There is power in partnership. Two are better than one. But no matter how gifted, skilled or experienced your partnerships may be, all of them will eventually reach their limit. Some of them will be problematic. Others, detrimental. Unless you have the most important partnership in existence: Partnership with God.
“Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor… and a threefold chord is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:9, 12 (NKJV)
There are many people who mistakenly believe they can do more by themself than they can with the partnership of others. In fact, they may even believe that others may slow them down or get in their way. So they prefer to work alone. But the Bible clearly states that we can do more together than we can alone.
Created For Partnership
We were created for partnership. In the very beginning God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” Genesis 2:18 (NKJV). This is the first instance in the Bible that God said something was not good. It is not good to go through life alone. So God created a helper; a partner; someone just right (NLT). We were created for partnership.
This principle clearly applies to the biblical marriage between a man and woman, but the principle of partnership goes beyond marriage. Partnership is beneficial for all areas of life, including your ministry, family, career, and even your emotional well-being. The right spouse in marriage will be an incredible blessing. The right partnership in ministry will yield tremendous results. The right associations in business will be more successful. The right friendships will be a tremendous benefit to your spiritual, emotional and physical well-being.
But the opposite is also true. Marrying the wrong person can be miserable. If you’re single, don’t think that marrying just anyone is better than being alone. Marrying the right person—who is suitable specifically for you, given to you by none other than God—is far better than being alone. However, if you’re married and your marriage isn’t currently a blessing, that alone is not a reason to divorce. Pray that the Lord do a supernatural work in both your lives. God hates divorce, and He absolutely loves to restore marriage. God can completely turn your marriage around for the better.
The wrong partnerships in business, and even in the ministry, will greatly limit the overall effectiveness.
The wrong friendships will be detrimental to your life. Proverbs 12:26 says, “The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray.” (NKJV). The NIV says, “A righteous man is cautious in friendship.” In other words, be very intentional about your friendships. Choose your friends carefully. Don’t be casual about it. Why? Because the wrong friendships will be detrimental to your life, your marriage, your ministry, your emotional well-being, and every other aspect of life. Notice what 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” (NIV84). Don’t think you’re too strong to be influenced. We are all influenceable. But this works in the positive as well. Proverbs 13:20 says, “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.” Proverbs 13:20 (NKJV). If you want to be wise, walk with wise people. If you want to be foolish, hang out with fools. Friendships will rub off on you. Choose your friends carefully.
From the very beginning, we were created for the right kind of partnerships. It is not good to go through any area of life alone. The right spouse, the right ministry partners, the right business associates, the right friendships, are all incredibly beneficial to living life more abundantly.
Partnership with God
There is, indeed, power in partnership. Two are better are one. But the following is very important: Even if you have the right kind of partnerships with others, no matter how gifted, skilled, and experienced your partnerships may be, you will still be largely limited—and your partnerships will be greatly inadequate—unless you have the most important partnership in existence: Partnership with God!
Notice the words of Jesus:
“With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.” Mark 10:27 (NKJV)
This verse clearly points out that there are limits with what people can do in their own strength. There are limits to the natural benefits of human partnership. There will always be situations and circumstances beyond our most advanced schools, medical science, technology, human strength, education, money and wisdom. No matter how advanced we may come as a society, no matter how many books are written on a certain topic, no matter how many counselors and experts we have around us, we will all come across events and situations beyond our own human power and abilities. There has always been—and there always will be—a limit to what is possible with mere human beings. But not with God.
“With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.” Mark 10:27 (NKJV)
There are limits with men, but not with God. All things are possible with God. But listen very carefully to the following statement: This verse is not just simply pointing out that certain things are impossible for people and all things are possible for God, but this verse is specifically referring to partnership. Notice the preposition used multiple times in this verse: with. It says that with men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible. The Bible uses a very intentional and specific word: with men and with God.
There are various words in the Greek language translated as our English word, with. The most common being the standard preposition we use in every day speech, which is the Greek word, en. This particular word is used 2,782 times in the Bible, and it literally means by or for. But that is not the word used in this particular verse. The Greek word used in this verse is, para, and it is only used about 200 times. It is a much more precise word, and it literally means, beside, near, by one’s side. It’s where we get the English word, parallel, which means, alongside. In other words, it speaks of partnership. Let that sink in for a moment. Here is what Jesus is telling us:
“Alongside men it is impossible, but not alongside God; for alongside God all things are possible.”
…or…
“In partnership with men it is impossible, but not in partnership with God; for in partnership with God all things are possible.”
Whenever we find ourselves in an impossible situation, we tend to look for outside resources, connections or partnerships to help us out. But no matter how incredible or intelligent or wealthy our natural sources may be, all partnerships apart from God will never be able to make the impossible possible. They will all have their limits. Partnerships with men will always have limits, but not a partnership with God. And when you are in partnership with God, Jesus says…
“…all things are possible to him who believes.” Mark 9:23 (NKJV)
Jesus is telling us that the impossible can become possible. In other words, though you may encounter something that is impossible for you, all things are possible to you, because of He who is with you. That’s the power of partnership with God. No matter how it looks in the natural, when you are partnered up with God, He makes the impossible possible. But only when you are with God. If we look to the wrong partnership, our situation will remain impossible.
The Power—and Problem—of Partnership
Just as the right partnership is powerful, the wrong partnership is problematic.
Consider King Asa. The Bible says that when King Asa became diseased, he did not seek the Lord, but the physicians. The physicians were the experts. They obviously knew much more than the king regarding his illness. King Asa sought after the partnership of medical experts. He had access to health care and medicine. But the Bible says the doctors were unable to help him. In fact, King Asa died.
