Standing in the Gap: The War Room

In this episode of Covenant Stories , Brandon and Mike examine Acts 4:32–5:11 and the account of Ananias and Sapphira. Luke first shows a church marked by resurrection witness and generous care, then places Barnabas beside a couple whose outward action looks similar. The issue was not that they kept part of the sale price. Peter makes clear that the property and the money remained under their cont...

The Watchman's Brief - E2 | The Spirit of Ahab What does the Bible actually show us about Ahab—and what should we mean when we use the phrase “the spirit of Ahab” today? In Episode 2 of The Watchman's Brief , Brandon Roberts and Mike Bowler return to the account of Ahab and Jezebel to separate biblical truth from popular assumptions. They explain that “the spirit of Ahab” is not the name of a demo...

Episode 41 | Priscilla & Aquila: Covenant on Mission What can a marriage become when work, hospitality, discipleship, and spiritual purpose are surrendered to Christ together? Acts 18 introduces Priscilla and Aquila after they have been forced to leave Rome. In Corinth, Luke first shows them doing ordinary work, and that shared trade becomes the point of connection through which Paul enters th...

What do Christians mean by the spirit of Jezebel? Brandon Roberts and Mike Bowler explore Jezebel's biblical story, the traits associated with her, and the difference between those traits and the idea of a demon named Jezebel. They discuss spiritual discernment, false teaching, relationships, and the armor of God, then encourage listeners to examine their own conduct and remain faithful in prayer....

E40 | AHAB & JEZEBEL: WHEN TWO PEOPLE STRENGTHEN EACH OTHER’S REBELLION Can love become complicity when a spouse asks for our support? Brandon Roberts and Mike Bowler trace Ahab and Jezebel's story through Naboth's vineyard, the false accusation against him, and Elijah's confrontation with the king. They discuss the pull of idolatry, the danger of counsel that bends truth, and the hard questio...

E39 | MOSES & ZIPPORAH: WHEN CALLING PLACES PRESSURE ON THE MARRIAGE How do we honor God's calling while caring faithfully for our marriage and family? Moses leaves Midian with his wife and sons, but the journey toward Egypt brings a serious covenant crisis. Zipporah circumcises her son, and the immediate danger passes. Later, in Exodus 18, Jethro brings Moses' family to him and sees a burden...

E38 | HEROD & HERODIAS: WHEN MARRIAGE PARTNERS WITH SIN When does loyalty to a spouse become cooperation with sin? Herod listened to John the Baptist, yet later ordered his death. In Mark 6 and Matthew 14, a marriage, a grudge, and a reckless promise bring terrible harm. Brandon and Mike follow the account and ask what our own agreements are helping us do. In this Covenant Stories conversation...

Episode 37 | Joseph & Mary: When Obedience Changes the Future You Planned What does faithfulness look like when obeying God changes the future you thought you were building? Matthew tells us the truth about Mary's pregnancy before Joseph receives the angel's explanation. Joseph faces a decision with incomplete understanding, but once God's word makes the truth clear, he takes Mary as his wife,...

Covenant Stories Series: Episode 36 | Elizabeth & Zechariah: Covenant Hope After a Long Silence In this episode of Standing in the Gap: The War Room, Brandon and Mike continue the Covenant Stories series by exploring Elizabeth and Zechariah—a husband and wife who remained faithful through years of unanswered prayer, disappointment, and silence. Luke introduces them as righteous before he tells...

Covenant Stories Series: Episode 35 | Job & His Wife: When Suffering Enters the Marriage In this episode of Standing in the Gap: The War Room, Brandon and Mike continue the Covenant Stories series by exploring Job and his wife—two wounded people standing in the same wreckage while suffering speaks through them in very different ways. Job 1 introduces Job as blameless, upright, fearing God, and...

Covenant Stories Series: Episode 34 | Manoah & His Wife: Seeking God Together for the Assignment Ahead In this episode of Standing in the Gap: The War Room, Brandon and Mike continue the Covenant Stories series by exploring Manoah and his wife—a couple learning to seek God together when His answer does not arrive as expected. Judges 13 opens during a dark season in Israel. The people have agai...

Episode 33 | Abigail & Nabal: Wisdom in a Destructive Marriage What if the person who most urgently needs God's restraint in the story of Abigail and Nabal is David? In 1 Samuel 25, Nabal's harsh refusal provokes David toward a devastating response—but Abigail steps into the road with courage, generosity, and truth. She cannot control Nabal or overpower David, yet God uses her wisdom to interr...

