A man’s gift makes room for him, And brings him before great men.Proverbs 18:16New King James Version
Giving is a powerful force. It makes a place for us among the great (Prov. 18:16) and can change the direction of our lives (Prov. 21:14 and Gen. 26:12). Partnership is a special form of giving.
The Hebrew word that was translated “gift” in Proverbs 18:16, 19:6, and 21:14 literally means “present.” These scriptures are not talking about an anointing or having favour, but about a present that one person gives to another. Proverbs 19:6 makes it clear that “every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts,” and in 21:14, we read that “a gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath.”
The New International Version translates Proverbs 18:16 this way: “A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great.” I believe these scriptures describe a very important aspect of what happens when you enter into partnership with a ministry.
In 1 Kings 10, Solomon asked God for a very unselfish thing - wisdom - so that he could be a good king. Not only did God give him what he asked for, but He also gave him what he hadn’t asked for and made him exceedingly rich. In fact, the Bible says that he was so rich that everything he had was made of gold, and silver was treated as stones - counted as nothing (1 Kin. 10:21, 27). That’s pretty rich!
The fame of Solomon spread throughout the land, and in 1 Kings 10:1-3, we read,
And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions. And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not.
In 1 Kings 10:24 we also read that all the kings of the earth sought Solomon for his wisdom and for his blessing. Think about that; Solomon was the most famous man in the world at the time. He was ruler of the most powerful and prosperous kingdom in the world, and all the people of the earth sought Solomon for his wisdom and to receive his favour. So, with all these people competing for his time, why did he move the Queen of Sheba to the front of the line and spend so much time answering all her questions? I believe it was her gift that made room for her, just like Proverbs 18:16 says, and it brought her before a great man.
We read that she was well-prepared and came with many gifts. She gave the king 120 talents of gold (that’s about 145,000 ounces, and at today’s price, would be about £167,000,000 worth of gold). That doesn’t include the great stores of spice, an abundance of which had never been seen before, and precious stones. It wasn’t her skill, talent, or ability, but her generous gift that made room for her and put her at the front of the line.
So, what did the Queen of Sheba get out of this? Everything she wanted and more. 1 Kings 10:13 says,
“And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty.”
When you give to a ministry, it’s not just what they need, it’s what you need too!
King Solomon didn’t need the queen’s riches, but she needed his wisdom and blessing, and her gift opened the door to the very things she needed. She probably left with more riches than she brought. This is a great example of how things work in the kingdom of God.
In giving to a ministry, you not only bless the people that are being touched by that ministry, but you start a supernatural flow of your finances, and you partake of the anointing and the blessing that’s on that minister’s life. It’s not bad to want the anointing that is on my life or that of another minister.
The Bible says that we are to desire spiritual gifts. I really believe that the things that are operating in my life have come in part because I have supported great men and women of God. I gave on purpose, saying, “God, I want to be a part of that. I’m going to sow part of my life into this person and into that ministry and, by doing so, open a door that allows the blessing that’s on them to flow toward me.” It doesn’t just happen automatically; you have to have faith. But I believe that you can start seeing these things happen in your life, just as I have seen in mine, if you will mix faith with your gifts.
When you trust God with your finances and partner with us, you are receiving the same reward as those who go out and disciple. You are not just supporting a ministry - you are supporting the Gospel, and when you get to heaven, you are going to have so many people run up to you and hug your neck. You will be shocked, wondering when you touched all of these people. But when you partner with us, you become a partner with every person we are reaching. You become part of the AWM family that will stay in touch with you, pray with you, and bless you—there will be powerful resources made available to you. Not only will we be able to bless your life, but you then allow God to support you.
I encourage you to get my Power of Partnership teaching. You don’t have to wait to take part in the blessings of a ministry. I’ve got this teaching in CD or DVD formats. Order today by going online to awme.net/power or by calling the Helpline at +44 (0)1922 473300.
P.S. If you become a partner in August, we’ll send you a free copy of my CD teaching The Power of Partnership as a thank-you. To become a partner, please call our Helpline on +44 (0)1922 473300.
Power Of Partnership
There are spiritual dynamics involved in partnering with the Gospel. True partnership will change your life once you understand its biblical purpose and God's heart toward it.
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