DUNAMIS POWER
Jesus told His disciples they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them.
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. - Acts 1:8
What kind of power was He talking about?
There are a number of Greek words translated as power in the New Testament. One of them is exousia. This speaks of the power or right to become a child of God or the new birth.
Another is dunamis, which means inherent strength or the ability to perform effectively. The word dynamite is derived from this word.
The first time this word was recorded in the Bible was when it was spoken by Jesus in the Book of Acts after His resurrection. It had never been referred to before which made its meaning very specific and applicable to the New Testament church and the empowerment of all believers in Christ.
The power of the Holy Spirit is dynamite power. This is not an external possession that may be bought or sold but a living and abiding presence within every Spirit-filled believer.
There is no reason for Holy Spirit-filled dunamis empowered children of God to live a life below the standard that God has set for them. There is no reason why any child of God should live in fear, bondage, or lack because Jesus has given us something that was never given to anyone else in any previous generation – His dynamite power.
This is the power that Jesus has given to the church and we should rise up in this new power in these last days. This power is going to be used to bring the gospel to every nation. What Jesus sent at Pentecost is our portion and that is what we need to live in. It is what makes Spirit-filled believers different and sets them apart from ordinary people.
That is why the devil does not want you to walk in the power of God because he knows it is going to hurt him. He knows you are going to have an advantage over him. He does not mind people going to church but he certainly does not want Christians to receive the power of God’s Spirit, because that power exceeds his power. He does not want people to know they can have dunamis power as a free gift so that they can excel in their Christian walk.
This word was first mentioned in Acts 1:8 and thereafter, it was used a number of times and instances after Pentecost.
1. Dunamis power to witness
But you shall receive power (dunamis) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. – Acts 1:8
When we receive the Holy Spirit, we receive dunamis power to witness. God gives us the ability to go to the ends of the earth and to expand our influence beyond our natural abilities.
This power will spread witnesses all over the world. They will be in every city and every nation. That is what happens when dynamite explodes. Jesus said we will be witnesses for Him to the ends of earth. We have the power to bring the gospel to any and every nation on earth today.
2. Dunamis power to perform signs and wonders
And Stephen, full of faith and (dunamis) power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. – Acts 6:8
When we receive the Holy Spirit, we receive dunamis power to to perform signs and wonders. We have been created for signs and wonders. Spirit-filled believers have something inside them that enables them to do what no one else can do. We are no different to those who performed signs and wonders during the first century church.
3. Dunamis power to preach
When we receive the Holy Spirit, we receive dunamis power to preach the gospel. In other words, we are able to preach a foolish message which becomes the power of God and brings salvation.
The gospel does not tickle ears - it changes hearts. You can bring the simple salvation message of Jesus and people will believe it. Why? Because of the dunamis power that is within you. That was Paul’s experience.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the (dunamis) power of God to salvation to everyone that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. – Romans 1:16
When compared to other religions, the gospel message could easily be scoffed at because it was deemed foolish. But because it is powered by the Holy Spirit and it is more powerful than any other religious message. The gospel is the good news because it has power to save every person from sin. There is a lot of bad news today, but we are carriers of the good news because God has empowered us with a message of life.
For our gospel came not to you in word only, but also in (dunamis) power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as you know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. - 1 Thessalonians 1:5
4. Dunamis power to change
When we receive the Holy Spirit, we receive dunamis power to change. Any other attempt to effect change is very difficult and seldom long lasting.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the (dunamis) power may be of God, and not of us. - 2 Corinthians 4:7
Without this power, we are weak vessels and controlled by the desires of the flesh. We cannot achieve effective ministry in the flesh.
The evidence of God’s dunamis power is within us which is the fruit of the Spirit. That is totally opposite to the old nature. God’s power is able to change our old ways.
Christians should change. We should display the nature and character of Jesus or else we are no different to the world. We cannot change in our own strength – only through God’s dunamis power within us.
5. Dunamis to overcome fear
For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of (dunamis) power, and of love, and of a sound mind. - 2 Timothy 1:7
When we receive the Holy Spirit, we receive dunamis power to overcome fear. It is normal to experience fear. We cannot overcome fear on our own because it is a demonic power that tries to keep us in fear and bondage. Satan tries to influence and control us through fear.
With God’s dunamis power there is no need to live in fear. We can be bold and fearless in the face of adversity.
Many fear about tomorrow and the unknown things that it represents. But God’s dunamis power gives us the assurance that we have a good secure future.
6. Dunamis power to excel in all things
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the (dunamis) power that works in us. – Ephesians 3:20
When we receive the Holy Spirit, we receive dunamis power to shape our future because we can ask, think, and imagine. We can project ourselves far beyond the physical realm. Dunamis makes your dreams a reality and makes the impossible possible. The power within us makes an imagination a reality no matter how impossible it is.
Why should we excel? Because it is wrong for us to live below the level that God wants us to live. It is wrong for us to live in lack and defeat.
We need to use our anointed, Holy Spirit-filled imagination to shape our future, no matter how impossible it may seem in the natural. Your imagination draws a picture of your future. If you start imagining by the Spirit of God today, you will be there tomorrow. God’s Spirit will take you to a place that you have created for yourself in your anointed imagination.
If you think that in five years’ time, you are still going to be in the same job and in the same position that is exactly where you are going to be in five years’ time!
We must also engage God’s power to make our prophecies to come to pass. What must we do with our prophecies? We must start imagining that we are there already because prophecies define our future.
Some of the things you can imagine:
• fulfilling your God given ministry
• laying hands on the sick and releasing the power of God to thousands worldwide
• witnessing the love of Jesus to this nation and other nations
• living with an abundant provision that God has promised
• enjoying life
• living in abundance of all things
• living in harmony with others without strife
• living in health and healing
• etc.
