Literally-speaking, a yoke is a wooden bar or frame by which two work animals (as oxen) are joined at their heads or necks for pulling a plow or load; a frame fitted to a person’s shoulders to carry a load in two equal portions; a clamp or brace that holds or unites two parts.
When we speak of a “yoke, it symbolically means that two can be joined together, and usually, the idea is to put two of the same together. However, there are many different kinds of yokes within society, and often the same kind are not joined together. For example, a camel and a cow; saved and unsaved; holy and unholy; and so on.
Ultimately, this yoke is a type of bondage, and there are so many things and people that are yoked together in our society today and it pulls us in different directions. So, even in businesses, we never truly have success unless the yoke is broken, and then you will have growth. If the yoke is not broken, then the growth will not be maintained.
Within each of us, there is a war taking place between the flesh and the spirit. Galatians 5:19–21 says: “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practise such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
This concerns the work of the flesh. However, the works of the Spirit according to Galatians 5:22–26 are as follow:
THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”
Fruit brings growth; flesh brings yoke/bondage. Whoever you are yoked to/with is whom you will serve, follow, and obey. For true growth to take place among individuals and within nations, then the yoke must be broken.
The only person to whom we are to be yoked is Jesus Christ.
Matthew 11:28–30 says, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”
Many that are struggling with the works of the flesh; if they would only accept Jesus’ yoke, then they would have peace, rest, and prosperity.
GROWTH
Growth means “the process of increase in physical size. Upward, growing, extension, widening, thickening, broadening. It also means growing physically, maturing mentally and spiritually, expansion, development, progress, and advancement. It further means the process of increase in the amount of value or importance.
We must fast earnestly and urgently in order to break the yoke. Isaiah 58 reminds us:
“Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the [c]heavy burdens, To let the oppressed, go free, And that you break every yoke?”
FASTING BREAKS THE YOKE
This fast can be done between 1 – 3 days from 6 am – 6 pm This will break the yoke of homelessness, poverty, crime, and violence within the nation and bring down strongmen and strongholds.
This fasting will also stop attacks on marriages; Generational Curses (curses that are passed on through the family lineage); as well as breaking the Bastard Curses; destruction of evil altars and shrines in your mother’s and father’s house. It also breaks altars that we have created from personal sins. It further brings down territorial spirits that have the people in bondage.
As you fast, it can pull down un-Godly agreements between/among nations, sever the bondage that the political system has placed the people under for generations; and also has the capacity to cut and sever unGodly agreements and unGodly laws.
It is critical that when we are under a yoke of bondage, we are aware that it limits our vision, causing pain and other unnecessary things upon individuals and nations.
The time has come to remove all yokes of bondage so that we can experience true growth.