Welcome to the Christian Family column of the David Oyedepo Ministries international website. This page is anchored by Pastor (Mrs) Faith Abiola Oyedepo, and articles on this column will centre on : Family life, Family matters, Family success Whether single or married, you will be empowered and equipped via the topical and realistic issues discussed within these articles. With biblical, personal and other reliable and vetted testimonies cited from the body of Christ, you will be taught to replicate same testimonies in your own life. Get set for definite encounters that will culminate in your ever-victorious family life!

FAMILY LIFE

Dear Reader,

I welcome you to another glorious month. I am glad to bring God’s Word to you again and my prayer is that the Word will work wonders in your family life as you receive it today in Jesus name. All through this month, I shall be teaching on the topic, Becoming one flesh.

Marriage is a mystery of two people becoming one. God programmed marriage to be two in one. It is His will for you. When you understand this truth, it will help you a great deal to work towards a successful home. God has created all that it would take to make marriage glorious. Man on his own part needs to abide by His principle and implement His plan.

In God’s own arithmetic, two people alone make a home. A home is formed at the coming together of only two, not more. The Word of God says: For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; and they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh (Mark 10:7-8). The coming together of man and woman in marriage is a spiritual conversion from one to two.

Quoting the verse in Genesis, Jesus says ‘the two will become one flesh’ and draws the following conclusion, ‘So they are no longer two, but one.’ The man and woman who enter into the marriage bond become one flesh and are no longer two, but one entity. The apostle Paul develops this concept by teaching that: husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no-one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it (Ephesians 5:28–29). Paul is saying that a wife is actually a part of her husband’s body—she is of his flesh and blood. He illustrates this mystery by revealing a profound truth that when a man loves his wife, he loves himself for she is a part of him. It follows that when a man hates his wife, he hates his own body. Paul then quotes Genesis 2:24: For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh, acknowledging that it is a mystery.

See this testimony:
“I have been married for 12 years, but my marriage was in shambles. My family rejected me because I refused to divorce my husband. At a time, I developed psychosomatic problems, but I still held on. Each time my family complained, I always told them that God makes all things beautiful in His time and that my marriage would be okay.

When Bishop David Oyedepo spoke on the Ark Bearer’s Sacrifice in one of the services, I did not have anything to give, because I had lost my job for a year as a nurse. I sat down and wept. I asked God what I would give in order to be a partaker of His blessings. And the Holy Spirit said to me, ‘How about your wedding ring?’ I said, ‘God this is the only valuable thing I have left in my life, and what will I tell my husband?’

Subsequently, I came to the church, and in tears removed the ring and put it in an envelope and said, ‘God, as I put in this ring, I want you to restore my marriage and give me a job.’ After I dropped it, I discovered that the depression I felt before then left; I was so happy! When I got home, I was ready for another confrontation from my husband, who never went to church. All he did was to sit with his bottle. But when I entered the room, he said, ‘Honey welcome! How was church and your Bishop?’ I was surprised!

He said, ‘My darling wife you look tired. Go and take your bath, I have prepared food for you to eat.’ I did not believe it! I thought it was a trick. I went into the kitchen and discovered he had prepared stew with chicken. Still, in doubt, I went ahead and took my bath. When I came out of the bathroom, he said I should bring the food into the bedroom. I watched him in surprise as we ate.

He asked if I was surprised, and told me that while I was in church, he lay down to watch the television, and suddenly heard a voice audibly call him and say, ‘Sit up! What have you done with your marriage? Set your home right.’ That made him go on his knees, weeping, and he told God he was sorry. That was the beginning of good things. I never knew marriage could be so blissful!”

– Agbetiku, U.

There is something so deep and wonderful in the marriage bond that you need spiritual insightfully to understand its divine significance. The union of husband and wife is used in the Scriptures as a symbol of the unity between Christ and His Church; Christ is the bridegroom and the Church is His bride. Paul says that the Church is a part of Christ; we are members of the body of Christ and Christ is the head of the Church. In the same way, the wife is part of the body of her husband. This union between Christ and his Church is based on the covenant promise, sealed in His blood, that He will never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6). He will remain faithful to His promises even though we are faithless.

In God’s eyes, husband and his wife are one flesh. This must be the reason why Adam when he first saw his wife. The Word of God says: And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman because she was taken out of Man (Genesis 2:23). One man and one woman in a marriage relationship equal one flesh. This is God’s arithmetic! This is referring to a fusion of husband and wife, two distinct elements into one.

To make the most of your financial life, there is need for you to surrender your life to Jesus. If you are not yet born again and you desire to do so right now, please pray this prayer with faith in your heart: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.

Congratulations! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are now born again and a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building a Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

Dear Reader,

I warmly welcome you to another great time in the study of God’s Word. All through this month, we shall be considering the secrets that make for a successful family life. my prayer is that your eyes of understanding shall be opened to catch this truth from God’s Word in Jesus name.

It is important for us to understand what marriage is all about. Many people, including Christians, have a misconception about marriage. Some think that it is just the coming together of a man and a woman and their bearing children that is marriage. Some others think that it is a kind of friendship or relationship.

Scripturally, marriage is a covenant and until you have this understanding, you may never enjoy fulfilment in your family. Marriage is a covenant between God and the couple, in the first instance, and then between the couple themselves. So, when you are entering into a marriage relationship, it is important for you to know that you are entering into a covenant with God and with your spouse. Malachi 2:14 says: Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and … the wife of thy covenant.

