“Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.” -1 Peter 3:7

In the verse above, both a command is given, as well as a consequence. The command is for husbands to live with their wives “according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife…” And the consequence to the Christian for doing so is listed afterward, which is “that your prayers be not hindered.”

The apostle Peter lists a lack of harmony in marriage as a source of hindered prayers. Notice that he didn’t say that a lack of harmony between marriage partners would take away one’s joy, happiness, or wellness—though it certainly would if a relationship was struggling—but it is hindered prayer that the Bible tells us is the biggest detriment to one’s life if there is friction between spouses.

We cannot compartmentalize the spiritual and the physical

Perhaps we think that if a relationship is having difficulties, than it will not affect our spiritual life—that we can seal off the emotional and physical side of our life from the spiritual. Yet the Scripture verse above makes it clear: such contentious living will hinder our prayers to God.

And the great impact of this problem is only heightened by this hindrance, as we know in other places in Scripture that prayer is of the utmost of importance:

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” -James 5:16

Prayer is the very substance of spiritual warfare, and the grounds for nearly every victory in a Christian’s life. The Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, is wielded through prayer. If our prayers our hindered from happenings in this earthly life, our spiritual effectiveness will also be hampered as well.

If we are having difficulty in relationships on this earth, and we refuse to make them right, we ought to look for and expect spiritual weakness and defeat in our prayer life.

“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” -Ephesians 6:17-18

“In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city on the south. And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate. . . . And behold a wall on the outside of the house round about, and in the man’s hand a measuring reed of six cubits long by the cubit and an hand breadth: so he measured the breadth of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed.” -Ezekiel 40:2-3, 5-6

In the above selection we read of a vision from God given to the prophet Ezekiel. But in the midst of this dream, (continuing on for the rest of chapter 40 of Ezekiel), you’ll notice an interesting detail: there’s a lot of measurements. Not only does Ezekiel get divine revelation in seeing and exploring this heavenly city, but he gets a lot of fine details and very specific dimensions on nearly every aspect of the city.

Why were all of these tiny details even included?

Because Ezekiel’s vision is real

It’s my belief that God went to such length, and described this heavenly city in such detail because it was real. If Ezekiel’s vision was merely meant to be spiritualized and interpreted in some ethereal or cloudy way, then certainly God would not have bothered to include so many measurements and minute details involving the city and its dimensions.

We’ve seen such measuring before in the Old Testament, in the case of Moses, who received instructions on building the Ark of the Covenant, and the Tabernacle, and the associated table, altar, etc. And what was the reason for such measurements? Because God really did have every intention of having these structures built. They were real.

“According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.” -Exodus 25:9

We must have faith in the reality of God’s goodness, and not simply explain away everything that we do not or cannot understand as being “impossible” or too spiritual to apprehend. God said it, and we ought to believe it and consider the matter settled.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. . . . But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. . . . By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. . . . For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. . . . These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. . . . But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.” -Hebrews 11:1, 6, 8, 10, 13-14, 16

“Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;” -1 Peter 2:11

When we hear the apostle Peter’s charge to keep ourselves from “fleshly lusts,” we may think of overtly sensual sins: immorality, drunkenness, and the like. Yet I believe that he was exhorting the brothers in a much broader sense: we are to keep away from our own selfish—or fleshly—desires.

Anything that we selfishly want or desire that does not line up with God’s will, or fit in to His plan for our life, could be termed what the apostle Peter calls a “fleshly lust.”

If this is the case, then what are the repercussions for our everyday actions, words, and even thoughts and attitudes?

Our desires war against the soul

Our selfishness may seem innocent or “natural” on the outside, but Scripture warns us that it literally wars against our own soul—it fights and battles against all the good things that God would have for our lives, and resists and thwarts all the graces that God would bless us with to endure this trial called earthly life.

“For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” – Galatians 5:17

“[Jesus Christ,] Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:” -1 Peter 1:8

They say that seeing is believing, and yet, for the Christian, God has a special blessing for us who have never seen Jesus Christ, and yet still believe on His Name for salvation; and even love and trust on Him for the safety of our souls.

Scripture shows us that God has given His Spirit to every believer, and this Spirit of God lives within us and reveals to us the things that pertain to Jesus Christ, and the kingdom of God.

