The Prayer of Commitment (the Yoke)
Chapter 9
Matthew 11:28-30 (KJV) 28 Come unto me, all ye that labour 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.
Today we are going to look at another kind of praying which the Bible talks about, Kenneth calls it—the prayer of commitment, it puts me more in mind of the yoke. First I want us to keep the thought in mind that Jesus admonished us to submit ourselves to Him, for true rest comes from serving Him, not ourselves in Matt 11:28. Then Paul touches on it in Philippians 4:6. Then Peter talks more about it in First Peter 5:7, where he said, “Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.”
So again, we begin with the thought process of we’re to put on the full armor of God. And then right afterwards Paul tells us to pray always. . .
Ephesians 6:18 (KJV) 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Ephesians 6:18 (AMP) 18 Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God's consecrated people).
Philippians 4:6 (KJV) 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Philippians 4:6 (AMP) 6 Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.
Philippians 4:6 (NLT2) 6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
Philippians 4:6
Note on Philippians 4:6
The Greek word “MERIMNAO,” which was translated “careful” in this verse, literally means “to be anxious about” (Strong’s Concordance). The New International Version translates it as “anxious.” The word “anxious” means “uneasy and apprehensive about an uncertain event or matter; worried.” This is a command for us not to be anxious about anything. How do we do that? This verse goes on to explain that we are supposed to take our needs and problems to the Lord in prayer. Anxious people are people who haven’t thrown their problems over on the Lord in prayer.
Notice that all our supplications are supposed to be made with thanksgiving. That’s very important. Sometimes people just tell the Lord all their problems and call that prayer. That’s complaining. But when we voice our needs to the Lord and wrap them in thanksgiving, that moves us over into the realm of faith. If there isn’t thanksgiving in every prayer we pray, then we aren’t abounding in faith (Colossians 2:7).
Paul said we were to give thanks when we make our requests to God. A request is something asked for but not yet received. We wouldn’t request something to happen that has already happened. So we are supposed to thank the Lord for doing things before He does them. That’s what the Bible calls faith.
Notice we are supposed to use prayer and supplication. Many people only think of prayer as supplication; i.e., asking for something. But the Greek word “PROSEUCHE,” translated “prayer” in this verse, means “prayer (worship)” (Strong’s Concordance). This is saying we need to be praising the Lord, which moves us into faith, and then make our supplication to the Lord.
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 19 at Philippians 4:6: Today we think of “careful” as meaning to be cautious, but nearly 400 years ago, when the King James Version was translated, it meant to be full of cares or anxiety. Paul was admonishing these Philippian believers, who had been worried about his imprisonment (Philippians 1:12) and Epaphroditus being sick (Philippians 2:25-26), to cast all their cares upon the Lord. There is no better way to do this than to rejoice in the Lord all the time. Rejoicing makes us focus our attention on the Lord and His promises instead of on our negative circumstances.
Note 20 at Philippians 4:6: Most believers realize that anxiety and worry are not good and try to avoid them, but most believers do not believe that it is possible to live a life totally free of care (see note 19 at this verse). Paul commanded us to be careful for nothing. That means there is nothing that we should be worried about. There are no limits to the peace of God.
Note 21 at Philippians 4:6: The way we keep from being careful (see note 19 at this verse) is to take our needs to the Lord in prayer and give thanks by faith that God has answered. Those who are still burdened have not totally cast their care over on to the Lord. “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7, emphasis mine).
Andrew Wommack's Living Commentary.
1 Peter 5:7 (KJV) 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
1 Peter 5:7 (AMP) 7 Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.
1 Peter 5:7 (NLT2) 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
1 Peter 5:7
Note on 1 Peter 5:7
1 Peter 5:6 speaks of humbling ourselves before the Lord. This verse speaks of how we do that: We cast all our cares on the Lord. If we are bearing care, we are walking in pride. We cannot be humble with worry and care in our lives. Those are sure signs that we are still leaning unto our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6) and trying to make things work by our own power.
Why is it that we can confidently cast all of our care upon the Lord? It’s because we know that He cares for us. “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).
Andrew Wommack's Living Commentary.
One of the first things we need to understand is HOW MUCH GOD CARES FOR US. The whole Bible tells us so, and we could spend forever just on His love. But I want to take a moment and look specifically at 1 Timothy 5:8 and Galatians 5:6
1 Timothy 5:8 (KJV) 8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
Remember our I ams? Who are we? We are joint heirs with Jesus. We have been adopted into the seed of Abraham. We are daughters of the Most High. Is God an infidel? I THINK NOT!
Galatians 5:6 (AMP) 6 For [if we are] in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith activated and energized and expressed and working through love.
God only demands our faith, and we express that faith through our love for Him. We express our love and trust in Him through the word of our testimony (every word out of our mouth, which is also is out of our heart), and through our praise and worship.
Proverbs 3:5-8 (AMP) 5 Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. 6 In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. 7 Be not wise in your own eyes; reverently fear and worship the Lord and turn [entirely] away from evil. 8 It shall be health to your nerves and sinews, and marrow and moistening to your bones.
