I am very intentional about cultivating and preserving, within myself, both a willingness and an ability to learn from others. Everybody knows something that you don’t. So it is wise to glean the good from within people. I have received from people of varying personalities, cultures, mindsets and expressions. Many great men and women of God have spoken mindset-altering words into my life.

“Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance,” - Proverbs 1:5

When I was about 15 years old, I received a prophetic word over my life. The prophet told me that I would be a cross-pollination of several types of anointing. And, throughout my time in ministry, I have observed and/or served many great men and women of God. I listen intently to the fiercely intellectual, receive inspiration from the deeply spiritual, glean impartation from the magnetically charismatic and work to mimic those who walk in holy integrity.

In addition, I have become comfortable with who I am as a unique individual, embracing my own tone, personality, cadence, preaching style and manner of thinking. That is the power of impartation – it assembles the positives of several people into one individual who is willing to grow.

Because of that, I am convinced that every generation should carry upon it a greater power and level of integrity.

I highly recommend this sort of discipleship. I encourage you to embrace who God uniquely created you to be, while receiving from the good upon the lives of others. This is what impartation is all about. Everyone will affect you to varying degrees; some more than others, some from up close and some from a distance. But remain keen, so that you will not miss an opportunity to receive from God.

So here, in this post, I will list 7 quotes from people who are among those who have influenced my life the most.  I hope that their words will influence you too, and I pray that you will become passionate about learning and receiving from others.

Benny Hinn

“Good morning, Holy Spirit.”

Pastor Benny Hinn has had a key influence on my life, and he and I have become friends over the years. I would liken his impact on my life to Kathryn Kuhlman’s impact on his life. I consider him a spiritual mentor. Though I have developed my own unique manner of ministering, I am thankful for what I have received from Pastor Benny’s ministry.

His words, “Good morning, Holy Spirit”, forever changed my perception of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not a force, a wave or a lesser member of the trinity. The Holy Spirit is a person, Who can be personally known. In fact, the Holy Spirit can be your closest and most cherished friend. Closeness with the Holy Spirit is the key to the fullness of the Christian life. He reveals Christ, inspires true worship, empowers genuine prayer and works alongside the believer. It was this revelation of the Holy Spirit that completely and radically transformed me in the most profound way.

Tommy Miller

“Your computer is your studio.”

When I first began to initiate the ministry’s television outreach, I had a command from God but no plan to fulfill that command. I had the “What”, but I didn’t have the “How”. I was diligent to research media and production, as well as plan scheduling, editing, program format, shoot locations, airtime logistics, network connecting and so on.

There was only one personal contact I made with someone who had any experience at all in television ministry. Overwhelmed by the great task that lay ahead of me, I contacted Tommy Miller. Tommy Miller had been doing television for years. Having started as a traveling evangelist, Tommy Miller was used by God to build an amazing work.

Nervous and very intimidated, I placed a phone call to Tommy Miller. I still remember how anxious I was when the phone was ringing. To be honest, part of me had hoped that he wouldn’t answer. But sure enough, Pastor Tommy picked up the phone. Now I don’t recall the details of that conversation. I just remember that Pastor Tommy was very kind, very generous with his time and very helpful.

However, there was one thing, in particular, that he told me that got the ball rolling for the television ministry. I had asked him a question regarding TV equipment. I had a big vision but a small bank account. Frustrated yet excited, I didn’t know where to start. “Pastor Tommy”, I said, “I only have one camera and a computer. But I need a TV studio. How do I get what I need without the funds?” Pastor Tommy replied, “David, your computer is your tv studio. Just do what you can with what you have. And God will add to it.” His wise words immediately got through to me. To this day, I make the best use of my available resources.

The reality: right now, you have everything that you need to accomplish what God wants you to accomplish in this season. Don’t wait for the ideal situation to come along before you begin to act. Do what you can with what you have right now. Excellence isn’t having the best of everything. It’s doing your best with everything you have. Don’t delay God’s call, because you despise small beginnings. Take what you have right now and start doing what God put on your heart to do.

Paul Pimentel

“The dream is for the dreamer.”

I first met Paul Pimentel about 3.5 years ago. Now the executive producer of Encounter TV, Paul had at one point never even heard about me or this ministry. The pastor of a church, he invited me to speak for a Sunday morning service. He enjoyed the ministry and we began to connect.

On one of my return visits, Pastor Paul spoke words that deeply impacted me. In somewhat of a season of discouragement, I had taken a trip to visit the Pimentels. I often go there when I need to refuel and refresh.

After one of the services at which I had ministered, the Pimentel family took me out for lunch. It was during that lunch that Pastor Paul began to share with me his testimony. He had no idea that I was under discouragement and an unusually high amount of criticism from others. But, during the course of his sharing, he said something that leaped out at me!

Discussing the criticism he endured, he said, “But you know, Diga, the dream is for the dreamer.”

