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The Principal Instruments - For A Successful Marriage
Gbile Akanni
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0:00 1:01:14
Gbile Akanni

The Principal Instruments - For A Successful Marriage

Gbile Akanni · 1:01:14

Gbile Akanni teaches that possessing the mind of Christ is the essential instrument for cultivating a successful and God-honoring marriage.
In this powerful teaching, Gbile Akanni explores the biblical principles that underpin a successful marriage, emphasizing the necessity of possessing the mind of Christ. Drawing from Ephesians, Philippians, and Matthew, he reveals how marriage is a divine mystery reflecting the relationship between Christ and the church. Gbile Akanni challenges believers to embrace humility, submission, and love, encouraging them to surrender their struggles to God for transformation and rest in their homes.

Full Transcript

Living Seed Media brings to you God's Word, which is his comprehensive equipment for changing lives. May the Lord impact your heart as you encounter his Word. For further enquiry or counsel, contact Peace House, PO Box 971, Boko, Benue State, Nigeria.

Telephone numbers 0703 03636 59 0703 76811 98. Email address lsmediaatlivingseed.org or visit our website at www.livingseed.org. Let us sit back and listen as the servant of God brings forth the Word of Life. I just want us to see that there is an instrument that each of us needs to possess if these principles are going to work in our marriages.

There is something we need to have and when we have it, it makes it simpler, it makes it easier. There is no struggle again. When I discovered this, I decided to work on it and I discovered that it is a key to whatever we are going to be in the hands of God.

Whether in your personal work with God, or in our marriages, or in whatever thing God may be bringing us into, there is a principal instrument that each of us need to possess. But before I get into that, I would like to share just something very briefly in the book of Ephesians. Ephesians chapter 5. Ephesians 5. Let me read.

The verse I'm looking for is verse 32. But for us to understand the context, please permit me to read it from verse 21. Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church. And he is the savior of the body.

Therefore, as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it. That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the world.

That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing. But that he should be holy and without blemish. So old men to love their wives as their own bodies.

He that loves his wife loves himself. For no man ever yet ate his own flesh, but nourished and cherished it, even as the Lord the church. For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be cleaved to be joined unto his wife, and they too shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless, let every one of you in particular so love his wife, even as himself, and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Now, I needed to read all of that, even though I've said verse 32 is what I need to explain, what I want to explain, under God. The instructions are given both to the husband and the wife. And I've come to realize in that verse too, that the marriage, according to verse 32, after he has finished giving the instructions, the Lord now said, this is a great mystery.

So, I realize that marriage is a mystery. It's a mystery. When we're looking at the principles in Genesis 2, and it's dealing with becoming one flesh, and God is dealing with the issue of how he took a man's bone, I mean, the man's bone, and his rib, I mean, and he made a wife for him.

You know, it looks very mysterious. To the natural man, you'll be asking, how possible is that? To a man that does not understand the voice of the Lord, the man without the spirit of Christ, he will kick it away and say, it is impossible. How can it be? But God is saying, it is a mystery.

It's a mystery. And this mystery is concerning Christ and the church. Which means marriage is a parable to illustrate the relationship between Christ and the church.

It is a parable to illustrate the kind of relationship that Jesus Christ had with his church. It looks to me as if, if our marriages are working well, and somebody sees it, with our children, or people living around us, or our neighbors, or wherever they are, as they look at the relationship between the husband and the wife, they will have no difficulty in understanding the way Christ operates with the church. This is how serious this matter is.

And God is not taking it for granted to lower his standard. Because he that made them in the beginning, he knew what he was looking for. And so he set his principles that will make a marriage to be what he wants it to be.

Therefore, I encourage you, I plead with you, to arise from this meeting, not with a double mind, not with a query in your heart concerning what God is dealing with in this meeting. The principles may look difficult. You may be wondering and asking, how can these things be? Is it possible for these things to happen? But God has already shown us by the lives he brought up yesterday and the day before, that actually they work.