Worry Hinders Your Prayers
Some people are praying about situations and feel they are getting nowhere. And yet, they don’t get an answer because they are not praying in line with the Word of God. They are not doing what God said to do about cares, anxieties, worries, and concerns. It is not going to do any good to pray concerning your cares, anxieties, worries, and your concerns unless you are going to do what God tells you to do about them.
Psalm 34:14-22 (AMP) 14 Depart from evil and do good; seek, inquire for, and crave peace and pursue (go after) it! 15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the [uncompromisingly] righteous and His ears are open to their cry.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their distress and troubles. 18 The Lord is close to those who are of a broken heart and saves such as are crushed with sorrow for sin and are humbly and thoroughly penitent. 19 Many evils confront the [consistently] righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
22 The Lord redeems the lives of His servants, and none of those who take refuge and trust in Him shall be condemned or held guilty.
Remember in the Prayer of Praise and Worship when we studied 2 Chronicles. . .
2 Chronicles 20:15 (NLT2) 15 He said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
Within the English language we often have sentences where “you” is just understood. That is happening in a couple of very important verses this week.
First Peter 5:7 “You must cast all your cares upon the Lord.” The Lord will not take them away from you. You must learn to give them to Him, cast them on Him. We have to learn to live (consistently) in an attitude of “God’s got this.” and “It’ll all work out in the end.”
Also in Philippians 4:6, “you” be careful for nothing, “you” don’t fret or have anxiety about anything. These are actions that we are to do, just like Psalm 37:5 the “you” is understood, and calls us to commit, to trust, to be confident. When we keep mulling over problems, we are not committed to the goodness of Almighty God.
Psalm 37:5 (AMP) 5 Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass.
You roll your cares upon Him. You commit your way to Him. If anything is plain in God’s Word, it is this: God does not want His children to be full of worry and anxiety, burdened down with the cares of life or bowed down with worry, anxiety, and concerns.
Cast Your Cares on the Lord Once and for All
If you are losing sleep, if you can’t eat, if you stress eat, any number of other things. . . then the Lord doesn’t have the problem anymore. You have it. You have taken it back. You remember my testimony of my Children’s Living Bible, and the front page being the 23rd Psalm with the picture of Jesus carrying the lamb on His shoulders. Look carefully at this Psalm. If you’ve not already done so, I highly encourage you to memorize this Psalm.
Psalm 23:1-6 (NLT2) 1 The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. 2 He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. 3 He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. 4 Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. 5 You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. 6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.
Worry Is a Sin
Matthew 6:25-33 (NLT2) 25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? 31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
“That is why”, “Therefore”, means because of what I’ve just told you. . . Remember that the Lord wants to dominate our thoughts.
Did you ever have a time when you were raising your children when they were scared, or they were obviously worried? “Mama, I hear coyotes, are the coyotes gonna get me? Mama, I’m afraid of the dark? Mama, is the boogie man going to get us?” “No, baby, it’s all ok. No, baby I’m not going to let anything or anyone get you.” I hope that like my children, that your children, once and for always, learned that you would do everything in your power to protect and care for them. Whose child are you? Is God an infidel? (1 Tim 5:8) I most certainly can assure you He is NOT.
When we understand how much God loves us, how much God cares for us, it becomes easy to encounter a problem, slide it over to Him and say God I know You’re bigger than this problem, and I thank You for that blessed assurance. I’m going to work, I’m going to rest, I’m going to eat, I’m going to love my family and my friends, and I’m trusting that You are doing what I can’t do. I’m trusting that You in Your Goodness and Your unfailing love have blessings coming my way that I cannot even fathom. I’m trusting that You are keeping me from evil.
Learning To Cast Your Cares Upon the Lord
The season of raising my children. . .
Every day was a borrowed day with Kyle (as it is with everyone else, we have no guarantee of tomorrow). Kyle KNEW Jesus. His older brothers. . .
Jesse’s trip to Europe after 9/11
You Can Cast Your Cares Upon the Lord
It is just amazing what the Lord can do with your problems when He has them. But as long as you are going to hold onto them, as long as you are trying to figure out how the Lord can work it out and trying to help Him work out your problems yourself, then He doesn’t have your problems—you have them. As long as you hold onto your problems, you are going to have them—the Lord won’t have them—and He’s not going to be able to help you do a single thing about them.
If the devil tries to bring a picture of your problem to your mind, put it out of your mind immediately and say, “No, I don’t have that, Mr. Devil. I don’t have a care. I have turned that over to the Lord. He has it.”
Psalm 121:3-4 (AMP) 3 He will not allow your foot to slip or to be moved; He Who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
Psalm 127:2 (KJV) 2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
Ephesians 1:6 (KJV) 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
I am accepted in the Beloved.
Remember who you are in Christ. . .
The casting your cares upon the Lord is a once-and-for-all proposition. So cast your cares once and for all upon the Lord. You can do it. There is no use saying you can’t. Some of you are saying in your minds that you can’t do this, but you can. The Lord wouldn’t tell you to do something you couldn’t do. As you learn to practice faith, your life can be beautiful and blessed. So purpose in your heart to practice God’s Word and to practice faith.
Let us pray, and there is no better time than the present to submit to God and to turn loose of all of your cares and sleep peacefully tonight. They are too heavy of a yoke for you to bear, but not for Him.
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