There are many who say that they have come to the Lord, but have you experienced His rest? Have you experienced the peace that is beyond all understanding, or are you still experiencing anxiety, depression, stress, etc.? I want to share with you that no matter what comes against you, you can rise up beyond your circumstance.
The foundation that you live from is how you will respond to life’s challenges. Let me explain. If your life has Jesus as a foundation, nothing that this world throws at you will effect you. These storms that come can’t shake you off of that foundation. Now if you build your life, saved up for retirement, having all the luxuries of this world, when the storms of this world hit, all that you have built will come to nothing. You have built your life on the things of this world rather than God. It’s the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches that cause you to labor and be heavy laden.
Satan goes around like a roaring lion seeing whom he can devour. Are you one whom he has devoured? Has he sunk his teeth in to making you like him? Are you a sinner as he is? What burdens has he enticed you with where you have bought into the lies? Remember that the world as you know it is a lie! Don’t believe me? Does this earth look like Heaven to you? In Heaven there is no sickness or disease. Does love rule over the earth as God is Love? This place is a testing ground to see how you will live and how you react to situations. Will your life reveal that it’s built on a rock and you live in Jesus’ rest, or are you heavy laden by what this world teaches you?
The very next verse after heavy laden and I will give you rest is; Matthew 11:29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. How many of you have taken Jesus’ yoke and learned from Him? What is His yoke? Let me tell you what it is. Romans 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
When you take Jesus’ yoke upon you, it is His Righteousness that you are taking. Everywhere you go you get to exercise His Righteousness as he is the King of Righteousness. The scepter of the Kingdom of God is righteousness. Hebrews 1:8 But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;
A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness;
Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”
There are two people I want to look at and how they reacted at the point of death. As you are reading this, can you react as they did? The first is Jesus. What did He say when He was on the cross? Luke 23:34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Now many will use the excuse that this was Jesus and we won’t be able to achieve that. Let me tell you, you are wrong! The second is Stephen. That’s right Stephen! What did he say at the point of death? Acts 7:59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. They both loved not their lives to death, do you? Who’s yoke are you carrying, Jesus’ or this world?