Lessons From the Secret Place – Miniseries- Preparation for the Second Coming: Lesson 2, Part C- Watch Your Diet and Exercise

Our spiritual diet must be maintained so we can walk in intimacy with the Lord. We must also get spiritual exercise.  While I was talking with the Lord, he spoke to me about what our spiritual exercise must look like.  

Our spiritual exercise is learning to walk in the yoke with Christ.  Staying in the yoke is a daily, lifelong exercise in submission and obedience.  

When a farmer wants to train a new ox to walk in the yoke, he often places him in the yoke with an older more experienced ox.  When the older ox turns to the right or the left the younger one must turn also. Likewise, when the older ox stops the younger must stop.  The young ox receives many benefits from being yoked with the older ox.  

First, being yoke to a more experience ox gives the young ox a sense of security. He doesn’t have to make the hard decisions he only has to follow the lead of the older ox.  

Additionally, it allows the young ox to develop his strength and ability to carry heavy loads.  The older, usually larger ox, does much of the weight bearing. 

Also, the character of the young ox is effected by the calm gentleness of the older ox. A once rambunctious steer will learn to become submissive and walk in a calm, easy manner.  

As Christians, we are like the younger ox and Jesus is our older more experienced yoke partner.  As we stay yoked with Christ, we, like the young ox, receive life giving, life changing, life sustaining benefits.

To begin, walking in the yoke with Jesus brings us peace and rest.  

Matthew 11:28-30 tells us, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me. For I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” (MEV)

Jesus is telling us here that when we walk in the yoke with him, we can rest in the knowledge and assurance that he is watching the path.  He is keeping his eye out for potholes, stumbling blocks, and other obstacles that the enemy would try to put in our path to trip us up.  

I can only speak for myself, but I know that just when it looks like I am on a clear path, making “good time”, that is when the enemy tosses one of his distractions, deceptions, or other hinderances in my way.  If I am walking in the yoke with Jesus I never stumble or miss a step, because he steers me clear of the obstacle. However, if I have allowed myself to move out of the yoke, I find the struggle is great and in my own strength I often stumble and fall.  

Second, walking in the yoke with Jesus allows us to bear greater loads that we could alone.  

Psalm 55:22, Cast your burden on the LORD, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be moved. (MEV)

Isaiah 53:4, Surely he has borne our grief and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. (MEV)

Just like the young ox, when we are yoked with Jesus, he bears the bulk of the weight of life’s pressures and cares.  In Psalm 55:22 we are told to cast our burdens up on the Lord.  When we cast our cares on Jesus and allow him to direct our steps, we might still feel some of the weight/pressure of life’s issues and challenges, however, as the second half of the verse says, he will never allow us to be moved.  We will not fall under the load but with his help will bear up under it.  

Thirdly, walking in the yoke with Jesus enhances and increases our natural, God given talents and abilities.  

Exodus 31:3-5,  (I)have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of craftsmanship  to devise artistic works for work with gold, with silver, and with bronze, and in the cutting of stones for settings, and in carving of wood, to work in all manner of craftsmanship. (MEV)

Exodus 34:10, Every skilled craftsman among you shall come and make all that the LORD has commanded: (MEV)

1 Peter 4:10, As everyone has received a gift, even so serve one another with it, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (MEV)

As we can see from the verses above, God has given to each one of us gifts, talents, and abilities.  When we stay in the yoke with Jesus, he helps us live up to the potential he placed within us before we were even born, and he enhances those abilities when the need arises. When God asks us to step out and do something for him, he equips us for the task!

Unlike the young bull, we are not strapped in the yoke.  We must choose to stay in the yoke with Jesus.  As I stated above, this is a daily, lifelong exercise in obedience and submission.  However, it is not without great rewards. When we stay in the yoke, we find peace and rest, we receive strength to bear greater loads that we could alone, and Jesus enhances and increases our natural, God given talents and abilities.  

Lord, help us to stay in the yoke with you and to daily submit ourselves to you direction and yielding.  As we walk with you, we will never cease to give you praise and glory for your peace, rest, strength, and our increased ability to serve you!