PARTNERSHIP

I read this quote this morning which touched on the very idea that the Lord has been highlighting to me over the last period.

Wigglesworth quoted in 1946.

WHEN THE CURRENT CHURCH PHASE IS ON THE DECLINE, THERE WILL BE SOMETHING THAT HAS NOT BEEN SEEN BEFORE. IT WILL BE A COMING TOGETHER OF THOSE WITH AN EMPHASIS ON THE WORD AND THOSE WITH AN EMPHASIS ON THE SPIRIT.

WHEN THE WORD AND SPIRIT COME TOGETHER, THERE WILL BE THE BIGGEST MOVE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THE NATION AND INDEED THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN IT WILL MARK THE BEGINNING OF THE REVIVAL THAT WILL ECLIPSE ANYTHING THAT HAS BEEN WITNESSED.

I have no doubt that this is the time we are coming into.

This quote spoke to me because the Lord has been highlighting to me this idea of partnership.

In this quote we have the partnership of the Word and the Holy Spirit coming together and the power that comes from that is immense.  In fact, I would argue this is what has always been meant to be but our structures have mucked it up.  Now it is being righted.

What I have been experiencing recently is the fact that we are in partnership with the Lord. We are one with the Lord as we are told again and again in scripture (refer to my first teachings in this area) but as this oneness matures, I am starting to understand that it is a partnership. For a lot of our initial partnership the Lord is the senior partner and He has to take control and direct and bring us through a sanctification process but as we mature we get to participate in the partnership more and more and the Lord is looking for us to lead as we are one in Spirit and thought and action with Him.

Galatians 4:1 Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all,

2 but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father.

At the appointed time our role changes from one of a junior partner to one of a partner. Much like a law or accounting firm.  We are graduated up the scale.

While we are as a child in the Lord we have it all but we can’t exercise it all.  Some will never grow beyond being a child as maybe they sit in a comfort spot and never step out and grow.  While some will push on and on, becoming more childlike at first so that they can then grow afresh into the transformed (Romans 12:2) partnership position.

Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

We go from being a child to a co-heir, a partner with Him.  We can then walk in all we are meant to walk in.

What does partnership with the Lord look like?

Recently I have been experiencing more of this.

James 2:22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?

One of my memory verses. Partnership to me looks like accepting what the Lord tells me to do and getting on with the works in faith.  My side of the partnership is doing the works no matter how big or daunting they may look.  If I do this then the Lords side of the partnership is that He will reward that faith and things will happen as has been prophesied.

I have been seeing more and more in my walk that as I work with Him (do aligned works) the Lord is bringing more and more of what has been prophesied into being.

A partner is someone I can trust and respect. I recognise in my walk that the Lord as a partner has attributes and brings things to the table that I can never bring as a partner (He is the Lord after all).  But as a partner He expects me to bring things to the table.  He has given me the Word, He has given me the Holy Spirit, He has given me a calling, He has given me gifts and He made me.  I have a lot to bring to the partnership.  But He does expect me to bring these things to the partnership because then He can perfect my walk (1 Peter 5:10).

At times I know He is the senior partner for the circumstances that are going on and He will just do it and I can stand in trust on this.  There are things I am seeing happen in my life and I am being asked to do that I am saying to myself I can’t do these things they are too big.  However, I am understanding what this partnership is and that he will do these things but He expects me to be right there doing my side of the partnership.

Many times The Lord has asked me “Darren have you done all you can do in these circumstances?” or “Is there anymore more you can do?”.  My answer is yes I have done all I can.  He then says” Then now you are in my hands”.

As I understand this partnership I push into to do everything I can and then He will complete. I can trust my partner.

God could do it without me but I believe this has real Spiritual implications. He wants to work with us.  It is like we have more power or blessings when we have stepped up in faith and done our part.  I believe this is beautiful to Him and He loves to work with this.

It is a bit like the story of Job where the enemy accused God of doing it and that Job wouldn’t stand on His own. If God does it all for us then the enemy will make the same accusation against us.  But God wants to point out our faith, obedience and love for Him through the fact that we are moving ahead in faith as partners.  This is a real blessed position.

Philippians 2:5-7 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

Jesus was in the form of God and equal in this context.

God is God and we don’t pretend to be God but we can walk as one in Him and in partnership. He wants us to be on a higher level so we can do the tasks we have to do.

As partners we have a responsibility.

When I sin this brings the partnership into an unequal place and I believe the Lord steps back until repentance and some time has passed.

How often after sin do you suddenly experience two or three days of serious attack and consequences.  I challenge you to look at this cause when things go wrong.  I believe this is due to the fact that the Lord is just and when we sin then He withdraws some of the partnership blessing and covering and there is consequence for us.

I remember him saying to a friend and I through prophecy “that we would get to a place that we wouldn’t want sin near us as we would understand the consequences”.

If we have sin then how can the Lord defend us in the courtroom when the accuser brings an accusation against us. As we step up more and more in anointing and calling then the effect of sin being highlighted is even bigger and that is why the Lord told us we wouldn’t want sin near us due to the fact that the consequences grow. We repent and true repentance is changing what we do so as not to sin.

I am understanding this more and more as my partnership with him grows.  To be truly one with Him there can be no darkness in me and I don’t want it in me.

That doesn’t make it an easy walk.

Moses was in partnership with the Lord.  He heard Him, walked with Him, obeyed Him.  God used Moses to complete what He wanted done for the Israelites.

But where Moses stepped out of partnership, like striking the rock, there was consequences. As partners we don’t do things in our own will we do them in a partnership will knowing our actions will please our partner. Just like marriage.

John 15:14

You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing bit I have called you friends for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.

Friends in partnership. When He commands me I am happy to accept those commandments as a partner because I trust and love Him. 

I walk in awe, respect, love, obedience of the Lord but I also walk in partnership.

Lord, I ask you to point out where I am letting down the partnership.  Show me how I can strengthen the partnership.

Let me receive all the blessing of the partnership.