I Am Fueled by Fire

PNEUMA: The Wind Blows Where It Wishes

“For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.”

(2 Corinthians 1:8, ESV)

Big Question:

Are you still burning—or are you burning out?

9 Signs of Spiritual Burnout

• Diminished passion for the things of God

• Irritability, apathy, or numbness

• Increased temptation and struggle with sin

• Prayer and the Word feel routine or dry

• Joyless service and duty-driven faith

• Feeling spiritually distant or dry

• Loss of direction or clarity

• Isolation and avoidance of community

• Desire to quit, give up, or escape

It’s not about failure—it’s about fuel.

“He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.”

(Isaiah 40:29, ESV)

God didn’t design us to run on empty, nor did He ask us to run this race in our own strength.

“And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

(Luke 24:49, ESV)

Dunamis: “The inherent supernatural power of God.”

Three Facts About This Fuel

1. Dunamis Is… Fire in My Bones

“His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones…”

(Jeremiah 20:9)

This is the power to live beyond myself—supernatural, Spirit-born energy that doesn’t come from striving.

Are You Fighting in the Flesh?

• Exhausted even when things are going well

• Feel like you have something to prove

• Measure outcomes by results rather than obedience

• Resent when your effort goes unnoticed

Dunamis doesn’t burn out—because it doesn’t come from you.

Don’t say, “I can’t.”

Say, “The same power that raised Christ from the dead dwells in me.”

2. Dunamis Is… Strength in My Weakness

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

(2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV)

This is the power to stand when I want to quit.

Dunamis strengthens you when you have nothing left to give.

The 4 Energy Tanks

Physical Energy – Sleep, nutrition, hydration

“Even youths shall faint and be weary… but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength.”

(Isaiah 40:30–31)

Emotional Energy – Stress, grief, relationships

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick…”

(Proverbs 13:12)

Mental Energy – Focus, decisions, fatigue

“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You…”

(Isaiah 26:3)

Spiritual Energy – Worship, purpose, prayer

“The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but a broken spirit who can bear?”

(Proverbs 18:14)

You don’t burn out because of weakness—you burn out because of emptiness.

3. Dunamis Is… Boldness in My Witness

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses…”

(Acts 1:8)

This is the power to speak when I want to stay silent.

Dunamis gives boldness, not just strength.

Great question:

Why is the first evidence of the baptism of the Spirit connected to the tongue?

How to Replenish the Fire

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

(Philippians 4:13, ESV)

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

(Matthew 11:28–30, ESV)

1. Get in His Presence – Rest in God, rather than work for God.

• Burnout often comes from serving without sitting.

• Refuel Practice: Unhurried worship, stillness, silence.

2. Get in the Word – Feed the fire rather than fight through fatigue.

“Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart…” (Jeremiah 15:16)

“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word…” (Matthew 4:4)

• Scripture is not just fact—it’s fuel.

• Refuel Practice: Find a fresh Word for your soul, not just your sermon.

3. Get in Community – Let others carry the weight with you.

“If one falls, the other will lift up his companion…”

(Ecclesiastes 4:10)

“Bear one another’s burdens…”

(Galatians 6:2)

• Isolation fuels burnout. Community breathes life.