I love her books because she is very anointed, she tackles the tough issues, and she is very right on.
I love her book: Lies Women Believe and The Truth that Sets them Free.
In this book Nancy talks a lot about the "S" word. Yeah, the submission word. This is a very controversial topic in today's world. She dedicated a whole chapter to the concept of Marriage and discusses the Lies Women believe about Marriage. She then gives scriptures to back up her points.
"Lie # 24. If I submit to my husband, I'll be miserable" (page 146, Nancy Leigh DeMoss)
This is a huge lie which is prevalent in the world today, even in the church.
Unfortunately, many women who believe this lie can also miss out an a blessing. Nancy even goes on to point out that "this truth is one of the most liberating principles in all of God's Word."
You see what women often misunderstand is that when wives submit to their husbands they are not putting their trust in a man. They are putting their trust in God. This is often hard to digest for most people if your like me. Because I don't trust well. I struggle at it. But, when we are submitting to our husband we are trusting that the Lord is our true covering and that he controls the heart of the King. (Proverbs 21:1)
When we are submitting to our husband and showing him the respect he deserves as the God appointed head of the household, than we are free. We are free to trust God who will deal with the man who is ultimately under God's control. This gives women a sense of freedom. They don't have to manipulate or control, although it is quite tempting. They can lay back in a sense because the man is responsible for the leading of his household. The ultimate judgement is in fact in his lap. The women's job is to provide support, love, prayer and RESPECT.
Another reason we are to submit to our husbands is because it protects us. When we stray from the covering placed over us by God and our husband, we are in danger. Satan can easily attack us when we are not under the covering which God has designed for us. How much easier would it be if we simply obeyed God? This struggle is nothing new. In fact, these struggles date back to Adam and Eve.
"WIVES, IN THE SAME WAY BE SUBMISSIVE TO YOUR HUSBANDS SO THAT, IF ANY OF THEM DO NOT BELIEVE THE WORD, THEY MAY BE WON OVER WITHOUT WORDS BY THE BEHAVIOR OF THEIR WIVES, WHEN THEY SEE THE PURITY AND REVERENCE OF YOUR LIVES. " 1 Peter 3:1-2
Lies About Submission:
1. The wife is inferior to the husband.
2. As head of his wife, the husband is permitted to be harsh or dictorial.
3. The wife is not to provide input or express her opinions to her husband.
4. The husband is always right. (page 147)
What is sad to me is how society views marriage. Marriage is so often dispensable and deemed of little importance. This is evident in the huge divorce rate and the growing number of couples who decide to live together out of wedlock. What is even sadder is how Satan often attacks marriage because he knows it is important to God. God designed marriage to be a reflection of His relationship with Christ and the church. (church=Christians)
So, if Satan can attack marriage then he can attack the relationship, the image, and the God ordained relationship between man and women.
But let's face it, marriage is Hard. Marriage is realllllyyy hard, but all good things are hard. This is where we as Christians need to get real. We need to gear up and really start to take marriage seriously. So often couples fight over stupid and petty things. If we could only realize the fights we struggle with are not just "fights."
They are in fact tools of Satan to break up the God-appointed relationship of marriage. In Ephesians 6:12 we even see the fact that our "struggle" is not in fact our spouse, the struggle is a lot deeper than that.
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:12
This is why the themes of respect and submission are so important. All to often we wives try the alternative when dealing with our marriage. We can try to handle our marriage issues with alternative methods such as manipulation, control, revenge, anger, bitterness, anger, and even divorce. These things are sad because not only do they hurt us but they also destroy the family unit. Lord help us and give us your grace to be the wives you would desire us to be.
The best way a wife can show respect to her husband is by submitting to his authority. Respect and Submission are two of the most powerful tools a wife has in her marriage. Not only does it bring honor to her husband, but most importantly to God. Wives must respect their husbands.
"However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." Ephesians 5:33
The rest is up to God. The problem is women often will use respect/submission to their own benefit or they will use conditional submission. They will only submit to their husband if they are getting the love they want. However, this is not what God is saying here. In the book Love and Respect, Eggerichs talks openly about this topic and how wonderful it would be if wives really "got it".
And the best part is when we do what is right, God blesses us. :)
