Restrictions Within the Measure

15.But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

16.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, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Ephesians 4:15-16

Every member of the body is compacted with at least one gift. That which you have been compacted with is crying to do the will of the Father. Oftentimes our wants prevent us from allowing the influence of God to be reflected in our lives so we can walk in that completeness. The penalty for not allowing the influence to effect you is to watch God use others. However, there is nothing that the new creature wants to do other than serve His God.

If you walk in the anointing, you will be effective wherever you go. Whatever God allows you to do or effect, is determined by your humility and submission to His Word. Humility must be present for the power of God to operate through us. Our humility expands the measure of the gift and determines whether God is going to use you to effect His purpose. That determination is based partly on how I see myself. Do I see myself as some great thing or just as a vessel blessed enough to be chosen to be used by God? Anything God gave man to do for Him from the day He created him is going to be accomplished by God, Himself. You are just the vessel He will use to carry it out. God has always accomplished His purpose in the earth by His Spirit. Each of us in the Body is compacted with a measure. This measure not only includes those souls we will reach for God, but also the physical location in which we are to serve.

Even though God may have defined a specific measure for an individual, our negative spiritual disposition can hinder us from accomplishing all that God has purposed for us to accomplish, and causes God to place restrictions within our measure. God will not bargain with us. He is not going to allow us to continue within our measure when He knows He has sufficiently influenced us. We may still be operating in the service of the Lord, but can be emotionally traumatized and offended. How you pass your tests is more important than how hard you press to serve. If you are inside a negative disposition, then you press in unrighteousness. Your heart is impure and thereby your service is defiled. The walls of partition that block our measure must be torn down and the boundaries lifted, before God will remove the restrictions He has placed on the measure of our gift. There is a measure that is according to your several abilities; which is relative to what you comprehend of God. How do we remove the restrictions within the measure? Restrictions within the measure can be removed by complete and total self-denial. This simply means coming into agreement with God’s Word and giving ourselves completely over to His purpose, plan and will for our lives.

Genesis 25:31-34

31.And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.

32.And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?

33.And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.

34.Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

You cannot present God with an “Esau” spirit: Esau repented and wept because he lost his birthright, but he was not sorry for the act of sin against God that caused him to lose it. He was only grieved because of his loss. When God puts boundaries on us we know they are there. Be honest with yourself. All too often we already know wherein the problem lies. We know whether we are greedy, dishonest or not in complete submission to Him. If you, as Esau, are only sorry for the restrictions, God will not relieve or loose you. You must be sorry for your negative disposition and disobedience to God. God knows when He has influenced a man; therefore, He is justified if He laughs at our calamities (Prov. 1:26-27). He knows when He has reached you. God would never destroy anything before He has influenced it. He makes sure that you understand His mindset concerning any issue in your life. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. St. Matthew 16:24

Each of us must pick up our cross to follow Jesus. Since our home is our training ground, guess who may be sitting on your cross? Yes, it may be your spouse or one of your children. It may be a parent or that brother or sister with whom you have always been the closest. Some of us have tried to move ahead without our cross. However, we need to turn around and pick it up. We cannot travel without it, and God is faithful to provide everyone with a cross. In following Jesus, our press toward the high calling to glorify God, should not be because of struggle with sin. Our struggle in the press should be in picking up self-willed people and carrying them with us. The struggle itself should not be our cross.