For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, was bringing no little business to the craftsmen; these he gathered together with the workmen of similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity depends upon this business. You see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that gods made with hands are no gods at all.
Acts 19:24-26
Influence isn’t enough. Everywhere the Apostle Paul went, he preached, reasoned, and persuaded people that Jesus was the Christ and that they should turn to Him to restore their relationship with God. “To influence” means to have an “effect” on someone or something. “Persuasion” means to “move” someone to do something. Paul’s goal was not to merely influence people but to persuade them in order to move them from darkness into light. Influence can be a stepping stone along the way to closing the sale, but influence itself is not enough. To be successful in any endeavor, you must learn to PERSUADE.
TO PERSUADE PEOPLE, CONSIDER HOW PAUL WOULD SET THE TABLE
CONNECT: Whether speaking to Jews or Greeks, Paul would build rapport by finding commonality with something from their past or present to build a bridge between himself and them. Connection always precedes closing. People must buy into what you are saying before they buy what you are selling.
COMMUNICATE: Paul used facts, figures, and sometimes miracles to persuade people that he had authority in what he was saying. Paul was passionate about his message, and that passion was convincing. It is fair to say that he also received much of his strategy from the Holy Spirit in a practical, executable way—as he passionately proclaimed what he believed, the Holy Spirit provided the conviction to convince and then convert nonbelievers into believers. When you communicate with confidence, it neutralizes the “no” people often default to when unsure or afraid.
CLOSE: Paul called for the decision. He was not preaching just to get to the end of the meeting so they could have coffee and donuts. Paul wanted the win souls for the kingdom of God. He was called by Christ to be a closer and “MOVE” people from death to life with his words and the power of the Holy Spirit. His influence continues today because of his ability to sell a sinner on the idea that they need a Savior. The Gospel has a persuasive element to it, yet it requires a closer to consummate the new relationship between the sinner and a Savior.
People are paid for results, not best efforts. You’ll never see a box on your W-2 at the end of the year for “influence.” Your skill level to influence others is an important step to be effective, but it isn’t enough. Whether your vocational lane is in ministry or the marketplace, following Paul’s strategy to convince and convert will assist you greatly in fulfilling God’s purposes in your life as you pursue the art of persuasion.
REFLECT TO CONNECT
- How would you describe your skill level with influence and persuasion on a scale of 1-10?
- Whom do you know that has the ability to “win with others” and persuade them?
- What is your strategy to persuade others in the direction you want to move them?
Influence isn’t enough. If you want to be successful, you will need to persuade people to take action.
