How does this divine strength and energy—this dunamis—show up? Take a look at the promises of Scripture: in Romans 15:13, we are filled with hope because of dunamis. In Ephesians 3:16, dunamis equips us to serve God successfully. According to this same passage, in verse 20, dunamis allows us to do more than we can possibly imagine. According to Ephesians 6, dunamis enables us to overcome the enemy. According to Colossians 1:11, dunamis gives us perseverance in the tests and trials of life and the discipline to know righteousness each day. In Colossians 1:29, we’re told that dunamis causes us to work energetically for God. In 1 Peter 1:5, dunamis protects us. Second Peter 1:3 says that dunamis provides everything we need to live godly lives.

Jesus would tell his disciples, “These works that I have done, you will do, and greater works than these, you will do.”¹ Can you imagine how stunned they must have been when they learned that all that Jesus had done was only the beginning and that they would be doing something even “greater”? This is the heartbeat of the book of Acts, which is simply a series of great works or “acts” that bear testimony to the power of the church when its people are fueled by dunamis. Even today the great works persist: whenever the sun shines on a corner of the world, it shines on someone preaching the gospel. Wherever the moon casts her beams, she illuminates someone saying a word for God. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, the good news is being proclaimed. What joy this must bring our Father!

The Ultimate Before and After

What was true for those believers gathered at Pentecost remains true for us today: when the Holy Spirit infiltrates a human life, dunamis power starts to flow. And its first objective is accomplishing the renovating work of transformation. Spirit-led believers experience this transformation as they move from emptiness to fullness, from failure to faith, and from fear to courage. The end result? It’s the ultimate before and after.

From Emptiness to Fullness

Immediately after the trio of sensory miracles on the day of Pentecost—sound, sight, and speech—Acts 2 says that the apostle Peter preached a powerful message to all who were gathered, culminating with a crystal-clear invitation to have their spiritual emptiness filled with Jesus Christ. “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins,” verse 38 says, “and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”