Charisma Magazine

As a Bible-believing Christian, Mike was the spiritual leader of his home. He believed that in order to be a faithful man of God he must always "be in charge." His wife, Jill, and their four children graciously submitted to his authority.

Mike insisted on controlling every aspect of home life. Jill was not allowed to handle any aspect of the family finances.

Jill felt God wouldn't be pleased if she didn't respect Mike's headship, so she eventually became numb to her husband's demands. Mike was never physically abusive, but his constant criticism made Jill feel like a worthless spiritual zombie.

No matter the circumstance or problem, the Father is faithful to respond when you reach out to Him in prayer and thanksgiving. But don't be deterred when He says no. His grace will strengthen your resolve, develop your character and create in you a hunger for Him . Click below to watch the video.

Many Christians seem to have the idea that the Holy Spirit is an "it," a manifestation of the power of God or the gift of tongues. But the Holy Spirit is none of these. He is the third Person of the Godhead, a divine Person with a plan for our lives.

And He doesn't come to us haphazardly; He is a Person of purpose. God has an eternal plan and purpose for every individual who accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit is God bringing that purpose to reality as we learn to yield to His will for our lives.

Paul asked the Corinthians, "Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you...?" (1 Cor. 6:19, NKJV). The Holy Spirit does not reside in the church building; He lives in us. Though He resides in our spirits, His work is limited by what we allow Him to do through our souls and bodies.

It was a Saturday afternoon I'll never forget. I was 17 years old and hanging out at a friend's house when I found myself kneeling next to an old Jeep, my trembling hands clasped together as I cried out to God. It was more out of sheer exhaustion and desperation than any religious formality.

At that point I realized my life was killing me—from my very own choices. I was living from moment to moment, crisis to crisis, looking for the next experience—drinking, stealing, sex, anything—that would make me feel alive inside again. For years, I had been trying to escape from the pain of life's circumstances.

As I knelt there, alone, I didn't realize what I was doing and didn't really care. But I knew I was giving up—and that's all that mattered to God.

You rub your chest, thinking the mild pain is nothing more than a nagging bout of indigestion. But the increasing discomfort in your upper body is accompanied by shortness of breath, and you begin to worry. You're nauseous, lightheaded and sweaty; eventually, you fold over in pain. You've just had a heart attack.

And just like the physical heart, there are also warning signs of decay for the spiritual heart. To discover how you can keep your heart pure and other spiritual truths, listen to the new SpiritLed Woman eMagazine podcast with Pastor Riva Tims. Click below to listen now.