APOSTLE EDWARD SSEWANYANA: FINANCIAL PARTNERSHIP: PART 2

Every ministry including that of Apostle Paul has financial needs. Paul needed to rent the quarters in which he was staying and meet his day to day expenses such as food, transportation and clothing. He had a team of about six ministers (Acts 20:4) who were travelling with him on a regular basis and they all had financial needs. Apostle Paul states that he used to meet their needs (Acts 20:34). This was part of the afflicitions with which the Philippians "communicated” or partnered as the Greek word "sugkoinoneo" suggests. Jesus Himself had financial needs that included those of the 12 Apostles and they were met by partners, "And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which MINISTERED UNTO HIM OF THEIR SUBSTANCE” (Luke 8:2-3). These women were the base for the successful ministry of Jesus since they supported his financial needs.

2. Giving is always followed by receiving

“Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning GIVING AND RECEIVING, but ye only” (Philippians 4:15)

In this scripture Apostle Paul mentions giving and receiving together. This is because whenever a person sows toward a legitimate ministry they will reap an abundant harvest proportionally. Your partnership is a seed that you sow into the kingdom of God and He will make sure you receive a harvest. "While the earth remaineth, SEEDTIME AND HARVEST, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease" (Genesis 8:22). Seedtime is always followed by harvest time. As a spiritual farmer you should copy the natural farmers. The natural farmers never expect a crop harvest without sowing seed into the ground. Likewise you should not expect a great financial harvest if you are not sowing into fertile gospel ground.

3. Partnership should be regular

“For even in Thessalonica ye sent ONCE AND AGAIN unto my necessity” (Philippians 4:16)

The Philippian church partnered financially with Apostle Paul's ministry "once and again" or on a regular basis. A farmer who continually sows seed will continue to reap regular harvests. In today’s world most of those who work regular jobs receive their salaries monthly. That is why monthly partnership is advisable for most people. If you receive you earnings on a weekly basis you can partner in smaller amounts weekly. The main thing is to do it consistently without defaulting. The Philippians sent their partnership seed to distant towns where Apostle Paul was like Thessalonica. When you partner you should think less of the cost you incur in delivering it. These days we have much simpler ways of transferring money like Western Union or MTN Mobile Money. I remember a sister in our church who came all the way from Nkokonjeru to Kampala to give her tithe and then went back the next day. That is the commitment shown by the early church in giving.

4. God's work will go ahead whether you partner or not

“Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to YOUR ACCOUNT” (Philippians 4:17)

Many people think that by partnering they are helping God but the truth is that they are helping themselves much more. The Philippians thought that by Apostle Paul asking for their financial partnership he was just another greedy man after their money. He rebukes them by telling them that he is not after their money. After all he was working as a tentmaker and was earning well from that job (Acts 18:3). You are supposed to partner without paying any heed to the financial lack or abundance in the ministry as long as God has instructed you to partner with it. So it was the Philippians who would benefit much more by receiving fruit or a harvest from the partnership and had a full bank account. God's work will still progress if you do not partner because He still has 7,000 partners who have not bowed their knee to mammon (Rom 11:4). However when you do not partner you will suffer financial lack since you will have deficits only on your account.

5. Give God your best

“But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odor of a sweet smell, A SACRIFICE ACCEPTABLE, well-pleasing to God” (Philippians 4:18)

The Philippians gave God a sacrifice that was acceptable to Him. Many people earn in millions and then claim that that they are partnering in just a few thousand shillings. That is self deception since God knows your financial stand. When you partner it has to be a sacrifice or something that costs you. When you sow in tears you will reap while laughing, “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy” (Psalms 126:5). When you partner an amount that makes you cry then you have given God an offering that creates a sweet scent in his nostrils. The Philippians were so serious about giving that their envoy who was Epaphroditus almost died on the way to delivering the seed to Apostle Paul, "For indeed he (Epaphroditus) was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him" (Philippians 2:27). This young man was so zealous to partner in ministry that he almost lost his life because he wanted to reach Apostle Paul in the shortest time where he was and give him his partnership seed. When you give God your best and take every step to deliver your partnership seed faithfully then you would have met the condition for Philippians 4:19. That is when, "my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19) shall be manifest in your life and you will receive a full supply based upon the supernatural resources of heaven. Prayer will not move God to meet your need but partnership will.

When I was still a student at Makerere University I learnt about the principles of partnership from Bible teachers Kenneth Copeland and Dr. Leroy Thompson. I decided that I had to obey God's word and begin partnering. Around that same time God spoke to me about a minister I was to partner with. Interestingly he did speak the name of the ministry or the church specifically but told me "give so and so 10,000 shillings". I immediately started sending in 10,000/= to this ministry monthly. At that time I was studying a degree in Architecture but I would also draw Architectural plans for clients as a part time job. When I started partnering monthly I began getting an average earning of 1,000,000/= monthly from these plans. I began to get clients such as Warid Telecom and Air Uganda. These companies bypassed all the established Architectural firms and came to a student at the University. My classmates began to tease me that I was more of a working Architect than a student because the clients kept me busy all the time. I had become a part time student because the number of clients kept on growing. God told me that I was receiving the hundredfold return on my partnership as Jesus spoke, "But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some a HUNDREDFOLD, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold” (Matthew 13:8). When you multiply 10,000/= a hundred times you get 1,000,000/=. I have seen this principle of divine provision at work in my life first hand. I started renting my own house immediately after finishing University and I remained self employed for the first three months. However during this time I did not suffer any lack. I finally got a job without applying for it and have seen God's abundance ever since.

I challenge you to obey God's word by starting to partner and sow your seed in good ground. The fertile ground that Jesus speaks about is ground of a Christian ministry that is preaching the gospel, teaching prosperity, healing the sick, getting people filled with the Holy Spirit and casting out devils. Do not expect to partner with a dead and dry church that does not even believe in prosperity or miracles and expect to receive a harvest. Put God's word into action. You can not substitute partnership for prayer to get your needs met.

I remember a brother in our church who began by partnering 2,000/= on a weekly basis towards the gospel. The more he gave the more customers increased at his place of work. His offering began climbing and in a matter of weeks he was sowing 10,000/= weekly towards the gospel. His customers kept on growing until he was earning 10,000/= to 15,000/= daily. He came in front of the church and testified to the goodness of God as he partnered with our ministry. The power of financial abundance lies in your partnership seed. When you step out in obedience you will die prosperous just like King David, the author of this principle, "And he died in a good old age, full of days, RICHES, and honor” (1 Chronicles 29:28). I see you rising up financially as you begin partnering financially with ministries on a regular basis! I see you rise out of poverty onto prosperity and God's best for you life!