How to Fight Fair and Fearless in Your Marriage by Treal RavenelSample

Mind your marriage! I don’t believe in magic or anything associated with hocus pocus shenanigans, but I do believe in the restoring and reconciling power of God. Also, I know that amid a storm or fight, you have more control and authority through Jesus than you believe and more strength in him than you think. One of the tactics of Satan is to get you to believe him and to doubt God. He is the master deceiver, the father of lies. He will have a version of the truth wrapped into a lie. In Genesis, chapter 3, Satan manipulated Adam and Eve into eating from the forbidden tree. He told them they wouldn’t die, which was a version of the truth. In Matthew, chapter 4, Satan tempted Jesus when God led him up into the wilderness. When Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights, here goes Satan with his same tactics of lies and manipulation in his attempt to get Jesus to take his mind off God and put his mind on what he was experiencing in his flesh, which was hunger at the time. It is critical that in this time of fighting fair and fearless in your marriage that your mind stays on God. Philippians 2:5 tells us to let this mind be in us, which is also in Christ Jesus. Any time you’re going through a storm, it is hard to resist the urge for your mind to become clouded and worried about what you’re going through and detour your focus from God. Your main goal is to experience some relief from the emotional, mental, and physical stress. Mind your marriage by keeping your mind on God and his precious promises for your life. Mind your marriage by putting on the helmet of salvation to help manage your thoughts from becoming overwhelmed and exhausted by your external world. The Apostle Paul said it best: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable; if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from God, or seen in God, put these things into practice” (Philippians 4:8-9). You may not physically control what’s happening or the narrative concerning your marriage, but you can manage your mind. Devotional Reflection: In what ways have you allowed your mind to get the best of you during this time in the fight for your marriage? How can you start today by shifting the narrative of your mind and focusing on the things of God rather than being focused on the possible outcome?