What Influences You? by Brother Duke Hansen

         Good morning. Happy Father's Day to you all.This morning we are going to be in a couple of places for scripture reading. Our first scripture is going to be in the book of 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse 8. I briefly wanted to touch upon over in Genesis first. More specifically the garden of eden. In the garden, we got to see the first example of influence as the serpent spoke to Eve regarding the Tree of Knowledge. Eve in turn influenced Adam to take a bite of the fruit they were both forbidden to eat. With that influence, we see Adam and Eve's obedience die. Influence does a lot of things to man physically, spiritually, mentally, and socially. Influence is inescapable in life. There are people who live online that profit in money by influencing. Let's look at verse 8 shall we?

        8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.

        The first question I want you to think about is what does the command Be sober mean? Many people's automatic response in hearing the word sober is in abstaining from drinking too much liquor. Thinking about influence, you can narrow it down to people, situations, things, and spirits. In each of these groups are moments that define our thinking, our actions, our speaking, who we hang around with and befriend. There are often chain reactions with influence and how it works. You look at a parent and child. The parent can influence a child both in good ways and bad.

        Our emotions influence us. Things and possessing those things are influential to too many of us today. In situations we perpetuate actions and behaviors we experienced earlier in our life into our present day.

        Influences can be both good and or bad. The bad influences which edify our flesh are so hard to overcome. The bad and worldly influences have been around forever, and only now after decades of setting into culture are we beginning to slowly awake and see how gross things have become. We have become so numb, naive, or ignorant to negative influences that they have overrun churches here in our country, where there are exceptions and dismissals to lifestyles and behavior God has never ordained in scripture. Churches allowing all manner of abuse and sin because of the refusal to address it to its face or cast it out in Jesus name, and then have the surprise when people have quit coming. 

        Being sober minded isn't staying away from liquor. It is being aware and not under the influence of what is sinful. You are under the influence of your thoughts or under the Holy Ghost. When you get into a committed relationship with Jesus and you study his word, you need to know the meaning of words like sin and iniquity. Study to show thyself approved.

        Being sober minded is not letting your flesh, situations, and spirits in controlling or influence you. So, now that we know what sober minded means, what does it mean to be vigilant? It means keep watch, be aware, guard the door. The devil is looking for easy and weak people under the influence. He's looking for people who are controlled by whatever emotion has them at that moment or by whatever thing their flesh craves.

        9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

        This means that even the people who don't follow the faith have the same afflictions. All man will still suffer the flesh due to Adam's sin in the garden.

        10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you.

        There are people who aren't working towards perfection but a projection of a certain image in public. Saying no, learning the power of that word, killing the influences, presses the flesh and causes it to suffer. To overcome some sins that have been generational in your family, you have to hate it. Perfection comes out of suffering and brings forth strength.

        Going back to verse 10. When you are settled, you are awake. You have seen things. You have tasted the gift of God. That gift is the Holy Ghost. Today, I am here to tell you, God wants us to know, to be aware, and sober. Now, turn to the book of 2 Timothy chapter 2. We will read verses 24 to 26.

        24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient

        Don't strive or fight. Be ready to teach. Striving against God is a problem of the flesh.

        25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

        You need to do this meekness and humility. It's how you say things that means everything. People don't ask for forgiveness because it hurts their pride of self. When you see one causing their own pain and all they know is blame, those require more intercessory prayer. We have all been under the wrong influence at times in crossing someone trying to correct them. If you don't spend time praying for people daily and fervently you aren't truly serious for them. Keep your flesh from being influenced by fear. You can invite people to church. Don't be disappointed if they don't come. Some people need more than an invite. They need help.

        This scripture says God has to allow us repentance in verse 25. Many people continue to confuse the word sorry for repentance. Sorry is used so often, it is an empty and powerless word. The influence of the Holy Ghost can change your mind set. We get smart what we want to be smart in as long as there is money tied to it or a lifting up of our flesh. Influence is everything and God will change your influence. Changing your influence is changing your character. To change your character, toy have to tear your character down.

        Spiritual sins such as envy, greed, strife, and anger are against your holy temple. God will conflict your flesh and make it very uncomfortable.

        26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

        You are waiting for the devil to snatch you up because you are an easy target. True repentance will cause you not to want the things that please your flesh. I'm here to tell you that there are levels to repentance. Find the triggers or the snares in your life. Off the top of my head you have places, feelings, thoughts, memories, music, things that can entice and woo your emotions and influence you. Our claim, our witness are the things that people outside in the world know Jesus by. Know your snares to avoid them. Time has power over us but not God. This day and time is a time of grace. The world has capitalized on grace and readily encourages it in the realm of finances and credit. Credit doesn't pay the bill, obedience does. Procrastination shows clutter and laziness in the flesh as well as the spirit. In the end obedience is better than sacrifice.