Hey, everybody. Will Ford here with 818 The Sign, listen, I am here today to talk to you about an amazing concept I learned a few years ago. I had a dream where God began to deal with me about what influence is and how it operates. After the dream, I thought I would go to the dictionary to learn what the original definition of “influence” is. When I learned this it was mind-boggling. Are you ready for this definition? I don’t think you are, but I am going to tell you anyway.
“Influence” is an ethereal fluid that flows from the stars and affects the actions and behaviors of mankind. I always thought of influence as something that we do, a verb. But in the dictionary, according to the 1918 Webster’s Dictionary, influence first and foremost is not a verb, but a noun. It is a thing, a substance. That original definition tripped me out. It literally says, “an ethereal fluid” could be said “heavenly, because ethereal means heavenly, “a heavenly fluid which flows from the stars which affect the actions and behaviors of mankind.” It turns out influence and influenza are cousin words. They didn’t have the words like “pandemic or epidemic” in those days. So the word influenza was the words used to describe viral epidemics. That original definition was influenza: an ethereal fluid that flows from the stars which carry out the star’s design to make mankind sick en masse.
Any person who was said to have epidemic popularity or epidemic fame was said to have favor with the stars, which evolved into the word “influence”. Any person who had epidemic popularity or epidemic fame. Today’s definition of the word influence is “a spiritual force or a moral force which morally or immorally affects the actions or behaviors of others consciously or unconsciously.” It is not if you are being influenced, it is what is influencing you.
When I saw this definition, I began to say, “My goodness!” This whole understanding of influence, we think about stars. There is a group of stars that do have influence. We see that in Revelation 12 when there were these stars that fell with Satan. We see that there, but then also I learned that God’s people are called stars as well. Genesis 15:5 says “Abraham looked up at the stars and counted them if you can.” Then God said this to him, “So should your descendants be.” He wasn’t just talking about the number of his descendants, he was also talking about the quality of their essence. In other words, listen, you were called to be a star. You were called to be a person of influence. Why? Because you are a descendant of Abraham. As a believer, we are called to be influencers.
Why is this important? This year, on the Hebrew calendar, according to what scholars are saying, is the year of the mouth. According to the Hebrew letters for this year. So, that being said, this is the year God wants you to open your mouth to be a godly influence. You have to put your influence, your favor at risk in order to be a godly influence. Favor opens doors, but influence changes a nation. So we look at stars and celebrities from a biblical standpoint, listen. Some of the people in Hollywood or whatever, they are not stars by the biblical understanding. They are just celebrities who have favor with fallen stars. They have favor with fallen principalities and powers. Their influence is making a whole generation sick. There is a difference between being a star and a celebrity. A true biblical star is a person who puts their influence at risk to see other people flourish.
Let me give an example of what I am talking about. Celebrities use their influence so they can be around a so-called “somebodies of society”. Stars use their influence so they can be around and empower the so-called “nobodies of society”. Celebrities seek crowds and crowns. True stars lay down their crowns and humble themselves before God. God raises them up at the right time. Celebrities build their own kingdom, stars build God’s Kingdom. In other words, you can be a celebrity that is found under the influence of the kingdom of darkness, or you can be a star who rules and reigns for Christ in Heavenly places.
This is your year to be the influence God wants you to be, to be His star. Why do I say that? Daniel 12:3-4 says it like this, “The wise man in those days would shine as brightly as all the expanse of Heaven and those who lead many to righteousness would shine like the stars forever and ever.” You are called to be a star, you are called to be like the Matthew 2:9 star that led the wise men to Jesus Christ. You are called to be the Philippians 2:15 person that shines like a star in the midst of a crooked or perverse generation.
Another place where there is a word for influence in Hebrew is the word “yod” that word “yod” literally means hand. It shows up in Proverbs 18:21. It says “death and life are in the power of the tongue. They who are wise shall eat of his fruit.” The word power here is the Hebrew word yod so it literally means hand. So that could be translated just like this: “Death and life are in the hand of the tongue and they who are wise shall eat of his fruit.” Sounds kind of funny. Could you imagine walking around seeing somebody and they start talking and their hand jets out while they are talking? That is what the Hebrew word picture suggests.
In other words, everything you have today is something that you have said before. That is not a name it, claim it, blab it, grab it kind of comment. What it means is that your words have power and your words have power spiritually as well. Before you ever lay hands on somebody with your hands you lay hands on them with your tongue. That is why it is important to bless your sons and daughters instead of cursing them. That is why it is important for you to bless your sons and daughters instead of cursing them. That is why it is important for you to bless your coworkers instead of cursing them, and call them forth into their destiny and their purpose. In other words, this is the year of the mouth, this is the year for you to use your influence the right way and you were called to be a star to shine brightly in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.
Can I pray for you right now? Father, I pray for every person that is watching me and listening to the sound of my voice. I ask you, God, this year, Lord, that we would use our mouths to release your Kingdom and to release your influence wherever we go. And to shine like stars amidst a crooked and perverse generation. Lord, we lay aside the celebrity in us to be the star you have called us to be biblically in this hour. In Jesus’ name. Amen and amen.