--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The authority of a life for Christ always…" description: "\"The authority of a life for Christ always has greater influence than the authority of talking. A young person can possess all of the benefits of author..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83f/mike-yaconelli-13076_authority_the-authority-of-a-life-for-christ-alway_2530374.png" --- # The authority of a life for Christ always has greater… ![“The authority of a life for Christ always has greater influence than the authority of talking. A young person can possess all of the benefits of authority - influence, respect, and strength - just by following Jesus wherever he leads.” quote by Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83f/mike-yaconelli-13076_authority_the-authority-of-a-life-for-christ-alway_2530374.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83f/mike-yaconelli-13076_authority_the-authority-of-a-life-for-christ-alway_2530374.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83f/mike-yaconelli-13076_authority_the-authority-of-a-life-for-christ-alway_2530374.png) > “The authority of a life for Christ always has greater influence than the authority of talking. A young person can possess all of the benefits of authority - influence, respect, and strength - just by following Jesus wherever he leads.” [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True influence comes from living out one's faith, not merely speaking about it; following Jesus grants genuine authority, respect, and strength. **In simple terms:** Living like Jesus gives real influence. Key Takeaway Follow Jesus to earn true authority. Themes faith leadership influence authenticity Mood inspirational reflective Type spiritual motivational When to use this quote - church youth groups - personal mentorship - community service - spiritual counseling Key Concepts Christian discipleship moral authority Questions to Reflect On - How can you embody Christ’s teachings daily? - What actions demonstrate authentic spiritual authority? A Different Perspective Authority without action can be hollow; it requires consistent practice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Following jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/following-jesus/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Strength](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strength/) ## Related quotes > [A country will have authority and influence because of moral factors, not its military strength; because it can be humble and not blatant and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/a-country-will-have-authority-and-influence-because-of-moral-factors/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [You are the highest authority in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-the-highest-authority-in-your-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I AM in control. I AM the only authority in my life. I AM divinely protected by the light of my being. I close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-shumsky/i-am-in-control-i-am-the-only-authority-in-my-life-i-am-divinely/) [Susan Shumsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-shumsky/) > [There's no one who has more authority over my life than me. And I can learn things myself and how to communicate to other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erika-christensen/there-s-no-one-who-has-more-authority-over-my-life-than-me-and-i-can/) [Erika Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erika-christensen/) > [“The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/the-key-to-successful-leadership-is-influence-not-authority/) [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) > [Influence is not the same as authority. Authority can be abused by influence gives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-hunt/influence-is-not-the-same-as-authority-authority-can-be-abused-by/) [Johnny Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-hunt/) > [The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/the-key-to-successful-leadership-today-is-influence-not-authority/) [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) > [“…there's a stinking huge difference between influence and the authority you get with a title. Any dolt can stumble into a title…Lots of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-lynch/there-s-a-stinking-huge-difference-between-influence-and-the/) [John S. Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-lynch/) > [Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/great-men-are-almost-always-bad-men-even-when-they-exercise-influence/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [You become mature when you become the authority of your own life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/you-become-mature-when-you-become-the-authority-of-your-own-life/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [You're the only authority over your own life, never let anyone decide for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wandini/you-re-the-only-authority-over-your-own-life-never-let-anyone-decide/) [Wandini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wandini/) > [I do situations and make fun of authority and life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-do-situations-and-make-fun-of-authority-and-life/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [“To accept Jesus is to accept His total authority in your life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-buzzard/to-accept-jesus-is-to-accept-his-total-authority-in-your-life/) [Justin Buzzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-buzzard/) > [The difficulty is to keep a tight reign on our emotions. They may remain, but it is not they who are to rule the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/the-difficulty-is-to-keep-a-tight-reign-on-our-emotions-they-may/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [You don't give God authority over your life. He has it, totally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/you-don-t-give-god-authority-over-your-life-he-has-it-totally/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) ## More by Mike Yaconelli > [That's why we trust the Bible - it speaks to both realities: the unchanging human condition and the constantly changing cultural conditions. It speaks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/that-s-why-we-trust-the-bible-it-speaks-to-both-realities-the/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [A calling is the place where your gifts, abilities, desires, and feelings of worth all meet. When you follow your calling, you feel at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/a-calling-is-the-place-where-your-gifts-abilities-desires-and/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [There have been times where I've said, 'Jesus, I don't believe in you anymore, get out of here. I don't know. I don't even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/there-have-been-times-where-i-ve-said-jesus-i-don-t-believe-in-you/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [When I was younger, I believed my inconsistency was due to my youth. I believed that age would teach me all I needed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/when-i-was-younger-i-believed-my-inconsistency-was-due-to-my-youth-i/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [The Church is the place where the incompetent, the unfinished, and even the unhealthy are welcome. I believe Jesus agrees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/the-church-is-the-place-where-the-incompetent-the-unfinished-and-even/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [The reason people don't take Christianity very seriously anymore is because all people do is put it on their business cards and blab to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/the-reason-people-don-t-take-christianity-very-seriously-anymore-is/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [Christianity is not about learning how to live within the lines; Christianity is about the joy of coloring. The grace of God is preposterous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/christianity-is-not-about-learning-how-to-live-within-the-lines/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [I think satire is most effective when you love the thing you're satirizing rather than... have a vendetta against it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/i-think-satire-is-most-effective-when-you-love-the-thing-you-re/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [Spirituality is not a formula; it is not a test. It is a relationship. Spirituality is not about competency; it is about intimacy. Spirituality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/spirituality-is-not-a-formula-it-is-not-a-test-it-is-a-relationship/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [Evangelicals always assume that humor and faith are contradictory. It's OK to smile, to be nice, but not frivolous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/evangelicals-always-assume-that-humor-and-faith-are-contradictory-it/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [I just want to be remembered as a person who loved God, who served others more than he served himself, who was trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/i-just-want-to-be-remembered-as-a-person-who-loved-god-who-served/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [Play is an expression of God's presence in the world; one clear sign of God's absence in society is the absence of playfulness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/play-is-an-expression-of-god-s-presence-in-the-world-one-clear-sign-2/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a godly person. Yet when I look at the yesterdays of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/for-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-have-wanted-to-be-a-godly-person-yet/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [If I were to die today, I would be nervous about what people would say at my funeral. I would be happy if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/if-i-were-to-die-today-i-would-be-nervous-about-what-people-would-say/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [There are a whole lot of people who are so freakin' busy—they've so cluttered up their lives—they're at their wits' end. And if they'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/there-are-a-whole-lot-of-people-who-are-so-freakin-busy-they-ve-so/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) [Explore all 52 Mike Yaconelli quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) ## More Authority quotes > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. 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Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-a-coyne/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Miracles are like candles lit up until the sun rises, and then blown out. Therefore, I am amused when I hear sects and churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/miracles-are-like-candles-lit-up-until-the-sun-rises-and-then-blown/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [The execution was set for the 29th of March, at nine in the morning. This delay was due to a desire on the part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/the-execution-was-set-for-the-29th-of-march-at-nine-in-the-morning/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-millett/the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imposition-of-male-authority/) [Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-millett/) > [“We are at the mercy of whoever wields authority over the things we either desire or detest. 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