Topic: Winning Your Unbelieving Spouse To Christ (Part 1)
Dear Reader,
It is Easter season and I want to congratulate you on being alive and well at a time like this. By God’s grace, you will also be alive, well and mightily increased by this same time next year, in Jesus’ name! As we celebrate, it is important not to forget the essence of this season. It is not just a time to eat, drink, visit friends and feel excited, it should be a time to reflect on the finished work of Christ at Calvary.
It is a very good season to let others know about Christ and His love expressed to humanity at Calvary. What better way to begin this than with our household, those closest to us, our spouse. The Bible says: If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable (1 Corinthians 15:19).
This means, we have a duty to witness Christ to others, especially our spouse. There are quite a number of people who were not Christians when they got married. Some of these people still have their spouse outside of the faith and would earnestly wish they experience what they are experiencing now, being Christians. However, to win your spouse to Christ, there is a price to pay. Don’t give up on your spouse yet! I am sure this month’s teaching will show you the right moves to make that will help you out of this challenge.
Even though your spouse has vowed not to attend Church services with you, or hear you speak about Christ to him or her, there is still a way out. A woman in Faith Tabernacle, Nigeria once testified of how her sister-in-law and her fasted, prayed and held series of vigils for the salvation of her husband. It was not always convenient for them, but all of their efforts to see that this woman’s husband accepted Christ eventually ended in praise. That is the joy of salvation! The Bible says: Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth (Luke 15:10). Genuine salvation always culminates in joy and rejoicing. It is a thing to celebrate and that means if you have an unbelieving spouse, your celebration will be incomplete this season if he or she is not convinced to accept Christ as Lord and Saviour of his/her life this Easter season. Most importantly, salvation always involves a person’s will to either accept or reject Christ Jesus. But then, there are certain things you can do to get hardened people saved. I shall be discussing one of those things with you today.
Even though there are no established rules in soul-winning that will work for everyone, your spouse’s will in accepting salvation is of utmost importance and it is still possible for your spouse to make heaven. Genesis 7:7 says: And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him into the ark, because of the waters of the flood. If it was possible for Noah, then it is possible for you too! Noah went into the ark of safety with his family. Today, the ark represents our salvation, it is our own ark of safety and we are not permitted to go into it alone. It is required of us to be safe in the pavilion of God’s arms with our family. When it comes to the issue of salvation, don’t just rejoice at the fact that you are born again; this joy will only be full when all members of your family are incorporated in it. If they are not saved, then they would become a torn in your flesh. There are several things you can do to help get your spouse saved and these things are far from complaint, nagging, forcing, bribing, threatening or tricks.
One of the most potent forces that penetrate through the hardest of hearts is PRAYER. Prayer does not just change things; it changes people also. It has the power to penetrate into the deepest part of a man’s life and transform from the inside.
God is uniquely interested in the salvation of everyone and so every genuine prayer targeted at salvation will always attract His attention, thereby delivering your desired answers. If you can ask Him for all other things, why can’t you ask for the soul of your spouse? Remember that salvation is God’s will for all men, especially your spouse. The Bible says: I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:1/4). And He said: …after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise (Hebrews 10:36).
So, the bliss and abundance you wish for in your home will be achievable when you and your spouse are in union regarding salvation. That is union in spirit, soul and body.
Some of the points you must raise in prayer when demanding for the salvation of your spouse is that God should remove every blindfolding weapon of the wicked that is covering his/her eyes from seeing the glorious gospel of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4).
Therefore, for effectiveness in your prayer; it must be done in faith and based on the Word of God without doubts in your heart. You must also learn to be patient and not to be anxious, especially if your unbelieving spouse is the husband. You could also pray and ask God to send external influence like friends, other relations, colleagues or acquaintances who will positively influence him or her to accept Jesus Christ. There should be somebody who can talk to your spouse, the way you may not be able to!
Your prayer does not stop you from carrying out your normal duties as a wife or a husband. It does not exempt you from obeying the commandments of God concerning marriage. You must continue to fulfill your God given obligations. As you pray in faith, with your prayers based on God’s Word, the Spirit of conviction will come on him or her and salvation becomes easy.
Here is a testimony from a sister that can further help build your faith:
My husband does not come to Church. I could not say exactly what was wrong, but I put it in prayers. At a church service, God’s servant asked us to write a list of what we don’t want to see again in our lives and one of the things I wrote was that my husband must come back and give his life fully to Christ. He used to attend services before, but all of a sudden, he stopped participating even in the prayers we hold at home. I knew I am more than conqueror. I said, ‘You this devil, you must get out of this home, there is no room for you here.’ I believed God to grant all my desire, and the following day, my husband came to church, it was a Sunday. Since then, he’s the one that wakes us all up for prayers!
I see God do the same for your spouse and loved ones who are still unbelievers in Jesus’ name! If, peradventure, you, the reader, is not born again and you want to accept Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour, then say this prayer in faith: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.
Congratulations! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are now born again and a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).
With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.
For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).
“Please click to read other inspiring articles by Pastor Faith Oyedepo”
Pastor Faith Oyedepo is the wife of Bishop David Oyedepo, the founder of the Living Faith Church Worldwide a.k.a. Winners’ Chapel, and Senior Pastor of Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, Nigeria.
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