Building a Life of Influence

Proverbs 3:3-6
“Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart,
And so find favor and high esteem
In the sight of God and man.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.”

Influence is birthed out of trusting and acknowledging God in everything.
Influence is evidenced in mercy and truth (NKJ), love and faithfulness (NIV).
The results are divine guidance, favor with God and man, health, and prosperity.

Peter gives this epitaph of Jesus’ ministry in Acts 10:38:
“God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”
We see here that the evidence of God’s favor and anointing power in the life of Jesus was His acts of mercy. These were acts that were born out of the will of God and fulfilled by God’s power. They were evidences to the world of God’s character and His favor.

This favor and influence in the early church was demonstrated through their lives of mercy. Acts 2:46-47 says, “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” Acts 4:32 goes on to say, “Neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.”

Mercy is one of the key elements in God’s judgment of mankind. Matt 25:34-39 says,
“Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me….. Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.”

This kind of unabandoned mercy can only be birthed out of trusting and acknowledging God in everything. The results are divine guidance, enablement, favor with God and man, health and prosperity of body, soul and spirit.

Andy Clark