Battling on Your Husband’s Behalf

I don’t know about you, but I typically notice when my husband is not acting like himself. Even though he might feel like he’s handling the stressors in his life just fine; I see more clearly than he does when they are getting to him. And Satan notices these times too, capitalizing on my husband’s weaknesses and blind spots by feeding him all sorts of temptations, manipulations and condemnations that flow from the challenges he’s facing.

It’s so easy to ignore or overlook this privilege, opportunity, and even responsibility the Lord gives us to fight back darkness on behalf of our husbands. Truthfully, I sometimes struggle to stay spiritually alert to the enemy’s attacks on my own life, much less my husband’s.

However, when it comes to the attacks of the enemy on our husbands, we have a distinct advantage over our guys. That’s because we stand as, at least somewhat, objective observers of their lives, as do they of our own.

While most challenges in the lives of our husbands are beyond our control to change, there are powerful ways we can improve any outcome in our husband’s lives.

So what should we do when we feel and hear the roar of the enemy coming far too close to our husbands?

3 Ways to Battle For Your Husband’s Spiritual Protection

1. Stay alert to the emotional and spiritual climate surrounding your husband. Notice when your husband is facing unfair and unrelenting resistance or mistreatment from others. Pay attention to how he feels about his performance in these kinds of trials and conflicts. If he feels like a failure, acts depressed, or is losing his patience with certain people and situations, you can safely assume that the enemy has inserted himself in your husband’s feelings and thoughts. “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 (NIV)

2. Affirm your husband in how he is handling the challenges and spiritual attacks he likely is facing. Once you’ve identified that a battle might be underway for your husband’s mind, move in to encourage him in all sorts of ways. Tell him what you admire about his determination and wisdom in a situation where he’s grown discouraged. Be as specific and vulnerable with him as possible to offer him the sweet gift of your support and validation. Give him extra praise for other ways he is helping and encouraging you and your kids as well. He needs to feel your support in this very obvious and compassionate way in order to counter the lies the enemy is feeding him.

3. Pray for your husband. Most of us pray for our husband’s and our marriages, but sometimes we neglect to pray specifically for their spiritual protection. Since husbands play such an important role as the spiritual leaders of our families, Satan views them as tantalizing targets for his flaming arrows (Eph. 6:16). Satan wants nothing more than to bring a husband and father down, viewing this as a touchdown—complete with end zone dancing—that he loves to flaunt before our God.

But, through Christ, we are more powerful than any end zone dancing devil! We can easily intercept the enemy, extinguishing his flaming arrows with prayer for our husbands. And, if you’re brave enough, consider touching your husband tenderly as you pray aloud for him before he goes out the door and into the fray. What a great statement this will make to him of your concern and support!

Ladies, don’t underestimate the great power and influence you have over the protection of your husband. Let’s fight together and battle for our husbands.

Wife Step: Which of these three ways to spiritually battle for your husband would most encourage him? Commit to practicing this at least once each day moving forward. 

Beth Steffaniak is an author, marriage blogger, life-coach, pastor’s wife, empty nester and proud grandma. She resides with her husband in southern Illinois, where they enjoy leading marriage workshops together, as well as investing in helping people grow closer to Christ, each other and the disconnected. You can find more of her writing at www.messymarriage.com.