If you have made up your mind that they should work. So, the instrument we need, as I have said earlier, before I came to this Ephesians scripture, is what I want us to discuss briefly before we pray and the Lord will continue with us. Praise the Lord.

There is something that once you get it, once you possess it, once you cultivate it, these principles, they will look easy. You know, the book of Ezekiel, if you read chapter 2 and the beginning of chapter 3, when God brought the scroll to Ezekiel to eat, to eat his world. And at the end of it, Ezekiel said, they were to him as sweet as honey.

They were to him as sweet as honey. So, somebody may study the word of God, God's principles. They may look bitter because he doesn't have what it takes to receive it with a correct mind so that it could work.

He may end up saying, these are difficult things they are talking about here. When God was bringing the issue of husband last night and what we should do. Maybe someone will be agitating his heart and saying, how can they be saying that? What do they mean? But I want you to know that whatever you are querying, you are querying God.

He is not a human being. He is not a human being. But as I plead with you, even if you don't believe it, just go and try.

And let's see what God will do. You will end up having a good testimony that this is true. So, please can you quickly turn with me to the book of Philippians.

What do we need to have? What do we need to possess? These principles are going to work in our homes even as we leave this place. In the book of Philippians chapter 2, I read from verse 5 up to verse 11. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.

Who being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God. But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Wherefore God also has highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name. That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow. All things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.

And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Praise the Lord. So I'm particularly looking at verse 5, even though verse 6, 7, 8 is giving us the details of the mind of Christ.

But because it's a short exhortation, we may not be going into all of that. But verse 5 says, let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. I've already told you that Ephesians 5.32 is a parable to illustrate the relationship between Christ and the church.

Mary is a parable. But for this to work out, you must possess the mind of Christ. The mind of Christ is the instrument that each of us, the husband or the wife, needs to possess in order to allow the principles God is dealing with in this meeting to become a reality.

In our marriages. All the issues God is raising, the issues of misunderstanding, the issue of quarreling. Little, little issues, as even our brother was bringing it yesterday in the morning.

There are issues that, if one possess the mind of Christ. Honestly speaking, there are no issues that we have, we create confusion in our marriages. If the husband is operating with the mind of Christ, and the wife is also operating with the mind of Christ.

The truth is, several issues will never, never arise. Because every person, the husband or the wife, will look at issues from the perspective of Christ. They will look at issues from the angle of Christ.

How will Christ have handled this? And as we look at the entire scripture, as we look at the word of God, the way Christ operated with his church. You realize that it was a harmonious relationship because of the mind which he possessed. Each of us need to cry to the Lord.

Each of us need to ask God, that as I live this place oh God, just give me the mind of Christ. If my marriage is going to be correct, a correct representative of what you intended it to be from the beginning. If my marriage is not going to be a misappropriation, something that is off course, that you are not benefiting from it.

Lord, because since you want to use my marriage to illustrate your relationship with the church, I need something, your mind, for it to be a reality. And what is the mind of Christ? What is the mind of Christ? In several of his dealings with his church, where he was on earth, with his disciples, you see the way he operated. You see the way Jesus demonstrated all that he needed to do for the church to see, for the disciples to see how their relationship ought to be cordial and ought to please God at every point.

Our marriages, the first question each of us need to ask, is my marriage pleasing God? Is it representing exactly what God intended it should be? This is a question we need to be asking every day. And God being faithful will speak to us, either individually or as a couple. So, in Matthew, in the book of Matthew, please permit me to run.

There are two or three scriptures I would like to read before we close. Now, in the book of Matthew, chapter 11, verse 28, 29, and 30, I would like us to trace this mind, the mind of Christ, even though it's there in the Philippians, not to read, but let's trace it from other scriptures. Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and lay of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest unto your soul. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Yesterday God spoke to us, and he gave us a key, that if you possess it.

And what was that? He said, we should always go to him that makes. We should always go to him that makes things to work, because none of us can change our spouse. Fighting cannot change it.

Quarreling cannot change it. There is only one person who made, and is still making, that can make it possible, if we take it to him. And I saw him again speaking, and he said, come unto me.

