Running Life's Race on God's TeamSample

The Holy Spirit is Your Engine

The engine is the heart of the racecar, and its health greatly determines the success of the car on the track. An engine that is tuned well and is running on all cylinders is much more successful than a poorly tuned or damaged engine. In the major series, like NASCAR, IndyCar, and Formula 1, different engine manufacturers build and tune their engines differently and allow for different levels of success for the teams that use each one. For example, as of this writing, Honda engines in IndyCar generally get better fuel mileage than the Chevy engines. When engines fail, they need to be replaced, and each race team tries to get the most out of their engine every race to gain victory.

Engines are full of power, and in the same way, the Holy Spirit is the power behind living a godly life. Without him, we cannot follow God wholeheartedly. The Holy Spirit is the spark that ignites a heart for God. He works inside of us to turn our hearts toward Christ, and when we choose to follow Jesus, he does the transforming work inside of us. He doesn’t stop there, but he continues to work inside of us, giving us new desires, behaviors, and highlighting our God-given gifts. He helps us reflect Christ in everyday situations, and empowers us to hear God’s voice and follow his commands. Without him, walking with Christ would not be possible, as our hearts are naturally selfish, and we do not have the power to turn them around. The Holy Spirit transforms our hearts in that way, and it is almost like getting a new engine in a racecar that is stuck with an old, weathered one that’s on its last legs.

The Holy Spirit gives us a heart change just like race teams give racecars engine changes. When you choose to follow Jesus, you now have access to this great power inside of you that the Holy Spirit gives you. The disciples experienced this after Jesus ascended into heaven. Paul experienced this after his encounter with Jesus, and the Holy Spirit gave him the power to preach and write. With the Holy Spirit’s power, you could use your gifts to glorify God, stand up for what’s right, love people even when it’s hard, and lead your family to follow God. The Holy Spirit’s power is incredible, and it’s yours when you give your life to Christ!