Stewardship

Liberation From This Part is Mine and This Part is Gods

by Russ Gressett
08/27/25
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Liberation From “This Part is Mine and This Part is God’s”

By Russ A. Gressett                                   A Word in Due Season – August 2025

   Years ago, the Holy Spirit led me away from “percentage giving” to free me from the mindset that “this part is mine and this part is God’s.” This belief was a stronghold in my life that hindered my growth as a son and steward in God’s Kingdom. While percentage giving may work for some, the Holy Spirit used the move away from that to address some deeper issues in my heart, and also to guide me toward a true, working and operational revelation of ownership.

   One morning, as I was literally dividing “my part” from “God’s part,” in my thinking, the Holy Spirit interrupted me on the inside with a clear and piercing question: “If this part is yours and this part is God’s, whose are you?” I heard the question with such clarity that it stopped me in my tracks, and I saw it. I was forever changed. Suddenly, this simple, pointed question had exposed a real flaw in my belief system and sparked what has been a transformative journey for my life. I could never “unsee” the truth that everything—100%—belongs to God. I would have told you or agreed with that statement before I heard the question, but I didn’t believe it … not like I did after seeing and hearing that question. In our covenant, we are not our own; we were bought at the highest price possible in the form of Jesus Himself, an unparallelled value (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). At salvation, we surrendered all to Him and became all together His.

   This revelation then began reshaping my view of giving, which is a core part of my calling in God’s Kingdom. One of the first things that occurred to me was that now, if I was to be a “tither”, I’d actually have to take back 90% from God. I had never considered this perspective before. I was changing already and seeing that I would rather be fully His, trusting Him as my provider, than be in any other alternative position.

A Shift in Perspective

   Some might call that thought process just a matter of semantics, but the belief (even if unspoken) that something becomes God’s only when it leaves our hands reveals a deeper issue. It suggests a belief below the surface that what’s in our bank account isn’t His until we give it. It follows that while in my bank account, it is not His. This mindset undermines the truth that we are His stewards, fully owned by Him. In my life, the Holy Spirit has referred to this as a “lip-service revelation”... meaning just word concepts without truly being a working, operational, truth in my every day walk.

   For example, we often say or hear a phrase similar to this, “It all belongs to God anyway; we’re just giving this portion back to Him.” I’ve said this myself many times; however, this line of thinking can obscure the reality that giving is a ministry act … God working through us. When we grasp the truth about ownership, we’ll see that giving to the local church, or anywhere else for that matter, isn’t about “giving to God”; it becomes about God giving through us to His Body (think Acts 2 and Acts 4).

   This shift changes our perception of the true direction of flow: we gave ourselves fully to Him at salvation, and now He flows through us from the inside outward in love and relationship ... including in our giving. That’s a big change to see that really matters. The direction of flow that we sense and understand really matters.

The Macedonian Example

Consider 1 Corinthians 8:5: “And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.”

   Paul is actually testifying here that he witnessed this verse happening in the lives of the Macedonians. In fact, I think what he witnessed caught him a bit off guard. He said it wasn’t as he had expected (hoped). What was it that he witnessed? They first surrendered themselves entirely to God … no more “this part is Yours, this part is ours” in their thinking and believing. Then, through relationship, they gave to others as an act of ministry, understanding God’s specific will in the matter. And not only that, they were excited about it! They were full with “abundant joy” the scripture says. Paul actually saw this in them. I call this the “85 effect”, as the verse highlights and captures how their revelation of ownership transformed them into ministers of giving. The truth is, the Macedonians saw something about their lives and their calling! Later in the dialogue, Paul highlights a heart-purposed giving (2 Corinthians 9), urging us to follow suit, not by rote mechanics or formula, but via relationship with God’s heart communing with and placing purpose in our hearts to minister in giving. What a beautiful picture.

Giving as Ministry

   When we give by relationship, not mechanics and formula, we tap into the Father’s “riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19) which is God’s well spring of resource. We become arteries of provision in the Body of Christ, flowing with love and anointing beyond our natural abilities (2 Corinthians 8:3). It’s why I refer to this calling as the “Artery Calling”. Our spiritual sensitivity grows, and we learn to hear His voice particularly and clearly in this area. As we mature more and more as true stewards, the Holy Spirit will also train us in gathering—guiding us to tap into the wealth God has already placed in the earth for His Kingdom’s purposes.

   Many are called to this ministry of giving (Romans 12:8) but haven’t yet recognized it as such, though it might be operating in their lives already. I will tell you it helps to actually recognize it, to see it, and to point at it and say, “Yes, that’s me!” It’s not just about money; it’s about aligning with God’s heart and becoming vessels for His provision throughout the Body for all of its focuses and pursuits. When we embrace this, we step into a flow of ministry that transforms how we see everything in our lives as “owned owners”.

   Have you considered your love for giving and the generous nature that God has placed within you as an actual ministry and calling on your life? Don’t overlook that consideration just because you have not heard much about it in these terms. Recognize it. Ask God about it. It is a deep and wide calling that carries much importance in the plan of God during the days in which we are living. You may be a modern-day Macedonian and didn’t know it!

Amen.