Tag Archives: doubt

Speak To Your Mountains

12 Saturday Mar 2011

Posted by in Faith and Wisdom

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Move your mountains (obstacles), and don’t try to climb them….

Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, ‘Why couldn’t we drive it out?’  He replied, ‘Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.’ (Matthew 17:19-20, NIV; cf. Matthew 21:21-22; Mark 11:22-24; and Luke 17:6).

Why do believers preach, teach, sing and write about seeking God for the strength to climb their MOUNTAINS, when Jesus the Christ never taught us to do any such thing? Indeed, He told us that even FAITH that is as small as a mustard seed is FAITH that’s powerful enough for us to say to our MOUNTAINS, “Move from here to there,” and they will move.

In this world, both the saved and the unsaved people will go through seasons when life’s challenges will seem to be overwhelming. Now, while the unsaved usually will respond in ungodly ways to those circumstances and situations that occur during their overwhelming seasons, the absolute truth is that believers (saved individuals) should not be responding to their circumstances and situations in ways that might suggest they are not saved. In other words, God’s  children should never give in to the temptation to talk about how BAD their problems are, or about how HARD it is for them to climb the rough side of their mountains.

Basically, a mountain (problem) is a barrier, meaning anything in this world that keeps believers from completing God’s Will. Naturally and spiritually speaking, a  mountain is anything that slows down or impedes believers’ progress in the Kingdom of God!

Therefore, it is not enough that believers talk to their mountains about how BIG their God is. It will not do believers any good to declare to their mountains that they serve a mighty BIG God, if believers do not have the FAITH to respond to their mountains the way the Word of God says they should do?

The harsh reality is the knowledge about how BIG their God is, in and of itself, will not produce the overcomer’s results that Jesus the Christ says people of faith should achieve. Then too, praying and fasting will not move any mountain, either. For sure, the Lord also never told believers to pray, in the “churchy” way, to God about their mountains, or to fast, in the “churchy” way, so that their mountains will be removed. Why not? Well, it simply is because prayer and fasting ONLY deal with unbelief, or the lack of confidence in God’s Word (cf. Matthew 17:15-21; Mark 9:23-29). Thus, believers’ lack of faith is the main reason why most mountains in their lives never seem to go away, and/or never seem to stay away once they do leave!

Without a doubt, it is our faith that moves God, and not our knowledge of how Big He is, or our knowledge about all things being possible with Him, or our fasting and praying. The Lord COMMANDS us to speak to (COMMAND) our mountains, in His name (authority). Now, since God already has given us our measure of faith, it then is our responsibility to speak to our mountains (to tell them specifically and clearly to MOVE), instead of trying to use our words about how BIG our God is to intimidate our mountains, or instead of trying to climb our perilous mountains by enduring each tortuous journey a few footholds at a time, or, lastly, instead of trying to pray and fast them away.

Now, it does not matter whether believers’ measure of FAITH is the size of a mustard seed or a mustard bush. What really matters to God is that whenever believers DOUBT (don’t have 100 percent trust in Him or in His Word), they cancel out their measure of FAITH. For sure, FAITH and DOUBT cannot occupy the same space at the same time!

The Divine Truth is that God, by way of Jesus the Christ’s atoning sacrifice, has given believers the supernatural power of His Holy Spirit and His sovereign permission and authority to use this power. Thus, His God-given power is demonstrated when believers use His God-given authority, and His God-given authority becomes evident when believers speak His Word! For these reasons, born again Holy Spirit baptized believers ALWAYS should do what Jesus the Christ has commanded them to do about their mountains: They should speak to their MOUNTAINS and tell them to move, and then believe in their hearts that their mountains “will move” (Matthew 17:20b, NIV). As Jesus the Christ also says: “Everything is possible for one who believes” (Mark 9:23, NIV).

Please read my blog entry: Fast And Pray To Remove Sensual Unbelief.

Doubt NOT…Fear NOT…Don’t Look Back

11 Sunday Jan 2009

Posted by in Devotional

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For those of you who may not know, it is possible to have faith in Jesus the Christ and still have unbelief. No one demonstrates this truth better than the very strong willed and vociferous Simon Peter. Like this Peter, who believes in God and Christ, yet shows unbelief during his walking on water fiasco, too many of us who confidently profess our belief in God and Christ will speak or show unbelief when we are in situations that stretch our minds beyond our intellectual capacities.

Therefore, it is never enough for us to say that we believe, if we cannot display that belief by stepping out of our boats (comfort zones), without looking back at the blustering wind and roaring waves, and acting afraid. Simon Peter steps out of his boat, but then with fear, he looks back at his natural world instead of looking ahead with faith in his supernatural Creator. Even though Christ who just fed thousands of people with a few loaves of bread and fish is the One walking on the water toward His disciples’ boat, Peter still demonstrates unbelief.

Although Peter begins to walk on the water toward his Lord and Savior, he still lets his natural senses override the supernatural occurrence taking place–he begins to fear the wind and the waves more than he reveres the Creator of them. Thus, because of his unbelief, Peter loses his spiritual insight about Christ, and then he sinks! When we are convicted in our spirits that the Lord will see us through our storms, and are certain, without ever fearing that we surely will drown, then we really believe. Although Christ will reach out his hand to us and save us, as He does for Peter, He wants us to believe that, if we never doubt the supernatural that is working through Him, He will keep us safe from ever having to sink!

Sink, swim, or walk on water. It’s our choice, true, but the point of this walking on water fiasco is that it didn’t have to be a fiasco. If Peter had an unreserved trust that was void of any doubt (unbelief), he could have continued doing the supernatural! We, too, can do the supernatural, as long as we do not doubt the power and authority that we have in us, nor doubt the omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence of the Sovereign One who gives us His power and authority! AMEN.

“And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?“ (Matthew 14:31, KJV).