“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” -John 16:13-14

And for us—for the believers of today that have God’s Spirit—Jesus Christ prayed for us, and blessed us:

“Neither pray I for these [the eleven disciples] alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;” -John 17:20

We fit into this category: we are those that have believed on Jesus Christ after He had died, resurrected, and gone up into heaven. We have believed Christ based upon the words of others found in Scripture. Our Savior included us in His prayer, and we are just as blessed and fortunate through God’s Holy Spirit as those original witnesses that saw Jesus Christ face to face.

Jesus prayed this prayer for us:

“I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” -John 15-17

“Gratitude is a soil on which joy thrives.” -Auerbach

When we’re thankful, we’re happy.

So many times in life, our joy and happiness depends so greatly on our perspective: do we see what we don’t have, or are we thankful for the things that we do have? Do we focus our thoughts on the things that we can’t do, or do we give thanks to God for the things that He has allowed us to do?

A perfect example of this principle can be seen in the Bible in the apostle Paul. He was imprisoned for many years, and yet he was full of joy. Paul didn’t focus on all the freedoms that he was being denied, but he was utterly thankful and gave thanks to God for the ministry that he still had in prayer: even though he was in chains.

I wonder on many of us would be thankful to God if we were put in prison for our faith? I wonder how many would still maintain their inward peace and joy even when circumstances were bleak? I wonder how many of us would overcome the world, and look unto God and His unfailing goodness—a goodness that cannot be stolen or destroyed by anything upon this earth—and be filled with thanksgiving and gratitude for all that our Heavenly Father has given us—especially in the life of His Son, Jesus Christ.

“I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;” -2 Timothy 1:3

“And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.” -Ezekiel 33:32

A few days ago, I wrote about those that merely heard the words of God, but did not do them. And in the case of the prophet Ezekiel, we find a perfect example of this: the people enjoyed hearing him speak, and perhaps admired his skill and eloquence in oration, but they didn’t take his words to heart.

“And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.” -Ezekiel 33:31

Notice one characteristic of them is that they show love with their mouths. This ought to mark them clearly as hypocrites, and not as those that have God’s true love. A common pattern throughout Scripture is that God’s love is shown through actions: usually through self-sacrifice.

“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” -1 John 3:18

Talk is cheap. It is much harder to actually make a personal sacrifice, either of time, or money, or desires, or some other thing, in order for us to show love. Speaking kind words is good, but if those kind words are not backed up with a true love—a love that will act, and make sacrifices—it is all in vain.

“Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:” -Isaiah 29:13

“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” -James 4:4

As in many other places in Scripture, here we see in the epistle of James a clear and undeniable doctrine: the world, and its characteristic selfishness and unrestrained desires, is at complete odds with God.

It can be hard as a new christian to make this adjustment, and to fully realize this truth, but it is critical for spiritual growth and success. Since we have all been born into this world as sinners, and since we have been worldly and selfish by our very nature, it can take strong measures for us to learn that if we want to please God, we ought not to befriend the world any longer.

In essence, the world says: do what you want, you’re the boss. But not only that, but the world provides all sorts of unclean and filthy means to satisfy our selfishness. Sexual immorality, drugs, alcohol, music, television and movies, and all sorts of wicked entertainment is spewed at us from the world,  and it’s all for one purpose: to make us into gods.

The spirit of worldliness has been the same perverseness since the very beginning of the mankind, when the serpent tempted Eve and spoke in her ear: “ye shall be as gods. . .” (Genesis 3:5b). The basic element of such a spirit is that you can call the shots.

The devil seemingly says, “sure, God’s an okay guy, but do you really have to listen to Him for everything? Why don’t you just do what will make you happy, and if you’ve got any leftover time, you can give that to God?”

This sort of thinking is at complete odds with God. The Lord has made all things, and deserves the utmost love and devotion. “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5). Our own sinful natures want to make ourselves happy, and live for our own pleasure, yet the Bible teaches over and over that we are to seek to make God happy, and do things that are pleasing to Him.

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” -1 Corinthians 6:19-20

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” -Romans 12:1-2

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” -Colossians 3:1-3