a loving husband. Similarly, many husbands work hard to care for their wives financially—and they should. There are physical, mental, emotional, and financial aspects of loving well, but if a husband doesn’t care for his wife spiritually, his love is incomplete. He’s not fulfilling the most important responsibility God has given him. Sadly, during my years as a pastor, I have seen more husbands fail concerning their homes' spiritual leadership and protection than any other provision.

Strong Husbands Spiritually Protect Their Home

Imagine asking a godly woman, “Would you rather have a man who’s physically strong or spiritually strong?” A godly woman will take a spiritually strong man over a physically strong man any day; she knows if her husband is spiritually weak,