How to Impact Others for God – 6 Things
Most would say we want to impact others for God.
As we see in Acts 19, how did Paul impact others?
We’ll look at 6 things we learn from Paul about how to impact others for God.
I used to think that in order for God to use my life, I had to have certain big things in place first.
Like speaking in front of people. I hated to talk in public. And just the thought of public speaking would scare me.
As a DJ, I could talk on a microphone with music playing. But I was usually goofing around, having fun and never too serious.
I also thought I had to be good at connecting with people for God to use me.
After all, if I was to help people then I had to be able to have good interaction with them.
But I wasn’t good at that either! I actually went through periods of anti-social behavior in my life where I didn’t want to talk with anyone.
Then I thought that I must have a good Bible education just for God to start using my life.
Now don’t get me wrong. A good, thorough knowledge of the Bible is extremely important.
But I thought I had to have some kind of degree first before I could help impact others for God.
It turns out that I was wrong on all three of these things!
God’s growth plan for my life was that He would teach me and equip me as I followed His steps in life.
And that’s good news for you and me.
6 Simple Things to Learn From Paul
When we examine Paul’s ministry as seen in Acts 19, we can see at least 6 simple things to focus on.
These are great for us to see if we also want to impact others for God.
1 – Believe in Jesus Christ
In Acts 19:4 as Paul speaks to the Ephesians he says – “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”
Just as Paul helped the Ephesians, if we want to Impact Others for God – we also must believe in Jesus Christ and help others to believe in Jesus Christ as well.
Romans 10:9-13 says – 9that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
So obviously if we want to impact others for God – then we must believe in Jesus Christ first!
2 – Get Gifting from God’s Spirit
In Acts 19:6, “Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied”
We must have God’s Spiritual Gifting and God’s empowering to impact others for God.
The reality is this – whether it’s done through the hands of Paul, or by us today – it’s really God Himself that does the real spiritual work!
We need God’s Power to do God’s Work!
Because God’s work must be done God’s way and through God’s power! It’s how He does things.
3 – Keep speaking God’s Word
Acts 19:10 says – “all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus”
God is telling us that the net result of Paul’s ministry in Ephesus, was that people were hearing God’s Word.
Not Paul’s words.
Not Paul’s ministry.
So we must make sure to give people God’s Word!
God will grow your impact as you’re faithful to sow God’s Word
4 – Develop a relationship with Jesus
Oswald Chambers once wrote: “If we try to find lasting joy in any human relationship, it will end in vanity, something that passes like a morning cloud. The true joy of a man’s life is in his relationship to God.”
In Acts 19:13, the seven sons of Sceva tried to impact a demon-possessed man for God. They said to a demon-possessed man – “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.”
But it didn’t work!
The seven sons of Sceva had no personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Therefore, they had no authority in the spiritual realm.
Acts 19:16 tells us – “Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.”
Needless to say, if we want to impact others for God, then we must develop a personal relationship with Jesus.
5 – Glorify the name of Jesus
In Acts 19:17 – we’re taught that the end result of God working all of these things is this, “fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.”
“Magnified” here can mean “to get glory and praise.”
And the original language indicates that the name of Jesus kept being glorified.
Not Paul’s name and not the names of the seven sons of Sceva.
God’s purpose in doing all of this was to glorify the name of Jesus!
When God’s will is being done, the name of Jesus is continually glorified!
We need to pay attention to this if we’re to impact others for God.
6 – Grow God’s Word
In Acts 19:20 – we’re taught that at the end, “the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.”
God’s Word kept growing and kept prevailing!
Like fruitful seeds, God wants His Word to keep growing and spreading.
As we now know this, we too need to seek to grow God’s Word around us in the lives of others.
Question: How have you seen God’s Word impact others around you?