Guest post by Kelley

“Can you expound upon what you mean when you say “they are not only fighting for their husband’s eternal soul”? I am not quite sure I understand what this means. Can you provide scripture with this for further understanding? Thanks.”

Dear Tamra,

We are not wrestling with flesh and blood in this battle for the souls of our mates and children. We are engaged in spiritual warfare with the principalities and wickedness of the rulers of darkness. But greater is He within us than the enemy of our mates’ or children’s souls.

I Googled verses to “help a fallen brother” and a myriad of powerful and lovely words divinely inspired by God Himself came up, to name only a few:

Ecclesiastes 4:10
Hebrews 6:10; 13:16
John 15:12-13
Philippians 2:4
Proverbs 3:27
Romans 15:1
1 John 4:19-20
Matt 25:35-40 and 44-45
Galatians 6:1
James 5:19-20

Without the life-giving breath of God, each of us would be destined for hell. Some must be resuscitated, and could it be that that’s why you’ve come? Why you are here? Could you have come to the Kingdom for such a time as this, for the very saving of our man’s soul? My husband’s?

The season when my own dad left my mother is one we call “When Dad lost his mind.” Literally, the vapors– if you will– of evil consumed every centimeter of his life, so much so that he would leave his wife of nearly 25 years and their youngest 14 year old child for another woman who was on her second husband. “What is he thinking?!” haunted us over and over. “What is he thinking?”

Until her prodigal husband “came to his senses,” as the Word says about the prodigal son, Widow Connie Hultquist cried out to God daily for her wayward man, setting a place for him at the head of their dinner table for 12 long, horrific years. She did battle for him on her knees in prayer, listening for the door, ears cocked for the sound of his footsteps. He came home numerous times, and she asked no questions. That’s what shame does, asks why did you leave me? Asks, what were you thinking? She never shamed Jim. She said she just poured her love out on him, helped him bathe, exchange his rags for clean clothes, poured in the oil, massaged his broken body, filled his stomach with a delicious, hot meal that she had stirred with love and seasoned with reverence and compassion.

Widow Hultquist fought on her knees in obedience to the Word of God for the soul of her ungodly husband. Finally, after 12 long years of running from God, Connie’s faithful prayers chased her husband down; Jim couldn’t refuse that kind of deep love for another second. He yielded and humbled himself before God and went back home. He decided he wanted Connie’s God. His widow says it was worth every tear shed, every trying moment of every lonely night in their bed. Jim was Connie’s Jesus, and when she acted upon her faith in these ways toward “the least of these,” she had done it unto Jesus.

See, we forget that our husbands are Jesus wearing size 32×32 Levi’s or size medium Fruit of the Looms or a 15.5 x 33-inch dress shirt. This man is a soul, and every spiritual battle we fight, every prayer we pray, every meal, swept floor or pair of clean socks is worth it so he’ll never whiff the fumes of hell. If we wouldn’t wish hell on Jesus, we must do everything in our power to see that our husbands don’t go there either.

Baptize us, Lord, with a love for our husbands’ souls!

*hugs*
~Kelley

Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
James 5:19, 20