Igniting Your Life

The man’s hands shook as he placed the bundle of dynamite near the huge rocks that blocked the mine entrance. His friends were trapped inside and he was doing all he could to get them out. He struck the match and applied the fire to the end of the fuse leading into the dynamite bundle. As the camera pans out and the man runs, the fuse hisses and burns quickly toward the bundle – kaboom – the rock mass is lifted and ejected from the entrance. When the dust settles the trapped people stumble out of the mine entrance – free at last.

It was a great scene from an old Western Movie that I watched lately. The good guys always win. But as usual the good guys also are in trouble because the bad guys created huge and impossible problems for them. Frankly the bad guys meant to kill the good guys. (Just a little violence to stir your imagination.)

This sets the scene for me – the “dynamite” word comes from a root word in Greek, “dunamis” – meaning POWER. In the Bible it often refers to the Power of the Holy Spirit and his work in our lives.

In Wikipedia.org it is suggested that “dunamis” has this source…
Aristotle
The word dunamis appears in Aristotle's works as a term for what is only potentially real. The word can be translated by such terms as power, capacity, potential, potency, capability and faculty (ability, skill, or power). Aristotle contrasted dunamis with energeia.

Christianity
In Christian theology "Dunamis" is sometimes used in conjunction with the Holy Spirit. It describes the activities of the Holy Spirit as believers receive Him (Acts 1:8, 10:38). From the same root derives the English words dynamic or dynamite.

Dynamic, dynamite, power, capacity, potential, potency, capability and faculty – GREAT WORDS for Good Guys in trouble.

A “Thought Stopper” for me is that when I pray I am speaking to God – who is all powerful. There is nothing that he cannot do. When I pray I am setting the fire to the fuse of all the dynamic, dynamite, power, capacity, potential, potency, capability and faculty in the entire Universe – that releases God’s power to do something.

Yesterday in our church service we heard vibrant testimonies of men and women that had been set free when prayer was activated in their lives.

Terry, who is part of our congregation, shared how he and his wife had been struggling with the issues of his tremendous pain in his neck. They had often been attempting contact with a specialist in Toronto to have a procedure done. They had waited since October 2006. In prayer and in action they decided on in-action. Terry told us how together they had decided that they would not call the doctor’s office anymore – and they told God so trusting God to direct them. Within one minute the telephone rang. It was the doctor’s office calling to tell them of an upcoming date for an appointment.

Michael, who is part of our congregation, shared that through some great difficulty in their family they were frustrated. All three of their family has been very ill. Just weeks prior to this period of illness Mike had broken his leg on the way into a company where he was hoping to get a job. Now there was no income and little hope. On Wednesday Mike had received word that the church was intending to help them with its benevolent funds to the amount of $350. On Wednesday night the heating fuel in their oil tank ran out. Their landlord first encouraged them to stay in the house and then he ordered and paid for the fuel – they could pay him later. The cost of the fuel was $350. Michael was broken as he thanked everyone for their kindness and God for his provision. (Incidentally more ‘benevolence’ was given after the service by very kind hearted people that came to their aid – this is real love).

Marty, who is part of the Teen Challenge Team, shared how he had struggled with drug addiction since he was eleven years old. He had prayed often but could not seem to get free. After many years he realized that he had made Jesus his Saviour but not his Lord. Through the Teen Challenge program he had been helped to make Jesus his Lord. Through discipline and hard work his life has been transformed.

Andy, who is part of the Teen Challenge Team, shared how his life had been so severely twisted with drug addiction. Trying to find help on his own he had attempted to help others in order to escape drug addiction. For 16 years he had worked as a Youth Leader. Finally, after many years of struggles, his marriage had broken and they divorced. Broken and defeated he suffered the loss of both of his parents to cancer at the same time. Finally he found the Teen Challenge program where he found help and was set free. This past October 2006 he and his wife were remarried. A true miracle.

The ripples of joy through the church service yesterday were simply amazing. Above all there was the dynamic, dynamite, power, capacity, potential, potency, capability and faculty in the entire Universe – that releases God’s power to do something – was there.

You see Prayer is the Beginning… it brings the one who prays into the dynamic, dynamite, power, capacity, potential, potency, capability and faculty of God – the God of the entire Universe. Then God’s does something when we can’t.

Prayer ignites our life. It applies the fire to a fuse connected to God himself.

On a cold winter’s day with the average amount of problems – we need to pray. I should say – I need to pray. When I do God ignites my life.

How about you? Have you ever talked to the dynamic, dynamite, power, capacity, potential, potency, capability and faculty in the entire Universe – God?

~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~

John 14: 11-14
11Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.

12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.

14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.