The Power of the Holy Ghost


And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing (Isaiah 10:27).

God was giving this message to the Israelites concerning their enemies, the Assyrians. Through God’s anointing, the Assyrian yoke was to be broken. That same promise the Lord gave the Israelites so many years ago to break bondage is in effect for you today if you will accept it. First, however, you must learn to distinguish between God’s yoke and the yoke of Satan’s bondage. In the eleventh chapter of Matthew, Jesus tells you to take my yoke upon you…for my yoke is easy, and my burden light. If you will carry the yoke of Jesus, He promised you would learn of Him and find rest unto your soul. Unfortunately, Satan has fooled many, and the load they carry is a yoke of distress and bondage. The Lord’s yoke is one of love, understanding, security and protection—an easy yoke, one that makes the burdens light. Is your load so heavy you can scarcely breathe; does it seem to be taking the very life out of you? Check your yoke: is it the yoke of the Lord? If not, know that the anointing and the power of God are here to break that yoke for you.

Down through the ages God has proven Himself as a yoke breaker. He looked at His people in Egyptian bondage, knowing their yoke was not of Him. In slime pits the Israelites worked, making bricks for Pharaoh until their fingers were worn to nubs (according to Josephus). Adequate care was denied them; they had no freedom. The yoke they bore was severe, but God had promised Abraham hundreds of years earlier He would break that yoke and bring this people out of bondage into freedom.

It happened in that day that a man tried to bring deliverance to his people before the appointed time. Moses rose up to slay an Egyptian he had discovered beating a Hebrew; he sought to break the yoke without the anointing of God and it didn’t work. Later, through that anointing, Moses broke the whole yoke. Perhaps you have tried to break your own yoke, tried to bring deliverance to your life but failed because your efforts were not done through the anointing of God. Moses, attempting to break the yoke of bondage in his own strength, was defeated and fled from Egypt in fear for his life. I’m sure he was disheartened and disgusted at his rejection by the Israelites whom he was trying to help, probably thinking he wanted nothing more to do with them. Years later, under the anointing of God, we see Moses standing before Pharaoh saying, “Let my people go!” God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. At times the devil is allowed to come rushing toward us so that God can show His greatness, His mighty power. Fear not; hide the promises of God in your heart; know that God walks with you, that the power of the Spirit is upon you and within you if you have yielded to Him. He walks with you all the way if you love Him with your whole heart. He promised never to leave or forsake you: hold to the Word of God. God honors faith wherever He finds it. Faith is what God can work with—not hope or doubt, but with FAITH He does His great work; He said His people would live by faith. Have faith in the anointing that breaks the yoke.

The Financial Yoke
What is your yoke? Is it a financial one? That yoke can be broken. God gave a financial plan over seven hundred years before the Law and it has never been changed. Abraham at that time paid tithes. Five hundred years before the Law, Jacob was a tither; God prospered both of them. Give, and it shall be given unto you, the Lord said (Luke 6:38). Faith for the finances must be used the same way you use faith for salvation, healing or the baptism of the Spirit. Don’t wait until God first gives to you; He said to give and it would be given in return. When you have taken God as your partner, obeyed Him, then you can let Him know you are expecting a good return, expecting your needs to be supplied. The Bible tells of how Elijah was fed by the birds during a famine. Anyone with that kind of faith could have stayed where he was for the duration of the famine, but God moved on him to leave for a purpose. The brook dried up and, one morning, the birds failed to come. Then the Lord told Elijah, Arise, get thee to Zarephath…I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee (I Kings 17:9). God was providing that widow a chance to give to Him that He might give to her. He would ask her to give all and if she did, great blessings were to follow. Elijah said to her, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand (verse 11).

And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die (verse 12). What a bleak outlook! When you’re down that low, you may just as well give your last morsel to God because you’ll soon meet Him. Would you have baked that cake for Elijah; would you have given God a chance? God doesn’t want you to wait until you are out of debt before you pay your tithes and love offerings. God said if you fail in your tithes and offerings that you have robbed Him. Bring ye all the tithes…prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to...