OVM KJV

The word “Yoke” Strong's Number H5923 matches the Hebrew עֹל (`ol), which means a curved piece of wood fixed on the neck of an animal. Mostly used in a figuratively meaning of servitude, or to serve.

This “yoke” isn’t forced. It is each of ours to choose what we will accept in life.

A “yoke” = The image is of two animals yoked together by a big wooden frame that fits over their shoulders so that they stay in step and are connected to a plow, as the fields are over-turned. Throughout God’s Word we are instructed to take on the “Yoke” of God. Life will still be hard but without that connection with Christ it is much harder then it has to be. And so Jesus suggests that we are yoked to God through Christ in order to do the work of God in this world.

I understand that being yoked to someone else or our lives being used by someone else is not exactly what most of us aspire to and sounds rather negative, but that seems exactly what Jesus is driving at, and such a notion is true to our Christian understanding of who we are and the purpose of why we are here. With our focus in His Word, we find peace of mind. In that completeness of His Word, we find true rest. Our Father would rather have the world work for you, than you work for the world. In an evil world the only question is what or who will we be yoked to.

Be careful that this yoke is not laid upon us by another, but one, which we are to place upon ourselves. I am not saying I am perfect, by no means. Only one is! Christ Jesus is that light for the world that was made perfect for all. He and only He is our example. We all will have things come upon us and we are all far from perfect. As I fall short I must keep my eyes on The LORD and stay yoked to Christ’s Words and examples. The only question is what or who will we be yoked to. Lets see what our Father has to say about it...

Deuteronomy 28:48 Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.

* Hey! If you want to be a part of the world and not God, have at it! Why would He force you to be part of His Family when you don’t want to. Love, and I mean true love isn’t something that can be forced.

Job 11:12 For vain men would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt.

* The natural man is born “like a wild ass’s colt” completely unmanageable, self-willed, determined to have his own way at all costs. Having lost his anchorage by the fall, man is like a ship, which is entirely at the mercy of the winds and waves. His heart is unmoored and he runs hither and thither to his own destruction. Hence his imperative need for the yoke of Christ if he is to obtain rest for his soul.

2 Chronicles 10:4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee.

* There’s always a reason for things. Be them positives or negatives. Positives can be rewards and not saying a negative is surly a punishment, as it can be also a reward for growth. A child must be raised in correction as to know what is the way to what is right. The example for this is set in our Fathers word. Ref. – Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Isaiah 10:27 And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.

* Christ Jesus is our anointing. Christ means, “Anointed One”. People of the world have yoked themselves to the wrong one. When we unhitch ourselves from that evil one and connect ourselves with Christ, the way in life is much easier.

Isaiah 14:25 That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.

* That “Assyrian” another name for satan, that old serpent. He is what weighs people down then and now. It’s time to pick ourselves up and have nothing more to do with him. It is time to kick the dragon.

Isaiah 58:6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

* People can yoke themselves to many things, such as money, drugs, alcohol, sex, and religions of every sort. There comes a time you must see those things for what they are. They’re satans tricks! The bondage of his ways, and a trap to separate us from God.

Jeremiah 5:5 I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the LORD, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.

* The LORD is the way. There is no other. In this must be love beyond self. Trust it will be done because our Father is the only one in control of it all. Have faith always. It will be done. Always remember, it’s in His time when you ask of something and not our own.

Jeremiah 28:2 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.

* Babylon’s king is satan. This one took captive people. Another word Babel means “confusion” but with truth comes wisdom. Don’t let confusion set in.  Seek that truth and with that comes certainty and understanding of what is a lie and what is truth. Don’t let the world hold you captive and under bondage of evil or traditions of humans.   

Jeremiah 30:8  For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him:

* The worldly way is No More. The LORD has come at this point and all those that refused what was right in front of them the whole time will see just how wrong they were. They will see they had been yoked to the world and satan instead of God.

Lamentations 1:14 The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, the LORD hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up.

* If you want the world, our Father isn’t going to stop you. You want to be part of it, have at it! True love is something given and taken freely and not by force.

Lamentations 3:27  It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.

* Why? We covered it in Proverbs 22:6 and another reference can be found in Ephesians 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Walk in light at a young age so you can see the path clearly as you get older. Teach others, as we are the light for anyone in darkness. The older one gets, the more it can become corrupted. The longer you seek truth, the more your strength grows against evil.

Ezekiel 34:27  And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them.

* “Fruit” means actions. As we are the trees = people and we live in the field = world. You can find this reference in Matthew 13:38  The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; Our Father has given us a way out of the actions of the worldly. His has given us a letter that shows us how to walk in these flesh bodies. The Bible! It’s not going to be easy, but anything worthwhile isn’t.

John 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

* Ever thought why you live today and not hundreds of years ago? Why you were chosen for this time period for you to see the things you have seen? Why you know things others don’t? Our Father is calling us to Him. He doesn’t want us to fall for what some call good but is evil.

Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

* With knowledge comes power. You study our Fathers word and you can’t be fooled into what the world is saying is good. You know better. You wont conform to their ways. You’re yoked with Christ and cannot be apart of that way anymore. Hold to Christ and walk with Him only.

Hosea 11:4 I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.

