by Shannon Pinto

How to Use Your God-given Influence to Be a Kingdom Builder (Part 2)

I think the post-Christian age is a more fruitful, fertile environment than a “Christian” age because a post-Christian age is very similar to a pre-Christian age. There the gospel can be imagined in fresh ways and in new cultures. People who are trying to follow Jesus are not called to protect a Christian sort of colonization of culture. Instead we are invited to create fresh expressions of fidelity to Jesus in the culture that we live in. Yes it does require courage, but a courage that comes with an invitation to dream about what it looks like for the Kingdom of God to break-in in our cultural moment.

Read Matthew 13: 33

You need to be an influencer as yeast influences the dough. Make a difference

Therefore, it is important to remind you that you need to be the influencer. When we’re unaware of the power that others have to influence us, we’ll allow our hearts to compromise. Just as Lot failed to influence the cities of the plain in Genesis, we too can become attached to the values of the culture we’re hoping to change. You need to be like Daniel, Joseph & Esther to be an influencer. It won’t come easy at times. You will need to stand and walk against the tide. But when you decide to do so and step up, God will endorse you.

Caution:

Don’t confuse influence with popularity. You need not be popular but you should be impactful.

There is a divine imperative:

Every human being was created by God to be an influence!

Our life should carry so much influence that even death would not be able to end your influence but in fact should grow stronger as the legacy you leave behind.

And that God expects us to be good stewards of that influence. And I defined a “kingdom builder” as one who as a great purpose to live for, great principles to live by, great power to live on, and great people to live with. I shared the first half of a dozen scriptural principles about influence:

1.    Everybody has influence.

2.    God expects me to use the influence He’s given me.

3.    My influence is for the benefit of others.

4.    If I’m not influencing them, they’re influencing me.

5.    The purpose of influence is to speak up for those that have no influence.

6.    I will answer to God for how I used my influence.

I want to share the other six principles of influence today.

7.  If I use my influence well, God will give me more.

In Matthew 25, Jesus told a parable about the stewardship of influence in which a ruler had left several stewards in charge of different amounts of money. When he returned and found that two of the three had earned an increase on the money he told them each, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” This is a powerful principle to learn concerning God’s economy. God rewards our faithful influence with more influence.

True Success is not measured in physical possessions, but in the amount of lives that you change.
Luke 12: 15
Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”

Life has purpose and meaning when it is directed to influence the lives of others

8. You only influence people who trust you.

The fastest way to influence is by being trustworthy and likable. 

This is not to say that being likable is more important than other values, but when we decide to show a genuine interest in other people, they tend to be interested in you, and this is often the gateway to influence. But beware – don’t be a man-pleaser.

In other words, credibility is everything when it comes to leadership and influence. There are at least five ways for Christian leaders to develop trust with people.

·       By praying for and with people.

·       By setting a faithful example.

·       By continually speaking truth.

·       By encouraging and celebrating unity.

·       By exhibiting courage as you lead.

9. Criticism is the inevitable price of influence.

Criticism isn’t fun. Life gets hard when you become a target, but that’s the inevitable result of an expanding influence. There is only one way of avoiding criticism: do nothing, say nothing and be nothing.

The more visible you are, the more of a target you will be. This was true for King David, for Nehemiah, and for Jesus as well as anyone who has been a mover and shaker in the history of the church. Embrace criticism as the blessed side effect of influence. You will never be honoured without being criticized. Allow people to take a bite of you for that’s the only taste of success they may ever get – Zig Ziglar
If you have the right attitude to forgive and learn even from your critics you will see that in the wisdom of God that they do you the great service by helping us see the issues or weaknesses in our life that needs attention.

10.  Kingdom builders help others use their influence wisely.

Great leaders sharpen other leaders and influencers grow each other in community. Kingdom builders are not merely interested in having followers, but in raising up other leaders.

The Kingdom needs good leadership now more than ever. Will you put these principles to work in your life and be a Kingdom builder?

The summary of all of the above is:

Matthew 16 24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 25 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds.

The influence from my life is the greatest when Jesus is most visible through my life. But that requires that “I deny myself” – carry the cross. Jesus’s cross brought me salvation and new life. My cross that He shares with me is for sanctification and growth.

If you want to do your own thing, Jesus will step aside. But if hide in Jesus and enjoy obeying Him, He will pour out His glory through you.