Over the last few weeks I have been learning about the importance of prayer. At my church we are currently going thru the book titled The Circle Maker. It is a book about the power and importance of prayer. Not the prayer that most people are used to praying or the empty self-centered prayers that yield no harvest. I'm talking about life changing, expecting the impossible, fulfilling God's purpose type prayer. It's the kind of prayer that most people do pray, either because they don't believe God will show up like that in their lives or because they just don't believe that God of the bible still answers impossible prayers. I used to be one of those people. I admit that I have always believed that God could do anything and that he is a miracle worker, but I never really believed he would show up in my life in that kind of dramatic fashion. That is changing.

For Christians, there is no more powerful weapon that we have access to than prayer. Prayer has been minimized to catchy cliches and self-righteous proclamations, but that was never God's intent. Prayer is how we access the power of God. If you don't believe in the power of God or that you can have access to it then I probably have already lost you. However, if you are still reading then maybe this message was meant for you.

There is no relationship that requires more of us than marriage. Marriage is not easy. Let's face it, most people get married for the wrong reasons. When you realize that marriage is not what you thought it was and your needs are constantly being ignored and devalued, the natural progression is divorce court. But I want to submit to you (sorry, I think I got caught in my preaching voice..by submit I just mean suggest) that divorce may not be the option God wants you to choose. If you believe the God of the bible...if you believe he parted the Red Sea, If you believe he kept Daniel safe in a lion's den, if you believe he opened blinded eyes, healed the sick and raised Lazarus from the dead...if you believe in the omnipotent God, then you have to know that your marriage is not too hard for him. I am 100% sure Moses thought his situation was impossible, and it was until he prayed.

Prayer changes things. Answers may come immediate or the way you want, but they do come. He did not stop having "all power" after the transcription of Revelation. While you are trying to figure out why it is so hard and asking God to deliver you from this marriage, maybe this broken marriage is his doing and he is trying to get you to turn towards him so that he can make something great out of you. You may be asking yourself, what should I pray? Here are some things you can pray for your marriage:

Pray that He will help you love your spouse more and be more patient
Pray that God will heal childhood wounds that are affecting the marriage
Pray that God will teach you how to be the husband/wife he desires for you to be
Pray that God will help you see his will
Pray that all of your spouse's Godly dreams will come true.

Marriage is God's idea. Great marriages do not just happen, you have to work at it. Part of that work is constantly praying. There is an enemy of your marriage and it is not the lady across the street, Facebook or anything else you can see with your eyes. The enemy is invisible but he is very real and he has a plan for your marriage. If the enemy destroys the marriage then the family is in jeopardy. If the family is destroyed then society if weakened. When society is weakened our future of a better society is destitute. Be about the business of prayer in your marriage. Be encouraged.