“And in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady was severe; yet in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but the physicians. So Asa rested with his fathers; he died…” 2 Chronicles 16:12–13 (NKJV)
King Asa turned to the wrong partners when he was faced with a tough situation, and it cost him. But don’t misunderstand this passage. There is nothing wrong with doctors, but the Bible clearly states that he “did not seek the Lord, but the physicians.” In other words, he intentionally replaced God for the doctors. He consciously looked to another source.
This wasn’t the only time King Asa turned to other sources. Earlier in his life, when he was facing a natural war, he took money from the house of the Lord to seek help from the king of another nation. That didn’t turn out well for him either.
“And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him: “Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the Lord your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand.
“Were the Ethiopians and the Lubim not a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the Lord, He delivered them into your hand.” 2 Chronicles 16:7, 8 (NKJV)
This particular passage depicts both the power and the problem with partnerships. Here’s the power of proper partnership: When King Asa was faced with war from an enemy army of one million trained solders, he knew it was an impossible situation. Yet, because he turned to the Lord, the Lord brought victory to the impossible situation. Praise God! That’s the power of proper partnership. But here’s the problem with wrong partnership: Years later, when Asa was faced with yet another battle—and one that was nowhere near as precarious as the previous—he found what appeared to be other possibilities besides the Lord. He found other options and opportunities to win the battle. Or so he thought. The prophet continues, “In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.” His partnership with another source apart from God proved to be problematic.
In Mark 5:25-29, we read about a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years. The Bible says that she spent all that she had on doctors, but was no better. In fact, she only grew worse. But when she encountered Jesus and connected with Him, immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. What was impossible with doctors was possible with Jesus. She simply needed the right connection—a partnership with God!
In summary:
- The problematic partnership: With men; without God.
- The powerful partnership: With God; with or without men.
The Three-Fold Partnership
“Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor… and a threefold chord is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:9, 12 (NKJV)
Coming back full circle, the Bible in no way discounts the power of partnership with other human beings. Two are better than one. This passage is specifically referring to natural, human relationships, which can be very healthy and powerful in the right context. The danger, however, is when our natural partnerships with others become a replacement or a substitute for God. That’s when it becomes problematic.
Partnership with men, apart from God, is a two-fold partnership (i.e. you and others). Likewise, partnership with God, apart from men, is also a two-fold partnership (i.e. you and God). The former is problematic. The latter is powerful. Nevertheless, there is yet another partnership that is far more powerful and far more superior: The three-fold partnership. The three-fold partnership is when you partner with God and with others; all working together in faith and unity. It is three-fold (i.e. you and God and others).
Consider marriage. In the natural, marriage is a two-fold union between a man and a woman. But there is a three-fold marriage that is far more powerful and supernaturally blessed: a union between a man and a woman and God. It is three-fold.
Consider what the following verse says about the power of partnerships:
“How could one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, Unless their Rock had sold them, And the Lord had surrendered them?” Deuteronomy 32:30 (NKJV)
Notice that God is involved in both scenarios. This verse points out the power and the benefits of both a two-fold partnership with God and a three-fold partnership with God. Notice…
One (with God) can chase a thousand.
One individual with God still has a powerful partnership. One can chase a thousand. That is still supernatural. The reward is one thousand. But there is yet a better way; a more powerful partnership. Notice…
And two (with God) can put ten thousand to flight.
Two individuals with God is far more powerful. Two can put ten thousand to flight. Notice that this verse does not say that one can chase a thousand, and two can put two thousand to flight. That would be simple addition. One thousand plus one thousand is two thousand. If that were the case, there would essentially be no added benefit to working together, because when you split the goods down the middle, you would still get the same results if you worked alone: one thousand. But when each of the two—who with God can individually chase a thousand—work together in partnership, the spiritual dynamic exponentially multiplies the results to ten thousand. In this situation, when you split the goods down the middle, each would receive five thousand as a reward. You can do far more together (with God) than you can alone (with God). And God wants it that way!
Proper Partnerships
The Lord wants you to have healthy, powerful partnerships in life.
Take some time right now to evaluate the connections and relationships you have in life. Work through the list below and identify the names of people or places in each category. Ask yourself honestly if God is a part of each of these relationships or connections.
- You / Yourself
- Marriage
- Family
- Ministry
- Career / Job
- Education / School
- Friendships
- Other
Now ask yourself the following: When you encounter hardship or come across a seemingly impossible situation, who or what do you immediately turn to? Do you turn to doctors, counselors, books, a certain friend, a certain organization, the government, money, drugs, alcohol, or any other source? Many of these things may very well be a replacement or substitute for God in your life. If so, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment and failure. It’s time to move forward with a partnership with God. There are four simple steps:
- Set aside all other options, resources, connections, partnerships, and relationships that may be a replacement or substitute for God.
- Turn to God with your heart and soul, and partner up with Him.
- Ask the Lord to lead you to partner with the right church, the right friends, the right job, and all other connections that will be a tremendous benefit to your life.
- Pray the following prayer.
Father, thank You for speaking to me today. I choose this day to put my trust in You and nothing else. I set aside all other options, resources, connections, partnerships, and relationships that have been a substitute for You in my life. I want You to be involved in every area of my life. From this moment forward, I choose to be partnered up with You. Lead me also to healthy friendships and other godly connections that will be beneficial to my life. It’s in the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
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Tristan Fenholt 