What is a covenant? A covenant is an agreement between two people. It is a relationship that must not be broken and if it is ever broken, a penalty follows suit. A covenant is also for a lifetime and I believe strongly that it is because a covenant is for a lifetime that the Word of God says in Ecclesiastes 10:8: He that breaketh the edge, a serpent shall bite him. A promise can be claimed, but a covenant cannot. In a covenant, you have to abide with some rules and regulations and as you do these you enjoy the benefits it contains. When you walk in terms with the covenant, God fulfils His own part of the covenant.

Success in marriage is not a function of prayers. It is basically, a function of walking in the terms of the covenant. The only place prayer is needed is for divine grace to walk in line with the demands of the covenant. Prayer can never take the place of obedience to the terms of the covenant. Therefore, instead of going from place to place seeking solution to the problems of your family, settle down for knowledge of your covenant responsibility and stay committed to its fulfilment thereof. It is in the doing of that covenant responsibility, that your desire lies.

The marriage covenant is best described as a triangle, with God on top or at the apex, and the man and his wife at the bottom or the base, everyone playing their part independently … As unto the Lord. (Ephesians 5:22). God created you and made you a part of that family for a purpose and you will be accountable to Him for the fulfilment of that purpose. Husband and wife have covenant obligations to each other for which they will also be held accountable. Your responsibility to obey the terms of the covenant is not dependant on your spouse fulfilling his or her own part. As far as God is concerned, you have been given an individual responsibility and you must be accountable to Him for its fulfilment.

The failure on the part of your spouse for the non-performance of his or her responsibility is not a sufficient excuse for the non-performance of yours. For instance, as a man, you cannot say the failure of your wife to submit to your headship is the reason you cannot love her. The same goes for the woman; whether your husband loves you or not, you are under an obligation to submit to him in everything. When you fulfil your own part of the covenant, God will also fulfil His own part which is to give you peace, joy, fulfilment and every good thing you desire in your family. God is constant; His side is stable; He doesn’t change (Malachi 3:6); He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He will do whatever He says He will do. What does that mean? Whatever good you see God do for any family, He can do the very same thing for you because He is no respecter of persons. If he has to change your spouse in response to your obedience, he will do it.

The Bible says: The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will (Proverbs 21:1). The turning of your spouse’s heart is but a light thing with the Lord for with Him nothing shall be impossible. You just concentrate on pleasing Him by your obedience to His command and He will please you by the fulfilment of His part of the covenant.

When your covenant relationship with God is in place, your covenant relationship with your spouse becomes a very easy thing to observe. If you get committed to obeying the Lord, by either loving your wife or submitting to your husband, you will find out that it becomes a thing of joy for you to do. It becomes a delight to show love or submit. It is no longer mechanical but spontaneous, and all that could ever be desired in a home becomes cheaply yours.

God is a God of covenant and the benefits of the covenant are only available to those who have a covenant relationship with Him. He said in his Word: Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice Psalms 50:5. You can become a part of those in covenant with Him by praying this simple prayer with me inviting Jesus Christ into your heart as your Lord and personal Saviour: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.

Congratulations! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are now born again and a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building a Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

12 PILLARS

God commissioned the presiding Bishop of this commission with a Word of Faith ministry to our generation. Remember Paul said, "...if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?" (1 Cor 14:8) As a Commission, we have experienced amazing testimonies ever since this commission was handed down - that is over thirty years now! The Holy Ghost further inspired the servant of God, Dr. David Oyedepo, to classify the Word of Faith He has committed into his hands into the specific areas of emphasis, in direct response to Isaiah 40:6, "The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry?..." He has named these 12 areas of emphasis as the 12 Pillars of our Commission. We have crossed Jordan into power, bearing the ark of liberation. Here are the 12 stones, after the order of Joshua 4:1-8, 20-24. Having stood firm upon these twelve stones! And they have resulted in breakthroughs - both for the ministry and all that are partakers with us, of the same grace.



FAITH (1 John 5:4; Ephesians 6:16)
"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." 1 John 5:4

THE WORD (John 1:1-12; Hebrews 1:3)
"Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power..." Heb. 1:3

THE SUPERNATURAL (Psalm 82:5-7; John 3:8)
"The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit." John 3:8

PRAISE (2 Chro. 20:20-22; Psalm 67:1-7; 149:1-9)
"And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah: and they were smitten." 2 Chro. 20:22

THE HOLY SPIRIT (Acts 1:1-8; Isaiah 10:27)
"And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing." Isaiah 10:27

PROSPERITY (3 John 2; Psalm 35:27; Zech. 1:17)
"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." 3 John 2. "Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad..." Zech1:17

VISION (Proverbs 29:18, Jer. 29:11)
"Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he." Prov. 29:18,

PRAYER (1 John 5:14)
"And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us." 1 John 5:14

HEALING (Isaiah 53:3-4; Jer. 8:22; Matt. 8:17)
"That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses." Matt. 8:17

WISDOM (Prov. 24:3-4, Isaiah 33:6)
"And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the Lord is his treasure." Isaiah 33:6

CONSECRATION (Hebrews 12:14; 2 Tim. 2:19)
"Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his. And let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." 2 Tim. 2:19

SUCCESS (Joshua 1:8-10)
"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." Joshua 1: 8

Copyright © 2024 - LIVING FAITH CHURCH WORLDWIDE INTERNATIONAL