Read Dumanis before reading this article...
I've often said that, while the New Testament was written in Greek [or Aramaic, as some believe], the writers were Hebrew...and they thought in Hebrew!
We've seen that the Greek word dunamis was translated power in the New Testament. And not just any power—power, strength, power for performing miracles, the power and influence that belongs to riches and wealth. Commonly understood as miracle-working power. The power with which Jesus is upholding all things. [Hebrews 1:3]
And we've seen that the Holy Spirit prayed that we might be strengthened with ALL POWER in our inner man.
A Hebrew would associate the word power with Old Testament concepts...like the splitting of the Red Sea.
'When Israel saw the great POWER which the LORD had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in His servant Moses.' [Exodus 14:31]
What was the Hebrew word used for power here? Our old friend YAD!!
The Hebrew word yad is translated several ways: hand, power, strength...when you research how it is used in the Old Testament, it is obvious that it is the powerful, strong hand which accomplishes things in the earth.
And we know from Proverbs 18:21 that the POWER [yad] of death and life are in the TONGUE!
We were created in His image...we are like Him! He has YAD, we have YAD.
Proverbs 3:19,20 explains that God used wisdom, knowledge and understanding to create the earth...and we see in Genesis 1 that He spoke it into existence! But wait...Proverbs 24 says that we also use wisdom, knowledge and understanding to create things in our lives!
We are like Him!
[Read Yad, The Yad of God, The Yad of God 2, Strength in Your Mouth...if you search for 'yad' in the search box on the right side of the blog, it'll bring up lots of other related articles as well.]
Now I'm pretty sure Paul, or the other authors of the New Testament, didn't translate from Hebrew to English, then from English to Greek! They thought yad and wrote dunamis!
Strengthened with ALL DUNAMIS in our inner man. As Jesus said, "...the Father abiding in Me, He does the works." [John 14:10]
Then of course there's Ephesians 3:20...
'Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the POWER [dunamis] that works within us...'
Think about it. Could it be that the same power that split the Rea Sea is in the inner man of every believer?
What did God say to Moses at the edge of the Red Sea, with Pharoah's army breathing down his neck and millions of Hebrews complaining that he had brought them out of Egypt to die?
'Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to Me? TELL the sons of Israel to go forward.
"As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go forward through the midst of the sea on dry land."' [Exodus 14:15,16]
We know it wasn't Moses' own strength that split the sea...IT WAS THE YAD OF THE FATHER!!
Then there's Romans 8:11...
'But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.'
The power that raised Jesus from the dead, dwelling in us in the person of the Holy Spirit.
There's More...
Now this will really bake your noodle.
Luke 1:35 says:
'The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the POWER of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God."'
The power that conceived Jesus in a virgin's womb also raised Him from the dead...and according to Hebrews 1:3 is upholding all things.
And we are strengthened with ALL DUNAMIS in our inner man.
Why? Because the Triune God lives within. Because we have died, crucified with Christ, and now we are one Spirit with the Lord.
Because the Holy Spirit prayed it through Paul.
Because He says so.
Dunamis.
