Mark 11:22-24 – “So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God.  23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.  24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”  NKJV

Somebody asked me, “Are you going to give a Halloween devotional?”  My answer was, “NO!  I don’t do Halloween.”  I choose to focus on the LORD and His Kingdom, not the things of darkness except to expose them.  

In many ways, this text is a perplexing one that many Christians have attempted to achieve and failed miserably.  All of us face mountains from time to time and all of us would like to be able to remove those barriers that hinder our progress in life, right? 

To the people of Judah, in Jesus’ day, a mountain represented any hindrance to their progress.  Therefore, when Jesus told them they could have whatever they said and included the visual of the mountain they could readily, identify with what He was teaching.  How many actually believed Him is quite another story.

I would suggest there are some rules or serious considerations for ‘moving a mountain’ in our lives.  I believe it is important to understand the hindrance we are trying to remove or move and how it came to be. 

For example, if you have created a financial mountain through a lack of wisdom and discipline you will find it quite stubborn in its resistance to your commands to be removed.  If your mountain is physical sickness and you have maintained an unhealthy lifestyle failing to eat, exercise, and rest properly that mountain will be quite stubborn when you speak to it.  I would suggest that UNTIL you take proper steps to correct those root problems you will not be successful in removing them.

Let me give you a few simple rules regarding ‘Moving a Mountain.”

• Do Not Build The Mountain In The First Place.

God may not allow us to be mountain movers if we are continuously in the process and habit of mountain building.  Praying for the mountain to move will not work if we are, at the same time, responsible for their creation.  I have witnessed some get healed physically, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually when they removed resentment and bitterness from their hearts.  (The Lord removed them through repentance).  

I have witnessed financial miracles when the root of jealousy, greed, covetousness, and envy was rooted out.  I have seen lives move from struggle to spiritual peace when the bad company was eliminated from the associations.

• It Is Critical To Know That What You Are Saying Is Correct.

Jesus did not say that we were to pray and then hope that God will remove the mountain.  No, he said we are to believe and expect the mountain to be removed. 

I am reminded of the story of the woman who heard the preacher preach from this passage and there was a mountain near her house that she had to go around to get to town, so she went home and commanded the mountain to be removed.  The next morning and said, “Just as I thought, still here!”   That is expectation wrongly applied! 

Jesus said that the person who says to the mountain ‘be removed’ will get what he speaks if he does not doubt ‘in his heart.’  Therein is the rub.  We have the promises of God and proclaim and claim them but in our hearts, we doubt them.  The heart is the residence of doubt and the residence of faith.  It depends on what we allow in our hearts and minds. 

Doubt can be dealt with and overcome with knowledge.  The more I know the less I doubt.  It is valuable for us to examine our hearts and lives to see if we are creating the very mountains we are trying to remove.  If we are then we need to take steps to correct our actions.  Then, believe God’s promise that we can identify that mountain, speak to it through His authority and see it crumble before us.

I am not suggesting that whatever you say regardless, you get it.  I am saying that if you face mountains, not of your creation God has given us a promise that if we trust Him that mountain can be and will be removed!  

God bless you as you go through this day!