Covenant Stories Series: Episode 32 | Hannah & Elkanah: When Covenant Carries Unanswered Prayer What happens to covenant when prayer remains unanswered and the waiting lasts longer than expected? In this episode of Standing in the Gap: The War Room, Brandon and Mike examine the story of Hannah and Elkanah—a marriage carrying grief, misunderstanding, unanswered prayer, and the weight of waiting...

Covenant Stories Series: Episode 31 | Ruth & Boaz: Redeeming Love in the Ashes Loss has a way of making the future feel empty. Naomi knew that pain well. After losing her husband and sons, she returned to Bethlehem carrying grief, bitterness, and little expectation that life could be rebuilt. Ruth had every reason to walk away and begin again somewhere else. Instead, she stayed. Her promise to...

Covenant Stories Series: Episode 30 | Isaac & Rebekah: When Covenant is Carried Forward In this episode of Standing in the Gap: The War Room, Brandon and Mike continue the Covenant Stories series by examining the story of Isaac and Rebekah and the biblical principles it reveals about covenant, faithfulness, prayer, obedience, marriage, and family. Their story begins with God’s providence. Abra...

Covenant Stories Series: Episode 29 | Abraham & Sarah: Covenant Promise in the Waiting In this episode of Standing in the Gap: The War Room, Brandon and Mike continue the Covenant Stories series by exploring the story of Abraham and Sarah—a journey marked by promise, waiting, weakness, faith, and the unwavering faithfulness of God. God called Abraham to leave what was familiar and follow Him i...

Covenant Stories Series: Episode 28 | David & Bathsheba When Sin Enters Covenant In this episode of Standing in the Gap: The War Room , Brandon and Mike continue the Covenant Stories series by walking through one of the most sobering and difficult moments in Scripture: the story of David and Bathsheba. David was a man after God’s own heart, yet he was still capable of grievous sin when desire,...

E27 | Hosea & Gomer: Love That Pursues, Covenant That Endures In this episode of Standing in the Gap: The War Room , Brandon and Mike continue the Covenant Stories series by walking through one of the most powerful and difficult pictures of covenant love in Scripture: the story of Hosea and Gomer. Hosea was called by God to love a woman who would wander, betray, and break covenant. Yet through...

Episode 26 | Jacob, Leah & Rachel: When Love Gets Complicated In this episode of Standing in the Gap: The War Room , Brandon and Mike begin a brand new series called Covenant Stories , where we walk through biblical relationships and discover what they reveal about God’s faithfulness, covenant, brokenness, and redemption. Episode 26 takes us into the emotionally complex story of Jacob, Leah, a...

Episode 25 | A Godly Marriage: The Covenant Itself What is God's true design for marriage, and why does covenant matter so much? In this special 25th episode of Standing in the Gap: The War Room , Brandon and Mike conclude the Blueprints of Covenant series by exploring marriage as God intended it from the very beginning. Looking beyond culture and personal preferences, they unpack the biblical fou...

E24 | A GODLY WIFE What does Scripture really say about the role of a wife? In Episode 24 of Standing in the Gap: The War Room , Brandon and Mike continue the Blueprints of Covenant series by exploring God's design for biblical womanhood and the vital role a godly wife plays within marriage, family, and future generations. Together, they examine the lives of women such as Ruth, Esther, Hannah, Eli...

Episode 23 of Standing in the Gap: The War Room began a brand-new series titled Blueprints of Covenant with Part One: A Godly Husband. In this heartfelt and deeply practical conversation, Brandon and Mike explored what biblical leadership inside marriage truly looks like and how culture’s definition of masculinity often stands in direct contrast to the example Christ modeled through humility, serv...

E22 | THE FEAR OF GOD In this powerful episode of Standing in the Gap: The War Room, Brandon and Mike take a deep and honest look at what it truly means to fear God. With Hilary taking the night off, the conversation focuses on reverence, holiness, obedience, and the importance of placing God back at the center of our lives. Throughout the episode, Brandon and Mike discuss how the fear of God is n...

Episode 21 | LOOKING IN THE MIRROR Standing in the Gap: The War Room challenges listeners to take an honest look at what God is trying to transform within them. In this powerful conversation, Brandon, Mike, and Hilary discuss how surrendering to God changes more than circumstances, it changes character. As God refines us through pressure, conviction, and obedience, the fruit of transformation begi...

Episode 20 | Built Different. Live Different. | Standing in the Gap: The War Room In this powerful closing to the restoration arc, Episode 20 challenges every stander with a truth we cannot ignore—when God rebuilds your life, He doesn’t restore you back to who you were… He transforms you into someone new. “Built Different. Live Different.” is not just a statement—it’s a calling. This episode unpac...