All you that labor and are heavy laden. Probably for many of us, before we came into this meeting, we have struggled with our marriages. We have done everything possible to make it work.

We have consulted books. We have consulted preachers. We have done everything we could, but nothing seems to be working.

And the answer, I'm seeing this morning, which God began yesterday, saying, come unto me. All you that labor and are heavy laden. Brothers and sisters, can we release ourselves and our marriages into the hands of God? Can we come to him in humility? The matter, you have been struggling with your wife, fighting over it for the past 10 years, and you are not seeing any change.

Please, can you come to him? Can we go to him that makes? Your husband has a habit that is not changing over years. We have spoken, we have done everything, reported to our in-laws, our parents' in-laws. They have spoken into the matter, but nothing seems to be working.

But this morning, I'm hearing Jesus say, come unto me. All you that labor and are heavy laden. And I will give you rest.

I want to give you good news this morning. That as we leave this place, our marriages shall enter into their rest in the name of Jesus. There is going to be a rest.

Already, I'm perceiving that God, in his mercy, has done a quiet work in each of our lives. I know that God, who brought us here, and not a man, has done a quiet work. A man that found it difficult to love his wife, I know that love has already begun in this place.

The sister that was having struggles in submitting to the husband, I know that submission is becoming easy now. And by his grace, that will continue in the name of Jesus Christ. Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

He said, take my yoke upon you, and learn of me. For I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest unto your soul. Meekness and lowliness is a requirement for a correct marriage.

Of course, we all know that naturally, the natural man subdues his wife. Use his force to subdue the wife. I was watching television news the other time, and they brought in the news.

There is this program that is on this channel's television, Your World. They used to bring news from different nations, especially Africa. They interviewed a man in that country, not in Nigeria.

He said, in their culture, if you don't beat a wife, it means you are not a man. That is their culture. I saw that many cultures contradict the word of God.

They are contrary to the word of God. Simply because people have not come to know the principles that God has set for a correct marriage. And, meekness.

You know, our brother spoke. Brother Sheung, while he was speaking, he said he had a problem with his wife. The Lord just said, go and kneel down and beg her.

Did you hear him yesterday? Please, did you hear him yesterday? And he said he obeyed. And as soon as he obeyed, there was a liberty in his spirit. But maybe somebody sat out there and was saying, what kind of foolishness is that? How can you go to that level? Yes, it would be very easy to go to that level.

If you possess the mind of Christ. It is easy to go to that level if you allow the mind of Christ. Because you cannot have a successful marriage with your mindset.

It is not possible. You can't have a successful marriage with your natural mindset. Except we have the mindset of Christ.

The natural mindset is contrary to the principles of Christ. Maybe your culture, you say, this is what they do in my culture. Your culture is not the culture of Christ.

It's not the culture of Christ. When God was dealing with the issue of, you know, a husband leaving father and mother and cleaving to his wife so that they will become one flesh, it may look difficult to some of us. Because in some cultures, you need to greet your mother every morning.

As you wake up, you must call her to greet her. Some cultures are like that. But God is saying, no, that is not the way.

You must leave to cleave. You must become one flesh. And one of the things that makes it difficult to practice the principles of Christ is when we are hearing environmental voices, strange voices that are telling you that you are going too far.

You are going too much. This is not how to do it. Just be careful.

As our brother Patrick's father told him to be careful. Be careful. Because to them it is strange.

And they may end up giving you names, calling you woman rapper. They may end up saying that your wife has consulted a herbalist to do something against you because they saw you cleaving to her. Just to obey God.

So meekness and lowliness of heart is a requirement because that is the mind of Christ. The mind of Christ. It does not take a meek man anything to say sorry.

And it does not take a meek woman anything to say sorry to her husband when they saw the fence. But when this mind of Christ is not oppression and the Holy Spirit is ministering to you and saying go and apologize to your wife. You realize that there will be agitation.

There will be murmuring. There will be inner crisis. There will be a civil war going on within you.

