Purpose of Influence

Pastor Mike brought a thought provoking and inspiring message from the Word of God entitled “Influence”.

So that we may be doers of the Word and not hearers only, let’s remember what was shared in that message and prayerfully apply it to our lives!

Influence is the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself.

The people around you have a big effect on where your going and what your doing!

Successful people love to share how they got where they are and how they became successful.

Proverbs 18:20 ESV

“From the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach is satisfied; he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.”

Hebrews 10:24 ESV

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,”

We should be intentional about provoking and challenging people!

One rotten apple spoils the whole barrel. Is not just a saying but if scientifically proven. How does your fruit influence others.

Nehemiah was a cupbearer to the king of Persia.

Nehemiah 1:1 ESV

“The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the citadel,”

Nehemiah 1:1 ESV

The Bible always gives details for a reason. The month of Chislev is the month of dreams. We need to dream and dream big! Don’t let the enemy steal your dream! If you’re going to influence people for God you need to dream about what could be!

Nehemiah 1:2-6 ESV

“that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.” As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. And I said, “O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father’s house have sinned.”

When God gives a dream we need to birth it through prayer!

Nehemiah 1:7-8 ESV

“We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples,”

When things are bad, it’s not because God is bad but because bad choices were made. So we need to begin with repentance.

Nehemiah 1:9-11 ESV

“but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’ They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” Now I was cupbearer to the king.”

When you have a dream, you first need to take it to the place of prayer.

Nehemiah 2:1 ESV

“In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence.”

The month of Nisan means the time of salvation. There’s something incredible about the timing of God!

Nehemiah 2:2-4 ESV

“And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid. I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven.”

Nehemiah’s prayer was ongoing and consistent. Ours must be as well!

Nehemiah 2:5 ESV

“And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ graves, that I may rebuild it.””

Nehemiah wanted to go to Judah. Judah means praise! Praise was broken but Nehemiah wanted to rebuild it. Sometimes we need to rebuild the praise! That needs to be our charge - to rebuild the praise that’s been broken down. We need to rebuild the praise both in ourselves and in others!

Nehemiah 2:6-9 ESV

“And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time. And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me. Then I came to the governors of the province Beyond the River and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen.”

Nehemiah 2:10-11 ESV

“But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel. So I went to Jerusalem and was there three days.”

Sometimes we need to see how bad things really are. You can’t move forward unless you know where you stand. You need to have a realistic picture of where you are now to begin to change things! Sometimes we also need to use influence to encourage people to work to make things better.

Nehemiah 2:17-19 ESV

“Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.” And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work. But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?””

We can use influence to encourage people to make a change and believe things can be better!

Nehemiah 2:20 ESV

“Then I replied to them, “The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem.””

So often, people want to come tell you all the reasons why you can’t do what you’re dreaming to do. But we must walk by faith and not by sight or what others try to tell us! We are called to trust in God!

Nehemiah 3:1-2 ESV

“Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set its doors. They consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Tower of Hananel. And next to him the men of Jericho built. And next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built.”

Building can be contagious! When one person starts to build, it can encourage others to do the same.

Nehemiah 4:7-8 ESV

“But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry. And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it.”

When you begin to do what Gods called you to do, there will be people who get angry and come against you! Trust God to help you overcome and be successful at what He had called you to do!

Nehemiah 4:9-11 ESV

“And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night. In Judah it was said, “The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall.” And our enemies said, “They will not know or see till we come among them and kill them and stop the work.””

The enemy comes in like a roaring lion and wants to stop you from accomplishing what you are meant to do.

Nehemiah 4:12-15 ESV

“At that time the Jews who lived near them came from all directions and said to us ten times, “You must return to us.” So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people by their clans, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.” When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work.”

The enemy may come in like a lion and may make a lot of noise about what he wants to threaten to do to stop you. But he is no match for God working through you!

Nehemiah 6:15 ESV

“So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days.”

The month of Elul, the meaning of Elul is someone who is full of grace.

Nehemiah 6:16 ESV

“And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.”

You need to dream! Then you need to pray. You need to keep praying without giving up! You need to walk completely in grace know it can only be achieved through God working in and through you!

What dream has God placed in your heart? Will you allow Him to reveal His glory through you?