Why do 50 per cent of marriages, including Christian marriages, end in divorce? Jesus answers that question: ‘The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly’ (v. 10 NASB). God performed the first wedding ceremony between Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. And the honeymoon barely began before Satan entered the picture and attacked them, causing feelings of shame and separation from God. Later in Scripture, when Satan couldn’t defeat the patriarch Job through boils, bankruptcy, and bereavement, he attacked him through his wife. Your marriage is one of Satan’s prime targets, and you forget that at your peril. So how can you protect it? 1) Know your mate’s expectations: are they realistic? Were they unexpressed or unknown until conflict arose in the relationship? Disappointment often manifests itself as anger. 2) Familiarise yourself with your spouse’s family history: in many ways, he or she is a product of the environment they grew up in. The truth is, we build with the tools and fight with the weapons our parents gave us. And during quarrels and heated conversations, memories of parental anger, childhood abuse, and family arguments can influence how we react later when we get married. 3) Start praying for your mate: better still – start praying with them! Jesus said: ‘If two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them’ (Matthew 18:19-20 NKJV). So protect your marriage – it’s one of Satan’s biggest targets.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.