Take it off your shoulders

Posted by Jeffrey Smith November 30th, 2015 1,886 View 0 Comments

Matthew 11:28-30: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Jesus wants us to find rest in Him. One of the biggest ways to be outside of that rest is to be stressed. When we are stressed about something, we can feel out of control or fearful. When we take on the responsibility of something we cannot possibly carry, then we will find ourselves outside of peace and rest. Before we had tractors, Oxen were used to plow fields for crops. The farmer would hook up yokes around their necks, and use a harness to control the animals to till up the ground for planting. When we allow the enemy to control our direction, we are being used as an Ox would for the enemy. Can you imagine working for the enemy, being whipped and carrying the load for him? No, we would never willingly do that. The enemy is sneaky and will use lies to try and put the yoke around your neck. He will use whispers in your ear to ask you questions such as, "Are you going to let that person take advantage of you?", or " I cant believe you spent that much money for that, your spouse is going to be upset with you." If you allow those lies to sink in, then each time you do, you take another step into that harness. Pretty soon, without even realizing it, he is steering you all over the place. You get tense in your neck, get angry over nothing, and maybe hide something out of fear. The end game of the enemy is to affect your relationships in the world, and especially with Jesus. He wants you to feel unworthy of the love of God. When we try and carry something in the physical that is too heavy for us, it will weigh us down. Before too long we will collapse under the pressure.
Don't fall for that lie. Find yourself yoked with Jesus and Him alone. He tells us that His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. Let Jesus deal with the enemy, after all, the enemy is a defeated foe. Jesus already won. Stand in victory and take up rest in Jesus. See yourself in the loving arms of Jesus, who always accepts you one hundred percent of the time. There is nothing to fear, Jesus is in control of all things in our lives. We don't have to worry about people taking advantage of us. Romans 8:28 tells us that all things work together for our good. Imagine that if things take too long to come to pass, it is because Jesus is going to make things even better than we expected. Have the truth on your side, unyoke from the enemy, and take on the peace of Jesus Christ in all things.