If some things are not right in our lives, it can feel like a yoke is on our necks, and we are limited in areas of our lives. A yoke is a wooden crosspiece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and attached to the plough or cart that they are to pull. They are bound to that yoke, and must carry its weight in servitude.
Anything that weighs heavy, is oppressive, that steals our joy and quality of life, and is contrary to what God’s abundant life is probably a “yoke”. The good news is that God has given us the key to breaking off the yoke. It is by feeding on God’s Word. We research what God’s word says, and find everything we can get our hands on regarding whatever the “yoke” is. In doing so little by little we get strong and “fat” so to speak, eventually breaking off the yoke the devil has oppressed us with.
“In that day their burden will be lifted from your shoulders, their yoke from your neck; the yoke will be broken because you have grown so fat“ (Isaiah 10:27)
It’s helpful to understand that “getting fat” on the word is much like eating.
“Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name” (Jeremiah 15:16).
There is a great difference between “finding” the Word of God and “eating” it. Just like the food we eat, it is the one who eats that gets the benefit out of it. Eating good food creates energy, and when everything is functioning as normal, the result is health and strength.
Likewise our spiritual joy and health depend on the spiritual “food” we take in – its kind, its quantity, its condition. The only nourishment for man’s soul is the Word of God. “Desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow” (I Peter 2:2). The more you get of it the better; provided we digest and apply it.
Here are some thoughts to help you ”eat”, so that you get “bigger on the inside”, and in fatness break off yokes:
1. Chew on it: When we physically eat food if we really want to get the full flavour and enjoyment out of it we must retain the food in our mouth, and get the full taste out of it. We must chew on it.
The same principle can be applied to how we “eat” the Word. Don’t rush reading the Word. Instead savor it, think on it, “chew over” what you are reading; then go for second helpings.
2. Holding the Word in Your Mind – Holding the Word in our minds is like holding the food in our mouth. That is how we get the full taste of it. Turning it round and round, thinking on it from this point of view and that, asking questions about it, talking over it with others, at connect group, with friends, your pastor, searching its meaning in a commentary. You are getting the fullness of the Word. 3. Memorise it To hold the Word in your mind properly we need to memorize it. It is not hard to do this, and when you begin to see the benefit of it, it becomes a real pleasure. Make the task as easy as possible by taking a small portion at a time. I write it down around the house, put a verse on my phone, on screen savers, on a sticky note near the bed, or on the mirror. If we can remember basic everyday things, we can memorize scripture. We just need to make it an essential part of our day.
4. Don’t “Bolt” Down Your Food When we want to enjoy and remember what we’ve eaten it’s best not to “Bolt” Down Our Food.
In other words, let the passage of Scripture you are reading and memorising be “bite size” so that it may be readily recalled and thought over several times during the day. And see that you do recall it, that is the point.
It’s time to break yokes! Don’t put up with unnecessary weights and oppression any longer. God has given us freedom. The key to walking in that freedom is to “get fat” on His word. So what are you waiting for? Eat up, “For the fatness destroys the yoke!” (Isaiah 10:27)
“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-4).
Prayer: Lord thank you for the freedom I have in you. Let your word become alive to me. Help me to read it, and that as I take time to think on and “chew” it over I will get “fat”, breaking off any yokes. I want to truly live and walk in freedom and abundant life. In Jesus name Amen.
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