And another man is saying don't write. She will undermine you. Don't write.

Don't write. But Christ is saying please go and do it. For I am meek and lowly in heart.

I had an experience and that's why I'm sharing this. This morning. When God brought this scripture to me again and again.

I offended my wife one early morning. And I just say something casual. Brothers, I know God is going to help us.

I'm talking to brothers especially. May God help us in the name of Jesus. You know last night God was dealing with something very serious.

I don't know how many of you caught it. The issue of words. Words.

And I was agreeing with God that Lord this is true. Words are damaging. They are damaging.

What you may say to a man and he may brush it aside. To a woman it's not like that. So I had this experience.

And that's why I'm sharing this message this morning. I just offended her in the morning. And I didn't know that it meant anything.

So when I went back I saw her cry. And normally if we wake up and my wife is doing her devotion. Or praying.

And we are alone in the house. I normally will not disturb her. To prepare breakfast for me.

I will quietly sneak into the kitchen. So that day I just went in. Prepared my tea.

Boiled an egg. And I was still behaving. I was still being a man.

A man. Even though I saw her crying. And I asked her.

Is that something to cry about? What does that mean? What do you mean? Even though saying is that something to cry about. They were harsh words. But God did something.

After I prepared the tea. Prepared the egg. And I put it on the dining table.

My brother's Sunday apple. As I wanted to take the tea. I wanted to put it to my mouth.

I suddenly lost my appetite. And my heart started to beat. I tried the second time the same thing.

And the Holy Spirit said no you can't drink it. Until you go and apologize. I said ah ah.

What has drinking tea. To do with what is happening. Even after I finish.

I can do it. But the Lord said no. And my appetite was gone.

My heart was beating. And I was rushing to the office. But.

The word of God came. Again. And the Holy Spirit said.

Let this mind. Be in you. Which was also in Christ Jesus.

And I said Lord. Which mind? He said meekness. And loneliness of heart.

So I left the breakfast. I just went to the room. And I heard her.

I said please. I'm very sorry about what I said. Just forgive me.

Then after we have agreed. Do you know that my appetite returned. I went.

I had my breakfast. And the kind of joy. That came to me that morning.

I was so full with joy. I drove to the office. Usually I leave around 4pm.

But that day. Something happened. Something new took place.

I just wanted to see my wife again. So by 1.32pm. I was telling the sister. I said let me go home.

I said no no no. I just want to go home. And so I packed my bag.

Came back to the house. I saw her. You know the kind of joy.

And the kind of thing that happened. The closeness. The closeness that existed.

And. From that moment. I wouldn't want to.

Not to see her. But at that time. I knew that God did something.

And it is permanent. In the name of Jesus Christ. Husbands.

Are you here? Are you still behaving like. The normal man. Please.

I beg you this morning. In the name of the Lord. Possess the mind of Christ.

The mind that doesn't have difficulty in saying sorry. The mind that doesn't have difficulties in kneeling down to apologize. Even to you our sisters.

Is the same thing. Is the same thing. This mind of Christ.

And as this thing happened. And I was looking at the scriptures. And thanking God for his grace.

God showed me another thing. And he told me. He said look.

Humility conquers. It's not by fighting. It's not by struggling.

But actually. Humility conquers. And God said.

For a man. To conquer. Even his wife.

First. He God. Must conquer that man.

So he took me to. The book of Genesis. And just showed me a picture of what happened.

And that is where I want to stop. So that we can pray. I was looking at Genesis 33.

Genesis 33. I'll read from verse 1. We all know the story. If you have been reading your Bible.

You know that. Jacob and Esau. They had a very very big problem.

That Esau vowed. He said as long as he lives. He's going to kill Jacob.

He's going to finish Jacob. And over those years. Esau had been waiting.

Waiting for the return of Jacob. And. Maybe Jacob.

Took it casual. But he knew. That.

He would definitely have a problem with Esau. Probably. I'm just thinking.

I'm just thinking. It's not a doctrine. Probably Jacob.

