Broken Yokes!

You know what a yoke is?

It is a harness for a draft animal or team of animals to be able to pull heavy loads and do work for their master.

From the time that we were born, the devil put a yoke on our neck & we only knew to serve him. It wasn’t even a choice that we made.

Like we didn’t choose what ethnicity we were born as. We were born into our family of origin and that is it.

Some common yokes the Devil uses:

Fear

Addiction

Poverty & lack

Sickness & Disease (Both Mental & Physical)

Hurt & Pain

Oppression & Depression

John 10:10 NKJV

10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

The abundant life cannot be experienced while we are still in bondage to the yoke of the devil.

Most Christians aren’t actually living in the freedom & abundance that God wants for them to live in.

Jesus gives us the abundant life through freedom from bondage!

Isaiah 10:27 NKJV

27 It shall come to pass in that day That his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, And his yoke from your neck, And the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil.

The anointing = the burden removing, yoke destroying power of God = Jesus Christ Himself

Jesus wants to destroy every yoke that the devil has placed on you!

Matthew 11:28–30 (NKJV)

28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

We have to Come to Jesus!

No one can come to Jesus to have your yoke removed for you.

Yes, Jesus knows where we live, but He is not going to come breaking down our door to take our burdens and give us His yoke.

You might be thinking - why would I trade one yoke for another? The devil’s yoke for Jesus’ yoke -

-Even Bob Dylan knows, “You Gotta serve somebody. It might be the devil, it might be the Lord, but you gotta serve somebody.”

If we ever feel like the burden of serving Jesus is heavy, we don’t have Jesus’ burden.

If we ever feel like the yoke of Christ is difficult, we don’t have Jesus’ yoke.

The burden and yoke of religion is burdensome and hard, but a true and authentic relationship with Jesus is light and easy

(Easy (def.) - furnish what is needed)

The way of the transgressor is hard - Proverbs 13:15

We Need Power & Wisdom

1 Corinthians 1:24 NKJV

24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

We need the power of God to break us free, but we also need to use the wisdom of God to remain free!

Proverbs 13:20 NKJV

20 He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed.

1 Corinthians 15:33 NKJV

33 Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”

What We Choose to Do Does Matter:

1 Corinthians 6:12 NKJV

12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

1 Corinthians 10:23 NKJV

23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.

Is what you are doing serving you or are you serving it?

I can stop at any time.

Ok. Stop then!

Is what you are doing adding to you, building you up, & making you better?

Galatians 5:1 (NKJV)

1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

Why would ANYONE return to a place of bondage?

Comfort, ease, absence of responsibility, junk doctrine.

Proverbs 26:11 NKJV

11 As a dog returns to his own vomit, So a fool repeats his folly.

Pro Tip to Getting Free:

Hebrews 1:9 NKJV

9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”

We will have a difficult time destroying something we don’t hate!

“Sin will take you where further than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and it will charge you more than you want to pay” - Jesse Duplantis

We need to get so sick and tired of being sick and tired that we are finally willing to make a change.

Until the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change will will stay the same!

I’m sick and tired of my low character points hurting others.

I’m sick and tired of lack.

I’m sick and tired of fear affecting me and stopping me from my destiny.

I’m sick and tired of the charades and facades.

I’m sick and tired of having to actually read all the checkboxes on the medical forms.

I’m sick and tired of pills, crutches, nightmares, and the boogeyman under my bed (We aren’t meant to live by medications - We are designed to live in health)

I’m going to live free & light

I’m coming to Jesus!!!

Just One Thing:

There is no true freedom apart from Jesus Christ.

Get so close with Jesus that NO YOKE can stay on you!

Discussion Questions:

What’s the most beautiful beach you’ve been to? Share a little about its beauty.

What stood out to you most from this sermon? Share a little bit about it.

Read Hebrews 1:9, 1 Corinthians 6:12, & 1 Corinthians 10:23 and share what these scriptures minister to you - especially as you consider them together.

Please share about a yoke that you know exists in your life & how you currently feel about having that yoke.