Influenced or Influencer?

Our culture is a culture of influence. Everyone is under the influence of someone or something. Advertisers vie for our spending dollars. Highway safety officials influence us with “Click It Or Ticket” admonitions to wear seat belts. And I noticed in a television ad that Dish customers do not let their friends use cable… so Dish customers are urged to influence their friends to switch to Dish.

Are you a thermometer or are you a thermostat Christ-follower? A thermometer is circumstantially led. Depending on the temperature, the mercury moves up or down. It moves according to the circumstances that it is set in. Everything around a thermometer controls how the thermometer works, whether it moves up or down.

A thermostat influences its surroundings. Unlike the thermometer, the thermostat controls the heat or coldness around it. What type of believer are you? Do you influence your surroundings? Or, are you influenced by your surroundings? The Bible tells us which we should be, (Jer 15:19b,TLB) "Only if you return to trusting me will I let you continue as my spokesman. You are to influence them, not let them influence you!"

There are all kinds of voices that we allow into our lives. Some voices are our own intellect, or feelings, or emotions, or other people. Many get all their answers from the TV. When we listen to these other voices we will not listen to the Spirit of God within us. This will cause us to go the wrong way and into disaster. You will make bad choices and fall for anything.

Right thinking leads to right attitudes and right actions. What is the controlling influence in your life? Is it your job, the internet, money, greed, alcohol, or drugs? Is it your sinful nature, the world’s ways, the lies and temptations of the enemy, or is it the Holy Spirit of God?” The way you can determine the dominant influence in your life is to examine what occupies your mind or what you think about. Our thoughts lead to attitudes and our attitudes lead to actions. Our attitudes and actions reflect that we are either under the influence of our sinful nature, or under the influence of God.

The Bible tells us that when you let the Holy Spirit control or influence your mind there is life and peace, versus our own sinful nature that leads to death. (Rom 8:6). You decide what controls your mind. The bible tells us in Romans 12:2 to renew or feed our minds; one translation says to “fix your attention on God” (MB), and another adds that then you will “experience how his ways will really satisfy you.” (TLB)

Eph 4:14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won't be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. NLT

Ultimately, every person decides what he or she will think about and do. How can we be influenced by the Holy Spirit continually? How can we keep the others voices at bay long enough to let God's voice come flowing in? In short, how can we be led by God's Spirit all day long, so we can avoid disasters and be an influencer for Jesus Christ.

Three keys to better hearing God's voice:
1. Identify the wrong influences. Many of you have had voices and influences that wrecked your life and derailed your future? Check the crowd you hang with. Are they negative, cynical, and pessimistic?

2. Spend time with God by prayer, worship and bible study. The more in tune we will be by studying the Bible. We must be reading the word daily and getting it in our hearts. It’s easier to differentiate His voice from all the voices because you are so familiar with it from spending time with His writings. Also you will know His will and can be assured you are hearing Him as His leading always lines up with His Word.

3. Let peace be your umpire. The bible tells us that the peace that Christ gives is to guide you in your decisions, (Col 3:15 TEV). His voice gives peace to your heart and can be your umpire (one chosen to rule on decisions) for the way you should go. The Holy Spirit will speak to you from the inside, not the outside. Take time to be still and listen. Clear the line by closing out the other voices. Faith does not get in a hurry. Pray about the leading for a few days to make sure. You will have peace about what to decide.

Now you will be able to influence your world instead of the world influencing you.