It’s the middle of the week! This Wednesday, let’s talk about your influence and how much power that influence can actually have on other people. It constantly baffles me that the power and influence you have within your circle of influence goes habitually unnoticed, abused or unused.

When I think about the power of influence, I am reminded of the story of Esther. It starts with her cousin, Mordecai. “All the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down [and paid homage to Haman; for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage.” (Esther 3:2)

Mordecai is told to bow and pay homage to the new head of security – Haman. He refuses, to keep God’s commandment of NOT bowing to any idols or to anyone other than Him. Haman is filled with rage and decides to take out his vengeance on ALL JEWS!

Haman was promoted to protect the king, but the success went straight to his head. He used his position to whisper in the king’s ear that the Jews were against him. “Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, ‘There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of all other people and they do not observe the king’s laws, so it is not in the king’s interest to let them remain…'” (Esther 3:8)

Meanwhile Esther, who was also a Jew, was married to the king! Instead of denying her lineage, running or hiding she began to fast for three days. She sends out word to all the Jews in the city to fast with her and her maidens. “And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16)

Of course, King Ahasuerus finds favor with Esther and ends up hanging Haman instead. Esther’s actions seem so simple, but she had enormous influence! She could’ve chosen to do nothing. She could’ve chosen to keep her lineage hidden. Instead, she stepped up and used her influence to save her people and to uproot a manipulative, vengeful man who was sitting next to the king.

Even in your life today, the power of little actions or words and choosing to step up, makes a huge difference in the lives of those around you. You can ignore that influence! Or you can choose to step up and live the destiny to which God has called you.

What is your choice today? Let me know in your comments below and don’t forget to Like and Share today’s message. We’ll be talking twice today on The Dani Johnson Show at 12 pm ET and again at 7 pm ET, so join us then! You can tune into the show on either your TV or radio and please remember you can always stream today’s show right on our website.

In great faith,

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