Last month I started teaching on stewardship on my Gospel Truth television program. I made my Financial Stewardship teaching available as a free gift, and if you haven’t taken advantage of that, I pray you would do so today. It is powerful.

My newsletter last month was about my desire and belief that Charis Bible College will be “Debt-Free in ’23.” It’s obvious how your partnership benefits Charis, but as I end my Financial Stewardship teaching on television this month, I want to explain how partnership benefits you. And I want to make a special two-CD album available to you as our gift, which was not offered on television. That album is entitled The Power of Partnership.

The scripture says in Proverbs 18:16,

“A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.”

People often interpret this “gift” as referring to our talents or abilities. But Proverbs 19:6 says,

“Many will intreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.”

That same Hebrew word is translated “gifts” again, and it is clearly referring to something of monetary value.

So, Proverbs 18:16 isn’t speaking about some gifting or anointing being the thing that makes room for us and brings us before great men. It’s talking about a monetary gift; something tangible we give that promotes us.

This is offensive to many people because we often see this only in the negative. Everyone should hate bribery and the corruption it causes. The Scriptures teach against that (Prov. 15:27; Ex. 18:21; 1 Tim. 3:3, 8; Titus 1:7; and 1 Pet. 5:2).

But gifts can be used in a positive way too. The same one–hundred–dollar bill that could bribe a person could be used to bless a person and show them the love of God. Money isn’t moral or immoral. It’s the heart intent of the person giving the money that turns it one way or the other.

Take the queen of Sheba as an example of this. First Kings 10:1–13 tells the story of her coming to see Solomon and prove him with hard questions. She had heard of his fame in her country, and she wanted to see for herself if the stories were true. She came to the conclusion that his wisdom and wealth were far greater than she had been told.

But consider this: Solomon’s wisdom was greater than all the wise men of his day, and everyone was seeking an audience with him to partake of his wisdom (1 Kgs. 4:30–31). How do you get an audience with someone whom the whole world is seeking after? You use a gift, just like Proverbs 18:16 says, to bring you before great men.

First Kings 10:2 says the queen of Sheba came with a very great train, and verse 10 says, 

“And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.”

The note from my Living Commentary Bible study software on 1 Kings 10:10 reveals that 120 talents of gold equaled 144,960 ounces of gold. At today’s price of about $1,900 per ounce, that equalled about $275,424,000. She also gave a huge amount of spices and precious stones. That’s what got her to the front of the line. Her gift made room for her and brought her before the greatest man of her time. That’s the positive use of a gift.

When you give into the Gospel with the proper heart motive of a steward, you gain access to the anointing and rewards that come to that ministry. You become a partner with them.

This is what Paul was describing in his letter to the Philippians. They were his partners. That’s what the Greek word koinonia, which was translated “fellowship” in Philippians 1:5, means: “partnership, i.e. (literally) participation, or (social) intercourse, or (pecuniary) benefaction” (Strong's Concordance).

Paul wrote this letter to his partners and many of his statements and promises were dependent on their partnership. Philippians 1:6 says,

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

Paul was confident that God would complete the good work He began in them because they were partners.

I’ll grant you that the Lord wants to continue and complete His work in every believer, but it doesn’t happen automatically. We have to cooperate, and partnership is one of the ways we do that.

In Philippians 4:19 Paul said,

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

That also was written to Paul’s partners. The context (Phil. 4:15–16) reveals that these Philippians were the only ones who supported Paul after he left their local area. They even gave to him while he was in prison in Rome (Phil. 4:10 and 14). It is supposed they were the ones who enabled him to pay rent on his house of confinement in Rome (Acts 28:30).

So, the promise of God supplying their needs according to His riches in glory was given to Paul’s partners.

Partnership has a divine connection associated with it that makes a difference in the partner’s life and finances. In order for the Lord to supply the needs of the church or ministry that is preaching the Gospel, He has to prosper their partners first. That’s the way the Lord set His kingdom up. We can’t preach without being sent (Rom. 10:15).

I encourage you to get this two-CD album on The Power of Partnership. If you would simply like to receive The Power of Partnership with no obligation, visit awme.net to order today. There are many places where you can partner in getting the Gospel out, but Andrew Wommack Ministries and Charis Bible College are two great places that the Lord is using. If you would like to become a Grace Partner, call our UK Helpline on +44(0)1922 473300, or visit awme.net/grace.