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The phrase “under the influence” carries a negative thought for many people. I have known people that have made the mistake of driving a car “under the influence,” and they had to spend some time in jail. Yet, “under the influence” can be positive.
Everyone of us are “under the influence” of something. It could be negative like drugs or positive like the Holy Spirit. I was in a conference many years ago, and I heard John Maxwell say that leadership is influence. What is it that leads you or causes you to move in a certain direction?
Paul tells us in Ephesians 5:18 “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” Paul uses a negative picture of a person being under the influence of wine that controls that person to do immoral behavior. The wine causes the person to behave and act a way that was not normal behavior for that person, it controls them.Instead of the alcohol controlling a person, Paul commands us to be filled with the Spirit. To be filled with the Spirit means to be under the influence of the Spirit of God. In other words, let God be the controller. God needs to be the influence in your life.
Are you under the influence of the Spirit today? Is God the leader of your life today? Does your relationship with God influence you to move in a certain direction?
I challenge you to be caught with a DUI, which is “Doing Under the Influence” of the Spirit of God. Live under the influence of the Spirit of God.

One of the guests on a late-night talk show was a bodybuilder. The host asked the weight lifter if he would show off his muscles to the audience. With a big grin on his face, the bodybuilder faced the audience and cameras, flexing his muscles. “Boy,” the host said, “you sure do have the muscles. What do you use all of those muscles for?” The bodybuilder didn’t answer, but continued to flex and smile at the audience.

Again the host asked, “What do you use those muscles for?” Still grinning, the muscleman remained silent and continued to show off. The answer was obvious. He didn’t use his muscles to do any useful work, but only to glorify himself. We can glorify ourselves in many different ways.

We can use our looks, intelligence, job status, and personal accomplishments to glorify ourselves. We can even use our spiritual gifts and ministries to exalt ourselves instead of the God who gave us those gifts.

Stop and think for a moment. Am I doing this to get the applause or will God get the applause? If we are honest with ourselves, many times we do things to get the applause and the glory. We want people to see our flexing muscles.

Read 1 Corinthians 10:31 and Colossians 3:17. Paul tell us to live for the applause of God and not man. We need to flex our muscles for God in service and not flex our muscles to serve us.