Has been praying. That Esau. Esau should do what? Should die.

You know sometimes. Your spouse. May not be living up to expectations.

Your spouse. May be. You may be having difficulties.

That may result. Into a physical fight. And maybe it has been happening over the years.

And quietly in your heart. You are praying. That your spouse should do what? Should die.

Now what I'm saying. Is it possible? Is it possible for somebody. A wife or husband to be praying.

That the other person should go. It is possible. But I want to counsel you.

If you pray. And that person goes. You don't know whether you are going to meet.

A bigger trouble. When you remarry. So the best thing.

Is to allow this principle to settle. Whatever challenge. Whatever difficulties we are having.

With our spouses. But. Finally.

God spoke to Jacob. And he was to return. And as he was returning.

As they were joining. At a certain point. Jacob knew.

That he is running into trouble. He is definitely going to run into trouble. And because Esau.

Had prepared for him. Esau had raised an army. Which he must have told them the story.

Of how his younger brother. Collected his birthright. And how he wants to finish with him.

They were already waiting. But. As Jacob was approaching.

Jacob knew. That he was in trouble. You know the story.

So he sent his family. Ahead. And he deliberately engaged God.

He deliberately engaged God. And. God couldn't conquer Jacob.

And as the Lord was about to go. Jacob heard him. And said Lord.

I will not allow you to go. Except you bless me. And of course you know that the blessing he was looking for.

Was no money. There was no material things. He already had everything he needed.

He was looking for. The presence of God. He was looking for.

The assurance of God. He wanted to be sure. That God is going with him on this journey.

Otherwise. It's going to finish. So at the end.

God succeeded in conquering him. God succeeded in conquering Jacob. And even changed his name.

So after the conquest. After God has dealt with Jacob. After God has extracted.

That. The nature. That will not allow Jacob.

To become what he wants him to be. And. I want you to know this morning.

That possessing the mind of Christ. Is the only thing we need. For God to do in our lives.

So that he will bring us to the position. He brought Jacob. We must be conquered.

If God does not conquer you. It's not possible to have the mind of Christ. You will still argue.

You will still argue with God. Argue with his principles. You will throw it away.

And so I live in this place tomorrow. Even that book. That book we are studying in the Bible study.

You may just park your car. And fling it through the window. Throw it into the bush.

And say what do they mean by this? I was only carrying it so that. I will please them. Because.

Something inside. The flesh. The old man is saying.

This is not possible. May God conquer us. In the name of Jesus.

After the conquest. Verse one. I'll just read four verses.

And then we'll pray. And Jacob lifted up his eyes. And looked and behold.

It's okay. And with him. And he divided the children.

Unto Leah. And unto Rachel. Unto the two handmaids.

And he put the handmaids. And her children foremost. And Leah.

And her children after. And Rachel. And Joseph in the most.

And he passed over before them. And bowed himself to the ground. Seven times.

Until he came near to his brother. Do you think Jacob would have done this? If God had not conquered him. In chapter thirty-two.

Do you think it's possible for Jacob to have done that? Jacob would have fought his brother. He would have also prepared an army to fight. But as soon as he sighted his brother.

Because of the new mind he carried. The mind that will not fight. The mind that will not quarrel.

It's possible as he came. They will start a quarrel. I will tell you so.

He said look after all. I didn't force you. I only made a request.

I only made a request. You are saying. Since you need my food.

Please. Give me your bed right. I didn't force you.

You voluntarily submitted it to me. What is all about? He said what is it all about? And maybe a fight would have ensued. Arguments.

That bring. Bring. Confusion in the home.

Arguments that are not necessary. Arguments that will only arise because. We are not conquered.

Arguments that can only bring the past. Into the present situation where we are. I know sometimes you can't even remember the past.

The wrong that your spouse did to you 10 years back. Five years back. Two years back.

But I saw that for Jacob. It was not going to be the case. Jacob was not going to refer to the past.

Even though he didn't force Esau to give him that bed right. He had every right. To fight back.

