Engage The Clutch

Driving a manual car is a lost artform. Like seriously, almost nobody under the age of 30 knows how to drive a manual, because manuals aren't ever talked about. We assume every car is an automatic and take for granted that our cars do so much "thinking" on our behalf. The clutch (the third pedal in a manual car) is a crucial part of machinery that connects the engine (what creates power) to the transmission (what makes the tires move). Without the clutch, the car would not be able to move. If we think about God the Father as the engine who generates power, and the Holy Spirit as the transmission who allows us to work on the Earth today, then the clutch must be Jesus for us to engage and move in life.

Oftentimes, new believers get saved and then don't know how to walk in power or what their next steps are. Getting saved isn't the end of the journey - it's the very beginning! So how do you move forward in your journey?

1. Get Out of Neutral

- Neutral is when the engine and transmission are not connected, nothing is engaged, and nothing is moving.

- When Jesus died, the disciples were stuck in neutral. They scattered when Jesus was arrested, Peter denied Jesus three times, only 1 disciple watched Jesus die, none of the disciples worked in power, and some of them even went back to doing what they did before meeting Jesus...

- The disciples got out of neutral by engaging with Jesus - they spent time with Him when He resurrected.

- Everybody's relationship with Jesus looks different. You have to learn what your relationship looks like by spending time with Jesus! Read His word and pray!

2. Get Into the Next Gear

- Driving a manual doesn’t happen by accident. It’s INTENTIONAL. It requires thought and awareness. You have to know what gear you’re in and what gear you’re moving into.

- Some people are in first gear: engaged, moving slowly, learning to hear God’s voice and asking him to guide your steps

- Some people are in second gear: You hear God regularly and make times to speak to Him daily, you memorize scripture, maybe you’re serving...

How do you change gears?

- Engage the clutch and move the gear shifter AT THE RIGHT TIME

- ENGAGE with JESUS – be obedient with His commands and TIMING - this requires you to know the What AND the When.

3. Don't Go On Autopilot

- The more you drive a manual car, the more comfortable you are moving through gears

- Even when we're comfortable, we can't be complacent.

- We have to continually engage Jesus, even in the high gears.

- Some people can get so comfortable driving a manual car that they don't even engage the clutch. They just move through gears at the right time based on feeling and memory.

- We can never let ourselves get to a point where we go through the motions without engaging Jesus for every step.

- Even if you know you’re in the right gear, you know you’re being obedient, you have to STAY ENGAGED with Jesus.

The first time the disciples lost Jesus between His death and resurrection, they were given 4 instructions and failed miserably: love like I showed you, remain in Me, you're not alone, and keep standing.

The second time Jesus left, the disciples followed new instructions found in Acts 1:3-9.

1. Don't Leave

2. Receive Power

3. Be A Witness.

All believers fall in one of these 3 steps. Don't leave until you receive power. Once you've received power, continue to be a witness about what Jesus has done in your life.