Sons of Love “Spiritual Marriage” by Roy Roden
The following is a short article I wrote called “Spiritual Marriage. This except is from the book I am writing called “Sons of love.” If you prefer, you can listen to the 5 minute audio recording of this article by going to this link – http://eastgateministries.org/pdm-podcast/gods-design-for-spiritual-marriages/
The first marriage took place when God presented Eve to her husband Adam. There was no contract or ceremony, as this was all by God’s design. At this glorious event witnessed by the angels of heaven, they were knitted together with one heart, one love and one Spirit in unity with the Father. They were so unified as male and female, that God called them “ADAM” in the day of their creation. (Genesis 1:27, 5:2). Together as one, Adam and Eve shined with the light of God’s glory.
But due to sin, the life-giving relationship that God intended for a marriage became distorted. The streams of mankind’s thoughts became polluted, pure love became infected with lust and the life-giving relationship between a man and woman became perverted and self-centered.
Our Father God, grieving over the fallen state of His creation sent His Son Jesus. Not only to redeem mankind from sin, but for Christ as the second Adam, to restore mankind back to its original purpose, including the sacred bond cemented by love between a man and a woman.
Christ and His Bride
At Christ crucifixion, a soldier with a spear pierced His side. This represents a two-fold redemptive purposes. The first is the passion of Christ, who shed His blood at Calvary, for His bride to reign with Him at His side in heavenly places (Ephesians 4-6).
The bride of Christ unified by love has the power to carry the heartbeat of the Father into the earth that reveals the creative glorious union of God with His people and with one another as the family of God.
Spiritual Marriage
Just as Christ desire is to be unified with His bride “As one man in Christ” (Galatians 3:8), it is the creative design of God for a man and a woman to be united in spirit and heart. This too was accomplished at Calvary by the piercing of Christ side.
Most married couples are not aware of their creative ordained spiritual inheritance. I have discovered that many men are not aware of their primary spiritual role in a marriage. This lack of understanding creates a longing for the fulfillment of love that unites a man and wife with one heart in the unity of the Spirit.
This separation is due to the division that comes from humanistic beliefs that has its focus on differences, such as gender, rather than God’s creative design and purpose. To redeem this, the Lord showed me a simple ceremony for Christian couples that unites them with one heart and one spirit.
The Process
A spiritual marriage involves joining the woman back to the side of her husband. Because God took a rib from Adam to create Eve, the piercing of Christ side ALSO has the power to unite a man and woman in one spirit as God originally intended.
Here is a brief snapshot of the process I perform while conducting a spiritual marriage.
After 20 minutes of teaching, we start with the husband and wife standing side by side. With the wife at the right side of her husband, she places her right hand on his heart. This is followed by scriptural decrees that she declares over her husband. Powerful!
He in turn, with his right arm embracing her, with left hand raised to heaven in praise for his wife, makes a declaration that ushers in the glory of God. What follows is the presence of the Holy Spirit that falls upon the man and his bride, their God given spiritual covering.
The joy that brightens the brides face as this takes place, testifies of the grace of God to unify their heart and spirit under the canopy of love. It’s an amazing life-giving experience that restores the unique design and purpose that God has ordained for His beloved creation.
Testimonies of God’s Grace
Over the years, I have performed a number of spiritual marriages in various places. They are always powerful and lifechanging, often with healing and restoration. The result often deepens a couple’s spiritual life and their love for one another.
As a testimony, after performing a ceremony for a couple in California, the man with great joy and gratitude expressed, “In all these years, I never knew my God given role in my relationship with my wife, who is the spiritual one. Now, He proclaimed, I do!
The most recent spiritual union I performed took place here in Maine. Both ordained seasoned ministers, the husband recently shared with me, “Ever since this ceremony took place, our marriage is richer and deeper with a greater fullness than it has ever been.
In our Father’s amazing love,
Roy Roden