“Compacted by that which every joint supplieth,
according to the effectual working in the
measure of every part.” In other words, it
works according to the effect brought about by
the direct amount, or the measure, that each
and every joint supplies. The amount which you
supply—the power you supply—affects the entire
plan of God. Whatever you supply—none, some,
much, or all you’re called to do—affects the entire
Body of Christ.

“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, God will not build up the Body—it
must build up itself. Some people are waiting
for Jesus to return so that 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 Himself a body that
is without spot or wrinkle. This will happen as
she edifies herself in love, grows up into Him
and is washed of water by the Word.

Can you see how God’s faith was operating
through the years? The Word of God had been
written long before the Dark Ages, yet because
it was inaccessible to the people, most could
not get born again. It had been shoved deep
into monasteries, and they couldn’t reach it.
But God kept believing. There was enough
faith in God’s winning attitude to reach a little
Catholic priest named Martin Luther. That little
priest began to scratch in the Word and he
found a sentence, “The just shall live by faith”
(Romans 1:17). He found God through that
one little sentence and generated enough
power to begin a revival that is still going! God
had a winning attitude, and He refused to let
go! Today the gospel is being preached in every
nation on the face of the earth!

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

The Church—the Body of Christ—has lived
far below her privileges. We have lived as far
below our spiritual privileges as Israel has
lived below her political privileges. Israel
should be the head and not the tail. She
should not have to borrow from any nation
on earth, and every nation on earth should be
in debt to her. That’s what God said. Well,
that’s how far below our spiritual privileges
the Body of Christ has lived.

Down through the years, God exercised
His faith for us. He was willing to work over
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 Himself alone but in you and in me.
Ephesians 4:14-16 tells us:

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, according to the effectual
working in the measure of every part…

God did not 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 supplied.
He had to believe that you and I would supply
what it took to hold the Body together. We
failed and we failed and we failed again, but
God kept on joining and believing. He never
would utter words of failure. Theology cried,
“The Church is failing!” God said, “My house
will be full, and the gates of hell will not prevail
against it!” Religion was failing—God
wasn’t! Can you see His attitude?

Kenneth Copeland Ministries