The dream is for the dreamer. Don’t get discouraged. Don’t quit. Don’t let the enemy bring sadness over the things that have yet to manifest in your life. Allow the process that can only take place when you’re having your patience tested. Don’t give up on what God has shown you and don’t expect others to always understand – the dream is for the dreamer, so move beyond the criticism.

Ron Simpkins

“What’s God sayin?”

Very rarely do I describe someone as having a gifted mind, but that is how I’d describe this man. Ron Simpkins is a brilliant man. Throughout the years, he has been very key in helping me to refocus energy and think critically in ministry. His insights have helped me to make shifts that helped the ministry to expand.

But beside his cerebral gifting, he is also a man of the spirit. Of all the principles, strategies, insights and approaches that I have learned from him, the single most influential thing I have ever heard him say to me was, “What’s God sayin?”

You see, even though he possesses great intellect, he is still highly dependent on the voice of God. He doesn’t lean on his own understanding – though if anyone could, it would be him.

What’s God saying? Our efforts and gifts do not matter if we cannot align ourselves with God’s agenda. If you want God to be in what you’re doing, simply go along with His agenda. No matter how talented you are, you need to know what God’s doing. What’s his plan for this season of your life? How does what you’re doing fit into His global strategy? When is the last time that you asked Him what He wanted from you? When is the last time that you asked Him about the direction of your church, ministry or life? What’s God saying?

Eddie Vargas

“Okay”

Eddie Vargas was, at first, my youth leader. He was the one who scheduled me to preach my very first sermon. He bought me the first Bible that I studied, entrusted me with my first ministry and pushed me to pursue the call of God on my life.

His response to everything I wanted to do for God was and is, “Okay. Sounds great.” But that was his attitude: “Okay”. He didn’t obstruct me. He didn’t stifle my gifts. He didn’t look down on me. Neither did he pressure me to do what I wasn’t called to do. Anytime I approached him with what God had put on my heart, he would simply say, “Okay.” And then he would help me do it.

How many people do you empower? Isn’t it amazing how we often raise the bar once we’ve passed it? Are you enabling people or stifling them? Do you disciple people to grow what you’re doing, or do you disciple people so that they can fulfill the call of God on their lives? Are you quick to give opportunity? Or do you fear others doing better than you? We need to allow expression of ministry to flow. When they ask for permission to do God’s work, our response, unless scripture truly warrants otherwise, should be, “Okay.”

Omar Lopez

“There’s a reason behind everything that I do.”

My pastor is a very thoughtful and methodical man. When I first began to serve closely under him, I would find myself frustrated by his pacing. But I soon learned that his pacing, in the long run, saved more time than my own pace. He is more about doing things right than about doing them quickly.

I recall one instance in particular. I was only about 10 years old. I was watching him rearrange the self-serve coffee items in the church fellowship hall. Then he began to serve himself. Having just rearranged everything, I figured that he would realize that one creamer was practically empty. Still, he used that creamer first. I watched as he tapped the creamer against his cup. He was persistent in trying to get the last of the creamer. Why didn’t he just use the new one? It would have been much easier. I found it humorous and laughed quietly to myself. But he overheard me.

He called me over.

He explained to me that it’s a good idea to make full use of whatever you have – don’t be wasteful. I then understood that he was just trying to use the last of the creamer before he opened the new one. That was a good lesson in itself, but then he said this: “Diga, there’s a reason behind everything that I do.”

And that stuck with me. Don’t ask me why. Maybe it was the way he said it. But it just has stuck with me.

Be purposeful. Be thoughtful. Take your time. Be methodical. Don’t be wasteful with your time or energy – let there be a reason behind everything that you do. Take the time to plan. Don’t rush through the details. Nothing will slow you down more than a shortcut. Let there be quality and excellence to everything you touch. Haste really does make waste. But wisdom pleads with us to use the power of intent.

Pastor Omar is the pastor of a thriving church and a fruitful church planter. I have seen, first hand, the fruit of his ability to be patient and purposeful.

David Hernandez, Sr.

“You can be whatever you want, so long as you love Jesus.”

The most influential man in my life is my father. He’s a pastor and a family man. He was the same man in the church as he was at home, and that was crucial in my life.

He never pressured me to do ministry, held me to the “pastor’s kid” standard or made me feel like I had to do what he did. So when it came time for me to respond to the call of God, I never second guessed myself. I never had to ask, “Is this just my dad pressuring me, or is this really God?”

Because he had always told me, “You can be whatever you want, so long as you love Jesus”, I was able to discover the call of God for myself. So when God called me, it was personal. My response to the call of God was wholly my own. And that made it stick when times got tough.

Don’t pressure people to serve God like you do. God created different servants with different service abilities. Their sacrifice won’t look like yours. But you likely couldn’t handle their disciplines or responsibilities. Just because people aren’t doing what you’re doing, how you’re doing it or to the extent that you’re doing it, doesn’t mean that they’re doing any less than you. Let their love for Jesus be manifested in its own way.

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