Matthew 28:1-2 KJV

¹ In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

² And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.

NOTE:

1. Early in the morning they came to see Jesus. Do you get up early to be with Jesus?

2. Great earthquake which I would describe as DUNAMIS which is power, ability or strength to do miracles. Here God gave the angel this power, ability and strength.

3. Notice the ladies honored the Sabbath as they came at the end of the Sabbath.

John 20:16-19 KJV

¹⁶ Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

¹⁷ Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

¹⁸ Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

¹⁹ Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

NOTE: Vs 16 Jesus always knows each one of us. And Mary showed Jesus honor, calling Him Master. Is Jesus truly your Master?

Vs 17 Jesus is under covering/authority and tells Mary don’t touch me until I report to my Father. He then tells Mary to tell His brethren that He is reporting to His Father and God which is theirs also.

Vs 18 Mary becomes the first evangelist and goes to the disciples and tells them the good news about seeing and being with Jesus and what Jesus wants them to know.

Vs 19 The disciples were hiding behind locked doors even though Mary had reported to them the good news. With the power of God filling them after being baptized in the Holy Spirit, they went from cowards and pathetic losers into winners and true Apostles.

John 20:20-23 KJV

²⁰ And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

²¹ Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

²² And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

²³ Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

NOTE: V20 Jesus had to show His disciples His hands and His side for them to believe. There are times when you have to move in the power of God for people to believe.

V21 Jesus passed on the delegated authority as power of attorney. Now we can do the same things Jesus did on earth.

V22 The Lord breathed on them and they received the Holy Spirit. God’s power produced by His Spirit working through us causes people to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and receive healings and miracles and deliverances etc.

V23 warns us of the authority we really possess if we are walking righteously in the power of the Holy Spirit and understanding correctly the Word of God. We can forgive people of their sins or we can charge them with pending judgment.

Matthew 28:17-20 KJV

¹⁷ And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

¹⁸ And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

¹⁹ Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

²⁰ Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

NOTE: One of the keys to moving in the power of God is being involved in true worship of God. Not just sitting or standing like you’re holding up the wall but singing, shouting, dancing, clapping, raising your voice and your hands in worshipping and praising God.

Jesus told His disciples in v18 that He was given EXOUSIA (power). This is what the Bible refers to as authority or power, often associated with legal or official authority. In the context of the Bible, EXOUSIA signifies the power granted by God to believers to perform His will and act on His behalf. This power is not limited to the physical realm but extends to the spiritual realm, enabling us to overcome challenges and obstacles in our lives.

With this authority and power we as Christians are commanded and commissioned to vs19-20.

Let’s look at some other scriptures referring to this EXOUSIA.

Luke 10:19 KJV

¹⁹ Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

John 1:12 KJV

¹² But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

John 1:12 NIV

¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

John 19:10 NIV

¹⁰ “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”

Romans 13:1 NIV

Submission to Governing Authorities

¹ Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

Colossians 2:15 NIV

¹⁵ And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Revelation 1:18 NIV

¹⁸ I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

What is DUNAMIS?

DUNAMIS, as used in the Bible, is a Greek word used 120 times in the New Testament and represents power, strength, or ability. It is often used to describe the miraculous power of God, which is available to believers.

This power is not only manifested in miraculous events but also in the strength and courage we draw from our faith. It is the root word of our English words dynamite, dynamo, and dynamic.

Acts 1:8 KJV

⁸ But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Luke 5:17 NIV

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man

¹⁷ One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick.

1 Corinthians 15:24 NIV

²⁴ Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.

2 Corinthians 13:4 NIV

⁴ For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God’s power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him in our dealing with you.

Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,

²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Accessing EXOUSIA & DUNAMIS in our lives:

Recognize and accept God’s authority: To access the power of EXOUSIA, we must first acknowledge and submit to God’s authority. This involves recognizing His sovereignty and aligning our lives with His will. As we develop a deeper relationship with God, we can tap into the authority He grants us to overcome spiritual battles and fulfill His purposes.

Pray and seek God’s Power: To harness the power of DUNAMIS, we must actively seek God’s presence and power through prayer and supplication. As we spend time in His presence, we can experience the renewing of our strength and the transformation of our lives. This spiritual power enables us to face challenges with confidence and overcome obstacles in our path.

Share the Gospel and Bring God’s Power to Others: As believers, we are called to share the message of salvation and the power of the Gospel with others. By using our EXOUSIA and DUNAMIS, we can bring hope, healing, and transformation to those around us. This involves living a life that reflects the love and grace of God, as well as actively engaging in acts of service and evangelism.

CONCLUSION: The most important need in a believer’s life is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This allows one to operate in both the EXOUSIA & DUNAMIS POWER of God.

Without this baptism, one cannot represent God as His ambassador. As a true minister of the gospel to be effective it takes one to know and operate in the EXOUSIA & DUNAMIS power. Without this power, one is a storyteller and a reader of the Scriptures, but that does not win the nations. It takes a demonstration of the power of God unto salvation with signs following them that believe.

Dr. Jonathan Hansen