Fighting for Your Family w/ ### ###

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This week, ### had the opportunity to sit down with Pastor ###, author of Fighting for Your Family, and talk about fighting for our families rather than against them. Most families are fighting real battles without realizing what they’re up against or how they’re meant to fight. Whether it’s tension in marriage, exhaustion in parenting, or the weight of leadership and responsibility, many of us feel overwhelmed and unsure where to turn. ### reminds us that these struggles are rarely just practical or emotional—they are often deeply spiritual, requiring wisdom, discernment, and a God-centered approach if we want our families to remain strong.

### shared that one of the most dangerous things we can do as parents is crowdsource our families. In other words, when things get hard at home, our instinct is often to ask everyone—social media, podcasts, comment sections—for advice. But ### warned that this instinct can actually expose our families to more harm than help.

### explained that when we bring our struggles to the internet instead of godly community, we aren’t just inviting opinions—we’re inviting confusion, fear, and spiritual noise. Marriage and parenting were never meant to be navigated in isolation or by popular vote. God designed families to be strengthened through biblical wisdom and relational accountability, not crowdsourced consensus.

Why Isolation Weakens Families​

As ### shared his story, it became clear that many of the pressures families face today are spiritual in nature. Whether it’s conflict in marriage, exhaustion in parenting, or discouragement in leadership, the enemy wants us disconnected—alone, overwhelmed, and unsure of where to turn.

That’s why ### emphasized that isolation is not neutral. When we pull away from the church or attempt to manage family life on our own, we are more vulnerable to spiritual attack. Scripture reminds us that “two are better than one”(Ecclesiastes 4:9), not just practically, but spiritually.

One of the strongest convictions ### shared is that the local church is essential for fighting well for our families. ### was clear: loving Jesus while rejecting His church is not a biblical option. The church is not a human invention—it is Christ’s design for His people.

### talked about how being planted in a healthy church provides families with:

• Spiritual covering and prayer
• Wisdom from godly leaders
• Relationships that walk with you through hardship
• Accountability that strengthens, not shames

Rather than asking strangers for advice, ### urged families to invite trusted, godly people into their struggles—people who know them, love them, and will walk faithfully alongside them.

Ministry Begins at Home—but Doesn’t End There​

As a pastor, husband, and father, ### also spoke honestly about the tension between ministry and family life. ### warned against sacrificing family on the altar of ministry—but ### also cautioned against sacrificing ministry on the altar of comfort.

The goal isn’t perfect balance; it’s biblical order. Our families should see consistency between who we are at home and who we are in the church. When children see faith lived out authentically—through hospitality, sacrifice, and service—they don’t resent ministry; they understand it.

Fight for Your Family the Right Way​

This conversation reminds us that fighting for our families doesn’t start with louder voices or better strategies. It starts with humility, community, and obedience. When we resist the temptation to crowdsource our struggles and instead lean into God’s design—His Word, His church, and His people—we place our families on stronger ground.

We don’t fight against our spouse or children. We fight for them—together, in community, and under the care of a faithful God.

EPISODE SUMMARY​

How Christian husbands and fathers can fight for their families by recognizing spiritual warfare, prioritizing biblical order, and staying rooted in the local church.

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Introduction: Why Families Feel Under Attack​

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  ### introduces the episode and welcomes Pastor ###
  
  
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  Overview of ###’s background as a pastor, husband, and father of four
  
  
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  Introduction to ###’s book Fighting for Your Family
  
  
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  The reality that many families are struggling but don’t recognize the spiritual nature of the battle
  

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###’s Story: Ministry, Marriage, and Fatherhood​

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  ### shares his family background:
  
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    ### years of marriage to his wife, ###
    
    
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    Parenting biological and adopted children
    
    
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    Navigating adoption, grief, and spiritual hardship
    
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  How difficult seasons revealed personal sin, selfishness, and the need for sanctification
  
  
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  Learning that spiritual warfare often begins within our own hearts
  

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Understanding Spiritual Warfare in the Family​

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  Why many couples fail to recognize they are in a spiritual battle
  
  
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  The danger of assuming your spouse or children are the enemy
  
  
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  Biblical reminder that the battle is not against flesh and blood
  
  
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  How conflict escalates when couples focus on “winning” instead of unity
  

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The Three Fronts of Spiritual Warfare​

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  The Enemy (Satan and demons)
  
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    Desires to steal, kill, and destroy marriages and families
    
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  The World
  
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    Cultural messages that undermine biblical marriage and parenting
    
    
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    The influence of media, technology, and social comparison
    
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  The Flesh
  
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    Selfishness, pride, entitlement, and the daily battle within
    
    
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    Why our own flesh is often the most dangerous enemy
    

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Fighting the Wrong Battles in Marriage​

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  Why winning arguments often means losing the war for your family
  
  
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  The destructive power of words and unchecked pride
  
  
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  Learning to take thoughts captive and recognize spiritual triggers
  
  
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  How selfishness fuels conflict and distance
  

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Dying to Self: The Call of Christian Leadership​

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  What it means to deny yourself and take up your cross daily
  
  
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  Why fairness is not promised in Scripture
  
  
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  Jesus as the ultimate example of sacrificial love
  
  
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  Paying “the tax you don’t owe” to preserve peace and unity
  

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Practical Ways to Fight For Your Family​

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  Being present when you are home
  
  
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  Eating meals together as often as possible
  
  
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  Going for walks and having intentional conversations
  
  
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  Building connection through ordinary, consistent habits
  
  
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  Showing grace, mercy, and forgiveness in daily interactions
  

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The Danger of Isolation and Crowdsourcing​

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  Why crowdsourcing family struggles can be spiritually dangerous
  
  
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  The importance of seeking wisdom from godly people, not the internet
  
  
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  Why families need prayerful, relational support rather than public opinion
  

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Why the Local Church Is Non-Negotiable​

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  The church as God’s design, not a man-made institution
  
  
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  How community protects families from isolation and burnout
  
  
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  Finding a healthy church with other families walking the same road
  
  
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  The importance of shared spiritual responsibility
  

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Ministry and Family: Holding Biblical Order​

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  Avoiding the extremes of sacrificing family for ministry or ministry for comfort
  
  
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  Teaching children that faith extends beyond the home
  
  
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  Modeling consistency between church life and home life
  
  
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  Raising children who see ministry as meaningful, not burdensome
  

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Closing Encouragement​

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  Fighting for your family is a daily, intentional commitment
  
  
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  Spiritual victory is built through small, faithful steps
  
  
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  Encouragement for husbands and fathers to lead with humility and courage
  
  
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  Reminder that strong families bring glory to God and strengthen the witness of the gospel
  

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