The Power of Influence

By Cedric Penn

The Power of Influence is a call to recognition and a remembrance to some to accept the responsibility and even the calling to positively influence the atmosphere with love.

There are so many influences in this life, but there are only two types of influences. Those are positive and negative influences. In The Power of Influence, we take a journey to discover different influences and their impact on the shaping of the world that we live in.

We were all created for a purpose. That purpose is to influence the atmosphere. What purpose are you serving? What type of influence will you be?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 9, 2022
• ISBN: 9781639034017

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The Power of Influence

Cedric Penn

Copyright © 2021 by Cedric Penn

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

All biblical citations were taken from the New American Standard Bible Version of the Holy Bible.

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

The Influence of God

The Call to Influence

Two Types of Influence

The Influence of Love and Hate

The Influence of Words

The Influence of Actions

The Influence of the Mind

The Influence of Marriage

The Influence of the World/People

The Influence of Satan/Evil

The Influence of Social Media

The Influence of Money

Places of Influence

Influence the Atmosphere, Don’t Let the Atmosphere Influence You

This book is dedicated to William Gene Penn, who mastered the art of positively influencing the atmosphere wherever his path took him.

Introduction

A good definition for the word influence would be the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something. The impressions that we leave on people, and ultimately atmospheres, are crucial to the positive development or negative stagnation of that person or thing. Believe it or not, every person will influence someone or something in their lifetime. In some cases, many people or many things will be affected by the influence of our lives. That becomes a burden to some because now the question becomes, Are you a positive or negative influence? Whether the responsibility is accepted or not, the influence will still take place. Parents influence their children. Workers influence their coworkers. Peers influence each other. God influences us all. Most times we are aware of our influence, but there are even instances when we don’t even know we are influencing someone else or something. Knowing that we possess the power to have an effect on the development or stagnation of another person or situation grants us the huge responsibility to be conscious of our decisions, words, and actions. It is simple and more convenient to act as though we don’t recognize this responsibility. However, we know that our lives are not characterized by simplicity and that nothing of substance comes with convenience.

There are many people in history who have been positive influences to the world. Likewise, there are many people who have been negative influences. Whether positive or negative, those influences have shaped the world. The good, the bad, and the ugly of this world are direct results of mankind’s influence. The kind of world we live in and the kind of world our future descendants will live in tomorrow is shaped and formed by our influence today. What kind of influence will we be? How will we contribute in shaping the world? If there seems to be something wrong with society, then we have the power to affect it through our influence. If something seems wrong about our job, then we have the power to affect it through our influence. If something seems wrong in our neighborhood, then we have the power to affect it through our influence. If something is wrong within our home, then we have the power to affect it through our influence. Everywhere we go and every person we encounter allows us the opportunity to leave an impression through our influence. Or maybe the problem, at times, is our influence. We must accept the responsibility that we influence people and atmospheres daily then decide whether we will be a positive or negative influence. Are we contributing in positively building, or are we contributing in negatively tearing down a person, thing, or situation? Are we empowering, or are we enslaving?

We can’t control what people do and how they behave. We definitely can’t totally control how situations and circumstances will play out. However, we can control how we respond to people and circumstances. We can control the impact we have on people and situations, regardless of their words, actions, or disposition. We can directly affect the atmosphere in a manner that gives another person the potential to develop or progress. We can directly affect the atmosphere in a manner that, regardless of the situation or circumstance, loving and positive vibes will overpower whatever the visual perception of the moment is, thus providing the opportunity and potential for not only the perception of the situation or circumstance to change, but also the reality of it as well. On the other hand, we can negatively influence a person, situation, or circumstance in a manner that kills all potential for development, stagnates, and brings on retrogression. The choice is ours.

The reality of the matter is, we possess a power from God—the power of influence. Not only has He granted us this power, but He has directed us to use this power daily to the best of our abilities. How we use this power will make all of the difference in the way the future of our world shapes up and plays out. How we use this power will shape our homes, our neighborhoods, our churches, our jobs, and our society. The power is in our grasp. How will we use it?

The Influence of God

He made the earth by his power; established the world by His wisdom, and spread out the Heavens by His understanding. When He thunders, the waters in the heavens are in turmoil, and He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain and brings the wind from His storehouses.

—Jeremiah 10:12–13

I would be out of order to attempt to take a journey of laying out a composition about influence without beginning with the discussion of the influence of the Most High God. He is the influence of my being and definitely the influence of my thought and ability to write this book. Some believe in God, some are uncertain about God, and then there are some who feel that the notion of God is just a fictitious figment of man’s imagination. Everybody is entitled to feel what it is that they feel. Whichever category you fall under, I believe that we all can agree that there is a power or force that is much greater than ourselves that exists. That power has different names to different sets of people, but I personally know Him as Yahweh, the El-Shaddai, El-Ely eon, I am that I am, Lord of lords, King of kings, Host of hosts, and, simply but divinely, the Creator of all things and Ruler of all men.

To speak on the Most High God in totality would indeed require an entire book dedicated just to Him, so I will strictly aim at presenting the realm of His influence. There are not enough words to give due justice to any topic of His nature. Therefore, I ask that He, and even you, forgive me for what I may miss and charge it to my head.

Those who believe in the Most High God believe the idea or notion that everything that exists originated from Him. He created the universe, the world, the land, the animals, and ultimately, mankind. This would mean that everywhere you go and everywhere you look in this life, there will be direct results of God’s influence: the sun, moon, and the stars, people, animals, rivers, lakes, and mountains. All of these creations were developed by God. When you honestly and realistically think about it, this question must arise: How did these things ever come into existence? Did we just suddenly appear out of thin air? Did bodies of water and the solar system just magically appear then fit into place perfectly by chance or coincidence? Some say that it is naive to believe in a God we have never seen, but I say that it is naive to believe these complicated organisms, mainly the human body, could be constructed by chance without the overseeing and divine nurture of a greater power. How does the sun rise and sit in its proper place at its proper times perfectly? How do the moon and stars do the same? How do bodies of water sit and stream perfectly without running over or flooding the land? How does the human body, in all of its complexity, form, reproduce, and function? There has to be an influence of power that pieces it all together.

Everything, including man, was created for a purpose much bigger than itself. If you believe the Bible, then you would say that the purpose is God’s purpose to spread His image throughout the universe. The purpose is to influence the universe with His imprint and impression. God has gone through great lengths to impact and develop mankind so that mankind can positively impact and develop the land and each other. Generations have been hindered and even destroyed in order for His divine image to spread among the world. Rules and regulations have been set in place by Him to govern the people and the land. Of course, as with everything else, man has taken those laws, added twists and turns to them, and even manipulated them to fit the satisfaction of mankind’s ego and desired lifestyle. That is why it is necessary to recognize that this world is evil and corrupt. God didn’t make it that way. Mankind, in our imperfect and sinful state, along with the demonic spiritual forces, have polluted the land and this world.

That is why it is necessary for us to develop an intimate, genuine, and personal relationship with the Most High God. Doing so gives a person a clear view of their purpose in life, and it grants them personal protection, provision, and guidance to