“Under the Influence”
By
Elder Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
Matthew 8:9
When I think of the phrase “Under the Influence” my mind goes to two (2) different aspects that we normally associate with that phrase.
The first aspect we automatically think of is D.U.I., Which is driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
The second aspect we think of deals with the emotional state that was put into song like that by Paula Abdul in which she states these words, “I fell in love when I first spotted you among the crowd your eyes met mine and that’s when the room started spinning around. I couldn’t breath I felt my knees getting weak. I could not think straight because you had my mind in an altered state. I’m under the influence of you.”
Rather we think of the 1st or the 2nd aspect of under the influence the one thing that they both have in common is they deal with something that has an adverse affect on the mind which in turn causes a reaction to be carried out by the body. Understand that the body only reacts to what it is told to do by the mind. Therefore whatever or whoever has control of the mind has control of you, therefore causing your body to react any way it wants it to. That’s why Paula Abdul said I couldn’t breath and my knees were getting weak, she couldn’t think straight because something had her mind in an altered state.
When a person is driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs their judgment and reaction capabilities are impaired and their not able to do the things they normally do, but because they’re under the influence and the alcohol or drug has control of their mind they try to do what they cannot do.
However I don’t want to talk about being under the influence of alcohol or drugs. I don’t want to talk about the intoxificating influence of love, but I want to talk about being under the influence of the Holy Ghost. When you’re under the influence of the Holy Ghost and you have been intoxicated with the anointing of God those things that you were not normally able to do you find yourself able to do them. When you’re under the influence of the Holy Ghost and you have been intoxicated with the anointing you can lay your hands on the sick and they shall recover. You can cast out demons in the name of Jesus, open blinded eyes, say to that mountain in your life be thou removed and it has to be done.
If we take a quick look through the Bible we will find people that operated under the influence.
Abraham, while under the influence, was able to say with assurance in Gen. 22:5 “…Abide here with the ass, and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.”
Moses, while under the influence, was able to divide the Red Sea and lead the Children of Israel across on dry ground.
Joshua, while under the influence, was able to fight the battle of Jericho
Saul, the King of Israel, while under the influence was able to prophecy.
David, while under the influence, was able to kill a lion, bear, and a giant.
The 3 Hebrew boys, while under the influence, were able to go through the fire and come out not even smelling like smoke.
While under the influence, on the Day of Pentecost, the 120 Galileans came down from the upper room and captivated those of other nations because they were speaking to them in their native tongue. They asked the question “WHAT MEANETH THIS?” They were operating under the influence.
All this sounds good and all that is exciting all that is motivational which will cause you to say I got to make sure that I am under the influence.
However being under the influence of the Holy Ghost and intoxicated with the anointing will cause you to do things even you don’t feel like doing them. When you are under the influence of the Holy Ghost it will cause you to love those that despitefully use you. It will cause you to put your arms around those that talk about you.
When you are under the influence you will not walk down the isle of the opposite side of the church just to avoid talking to sister so-n-so because you think they don’t like you.
When you are under the influence it will cause you to be obedient, it will cause you to be humble it will cause you to live right. When you are under the influence it will cause you to come to church. It will cause you to show up for Bible class. It will cause you to sit under your pastor and wait for your time.
When you are under the influence you understand like the centurion that you are under authority. You have been placed under the watchful eye of your pastor and because you are under the influence of the Holy Ghost and because you are intoxicated by the anointing you will do as Hebrew 13:17 says “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that [is] unprofitable for you”
God has placed you under the watchful eye of this pastor and you must operate under the influence of the Holy Ghost. This will cause you to be humble, meek, and obedient making the job of you pastor a little easier.
You see the pastor must give account for you and if you are operating under the influence of the Holy Ghost they are able to do it with joy which is profitable for you, but if you are not under the influence then you cause your pastor grief, which is deep and poignant distress and that is unprofitable for you.
If you cause your pastor grief you can hinder your blessing. If you cause your pastor grief you will hinder your deliverance. If you cause your pastor grief you will hinder your breakthrough. You see it is important that you operate under the influence in order not to cause your pastor grief.
How do you cause your pastor grief? The pastor says Bible Class is Wednesday at 7:00 P.M. you don’t show up, the pastor calls because they watch for your soul and they are concerned about you. They say minister so-n-so I didn’t see you at Bible Class I was concerned about you wondering if you were sick or if something was wrong with a member of your family. You say pastor I just didn’t feel like coming. This is disobedience which causes the pastor deep and poignant distress. They try to figure out what they need to do in order to cause you to come to Bible class.
They begin to pray and cry Lord what must I do with them? You have placed them under me and have commanded me to take care of them as a good shepherd, yet in still they are stubborn and will not do what they need to do. I have tried to do what you have told me to do yet they will not conform to your will, help me Lord Jesus. This is grief for your pastor, which is unprofitable for you.
If you want to have life and have it more abundantly then you need to come under the influence.
Elder Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr
Boanerge Ministries
