When I cried out to God for direction in my marriage. I opened the Bible to Joshua chapter six reading about how God tore down the walls of Jericho, a city filled with evil. The lies of the enemy were causing huge walls of division in my home. I read, "Then the LORD said to Joshua, march around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times... then the wall of the city will collapse."

In my spirit I knew God was telling me to march around the outside walls of my home seven days in a row and on the last day seven times. This may sound crazy, but I had to be obedient to what I felt God wanted me to do.

I awoke early each morning beginning on Monday when my husband happened to be out of town for business. Raising my hands I called out on the Lord to deliver my family from evil, to break down the walls of bitterness, unforgiveness, anger and rage. I prayed for restoration and healing in my marriage and in the relationships with my children.

I felt awkward as I feared my neighbors might see me at six in the morning with my hands raised high, mumbling prayers to myself. But I decided it was more important to be obedient to what God told me to do than worry about what the neighbors might think of me.

On the seventh day I walked around my house seven times. Each time I went around I set a large stone by the gate as an alter to the Lord and to be honest as a reminder of how many times I went around. After my final lap, with hands held high, I bowed down on my knees at my back porch begging God for deliverance.
 
As I finished praying I noticed an image through the window of my back door. There was my husband looking at me shaking his head. When I went inside Mark said, "That was weird."

I chuckled and replied, "Well, I don't think it's weird praying for my family." He shrugged his shoulders and walked out of the room.

A couple weeks later the walls of our hearts crumbled as we met with the pastor of our church. My prayer was answered as we began to get counseling from a Christian counselor that offered us wisdom and understanding of our problems. We gained an appreciation for one another and the tools we needed to better communicate.

God is faithful when we are obedient. We must make every effort to follow Him and be sensitive to his leading as we read the Word of God. Even if it means raising our hands to pray for deliverance of the spirit of unforgiveness and bitterness that permeates the walls of our hearts.
 
Our families are a precious gift to be protected. We must make every effort to create unity and peace in our homes. As a parent we must commit to pray for our spouse and our children. This is the greatest gift we can give them. "Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift your hands toward Him for the life of your young children," (Lamentations 2:19).