Looking for a fulfilling and healthy marriage relationship? It doesn't begin with behavior modification or a list of how-to’s; it begins with the filling of the Holy Spirit! This idea isn’t just my thought, look at the context of the passage: verse 18 commands us to be filled with the Spirit, then the following verses tell us the results of being filled. When you get to verse 21, it says, “And further, you will submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (NLT). Take another look at what Scripture says about the filling of the Holy Spirit, and you’ll find the key to succeeding in marriage!
A wife submitting to her husband like the church submits to Christ isn’t natural – it’s supernatural! When a woman yields to the Holy Spirit, then He produces the change through her, reforming her inner desires, which then leads to different relational behavior.
A husband sacrificially loving his wife in the same way that Christ loved the church likewise requires supernatural intervention. We men are too selfish and ego-driven to live out that kind of relationship apart from Jesus!
“Live a life filled with love for others, following the example of Christ, who loved you and gave himself as a sacrifice to take away your sins. And God was pleased, because that sacrifice was like sweet perfume to him… Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord.” (Eph 5:2, 10 NLT)
