Today I will continue my current series entitled, REASONS WHY NOT TO FEAR!
Here is Reason #18 why NOT to fear: Jesus Gives You Rest! Let’s talk about it.
So what does this mean for you today? A few things.
1. Jesus is offering to exchange YOUR STRESS for HIS REST! That’s a GREAT EXCHANGE!
(Mat 11:28-30 NLT)
Then Jesus said, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Right now the world is dealing with a global pandemic. Many are dealing with situations they never thought they would be in. Vacations have been canceled. Schools are closed. Children are at home. Many businesses are closed and are in jeopardy of failing. Countless people have lost their jobs. It’s not hard to see why people are being stressed-out and many have delved into depression because they are feeling like they cannot handle the “weight” of the situation. Whether you are carrying the weight of the impacts of COVID-19 or any other weight, this morning we hear from Jesus. He beckons us to come to Him in order to make a Great Exchange. Jesus tells us to bring our weariness, stress and heavy burdens to Him. He has offered to exchange them for His rest. That’s what I call “The Great Exchange!”
2. Divine REST is amazing.
a) Don’t underestimate the word rest. Godly rest is supernatural. Learning about God’s rest and laying hold of it, by faith, will benefit you greatly in this season.
b) When we enter into God’s rest we find ourselves empowered, by God’s grace, to resist the distressing anxiety of this world, and we get to live in a state that is free from the weight of ungodly burdens, and the stress, struggle, and strain connected to ungodly yokes.
c) When we enter into God’s rest we feel free, light, at peace, and Godly optimistic about our present and our future. This is much needed in the world today!
3. If you want to trade in your STRESS for God’s REST, YOU have to initiate the transaction.
a) God’s rest is awesome and it is available to all of us, but check the language Jesus used in Matthew 11:28-30. Who has to initiate the exchange? The answer is: We do! Who has to bring the weariness and heavy burdens? We do! And then after we bring them, who has to be willing to give them over to God? We do!
b) You would be amazed at how many people I pray with who, while we are praying, the Lord would instruct me to tell them to release the pain, bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness, and weariness they are carrying, so that He can give them His rest right then and there. I often see people break down as they release the stress and then rejoice greatly as they get FREE from it. When this happens I often wonder why they were carrying that stuff around. I believe it is because some people are so used to worrying, murmuring, complaining, and holding on to past wrongs that they don’t even realize the fact that THEY are the ones blocking God’s blessing. God is NOT going to force you to be blessed. God will not dominate you. He will not overrule your will. He has offered you DIVINE REST. He has offered to make an exchange with you. You bring Him your BURDENS and He gives you REST. But you have to initiate the transaction. If you are not willing to give up your stress, God can’t give you rest!
c) I believe God led me to share this with you today so you could hear His voice in it. Make the exchange today. Believe me, your life will never be the same!
4. Amazing things happen when you get yoked-up with Jesus!
a) The word “yoke” in Matthew 11:28-30 is a reference to a wooden beam that was used between a pair of oxen. The beam enabled the oxen to pull a load or plow a field TOGETHER! The point being that without the yoke, each ox would have to work alone. But with the yoke in place, the oxen could work together, as a team, and share the load!
b) In our text, Jesus is inviting you to yoke-up with Him this morning. He is holding out His yoke and offering you a partnership. If you let go of all the stuff you have been yoked-up with in the past and exchange those yokes for His yoke, your life will never be the same.
c) If you yoke-up with Jesus, He will share the load of your life. He will work right alongside you, and IN you so that together, both of you will leave a mark in this world that will not easily be erased!
d) You were never designed to “DO LIFE” on your own. You were never designed to “DO LIFE” without God. Get yoked up with Jesus today. His yoke is easy. His burden is light. Once you are connected to Him and He is fully connected to you, the stress associated with COVID-19, and any other stress, will fall off of you as you enter into God’s REST! Make the GREAT EXCHANGE TODAY!
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I have heard from You this morning and I choose to take You up on Your offer. I release the stress, struggle, strain, pain, bitterness, and resentment, that harboring negative energy has caused me and I am ready to make the Great Exchange. I take off all the negatives yokes I have carried around in the past and I decide to only put on one yoke from this day forward, for the rest of my life, and that yoke is Your yoke. I yoke up with You and as I do, You partner with me so that I don’t have to attempt to live my life alone. You sharing the load of my life gives me complete confidence that I will be able to maximize my purpose and potential before I die! And I will do it with a smile on my face and a song in my heart. I am with You Father. You are with me. Fear and stress have no power over me. Let’s go make a difference today! I declare this by faith! In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
