Open heavens

The priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling place. [ 2 Chronicles 30 : 27]

Scripture is very clear that there are circumstances in which our prayers may be hindered. Sometimes, this spiritual obstruction comes from diabolical sources. This is why as Christians, we are urged to pray and keep praying - pray without ceasing; pray until we see the breakthrough, until any veil or covering is pierced. God Himself gives us permission to give Him no rest until we see the fulfilment of His promises. In Daniel 10 : 12 & 13, we come across an example of hindered prayers. Having had a vision of events certain to come in the future, times of war and great hardship, Daniel embarked on a three week prayer and fast to seek understanding of the vision. While he was standing on the bank of the great River Tigris , he looked up and saw a man dressed in linen clothing, with a belt of pure gold around his waist. The one who looked like a man said to Daniel, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia [ Daniel 10 : 12 & 13].

Too many of us sacrifice our promises on the altar of fatigue; that false perception that our prayers are not working when in reality, there are other forces at play - principalities and powers against which we need to contend in the war room. Sometimes though, we ourselves are the very cause for our obstructed prayers. We can block both God hearing and us receiving the answers to our own prayers by unbelief and by immersing ourselves in a lifestyle of sin. James 5 : 16 says , Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” Likewise in Psalm 18 the Psalmist sings, “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.”

Perhaps one of the deepest words of caution for any husband is found in 1 Peter 3 : 7. The scripture says “Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honour to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

It is very clear then that by our own actions we as believers have the power to command open heavens. We do this by living as righteous ones, in accordance with God’s will and following His instructions as recorded in the Bible. As future wives, we should pray for our husbands’ prayers to be unhindered. God has given us the blueprint : if they should live with us with understanding, showing us honour, their prayers will not be hindered. It strikes me as profound that this is not the only scripture in which God has directly tied a husband’s blessings to the manner in which he treats his wife. In Malachi 2 : 13 and 14, the Bible says “Another thing you do: You flood the Lord’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer looks with favour on your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. You ask, “Why?” It is because the Lord is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.”

Marriage is a covenant union which our Father takes very seriously indeed. Our treatment of each other and adherence to His rules directly determines the outcome of our petitions and supplications to Him.

Let us pray.

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My dear heavenly Father,

El-Shama, God who hears us,

I approach the throne of grace with a petition for my future husband’s prayers; specifically I ask that they be unhindered. It is clear from your word that as a married man, your decision to hear him and respond to him with favour and blessings directly hinges on his ability to live with me with understanding and to show me honour. I too Lord understand my end of the bargain ; I must submit to him, obey him and adorn myself with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. I promise to do my best to always fulfil my role, faithfully do that which you ask of me in this respect. In return Holy Spirit, I ask that you hold my husband’s hand and teach him how to live with me with deep understanding. Please teach him how to love and show me honour so that it will be exceedingly easy for me to be submitted unto him. As he treats me with tender loving care, appreciation and kindness, I ask that he will never experience the frustration of his prayers being hindered by his own hand.

Your word also warns us that if we cherish sin in our hearts, you will not listen. I pray therefore that my future husband is living today and will forever live a life free from sin, a life without blemish, striving always to live by your standard alone. I pray that he becomes more Christlike day by day. Father I ask that as he comes before you in prayer, you incline your ear to him and hear his speech. Please Lord, bend down and listen when he comes to you, look and see and if it is your will, bless him in the manner you so desire. For in blessing him, I to will be blessed - as will our children. It is so important that as the leader in our home, he has direct access to, and an unobstructed channel of communication with you. As the captain of the ship, he must steer our home in the right direction. And so I ask Abba that you give him a caring and understanding heart. I ask Holy Spirit that you teach him the practical meaning of 1 Peter 3 : 7, that he takes it to heart, ingrains it in his very spirit and becomes an embodiment of the word. In doing so, may always come to you in confidence, knowing that whatever he asks according to your will you will hear him, and you will answer.

I seal this prayer with the blood of Jesus believing and trusting that as I have asked, so shall I receive.

For it is in Jesus mighty name I have prayed and believed,

Amen