Spouse

By Justin Jeppesen

This prayer guide, inspired by the chapter titled Spouse in Strategic Renewal’s resource 21 Days of Prayer for Your Church Leader, is focused on seeking God’s face through the following passage.

Ephesians 5:25-31

25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church,30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers

Spouse Prayer Guide

Reverence

Identify and celebrate God’s praiseworthy attributes

  • Jesus Christ loves us sacrificially (v. 25)
  • He sanctifies and cleanses us (v. 26)
  • He causes the church to be presented with splendor, holy, and without blemish (v. 27)
  • Jesus nourishes and cherishes His body, the Church (v. 29)
  • Jesus is faithful to His marital covenant to His people (v. 31)

Prayer Prompts

  • Jesus, I praise You for loving me sacrificially when…
  • Jesus, thank You for sanctifying me and cleansing me from…
  • Lord Jesus, I am in awe of how you nourish and cherish the church by…

Response

Surrender to Him and His ways

  • Jesus, I confess that…often hinders me from loving others/my spouse sacrificially. Please wash me afresh in Your word.
  • I admit that I tend to define love by… instead of by Your standard and example.

Requests

Ask the Spirit to guide prayer over concerns, resources, and relationships

  • Because we are members of Your body, please help us support the marriages of our church leaders by…
  • Lord, give grace to…(church leader) to love their spouse sacrificially in…
  • Please sanctify and cleanse the marriages of our church leaders from…
  • Lord Jesus, may the marriages of our church leaders display the mystery of the gospel by…

Readiness

Encouragement and strength for spiritual battle

  • Jesus, as head of the church please guard and protect our spouses from the enemy’s attempt to…

*this prayer guide is an excerpt from the appendix of 21 Day of Praying for Your Church Leaders, by Strategic Renewal. Click HERE for more information on this resource.