* That meat is God’s Word. As you grow you hunger for more than milk. Only babes need milk. There comes a time you need more nourishment. You know there is much more to our Fathers Word than you have been getting.

Nahum 1:13 For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder.

* Are you awake? Then your not held captive any more. To many are satans prisoner today and don’t even know it. Our Father is always there whenever we choose to accept Him. When ever we cannot bear the weight of the world any longer. All we have to do is ask. Repent and believe.

Matthew 8:22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

* Let the worldly people follow the worldly way. They are dead that do so. You are alive because you follow life. Reward is life everlasting.

Matthew 11:28-29  28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

* True rest is not in a day of the week. True rest is in Christ. You can handle anything that comes your way.

Matthew 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

* We were created to be yoked, yoked to God first and foremost and then yoked to other people and things in their proper place. This is why Jesus can say, “my yoke is easy and my burden is light”.

Matthew 10:34  Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

* You are to be yoked to God first and foremost and in many relationships where you have come to be yoked to another first, this is going to be a problem!

John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

* Christ set the example for us. He has shown us the light in a dark world. He is telling us here in this Chapter to go and “sin no more”. You must first come to know what sin is and by that you see what not to do and what path to walk.

* He is still here. He is right here with us all that seek Him. He is here for anyone that wants no more of the darkness in their life. We have had enough of it and only seek that light. His Word is the truth in an evil and dark world. You have eyes to see and ears to hear.

John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

* Nothingness is doing things that have no worth. That’s from drinking, to drugs, gambling, sex, money, etc. What good is it if you’re dead? If you are yoked to things and not God, you’re already dead. There are to many walking the earth today doing things with no worth for their souls. Let your fruits = or actions be for the better of those in need and not of self.

Acts 15:10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

* Jesus paid the price for us all on the cross. Believe in Him and following what He has given us as In Him is THE ONLY way to life. Can you imagine nothing but peace and happiness?  No sickness or death. No worries of someone coming after you or others. That is heaven. Yoke yourself with Christ daily and your already there.

Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

* Your still going to have things come on you in life. It’s good as it helps us grow into something beyond ourselves, and it’s more then they can comprehend. Never let anyone or anything unhitch you from the yoke with Christ. Believe me, some will try.

Romans 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

* We are Christian’s = Christ like. Looking to the LORD for all our needs, not the world. There are young Christian’s just beginning in the walk and there are adult Christians, which is those that have been studying for some time now. Keep in mind that we all were a beginner when you are teaching others what you know of God’s Word.

1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

* This is why we at Open Veil Ministry are a non-denominational church. Denomination means division. Perfection is with the fullness in truth, not traditions of man or a name attached to a denomination. There are enough fakes out there today. We don’t need anymore.

1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

* Our Father isn’t going to give ANYONE more than they can handle. Know there is power with you that are yoked together with Christ. You have peace of mind in everything you do regardless of outcomes. You know our Father has a plan and you are a can do child of God.

2 Corinthians 6:14  Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

* If your going to call someone brother or sister or friend, make sure it is in Christ you are joined together in and not for the party on a weekend.

2 Corinthians 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

* As Christians you know the world is going to hate you. We covered that in John 15:19. You have been blessed because you have power over darkness. Christ is the light of the world and that light is in you. God’s Word and only God’s Word is truth. With it is power. You are not deceived and you know what’s really going on and the outcome of it.

Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

* Let the world take hold of you and in the things of it and that evil one has taken hold of you. You have yoked to that evil one. You can still repent and come out of those things and see his tricks for what they are. “Bondage” and you want no more of it. Be free again and yoke to The Lord. With it comes, peace, love, joy and freedom.

Philippians 4:3  And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.

* We are Christians and we must stick together as we are family in Christ. Yoked in same mind. Help everyone you see that includes our enemy’s and never turn down family in their times of need. 

1 Timothy 6:1 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.

* There are wolves and they will try to destroy the sheep. They sneak in and tell you they are of you and are robbing you at the same time. They will lead you from the truth with traditions and lies. Always check them out in God’s Word and in their fruits or actions. Either they are growing in God’s Word or they are using His name for their own gain.

2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

* The world is going to hate you because you are not of them. They see the peace and light in you and it makes them mad. Pray for them. Pray they come out of the evil and yoke themselves with the only one that can guild them out of darkness. Christ is our yoke. Reminds me of a saying. “I asked God to protect me from my enemies and I started loosing friends.”

1 Peter 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

* It is to God that we are yoked and it is through that yoking that we find our true goal and purpose as being that of love. Love received and love given. “This is my body given for you, this is my blood shed for you”. Because Jesus is the embodiment of love, He is the only person in our lives to whom we can yoke ourselves and find that by being yoked we are not burdened and heavy laden but rather we are released and freed paradoxically, through that yoking, to become the very people we are created to be.

Most people and many Christians do not believe that Christianity can address and correct the ills of this present age. Even many preachers have moved from using the Bible and the teachings of the historic Christ, and have began to use modern media, psychology, or pop culture to address the problems of our time. Some have begun to compromise with pagan doctrine.

             It is in our Father's service and love for all,

                                     God be with you and bless you!

                                                      Love, Pastor Todd Davis