Day 15: The Spiritual Stronghold of “Machismo”
Day 15: The Spiritual Stronghold of “Machismo”
Luis Calderon
“Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.” 1 Peter 3:7
The third stronghold that I have been able to observe in many Hispanic and other cultures is “machismo” (a forceful, prideful, domineering form of masculinity). This idea manifests verbally, physically, and emotionally. It is a stronghold that is contributing to sexual abuse even in Christian homes. It seems as if this way of behaving by men is normal, to the point that our sisters in Christ decide to put up with this type of behavior, but it is not biblical, and God does not like it. He makes it very clear that when we do not treat our wives as in a God-honoring way, its impact affects and hinders even our prayer lives.
Another way in which “machismo” manifests itself is that it has men believing from early childhood that men should not cry, as if crying isn’t a part of God’s design of people in order to express our anxieties, our fears, and even our feeling of inadequacy. This spiritual stronghold is passed from generation to generation and only Jesus can set us free from it. The Bible records countless times men who cried, including Jesus. Others include the Apostle Paul and the Psalmist as he poured out his soul before God.
Today, Jesus can also free us from this spiritual stronghold.
Heavenly Father, only you know how we were raised, how we were influenced to live. We need you to set us free from any form of identity and intimacy with others that is not biblical or God-honoring. Free us from that spiritual stronghold called “machismo” and help us see your daughters as joint heirs of grace.
Luis Calderon
“Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.” 1 Peter 3:7
The third stronghold that I have been able to observe in many Hispanic and other cultures is “machismo” (a forceful, prideful, domineering form of masculinity). This idea manifests verbally, physically, and emotionally. It is a stronghold that is contributing to sexual abuse even in Christian homes. It seems as if this way of behaving by men is normal, to the point that our sisters in Christ decide to put up with this type of behavior, but it is not biblical, and God does not like it. He makes it very clear that when we do not treat our wives as in a God-honoring way, its impact affects and hinders even our prayer lives.
Another way in which “machismo” manifests itself is that it has men believing from early childhood that men should not cry, as if crying isn’t a part of God’s design of people in order to express our anxieties, our fears, and even our feeling of inadequacy. This spiritual stronghold is passed from generation to generation and only Jesus can set us free from it. The Bible records countless times men who cried, including Jesus. Others include the Apostle Paul and the Psalmist as he poured out his soul before God.
Today, Jesus can also free us from this spiritual stronghold.
Heavenly Father, only you know how we were raised, how we were influenced to live. We need you to set us free from any form of identity and intimacy with others that is not biblical or God-honoring. Free us from that spiritual stronghold called “machismo” and help us see your daughters as joint heirs of grace.
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