INFUSE

10:02 PM

Sunday, February 1, 2009

It's time for the message that Mindy spoke about last Friday! She talked about being a person/people of influence(P.O.I).

Let's start with the definition of influence.
Influence is a power affecting a person, thing or a course of events, especially one that operates without any direct or apparent effort.

Influence produces changes in us. We become more and more like the people we spend time with. It's more like a process, it does not happen overnight.
Example - You hang out more with Vil Sern, you'll begin to talk like this : "How laaa like this all.."

This because we influence one another and adopt the way each other act.
We have been called to be influencers.

Deuteronomy 28:13
The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.

Matthew 5:14-16
You are the light of the world. A city on the 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 men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

We are called to be the light in this world. To influence people and shine before men so that His name will be glorified.

Before that, there are three things we have to know.
The 3 D's - Direction, Decision and Devotion.

- Direction -
There are two directions of influence in our lives.
Godly influence and ungodly influence.
Godly influence are influences that moves us toward God and ungodly influence are influences that moves us away from God.

Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.

As the Bible says, do not conform to the things of this world. Realise what is shaping your life and influencing you. If it's an ungodly influence, do not conform to it.

- Decision -
We can actually choose the influences in our lives.

1 Corinthians 15:33
Do not be misled : Bad company corrupts good character.

Proverbs 24:1
Do not envy wicked men, do not desire their company.

Proverbs 12:26
A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

Make the right decision today!

- Devotion -
Choosing to allow Jesus to be the influence in your life.
If we want to be the person of influence, if we want to see change in our lives and in the lives around us, we must first allow Jesus to be THE influence in our life.

John 15:1-8
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
Remain in me and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself, it must remain in the vine. Neither you can bear fruit unless you remain in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers, such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given to you.
This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

To change lives and be a good influence to the people around you, you need to spend time with God. Due to the fact that we become more like the people we spend time with, spending time with God changes us to be more and more like Him.
It's time to change, to ask God to shape us and to influence us in everything that we do.

- Are you spending enough time with God to be influenced by Him? -