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Issue link: http://magazine.kcm.org/i/1200858
God desires that the gifts of the Spirit function outside of our church services as well as in them. The Bible said that the gifts are for every man to profit withal (1 Corinthians 12:7). Wouldn't the operation of the word of knowledge, the word of wisdom and the discerning of spirits be a revelation of truth? God wants you to profit out there in the world where you are faced with the forces of darkness. The place to start is getting to know your Father better. The Apostle Paul prayed some astounding things for the believers at Ephesus. He asked the Father, “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God” (Ephesians 3:16-19). To know the love of Christ is to know the Father because God is Love (1 John 4:8). Notice the connection Paul makes between knowing God and being strengthened. When we comprehend and understand God, we are strengthened in our inner man. Paul said practically the same thing in his letter to the Colossians: “We...do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness” (Colossians 1:9-11). Notice that he’s added something here that he said in Ephesians—joyfulness. The joy of The LORD is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10), and it comes through knowing the Father. Joy Produces Strength Joy is designed to do a specific job. Joy produces strength, not only in your inner man but in your physical body as well. A doctor friend of mine demonstrated this truth to me some time ago. He had me lay down on a table and raise my arm straight up. He said, “Now, think about Jesus and purposely be joyful.” (You can be joyful on purpose because joy doesn’t have anything to do with your flesh. You may not be able to be happy on purpose, but you can be joyful.) The doctor said, “Now tense your muscles and hold your arm up there, and don’t let me pull it down.” He couldn’t do it until he put all his weight into it. He had to put one leg up on the table to pull my arm down from that position. Then he told me to think about someone who at one time I had had a fuss with. I don't like to do that, but he was demonstrating not only a biblical fact, but a medical fact. So I did it. As I stiffened up my arm, he reached up and shoved it right down to the table! Just the thought of strife and self-pity robbed me of the strength of joy. BVOV : 21