Because actually. He didn't force him to give it to him. But as God conquered him.

The Bible said. And. He passed over before them.

And bowed himself to the ground. Seven times. Until he came near to his brother.

And as he was bound and coming. Bound and coming. Esau that came to fight.

Something happened to him. Something happened to Esau. God did something.

That even Jacob was surprised. Look at what happened. Verse four.

And Esau ran. He ran. Brothers.

And sisters. Humility conquers. Let's not be proud.

Let's be meek and lowly. In heart. Let's not point fighting.

Say it's my right. After all. After all.

After all. No. Such should not arise amidst us after now.

Because. There's something God wants to use our marriages to do. You know the theme of this meeting is.

Your marriage. And the move of God. Your marriage and the move of God.

As if. His brother ran. Esau.

And Esau ran to meet him. And instead of. Giving him a very heavy blow.

Instead of hitting him hard with his fist. Because at this point. You know Jacob was already weakened.

His hip. Was already disjointed. There was no strength again.

There was no power to fight. It was a fresh encounter. And the socket was out.

The socket of his hip was out. And he knew. I can't fight.

I can't fight. He depended on God. He begged God to fight.

His brother for him. He begged God to conquer Esau for him. Can we beg God to conquer our spouses? Can we beg God and say conquer this man for me? There were several testimonies that are back.

He embraced him. And fell on his neck. And kissed him.

And they do God. Brashem told us that when he knelt before the wife. The ones that they cried.

That is the power of humility. The power of meekness. The power of lowliness of mind.

Esau embraced Jacob. And they started weeping. They started crying.

They forgot the past. They now were looking on to the future. Discussing the future.

Discussing the future. Discussing how they can move on. Discussing how they can please God.

This morning. As I conclude. Brothers and sisters.

Possess the mind of Christ. Let this man be in you. Which was also in Christ Jesus.

It is that mind that can conquer one another. Otherwise. There will still be arguments.

There will still be quarreling. Everything will be forgotten. But once you have that mind.

Christ. Will be at liberty. To do.

To administer. Whatever he wants to do. In our marriage.

In our homes. And this will also go a long way to affect our children. If you read down.

If you read down. Please when you have time. Read down.

Do you know that when Jacob. Bowed down seven times. You discover that.

Even the wives. The children. What did they do? They did the same thing.

How can our father bow down? I will not bow. How can our father be so humble? So meek. And he's bowed down seven times.

Then they will just come and stand. And greet him. So I say uncle, uncle.

No. The Bible say. They all bow down.

I want us to note. We are an example to our children. Whatever is happening in our homes.

Our children are witnesses. They are watching. Watching our relationship.

We must resolve in this meeting. Lord. Help me to be a correct example.

To my children. So that when they marry. Then they marry.

They will use our lives as an illustration. As we pray this morning. Brothers.

Nothing else I have to say. But only one thing. Let this mind.

Be in you. Which was also in Christ Jesus. Please can we stand up to pray together.

Let's stand up and pray. That's one prayer we are going to do this morning. Today is the last day of this meeting.

Today is the day God. Is going to give us. Final instructions here.

And continue with us as we go. But can we plead with God this morning. And say father.

Give me the mind of Christ. Help me to be meek. Help me to be lonely.

Help me not find it difficult. To apologize to my spouse. Even you see.

The mind of Christ. Does not know right and wrong. Even when you are right.

Christ will insist. That you should follow his way. His way of meekness.

So in your right. You will still apologize. It's not only when you are wrong.

Even when you are right. Please can we pray to God this morning. Brothers and sisters.

Can we talk to the Lord this morning. Can we plead with God and say. Father.

Let this man be in me. Give me this mind of Christ. Cause me to possess it oh God.

Help me to cultivate it. I need it for this journey. I need it for my marriage to be correct.

I need it. So that by it. I can conquer my spouse.

Please can we pray. Please can you talk to the Lord this morning. These principles may look difficult to.

If you don't possess the mind of Christ. They may look hard. Our brother.

