Top Fuel Dragsters have engines of up approximately 7,000 horsepower. Yet, we have an even greater power available to us to make temptation move over. Image via Wikipedia

My new next-door neighbor has a racecar. It looks very cool sitting in his driveway.  On Saturday afternoons he fires it up before taking off to the races.  I have no idea what racing-type vehicle it is.  All I know is that it makes a very loud sound.

Top fuel dragsters produce approximately 7,000 horsepower.  My neighbor doesn’t have a Top Fuel Dragster, at least I don’t think he does, but still his car has that sound of power.  To me it says, “I’m here. Get out of my way. Move or I’ll run over you.”

It is the opposite of my little four-cylinder Honda that has maybe 117 horsepower. I sometimes feel like it’s saying, “I don’t know if I’m here or not. I’ll move out of your way so you can go around.”

Don’t’ get me wrong, I like my little car. It has all the getup and go I need for errands around town.  But for the racetrack, a body needs power.

Most of the time, though, we don’t need to sound louder or wield threats like a 7,000 horsepower engine.  We can pretty much take care of things, do fine without that.  Or can we? We think we have power over our circumstances, but do we?

It’s interesting that the very thing I think I have power over many times actually has power over me. I don’t know how many times I’ve told myself that I can eat that cinnamon roll because I want it and I need it. After all, we all have to eat, right?

Whether it is food, sex, pornography, alcohol, drugs, shopping, gossip or a myriad of other things, we one day find the very thing we have chosen because we want to have the power has a power over us. Suddenly, we are out of control. We find we have no power. We are weak.

We may even find our hearts seared to what God says about that very thing.  We can’t or don’t want to hear what He says about what we thought we could control.

The deal is, God knew we had this puny horsepower all along, but He didn’t leave us at the starting gate.  He gave us more than 7,000 horsepower.  He gave us all the power in the universe.

It’s all right there in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10.  “But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Wow, God tells us we cannot only sound like a 7,000 horsepower engine but we can command our road like one, as well.  And, we can do it while being in our 117 horsepower bodies.

When I go to Him for help in my time of temptation, He promises to give me a way out. But I have to do something as well.  I have to listen to what He says and then do it.

Recently I had one of those extremely stressful weeks.  Even though I’d been sticking to an eating plan and exercising regularly I was ready to give into some kind of eating binge.  Just as I was contemplating the same, I heard the still, small voice, the one I had invited to remind me when I was tempted.  He said, “You need Me. You do not need food.”

I grabbed “Made to Crave”, a book I’ve been reading on “Satisfying our deepest desires with God not food.”  I remembered a scripture that spoke about this very thing.  The scripture was 2 Cor. 12:9-10 that I listed earlier.  It spoke volumes to me. It was what I needed in that moment.  It helped me overcome that time. I’m hoping it will remind me to overcome the next time.

His still, small voice may seem quieter than a four-cylinder but the impact can be greater than that of a high-powered race car when we actually do what He says.  Once we listen and follow-through with what the Holy Spirit speaks in our heart and what we read in the Word, it gives us power to withstand the next temptation.  Because we know we were faithful once, with His help we can do it again and again and again.

His power is made perfect in my weakness.  I am a Top Fuel Dragster.  Move over temptation. I’m coming through.

Teresa Shields Parker

Teresa Shields Parker is a Christian weight loss author, coach, podcaster, and speaker, who has lost 250 pounds and kept it off since 2013. Her books include: “Reconnecting Jayne: Her Sister’s Support,” “Rebuilding Jayne: Her Father’s Protection,”  “Sweet Grace: How I Lost 250 Pounds and Stopped Trying to Earn God’s Favor,” “Sweet Grace Study Guide,”  “Sweet Victory: Winning the Battle,” “Sweet Surrender: Breaking Strongholds,” “Sweet Journey to Transformation: Practical Steps to Lose Weight and Live Healthy”, “Sweet Freedom: Losing Weight and Keeping It Off With God’s Help,” “Sweet Freedom Study Guide,” “Sweet Change: True Stories of Transformation,” “Sweet Hunger: Developing an Appetite for God,” and “Sweet Excuses: Stop Lying to Yourself & Start Losing Weight.” She also offers Overcomers Christian Weight Loss Academy and VIP intensive coaching. Don’t miss her weekly podcast, Sweet Grace for Your Journey, where she shares tips from her personal journey of losing weight and discovering healthy living. Contact her at [email protected].