Do Your Part

Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:11-16 that it is when each part of the body is doing its part that the body grows and builds itself up in love. I have seen many people become annoyed at having to serve the rest of the body and unbelievers with the work that their gifts produce.

Examples are a teacher, because of the drive in her/his heart to learn, and the ease with which they gather understanding when they read the Scriptures, telling people that they just need to study a lot so that they can understand, rather than patiently teaching them.

A prophet, weary of being asked for revelation and answers from the Spirit, tells people that anyone can hear from God; they just need to pray. Paul Cain was weary after a long night of prayer line ministry. On his way out a back hall of the place where the meeting was, he encountered a woman who asked, “Brother Cain, do you have a word from the Lord for me?”

Annoyed, he wagged his Bible at her and answered, “Yes! Its in here!” She responded, “Oh, thank you, brother!” and grabbed his $80 Bible and left. The Spirit offered him no comfort…

Weary intercessors instruct people to pray. Evangelists instruct people to lead people to Christ – its easy! Numbers 20:1-13 contains the story of Moses striking the rock that produced water for the nation and their animals to drink. “Do we have to bring you water?” Moses asked.

The fact that he was a prophet and the leader of the nation under the guidance of Yahweh made the answer to that question be “Yes.” When his attitude toward his work was a desire to avoid it, he was disqualified from the next step of leadership, which was handed to Joshua.

It is the Spirit of God Who works in you both to want to do what pleases Him, and to be able to do what pleases Him (Philippians 2:12-13). If you are short on desire to do something He has led you to do, pause and ask Him to increase your desire before you move forward with the work.