Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

“Come to me, all of you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke on you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to carry and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus was very clear about His location in this arrangement and where the Father was. A yoke to connect two animals was big. It lay over their shoulders. If they were unequally yoked it could put a strain on the yoke and it certainly put a strain on the animals. Injuries could result. The work gotten from them would certainly be inferior. And it would be likely that they were not going to achieve their goals. For Jesus to refer to this yoke as His meant that He was one of the animals. We are meant to be the other.

“I am able to do all things by the one who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). It is through Jesus that we access what we need to succeed. To be like Him on this earth (1 John 2:6; 1 Peter 2:21; Ephesians 5:1-2). We can be the same kind of beast in the yoke that He is because He is in us. To be able to imitate Him and do what He does. To be equally yoked when we’re totally dependent on Jesus for everything. There we are. Two beasts.

The Father is the driver. Jesus did NOTHING that wasn’t the Will of the Father (John 5:19). He took no action and said no word that didn’t point to His Father (John 17:1-3). That’s the point of miracles. To show the Lord’s power. How did Jesus walk on the water? It brought the Father glory. Can we do it? Yes, if it glorifies Him. That’s why it isn’t often done – but it HAS been done by believers. Why wasn’t it front page news? That wouldn’t glorify the Father. When it is a need, and when it glorifies the Father, ALL things are possible with Him (Matthew 19:26). ALL the things Jesus did (John 14:12-13). For ALL the same reasons and motivation too. That’s why the Father drives. He’s the one in charge. He’s the one who knows where we’re going (Matthew 24:36).

Where is Ruach HaKodesh in this? He’s the reins. He connects us to Jesus. He connects us to the Father. What do reins do? Provide direction. Provide correction. Guide. Lead. Set the pace. Keep us from rushing ahead or slowing down too much. That’s what the ministry of Ruach HaKodesh is all about. That’s how we operate. That’s why we listen. You’ll notice that there is no mention of whips, sticks, burrs, or goads. But there IS mention of a rod in the Word. “Your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4b). Rods were used to encourage the oxen to keep moving when they didn’t want to. Ruach HaKodesh certainly does that.

Ruach HaKodesh is also a teacher and instructor. It is how we learn how things work and what we can do and how we can do it. If we don’t know the laws of the Kingdom, how will we know how to operate between them? How will we know what promises are ours? How will we know we’re in Jesus’ covenant and what that means for us? “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6a). “but examine all things; hold fast to what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Ruach HaKodesh is here with us to remind us of all the Word has said, all the promises, all the things we can engage when we are loving and obedient to it. He is there to make sure we never forget and never fall back. All we need to do is listen and apply what He says.

While it is not painful or used in anger, how many times could we have avoided a rod by listening to the reins? He isn’t overly demonstrative. It isn’t so He can thump us one for not listening. It isn’t to trick us into a ‘lesson’. It isn’t for any of that. It’s because He is concerned about our motivation. When we care about someone, we listen to them. The more we care, the closer we listen. If we love Him and are obedient to Him, we’ll be listening to and for Him. He won’t HAVE to use a loud voice, a thundering attention getter, or a situation near-panic producing proportions to get us to focus. We’ll be listening. We’ll be making space for Him to speak. We’ll be attentive. And then we’ll obey. Delay is disobedience and I think we’re all guilty of that in one way or another. Remember, excuses don’t work. He knows what’s under His yoke, He knows what’s needed, and He knows what you can do. When He says jump, we say ‘Yes, Lord’ on the way down.

Ruach HaKodesh is not among us to prevent us from getting stuff done. Ruach HaKodesh is among us to help us succeed. To help us walk the path He helped to lay down. He’s here to correct us so that we’ll get it RIGHT, not to make us feel bad. To lift us UP, not to put us down. He’s the reins that connect us to ALL of God. He isn’t a whip of chastisement. That’s a lie to turn your healing into a stripe. It’s the OPPOSITE of what He was tasked to do. Stay in the yoke, don’t try to seize the reins, and let Him lead, guide, correct, and make us the best oxen we can be.

Daily Affirmation of the Goodness of Elohim: Psalm 103:8

“Yahweh is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in loyal love.” This verse alone is why there are still people on the face of the earth. If Adonai wasn’t slow to anger, we would all of us be dead. He is totally Righteous and we are totally NOT. His patience is beyond description. The abundance of His Love is unfathomable without the mind of Messiah in operation in us (1 Corinthians 2:16). We get feelings of murderous rage when someone cuts us off in traffic or someone steals our parking spot. Think of what He is capable of in comparison, and then see all the goodness and mercy that DRIPS throughout the Earth. God is a GOOD God.

Your Daily Confession of Elohim’s Goodness:

I taste and see that Yahweh is good; I am blessed because I take refuge in Him.

Psalm 34:8