Episode 51: Are You A Controller or An Influencer?

The power to influence is often misunderstood and undervalued. Defined as the ability to sway, impact and guide—perhaps the reason we don’t understand it fully is because we often mistake control for influence. 

Control tries to manipulate outcomes and force an agenda, while influence guides to a meaningful new insight or assurance of next steps. 

In Judges 4 we see two women who knew the power of influence. Deborah was known as both a judge and a prophetess. Although her husband was also mentioned as a judge, she is the focal point of the scripture as she reaches out to the commander of the army to impart a message from the Lord concerning an upcoming battle. The commander’s name is Barak and clearly, the scriptures show that his level of respect and trust in her words is unprecedented. After she gives him the directive to “go and march” against their enemies, he replies “if you go with me, I’ll go, but if you don’t, I won’t.” Deborah encourages him with words of victory but doesn’t arrogantly take any glory or attention herself. It’s here that we find a key to influence: 

• Influencers know how to build other people’s potential rather than thinking they have to take on every challenge themselves. 

As she goes into battle, again she reminds him the victory is his. She knows her words are his strength, but she’s also aware that the Lord is the one speaking those words. This leads us to another key truth:

• Influencers are comfortable both in front of people and in the background because they realize they aren’t the point—God is. 

Within Deborah’s prophecy to Barak, she mentioned that the victory would come from the hand of a woman. Though we are not aware of this at first, as the story goes on we find that an obscure woman named Jael would be the hero of the story as she slays the evil Sisera. She used her gifts with something common, building tents, to change the course of the nation’s history. 

• Influencers use every part of their lives, even the common and mundane skills and routines, to bring God’s purpose to pass. 

Gutsy Faith Challenge: Do you use your spiritual authority as an influencer or controller? How do you stand out in a culture that applauds blending in?

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