Having Incredible Influence Without a Leadership Position
Having Incredible Influence Without a Leadership Position
By Steve Backlund
Who was the most influential person in Potiphar's house? Most would say Potiphar because he had the title, authority, and resources. But Genesis 39 reveals a different answer. Joseph, a slave, was the reason God's blessing was resting on the entire household.
We do not need the most important title in the room to be the most influential person in the room.
When God called Abram, He said, "I will bless you ... and you shall be a blessing" (Genesis 12:2). God was not only promising to bless Abram but to bless others through him. This is a powerful truth for us today. We are not simply recipients of God's blessing. We are carriers of it.
The Blessing Was Because of Joseph
Genesis 39:5 says, "The LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had in the house and in the field" (NKJV).
Joseph had been betrayed, sold into slavery, and separated from his family. Yet God's presence with him was affecting everything around him. Joseph did not need his circumstances to be blessed before he could become a blessing in those circumstances.
Genesis 39:3 says Potiphar saw that the Lord was with Joseph and made all he did prosper. Joseph received increasing responsibility until he was entrusted with everything Potiphar possessed. This was not merely a theological blessing. It was an experiential blessing that produced observable results.
Blessing is more than financial provision. It can include greater peace, healthier relationships, wise decisions, increased effectiveness, stronger teams, and new opportunities.
The most important thing about Joseph was not the position he held but the Presence he carried.
The Blessing Overflowed to Others
In Genesis 30:27, Laban told Jacob, "The LORD has blessed me for your sake." Even though Laban had treated Jacob unfairly, he recognized that his prosperity was connected to God's blessing on Jacob.
In 2 Samuel 6:11–12, Obed-Edom's household was blessed because the ark of God remained there for three months. The blessing was so noticeable that David heard about it!
These stories reveal a spiritual reality we can easily underestimate: Our position does not determine our influence. God's favor can make us the most influential person in a situation, even when we have the least authority.
We Will Be the Reason Things Get Better
We can sometimes believe our greatest impact will begin when we finally have our own ministry, business, or position of authority. Joseph challenges that thinking. He did not wait for a promotion to become a source of extraordinary blessing.
Wherever God has placed us, we are a source of blessing that causes things to get better in tangible ways. Hope will replace discouragement, relationships will be restored, physical health will improve, people will experience greater protection from harm, and businesses and ministries will prosper. We will bring wisdom that solves problems, faith that opens new possibilities, and favor that benefits people far beyond ourselves.
I believe God is raising up modern-day Josephs in their families, neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, churches, and beyond. Their greatest influence will not come from the positions they hold but from the blessing that comes to others because they are there.
Increasing Our Joseph-Like Influence
Here are four ways we can partner with what God is already doing through us:
1. Strengthen our belief that we carry blessing. We can regularly declare, "Because God is with me, things are changing for the better." What we believe about our influence affects what we expect, notice, and release.
2. Ask God what He is doing in the places He has positioned us. Instead of focusing primarily on what is wrong, we can ask, "Lord, what are You wanting to release through me here?" This positions us to recognize His opportunities.
3. Speak life and blessing over people and situations. Our words can strengthen faith, call out potential, and create hope. We can intentionally speak what God says rather than merely repeating what circumstances say.
4. Act on and attach faith to the opportunities God highlights. Joseph's influence was expressed through faithful action. We can offer encouragement, bring solutions, build relationships, and take courageous steps as God leads.
Final Thought
Potiphar was blessed because Joseph was there. Laban was blessed because Jacob was there. Obed-Edom's household was blessed because God's presence was there.
I believe the same God is working through us today. Our homes, neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, and churches are places where His blessing can become increasingly visible.
We are not just looking for blessed places to be. We are becoming people who bring blessing to the places we go.
Declarations:
Like Joseph, I am a source of extraordinary blessing wherever God has placed me.
God's favor on my life causes others to experience greater success, protection, and prosperity.
I don't need a position of authority to have extraordinary influence.
God is using my faithfulness in ordinary responsibilities to produce extraordinary results.
Families, businesses, churches, and communities will flourish because of what God is doing through my life.
