Ministering: Pastor David Odaibo
IGA Annual Elder’s Week
Text: Matthew 11:28-30.
“28 Come unto me, all ye that labor 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. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” KJV
Our above Text is The Lord’s invitation to all that labor and heavy laden and His assurance of rest. Rest is something that is desired by everybody, even God rested after His Creation Work. It sounds impracticable that anyone can experience continual “rest” in a fallen World where “worry” seems to be the order of the day, but Jesus guarantees “rest” over any matter brought to Him. To “labor” (toiling) is not limited to physical exertion but also includes mental, emotion and spiritual exertion. To “labor” is this context also means working hard yet no fruit to show for it. Peter had labored and toiled all-night without result, but when He obeyed the Master’s instruction, he got an uncommon result. 1 John 3:8b – For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
If God does not have “rest” to give, He will not tell Us, “Come unto Me, all You that labor and are heavy laden”. God will never lie, it is not in His Nature to lie as He does not stand to benefit anything. To be “heavy-laden” is to be loaded with excess luggage – “encumbered” or “saddled”. The entrance of God’s Word gives Light and Understanding (Ps. 119:130); this means if you allow The Word of God greater space in Your Heart, it will lighten you and also give you understanding. Understanding helps you re-experience what God is doing and also sustain it.
To find Rest for our Souls, Our Lord gave certain conditions
1. “Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am Meek and lowly in Heart” – this is a spiritual exchange Jesus is offering You. As Believers We must be yoked to Jesus, because He will not promise You a thing without also telling you the principles that will make it work.
2. “Learn of Me” means “Be a Disciple of Me”. A Disciple is one whose desire is to listen, follow and serve the Master.
Who is this Person that is promising “rest” for all?
He is none other than the Anointed One, The Messiah, and The Son of God. He is The God Who went about doing Good and healing all that were oppressed. Acts 10:38. He is the Resurrection and the Life; He is The Way, The Truth and The Life.
Unless God builds a city, the laborers labor in vain. With God, it does not matter the capacity of the load you are carrying, He is The Infinite and Omnipotent God!
In closing, The Word of God has the capacity to do whatsoever it is sent to do. It is active, alive, and sharper than any two-edged sword. To give rest, God always sends His Word to heal and deliver us from all our destructions. Ps. 107:20. Learn to activate the Word of God through Meditation and Confession.
God bless you!
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