The Model to Follow Pt 2
Submitting to one another in the fear of God. Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as also Christ is the head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
This is the part 2 post based on the words the Lord spoke to me some time ago which were, "Tell them the things I require to become My bride."
He spoke these words to me while I was seeking Him concerning my own marriage. I believe this post is not only spiritual, but we can take this naturally as well.
The truth is Christ is looking for a mature bride; a bride that has made herself ready for Him. He is looking for those who are overcomers, so these are just a few of the things He is looking for.
Here are 8 qualifications that the bride must fulfill in order to be wedded to our Lord.
1. He desires a bride who is in love with Him.
Jesus is not attracted to someone who doesn't get excited for Him. He wants someone who wants Him. He doesn't want someone who constantly rejects His affection. The children of Israel rejected Him and that made them very unattractive to Him.
2. He desires a bride that agrees with Him.
The bible says, "Can two walk together , unless they are agreed?" (Amos 3:3) The Lord does not want a virgin (born again believer) who has her own mind or her own vision. An independent spirit and self will causes conflict with His Spirit. We have to be teachable, and we have to respect every part of His Word, and love every part of Him.
3. He desires a bride who understands Him.
He longs for someone with whom He can open His heart and share His secrets. He can't do this with babies. The Lord wants His people to grow up so that they can be on His level of communication.
4 He desires a bride who is not guarding her identity or individuality.
See Jesus lost His identity. He became a servant. Servants does not seek a reputation. In fact the bible says, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but MADE HIMSELF OF NO REPUTATION, taking on the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men."(Phil.2:5-7) Jesus emptied Himself and He is looking for for a bride that has the same heart. The only way to find our identity is by first understanding who God created us to be. God created the woman to be the helper to her husband and to be devoted to Him and not herself.
5. He desires a bride who has time for Him.
We have to make time for Him, if not the Lord will be grieved and look for another who does have time for Him. We will make time for what we treasure the most.
(Ladies I'm going to say something here that is going to ruffle some feathers, nevertheless it's still truth). The first call of a wife is to her husband NOT the children, but of course we are living in a world where the total opposite has been the mindset. According to the bible the husband is the head of the woman and Christ is the Head of the man. This is how it is to with be God. Our first call is to our Head, the Lord Jesus then we are called to care for the children.
6. He desires a bride with a humble and quiet spirit. The Lord wants a bride who is quiet, humble, and broken.
Ladies it's a huge turn off to a man when his wife is always spewing out criticism. See when you are humble you don't retaliate, nor do you seek revenge. The Lord is looking for someone with a tender and forgiving heart. It's the hardened heart that causes separation and divorce... Selah A hard heart cannot and will not forgive.
7. He desires a bride who is not demanding or nagging.
If any of you know the story of Esther you knew that she knew how to approach her king. Murmuring and complaining is the quickest way to be an unattractive bride.
8. He desires a bride who maintains her anointing.
The anointing comes from a life of communication and fellowship with the anointed One. You can look at the example of Mary and Martha. Mary learned to sit at the feet of Jesus to hear His word. Martha on the other hand was wrapped up in the work, so she couldn't be intimate. When our relationship with Christ is neglected His anointing and peace is not upon us, and our emotions begin to flow out of control. That's when criticism, unbelief, and our nerves start to rule our lives.
Remember the five foolish virgins had no oil because they neglected the relationship...There was no intimacy. Truth is we can't effectively be good husbands and wives until we first choose to be the bride of Christ. When He said this to me I instantly ask for forgiveness because it was then that I understood that we have to examine every area of our lives. As wives it's easy for us to look at what our husbands are doing, or not doing and think that we are justified in not fulfilling our duties as their wives, but the bible is clear about our roles as a wife. The bible is clear about our role as the church.
I don't want to be one of the foolish virgins. I want the oil, so my light can shine. It takes the oil of the anointing to let your light so shine that men would see your good works and glorify God.
HE IS COMING FOR A BRIDE WITHOUT SPOT OR WRINKLE, HE IS COMING FOR A HOLY BRIDE WITHOUT BLEMISH. He's coming for the wise virgins!
DON'T GET LEFT BEHIND!
Amen
Prophetess Shaquita Jones
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