(a) Spiritual preparation John 9:31
(i) Genuine salvation is the foundation for a purposeful marriage
(ii) Continual fellowship with God
(iii) Prompt ability to God’s word and His revealed will (Isaiah 1:18; Philippians 2:8, 9; 2:
(iv) The ability to detect god’s voice and sensitivity to the leading of the spirit
(v) Absolute yieldedness to the will of God (Romans 12:12)
(vi) Faith in God and His word (Mark 11:23; James 1:5-
(b) Physical preparations: Genesis 2:24; Prov. 4:7; Ecclesiastes 8:5; Heb 5:14
Physically there must be maturity in all ramifications.
(i) It is important to have proper maturity of mind to be able to absorb the challenges of marriage.
(ii) Mental maturity to manage the home well (Hebrews5:14).
(iii) There is need for gainful employment
(iv) Necessary basic amenities such as clothes, kitchen equipment, cooking utensils, decent accommodation etc are needed for a good start of home.
2). PURPOSEFUL SEARCH FOR GOD’S WILL IN MARRIAGE
Heb 1:1-2, Gen 2:18, 24:1-9, 26-27, Prov. 3:5-7, Acts 9:10-12, Lk. 4:17-20, Prov. 20:18, Judges 11:14 Ruth 3:1-5, Deut. 4:5-9.
Marriage does not only connote two people coming together, it is a matter of joining together of two lives to become an inseparable entity. It therefore means that challenges, yokes, problems, blessing etc will be shared together. There is the need for the singles to lean on the ancient of days, who is the initiator of marriage to guide and lead to their appropriate bones of your bones and flesh of your flesh. Since God instituted and set a pattern for marriage and Jesus Christ and early apostles referred to these in Mt 19:3-9. Abraham counseled and guided whom Isaac married and took practical steps to achieve that. Isaac and Rebecca were also involved in the process of Jacob’s marriage. Moses and Joshua also warned solemnly of the danger of wrong marriages of the Jews with the Canaanites. All these and biblical practices and precepts necessitate the need to have a scripture based system to guide young and eligible brothers and sisters in their marriage plans.
God guides the believer through any of these methods:
i. The voice of indwelling spirit (John 10:3-5, 16-17)
ii. Spiritual intuitive perception (Neh. 6:10-12, 1sam 3:4-
iii. Spirit confirmation of a series of events (Acts 9:26-28, 11:22-26, 29-30, 13:1-3)
iv. Inner witness of the spirit, prompting, directing, influencing or checking (Acts 1:19-21, John 16:13, Prov. 20; 27)
v. Direct revelation through dreams, vision or prophecies such revelation that contradict God’s word must be rejected (Jer. 23:21-32.)
vi. Divinely imparted unquenchable love (Song of Solomon 8: 6-
vii. God’s word strongly impressed upon the believers heart (Matt 22:29, Psalm 119:105, 130, 11 Tim 3:16-17)
viii. Audible voice of God (Isaiah 30:21)