Satan really hates God, but since he can't win over Him he'll try to destroy the lives of those who were made in God's image – man. He has done this since the time of Adam, and even though he has been rendered powerless by the cross and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, he will still try to destroy our lives.

After all, that's all he does.

One of the things that the Devil likes to destroy is marriage. Ever since God created marriage, the Devil has been trying to wreck it and cause divorce, separation, marital infidelity and irresponsibility. And he will employ various tactics to do just that.

Knowing this, we should all be vigilant to protect our marriages. We must never allow the enemy to destroy and take away what God has joined together. The Lord Jesus tells us,

"Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."

We must take the Lord's words seriously. Marriage is a serious matter, and the enemy is serious in his attempts to destroy it. We've got to be serious in protecting it!

Protecting what matters most

In order to help you protect your marriage, here are some tactics that the Devil employs against it. Knowing these will help you be more vigilant and prepared for his attacks.

1) By trying to convince you to commit sin

Ah yes, the classic approach: temptation. In Genesis 3 we read that the serpent tempted Eve with a very tempting offer. The serpent caused Eve to doubt what God had said and even gave her the idea that she'd be better if she'd only do what God had forbidden.

Classic, right?

Don't you ever give in to this. Satan will try to convince you to commit sin. You've got to arm yourself with repentance and with God's word.

2) The blame game

Alright, here's something we should all realize: did you know that the blame game is Satan's invention? After Adam and Eve fell into sin, they ended up blaming each other for what they did. Instead of repenting, they pointed to the sin of another.

• The Devil will try to convince husbands that it's OK to look at other women or even watch adult content. After all, he's not getting the respect he "deserves" from their wives, right? Wrong.
• The Devil will try to convince wives that it's OK to nag at their husbands. After all, they're worthless and narcissistic spouses who can't think of their wives' feelings, right? Wrong.

Satan will try to teach you to justify your sins, usually by pointing to your spouse's mistake. Don't give in.

3) By causing you to get so busy

Lastly, Satan will find a way to make you become so busy that you won't have time for your personal Bible reading and prayer devotions, and your quality time with your spouse.

Have you ever noticed the number of husbands or wives taking on multiple jobs, and then spending time away from the spouse because of work-related fatigue? Or the number of husbands or wives spending more time with fun colleagues instead of the spouse and the family at home?

Satan will always try to cause you to worry and prioritize your income more than your home. Don't let him derail you from prioritizing what really matters:

• God first,
• Marriage second,
• Family third,
• Others last.

I hope this helps you. God bless you and your marriage!