Prayer - Releasing The Burden Series

Prayer - Releasing to the Lord

Theme: To show how prayer takes the burden off of us and places it in God's hands.

Text: Matthew 11:28 - 30

Introduction

This past Wednesday I opened the message by sharing my experience that morning. For those of you who were not there let me just share with you a revelation that the Lord reminded me of. As I was praying with some Pastors on Wednesday morning the Lord spoke to me and said, "This is what I want to do to many people. As you pray it removes the burdens from yourself and places them on me." There are many people who carry so much because they are not praying.

Matthew 11:28-30 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (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."

Matthew 11:28-30 MSG "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. (29) Walk with me and work with me--watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. (30) Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion?

Mt 23:4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

Pharisees

Matthew 23:15 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life.

God’s desire is that we come to Him. Get away with Him and spend some time with Him. Notice this promise that you will recover your life.

How easy it is to pick up and carry the burdens of this world.

2 Thessalonians 3:13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.

**Notes on this passage also found on the internest in a message "Unforced Rhythms of Grace" author unknown

Jesus said, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden..." The rules and expectations of religion often weigh a person down. I'm referring to the man-made, self-imposed rules of religion, not the instruction of God's Word. It's the duties of religion (with no grace) that wear people out.

I'll show you how to take a real rest.

Holy Spirit the Comforter

John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. (Joh 16:7)

“…So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty. Zechariah 4:6.

29 Walk with me and work with me--watch how I do it.

Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.

Unforced – not coherced, forced,

Rhythms – systems, routines, part of having grace.

Grace – that which we do not deserve or can earn.

But Jesus said, "I'll show you... Walk with Me and work with Me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace." Jesus had an unforced relationship with the Father. It wasn't based on duty or rules. He trusted the Father and the Father trusted Him. In the scriptures, we don't really see Jesus stumble (except for His honesty in the Garden of Gethsemane when He asked if the cup could be taken from him). Yet even this is a picture of unforced rhythms of grace.

I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. NKJV “My yoke is easy”

And notice He said, "I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you." Another translation says, "My yoke is easy and My burden is light." It's interesting that He used the word yoke. Dictionaries define it as an animal harness or restrictive burden. Yet He said His "yoke" (what we assumed to be a restrictive burden) is really very easy and light. Jesus was describing our assignment. His yoke is our assignment... what He's given us to do in life.