The Power of Influence
“Unmovable Unshakable Faith”
Intro: Last week I started talking about the power of Influence, and how our words, actions and attitude have a influence on people. I want to continue this week with influence but I want to talk to you this morning about Faith. Hebrews 11:1 tells us that “Now Faith, is sure of what we hope and certain of what we do not see”. The word certain= very sure without any doubt, and in verse 6 of this same chapter without faith it is impossible to please God. There is influence in your faith, you have the power to influence people with your faith, sure of wat we hope for, what are you hoping for, what is it that you are believeing God to do in your life, in your family, in your church, in your community, job or school? Well pastor I have not thought about it, where is faith? Without hope you cant have faith. I hope that one day I will see all of my family serving the Lord, I hope in a brighter tomorrow, for a better carreer, a better house, deep down inside of every one of us there is hope. Hope for a place called heaven hope of seeing Jesus face to face, hope of being reunited with our loved ones some glorious day church we all have hope some where amen? Verse one also says Now faith, is certain, we are certain that there is a heaven and a hell, we are certain that Christ will return one day to get His children, these things we are certain of. But the word Now means at this present moment, right now this very minute second and hour you are alive and your faith can influence somebody, right now in this room you are influencing those around you, the key is are you unshakable and unmovable in your faith? Or are you unwilling to be moved?
I Corinthians 15:58, stand firm, let noting move you, NKJV says immovable, not capable of moving or being moved, this is not saying that nothing ever changes, this is not talking about the physical things of religion and man, but unshakable Faith. I want to give some keys to having this kind of faith and being a powerful influence to those around you.
“Your Thinking” Romans 12:2
A. Transformed, I believe that if we can ever get our thinking conquered, faith will over flow out of us. Write this down, “you cant have faith in your heart with worry, doubt, fear and negative in your mind”. Matthew 16:23 Peters thinking was not of God, not because he was a bad person, but he acted off of a instinct instead of praying about it and letting God lead he wanted to be in control, and church whenever we start to think that we are in control we lose. Turn to Romans 8:6-8, if your thinking is not right, and if your thinking is not on God, you cant please Him, now this is not me saying this, look in the word. Phillipians 3:17-19, there mind is on earthly things. It all starts in the mind and then moves to the heart, and from there out of the mouth. Matt 12:34 “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks”. The battle that takes place in your mind everyday is far greater that any battle ever fought. You want a unshakable faith, be transformed in your mind. Paul tells us to think on these things good, right just it is amazing if you somehow would just start your day thinking on good things.
“Don’t let people shake or move your faith” I Cor 15:58
C. (Stand Firm) we live in a generation that will follow anything and everything, if there is a teaching or church that will let you do anything and live anyway you want that’s where most people want to go. Now God wants you to enjoy life and have it more abundantly, but we do not have to be stupid. The bible says stand firm, let nothing move you, be immovable. Galatians 1:6-10, How were you saved? By grace through faith, and when you confessed Jesus as Lord something happened on the inside of you and no one and I mean no one can take that away from you. I want you to know this morning that the devil is a liar, and he will try anything he can to shake your faith, friends, family, co-workers even church people, but I want you to know that you can stand firm and ground yourself in a unshakable unmovable faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and no that regaurdless of what someone may say you are saved by grace through faith amen?. You cant put your faith in man, or things of this earth, only in Christ can you and I find true faith. Paul had this problem in the Corinthian church, I Cor 3:4-7, only God say that with me only God, do you know why people try and shake your faith? You make them uncomfortable. Many of us live in a box like this kennel, and I here we are in control, nothing can get in or out unless we let it. In the zone nothing ever changes, and everything is just ok and normal, no problems in this area at all. In here we do not have to worry about taking care of anyone else or getting involved or doing anything for the Lord, because we have enough to deal with just in our own little world. Psalm 40, the first step to unshakable faith, is not letting people move you.
Now here is the greatest key the most important
“Seek First His Kingdom” Matthew 6:31-34,
D. you see when you start to seek the Lord and His will you realize that all things are possible and that there is more to this life than just you and your box, and when you take that first step out of the box the holy spirit will come and help you counsel you speak through you, you will no longer walk in with a bless me if you can attitude you will become a blessing to others. But when we are comfortable Christ has to use leftovers, and the bible says in the old testament to give God the first fruits of everything, what if we have nothing else? Give him the first male animal, what if she never has another one? Seek first His kingdom and then all of these things will be added to you. When you seek Him first you do things that you have never done before, Peter was a fisherman that is all that he knew, and after Jesus had been teaching for a little while he tells Peter to set out in deep water again for a catch, Luke 5, we have been fishing all morning, but because you say so, they could not haul all of the fish in. Again in John 21 Jesus is standing on the bank and this is after the resurrection, have you any fish no we have been out all night, try the other side, they must have thought he was nuts, whats so different about the other side, Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness,
Conclusion: Proverbs 29:18 says where there is no vision the people parish, I want you to enlarge your vision today, I want to believe God for bigger things, more power, more anointing, more blessings, more opportunities. Faith is not seeing where you are going, it is trusting God to lead you where He wants you to go. If we will show Christ to our family, friends, church, and community, if we will place Christ first in worship, praise, prayer, giving, tithing and reading His word, then all these things will be added unto you as well. Pastor I can’t do that it is just not who I am, my question is who is in charge of your life? Proverbs 3:5-10,
