Is The Holy Spirit Influencing You To Convert Others?

  
 

Good Morning Friends,

  
 

On balance I would suggest that influence is a force born out of our thoughts and feelings and sometimes a tangible palpable force that can be applied either positively or negatively, all based on relationships and at least in part on our response to them. So, this is about how we are convinced or even subconsciously nudged to an action our belief. But there is a question you might be pondering this Fat Tuesday and that I am as well about spiritual influence and how we have been persuaded and have hope that others are persuaded to believe in the love of Jesus and God’s redeeming power of Peace and Love. So, Is The Holy Spirit Influencing You To Convert Others?

  
 

Scripture: For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace. Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures.

  
 

James 3:16-4:3 (NRSV)

  
 

They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.” But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him. Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”

  
 

Mark 9:30-37 (NRSV)

 
 

‘You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. ‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

 
 

Matthew 5: 13-16 (NRSV)

 
 

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

 

Matthew 28:16-20 (NRSV)

 

Message: Influence has been defined by some as the power or capacity of producing an effect without apparent exertion of force or direct exercise of command.  Influence is viewed as a non-coercive power. And this power or capacity of causing an effect in indirect or intangible ways may need some brain science to connect the dots. But science and the spiritual do not always connect in the way we might expect. God is full of surprises, and so too the universe God created is full of surprises as well. So spiritual influence does sound a bit like the Holy Spirit in the way, for it focuses on emotions and changes people from within. This sways thoughts, perceptions, choices and values. As a result, this influence also has the power to change behavior. But wait minute, that behavior can be either good or bad and that does not sound like the Holy Spirit, at least for the bad part. For we can be under the influence of alcohol and drugs or under the influence of the great physician or even a false teacher. Put that thought aside for a moment as we consider today’s scripture.
You have heard it said that the Holy Spirit both convicts and comforts. We see this played out in today’s scripture. You see, in the world, almost everyone is trying to make it to the top of the ladder…to be the richest and the greatest. And do not get me wrong, it is fine to want to always improve, but God’s kingdom is a reverse kingdom when it comes to thinking about success. In God’s kingdom, the way up is sometimes down, and the way down is sometimes up. Sometimes we sing a new song and sometimes follow tradition. We have been set free, but the question is still about what God wants and let me tell you this, God wants to be put first in our lives. As Christians we are to be like salt and light, and if we are, we soon realize that to influence others is both a privilege and a great responsibility. As salt and light, we are to be a catalyst illuminating and preserving our experience of God with the flavor and insight of the peace and love we share with others. Here we need to treat our ability to influence others with holy respect, as God will demand an account from us regarding the redemptive influence, we exercised on others. The reality is that we can be part of an experience that is good or evil and the nature of the reality may not immediately be obvious. We can be tricked and double crossed. You see, we are exposed to all sorts of things and the length and strength of what we have in our environment creates an effect that can be a toxin or a tonic. Friends, only when we are filled with the Holy Spirit can live under the influence of a redemptive power that can give us an abundant life and love that influences others for Kingdom purposes. So, allow the Holy Spirit to become a compelling force in your life to produce effects on your actions, behavior, opinions, and lifestyle in ways that guide the attitudes, character, habits and dispositions of others. Overcome the power of the world. Begin doing things that are pleasing to God. Watch actions and behaviors and seek to conform them to the truth. Jesus taught that personal goodness is more valuable than personal greatness. Friends, we are to be God-centered not self-centered. When Jesus’ disciples were arguing about who was the greatest, Jesus confronted them with the reality that they were off track. So maybe we need to stop for a moment and understand our limitations. It is so easy to think that we can determine our future. But if we act as if we are the masters of our souls and the captains of our destinies, we deceive ourselves. Choose wisely and learn to love for the sake of the Great Commission.

 

And So, while it is not our responsibility to convert unbelievers, it is our responsibility to speak the good news of salvation through the Spirit of Jesus Christ. While evangelism is typically viewed as mostly a human endeavor, the Holy Spirit actual plays a bigger role in evangelism than we do. Ultimately it is the responsibility of the Holy Spirit to turn people’s hearts back to God, which is the essence of evangelism. The Holy Spirit is responsible for softening hearts and causing growth. Furthermore, it is also the Holy Spirit’s responsibility to give us the words to defend the gospel. However, our responsibility is to know God’s Word, so the Holy Spirit has the truth within us available to use. We are to be like an instrument in God’s hands. The more knowledgeable we are in the truths of God, the more useful we are to God’s Spirit for evangelism. If you want to be good at evangelism, the best thing you can do is to improve your understanding of the kingdom of God by knowing the Bible thoroughly and be ready to be used by God when called.

 

Pray the Holy Spirit give us the boldness to be used by God. Pray in preparation for our use by
God
we encounter people in our lives who influence us for good through the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. Pray
that we excel at having a good influence on others too. Pray we realize the importance of having good influences in our lives including scripture. Pray we recognize the patterns of influence in our lives and the nature of their effect on our soul. Pray we are surrounded by the kind of influence that makes our life more complete. Pray we are surrounded by the kind of influence that prompts us to do the right things. Pray we are connected to the greatest power in the universe in thought, mind and actions. Pray our nurturing overcomes our nature. Pray we are influenced by the Holy Spirit to mature in the faith. Pray the Word becomes flesh in us. Pray we realize that God is in charge and that we are not. Pray regardless that God use us to accomplish the divine will. Pray we are influenced by the greatest love in the universe…God.

  
 

Blessings,

  
 

John Lawson