GOD'S PLAN FOR YOUR MARRIAGE, 1by Pastor Faith Oyedepo, Week 1, January, 2009

Dear Reader,

I wish you a Happy Prosperous New Year! You are welcome to the year, where you will ride on Eagles' Wings. 2007 is gone; a new year has just began for you. You shall never have a better last year in Jesus' name! The Word of God says: Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold! I will do a new thing (Isaiah 43:18-19).

Forget about all your past failures, your past prayerlessness, weaknesses and spiritual laziness etc. This new year, you need to position yourself for new things and as you do that, the new things of God will not pass you by.

This month, I will be looking at God's Plan for your Marriage. This week, I will be sharing on For Good, Better And Best.

Marriage is not a trap. It was instituted by God for the good of man. In the beginning, God saw that it was not good for man to be alone, so He instituted marriage. The Word of God says: And the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him (Genesis 2:18). I believe, God must have said to Himself, "I want it to be good for man, so I will make him an help meet.' Marriage was designed to make life great for mankind.

Remember that every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of light (James 1:17). Therefore, marriage should make a man move up on the ladder of progress. It should take him from good to better, from better to best, and from best to the point of perfection in life. There is always a place called forward, which you must strive to get to (Exodus 14:15).

But many are scared of entering into marriage, because they see it as an instrument of stagnation. Marriage is meant to advance, increase and promote a person. It is not a necessary evil, as you may have heard and probably believed, rather, it is designed to make life complete for you. A bachelor may say, "But life is good for me now." No matter the kind of wonderful experience you may be having now, the Bible says: Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).

Marriage provides you an opportunity for better living! I used to be scared by certain marriage vows I hear couples chant on their wedding day. They say such things as, "I so and so get into wedlock with you, for better for worse, in sickness and health." I saw the ignorance of the officiating priest and the intending couples as they chant the so-called marriage vows, because marriage is not designed to be "for better for worse", but "for better for best!"

As far as God is concerned, marriage is for better living. That is why Deuteronomy 32:30 says: How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight?

Jesus reiterated this in Matthew 18:19: Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

This must be the reason why God instructs husbands to dwell with their wives according to knowledge, so that their prayers be not hindered (I Peter 3:7). Marriage provides a covenant platform for efficacious prayer. Whatever a couple agrees upon in prayer is done for them. Marriage gives you access to double victory, as a couple can put ten thousand enemies to flight. Also, when one party is cold, the other is available to warn him up. When one is down, the other will lift him up. The ultimate in marriage is for the best in life, and you will get there.

Marriage was instituted for better living of mankind. It is not to bring hurts or constitute a hindrance. Let us take a look of the Amplified Version of the Bible which says: Now the Lord God said, it is not good (sufficient, satisfactory) that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper meet (suitable, adapted, complementary) for him (Genesis 2:18).

The kind of help God intended marriage to provide is one that is suitable, adaptable and complementary, and it is expected to cover all areas of life.

You need grace to fulfill God's plan for your marriage. Divine grace is the privilege of those who are born again. Being born again entails confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. If you are set for this new birth experience, please say this prayer: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today as a sinner. Forgive me my Sins. I believe You died and rose on the third day for my sins. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your kingdom.

Congratulations! You are now born again and a child of God.

Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through:

E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com

Tel. No: 234-1-7747546-8;

For more insight, these books authored by Pastor Faith Oyedepo are available at the Dominion Book Stores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian book stores.

1. Marriage Covenant

2. Making Marriage Work,

3. Building a Successful Family

4. Success in Marriage (Co-Authored with Bishop David Oyedepo).