Married Christian couples are in the best position to help each other fulfill their callings in the Lord. God has designed marriage to be so effective that He only had to create just one couple to fulfill His plan. This couple, however, failed because they did not do what they were supposed to do as a team:

Help one another.

That's it?

Friends, Adam and Eve sinned because they did not help each other uphold what God had told. If Adam had proactively guarded Eve and protected her from the serpent's tempting offer, she wouldn't have eaten the forbidden fruit. If Eve, on the other hand, asked Adam what to do before she ate what was forbidden, Adam could've done something.

Because they sinned but didn't want to take responsibility for it, they played the blame game. If they took responsibility for each other in advance of Satan trying to tempt them, things would've been much different.

Still, thanks be to God for sending His one and only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus, to save us. Because of Him we are given the wonderful privilege to do God's will on earth. As married couples who follow Christ, we can now experience what God's idea of marriage was: a perfect partnership.

A God-ordained partnership

Would you want to work with your spouse in fulfilling God's call upon your lives? Here are some suggestions for you.

1) Be one another's primary accountability partner

Before you go around looking for an accountability partner in your church or fellowship, realize that your spouse is the first accountability partner that you should have. Your pastor and other church members will not be able to see you the way your spouse: daily, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

That said, choose to allow your spouse to check up on you. Share your daily experiences and thoughts. Share your struggles (if it's something you can't tell your spouse yet, consider your pastor or a wise elder first). Open up and just say, with all honesty and love, what needs to be said.

2) Be one another's constant reminder and encourager

Married couples should also choose to be one another's helper and top encourager. Many couples today talk down on and ridicule each other, especially if one of them does something wrong. Why not speak life and encouragement instead?

Choose to encourage each other to press on "toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (see Philippians 3:14), remind one another of what Christ has taught (see Matthew 28:19-20), and continue to "consider one another in order to stir up love and good works" (see Hebrews 10:24).

3) Be one another's consistent prayer partner

Lastly, commit to pray for each other, whether you're together or not. God should be the center of the marriage through and through. When there are issues or hardships, God is willing and able to help.

Commit to bring each other to the Lord in prayer at all times. "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." (see Matthew 26:41)