10 ways to raise the level of your influence
Many people desire to increase their influence in life. Unfortunately, most don’t understand basic leadership principles. Some believers have an erroneous mystical approach and think they will be elevated because a spiritual leader prayed over them.
The following are ten ways you can raise your level of influence:
1. Remain faithful to your calling
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The apostle Paul instructed Timothy to pick “faithful men” (2 Timothy 2:2). A faithful person is a committed, loyal person who can be relied upon to execute their duties no matter how difficult the circumstances. Some people make excuses for their failure to produce, but faithful people don’t make excuses. They just show up and work until the task is accomplished.
2. Remain focused on your mission
So many people get distracted because they are listening to the wrong voices in their lives. When God asked Adam who told him he was naked, He was referring to Adam listening to another voice instead of listening to the main voice in his life (Genesis 3:11).
Consequently, we should discipline our mind to remain focused on always keeping the main thing the main thing. This may sound like an overused cliché. However, I have seen numerous people cap their influence because they said yes to too many opportunities (sometimes “less is more”) or put more passion and time into a hobby rather than their primary assignment.
3. Be willing to be present and participate in strategic events
I learned a long time ago that if I merely “show up” to certain key events (that I believe accord with my mission), God will orchestrate divine connections and networking opportunities essential to position me to the next level of leadership He has assigned for me.
4. Listen to and obey the voice of God within you
Christ followers should be sensitive to the leading of the Lord. If all a person has is an understanding of their mission and strategic planning but does not seek the face of the Lord, they will significantly limit or miss the primary calling and influence God has for them. Truly, God is a rewarder of those who earnestly seek Him (Hebrews 11:6)
5. Have close associates who give you honest advice
Every person of influence must have a strong, trusted inner circle that helps them discern the will of God for their life and mission. Having honest, loyal people around you who have your back and speak into your life is another way to increase your influence in the world.
6. Have mentors and friends who open doors for you
Every person needs “door openers” for them. I have had several mentors and key friends whom God has used mightily to open strategic doors for me. Nobody can get to where they are supposed to be without the help of others. Pray for God to provide these kinds of people in your life so that you can go to the next level of influence in your life.
7. Carve out time for reading
One of the things I have discovered regarding what key influencers have in common is that they all seem to be avid readers. We need to read strategically in ways that correspond to our calling and mission if we are going to grow and increase our capacity and influence. Those who desire to increase their influence must be intentional about reading genres of books that relate to their assignment instead of wasting their time reading fiction and novels that only entertain instead of empowering and equipping them.
8. Manage your emotions
The more influence you have, the more organizational and people challenges you will face. Hence, if we desire to increase the capacity of our influence, we need to manage our emotions by continually walking in love and forgiveness and extending grace to others without compromising ethics and standards of excellence. The more people and challenges you have, the more opportunity you will have to become bitter instead of better. Managing our emotions with the grace and love of Christ is essential if we want to increase our level of influence.
9. Don’t quit when it gets difficult
Every person functioning at any level of leadership will have to endure difficult times of testing in order to be promoted by God and have a greater level of influence. Those who continue to press through despite enormous challenges are the ones God will grant more influence in His Kingdom. Of course, our example is the Lord Jesus Christ, who endured vast emotional agony in the Garden of Gethsemane and unfathomable pain while hanging on the cross. Still, He understood that this was all part of God’s plan for Him to fulfill His assignment of reconciling the world back to Himself (Hebrews 12:1-3).
10. Let God elevate you
Finally, the Bible teaches us that God resists the proud and exalts the humble (1 Peter 5:5). Psalm 75:6-7 teaches that God elevates some and puts down others. I have seen people who have attempted to promote themselves whom God has brought low. I have seen those not seeking anything but to serve and glorify God, and I have seen them elevated with more influence because He could trust them.
In conclusion, if you want to increase your influence, follow the direction of the Lord, stay in your lane, focus on your assignment, be faithful, and God will increase your influence in ways that will astonish you. If you want to limit your impact, manipulate people, and promote yourself, God will humble you and significantly restrict your potential for influence.
May the Lord be the One who elevates us and grants us the influence He has deemed we need to bring Him the most glory!
Dr. Joseph Mattera is an internationally-known author, consultant, and theologian whose mission is to influence leaders who influence culture. He is the founding pastor of Resurrection Church, and leads several organizations, including The U.S. Coalition of Apostolic Leaders and Christ Covenant Coalition.
To order his books or to join the many thousands who subscribe to his newsletter, go to josephmattera.org
