We were all ready to go. Suitcases were on the bottom. Fragile packages with bows were on the top. The cooler and food boxes were at the back, as far from the heater as possible. There was just enough room for me to see out the back window. GPS was set and the Christmas CDs were in the glove box. I set our departure time for 7:30, and the digital clock read 7:33. Pretty good for the Sterrett Express. We prayed for safe travel, and we were ready to go.
I turned the key, and...nothing. No purring engine. Not even a chug-chug-chug. Dead silence, except for the sound of my rising blood pressure. How can this be? I had planned so meticulously. I had packed so carefully. But if the car battery is dead, there's no backing out of the garage.
I couldn't help but draw a comparison with our spiritual lives. We'll spend hours in Bible study, prayer and worship. We'll dot every "i" and cross every "t". But all of that is wasted effort unless the Spirit of God empowers us to carry out God's work. It's like having a car packed and ready to go with a dead battery.
The Greek word for power is "dunamis" (like "dynamite"). It describes the explosive power of the Spirit to enable the believer to minister on behalf of God. It is a supernatural strength that can not be manufactured or duplicated by man.
As we begin a new year, I hope that we will spend time in God's Word, feasting on the riches of His truth. I hope we will worship with authentic hearts yielded to Him. I hope we will pray earnest, effectual prayers. And through it all, I hope that we will be empowered by the Holy Spirit of God to labor and serve Him by His strength and in His might.
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