Growing in Influence

GROWING IN INFLUENCE

by Wendell Vinson

It’s easy to look at the condition of the world around us and feel helpless. I’ve heard people despairingly say “I feel like the world is falling apart and there’s nothing that I can do about it.” Well, that’s exactly what the enemy of your soul would like for you to think. The truth is some of history’s greatest revivals have come out of some of the most turbulent of times. God is at work and we are His people. There is absolutely nothing too difficult for God!

As we move into the fall season we’re turning our attention to the importance of each of us as believers being influencers in our world. That word influence can be a tricky word because influence is often used for very self-centered purposes. The sacred influence our church’s mission statement proposes is about our refusing to acquiesce to the status quo. It’s about walking through the doors that God is opening for good to be done and the Good News to be proclaimed in our neighborhood and in the nations.

Jesus says to us in Matthew 5:13-16, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

Think about a missionary going to proclaim the gospel in a foreign land that worships false Gods. If that missionary didn’t fully believe in his heart that he or she could be an influence for Christ in that dark place, he would be defeated before he ever stepped foot off of the plane. He has to trust in the Holy Spirit at work in him and in the power of the gospel.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. Romans 1:16

You and I can know with confidence that the Holy Spirt is within us and the gospel is powerful to save. But I want to highlight some very practical aspects of influence in your everyday world that sometimes don’t get enough attention.

Influence requires competence and character

It may surprise you that I would bring up competence in the context of spiritual influence but if you’re serious about influence, then you need to be serious about being the best you can be in whatever you do.

Colossians 3:23 tells us to work “with all your heart.” Ecclesiastes 9:10 tells us, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all of your might.” Proverbs 22:29 states, “Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men.” Whatever we do, if we want to be people of influence, we should do with excellence.

Think of the Old Testament character Daniel. Had he performed in a mediocre manner, I doubt that we would even know of him today, no matter how godly he might have been. Daniel so distinguished himself in terms of competence and character that his influence grew and he had significant social and spiritual impact in the world. Here is the fundamental principle: If we want people to pay attention to our faith, we must first pay attention to our work. Before we introduce our co-workers to God, we must introduce God into our work.

Possessing the character to, with God’s help be the best that we can be in our family, work, school, community will capture the attention of those around you. It will be a testimony that God is at work in you. Shake off mediocre!

Influence requires care and communication

How you treat people is a big deal to God! You’ve heard it a lot but as it relates to influence it bears repeating, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care." And you can’t just care internally, you have to express it outwardly. Your kindness and compassion, attentiveness and willingness to listen, your advocating for those who can’t speak for themselves all matters and it positions you as an influencer for God and for good.

This is really the heart of what The Apostle Paul is writing to the Philippians, "Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." Philippians 2:1-4

In the same way that genuine care and encouraging communication toward those around you positions you for greater influence negative communication does just the opposite. If you gossip about people, disparage, ridicule or belittle others you will lose influence. Your care and your communication will either engender trust or undermine trust.

Without trust you will have little true influence. This is why Paul leaves little wiggle room in his admonishment regarding our words in Ephesians 4:29, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

Influence requires conviction and courage

Following Jesus and influencing others to follow him will ultimately take you out of your comfort zone. You will have opportunities and face obstacles that will challenge you to the edge of your faith. A close walk with Jesus is the only antidote to fear. The Lord commanded Joshua, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 And as Joshua prepared to influence and lead Israel into Canaan, God said, “Do not let this Book of the Law depart out of your mouth; mediate on it day and night.” Joshua 1:8 God wanted Joshua to influence with conviction that He had spoken and that He was taking them into their promise.

In the New Testament Book of Acts when the early church was first taking the gospel to the world, they needed a supernatural boldness that could only come from the indwelling Holy Spirit. That courage from heaven enabled them to influence their world for Christ in spite of unbelievable odds, opposition and even persecution. If we are to influence our world, we must also have conviction and courage. AW Tozer wrote, “A scared world needs a fearless church.”

This is your season to grow in influence, so make it your goal to grow in competence and character, care and communication and conviction and courage. If you will grow in these areas God will increasingly use you to influence others.

As a church this fall we are together boldly walking through new doors that God is opening here in our city, our state and around the globe. We are leveraging every possible resource that God has entrusted into our care to take the Good News of Jesus Christ from the neighborhood to the nations. Join us and lets change the world!

Wendell and Lynda Vinson, Pastors