They told us yesterday over and over. That they have listened to this thing on tape. Listening to the CDs.

But when they entered into it. They had to face reality. So can we pray and say Lord.

As I leave this place. I'm going to enter into reality. I'm going to enter into the reality of these principles.

Father. Give me grace. Give me grace.

To make it a reality. Cause them to be real in my life. They may look difficult.

But with this mind of Christ. Christ will be able to help me. Please brothers.

Sisters. Can we talk to the Lord this morning. If he's going to help us.

Let's pray together. Please just be praying to God. Lord we thank you.

Lord we thank you. Oh to be like thee. Blessed Redeemer.

Pure as thou art. Calm in thy fullness. Calm in thy sweetness.

Stamp thy own image deep in my heart. Stamp thy own image Lord. Deep on my heart.

Oh to be like thee. To be like thee. Oh to be like thee.

Oh to be like. Oh blessed Redeemer. Pure as thou art.

Oh Lord calm. Calm oh Lord. Calm Lord Jesus.

Only you can help me. Do a deep work in my heart this morning. Stamp your own image.

Deal with everything. That is contrary to your nature. Father this morning.

We lift our cry unto you in prayer. You have spoken passionately to us. We begin to pray this morning.

That each one of us will encounter the cross of Christ. Lord we are still asking you. Oh God.

This natural mind. This mind of the flesh. This mind of the old man.

This mind that is self-centered and self-consumed. We are pleading this morning. Let a miracle occur at Calvary.

May each one of us oh God encounter this life. Break the hold of the old man upon our lives. In the name of Jesus Christ.

Break every grip of self-life. Release us oh God. From the hold of the tyranny of the mind.

From the mind of the flesh. In the name of Jesus Christ. Father this morning.

As we wait yet before you. Incubate upon us. This very mind of Christ.

And that we walk in the newness of life. Thank you Holy Spirit. You will do a quick walk upon us.

In Jesus mighty name we have prayed. Amen. Amen.

Sermon Outline

  1. I
    • Marriage as a mystery illustrating Christ and the church
    • Biblical foundation from Ephesians 5 on marriage roles
    • The importance of understanding God's design for marriage
  2. II
    • The principal instrument: possessing the mind of Christ
    • Explanation of Philippians 2:5-11 on humility and obedience
    • How the mind of Christ transforms marital relationships
  3. III
    • Practical application of meekness and lowliness in marriage
    • Overcoming cultural and natural mindsets contrary to Christ
    • The power of humility and apology in resolving conflicts
  4. IV
    • Invitation to come to Jesus for rest and transformation
    • Encouragement to trust God as the maker who changes marriages
    • Testimonies of change through applying these principles

Key Quotes

“Marriage is a mystery; it is a parable to illustrate the relationship between Christ and the church.” — Gbile Akanni
“If the husband is operating with the mind of Christ, and the wife is also operating with the mind of Christ, several issues will never arise.” — Gbile Akanni
“Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” — Gbile Akanni

Application Points

  • Seek to cultivate the mind of Christ daily to handle marital challenges with humility and love.
  • Practice meekness and be quick to apologize to maintain peace and harmony in your marriage.
  • When facing unresolved issues, come to Jesus in prayer and surrender your burdens to Him for rest and restoration.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the principal instrument for a successful marriage according to the sermon?
The principal instrument is possessing the mind of Christ, which enables husbands and wives to love and submit to each other as God intended.
How does the sermon describe marriage in relation to Christ and the church?
Marriage is described as a great mystery and a parable illustrating the relationship between Christ and the church.
Why is humility important in marriage?
Humility, expressed through meekness and lowliness of heart, is essential for reconciliation, submission, and maintaining harmony in marriage.
What should couples do when facing unresolved marital struggles?
Couples are encouraged to come to Jesus, surrender their burdens, and seek His help to bring rest and transformation to their marriages.
Can cultural practices conflict with biblical marriage principles?
Yes, some cultural practices contradict God's word, and believers are called to follow the culture of Christ rather than worldly traditions.

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