Through the years, God has exercised His
faith for us. He has been willing to work for more
than 2,000 years to get His plan functioning
properly. The whole time the world lay in
darkness, God was still believing—still exercising
faith—not in just Himself, but in you and in me.

That we henceforth be no more children,
tossed to and fro, and carried about with
every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of
men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they
lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth
in love, may grow up into him in all things,
which is the head, even Christ: From whom
the whole body fitly joined together and
compacted by that which every joint supplieth…
(Ephesians 4:14-16).

It’s important to notice in this scripture the
Lord didn’t say He would hold the Body of Christ
together. He said He would join it together, but
that it would be held together, or compacted, by
that which every joint supplies. He had to believe
that you and I would supply what it took to hold
the Body together. We’ve failed and failed and
we’ve failed again, but God has kept on joining
and believing. He has never uttered words of
failure. Theology cries, “The Church is failing!”
God says, “My house will be full, and the gates of
hell will not prevail against it!” Religion is
failing—God isn’t! Can you see His attitude?

Look again at the verse, and you’ll see how
very important it is to the Body of Christ that you
develop a winning attitude: “…compacted by that
which every joint supplieth, according to the
effectual working in the measure of every part”
(verse 16). The Body of Christ depends on the
direct amount, or measure, that each joint
supplies. The amount you supply—the power
you supply—affects the entire plan of God.
Whether you supply some or much—affects the
entire Body of Christ.

Verse 16 says, “according to the effectual
working in the measure of every part, maketh
increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in
love.” Here again, you can see your importance as
an individual. God will not build up the Body.
The members (you and I) must build up each
other. Some are waiting for Jesus to return so the
Body will rise without spot or wrinkle at the
resurrection. But the Body of Christ is rising now,
and the Bible says He will present to Himself a
Body that is without spot or wrinkle. This will
happen as His Body edifies itself in love, growing
up into Him, and being washed by the water of
the Word.

Kenneth Copeland Ministries