WHEN THE MOUNTAIN DOESN’T MOVE: PART II
1. In this lesson, we want to continue our discussion of why the mountain doesn’t move when you pray.
a. Jesus said in Mark 11:23 that we can move mountains with our faith.
b. Everyone of us has no doubt had an experience where we spoke to the mountain and it didn’t move.
2. As we said in the last lesson, without a revelation from God, I cannot tell you why your mountain did not move.
a. But, mountain moving faith is very specific, and certain elements must be present if your mountain is going to move.
b. If one of those elements is missing, your mountain will not move.
3. We can examine these elements, and perhaps you can determine why your mountain didn’t move.
1. The purpose of mountain moving faith is to change something in your physical circumstance.
a. That is what Jesus did in His demonstration of faith in Mark ll:12-14
b. It is used to fulfill or correct a physical need.
c. It seems to be used most often in the areas of healing and financial need.
2. The point of mountain moving faith is to see God’s will come to pass in your circumstance.
a. You know what His will is.
b. You get into agreement with Him and express your agreement.
c. Then God brings His will to pass = the mountain moves (things change).
3. Mountain moving faith cannot be exercised if you do not know if it is God’s will for your circumstance to change.
a. Mountain moving faith will not work if God has not promised you what you desire; you must have scripture.
b. Mountain moving faith will not work if you do not know what god has promised.
c. The root of mountain moving faith is confidence that what God has already promised to do, He will do.
d. If you do not know whether or not it is God’s will to heal you, you cannot have / exercise mountain moving faith for healing.
4. In the last lesson, we said these elements must be present in order for you to effectively exercise mountain moving faith:
a. You must know what faith is.
b. You must know that every believer has faith, but that your faith must grow and develop.
c. You must know God’s will in / for your situation before you can exercise mountain moving faith.
d. You must be fully persuaded (completely convinced) that what God has promised, He will do.
e. There must be a past tense element to your faith.
1. God has spoken, so it is as good as done.
2. Lottery example.
5. In this lesson, we want to focus on:
a. What is it that people have when they think they have mountain moving faith, but don’t?
b. Some general facts about mountain moving faith.
1. Heart faith will move mountains; head faith will not. Mark 11:23
a. Head faith = believes because it sees and feels
b. Heart faith = believes because God says even when there is no physical evidence.
2. When you say: I prayed, but I’m not healed (the mountain didn’t move). Why? That is head faith!
a. You are basing what you believe about your condition on how you feel, and that is walking by sight.
b. The basis on which you prayed was — I’ll know I’m healed when I feel better.
3. When you say: I know the Lord is going to heal me = that is head faith!
a. How will you know when you are healed? When I feel better!
b. Then your evidence will be sight, and that is walking by sight. (And that is not faith.)
c. John 20:29 — Thomas’s evidence that Jesus was risen was sight (what he could see and feel).
d. Jesus said that was not faith.
4. Heart faith believes because God says.
a. It does not need any physical evidence. The centurion in Matt 8:5-13
b. It only needs to know God has spoken. Rom 4:21
1. Abraham was fully persuaded that what God had promised, He would do.
2. Physical evidence that said it wasn’t so was an irrelevant detail. Rom 4:19
5. Yes, but I know I’m fully persuaded; I just want to know why God hasn’t done it.
a. That is head faith, not heart faith.
b. You are basing what you believe about your situation on what you see and feel.
c. You’ll know it’s done when you see it.
d. Heart faith knows it is done because God has spoken.
6. It takes time for this kind of faith to grow and develop.
a. If you do not feed on God’s Word, it will not develop.
b. Matt 17:14-21 The disciples could not move the mountain because of unbelief.
1. They had the power / authority to do it. Matt 10:1
2. It was God’s will for it to be done because Jesus did it. 17:18
c. Jesus told them their unbelief would go only with prayer and fasting.
1. Prayer and fasting don’t remove devils — the name of Jesus does. Mark 16:17; Luke 10:17; Phil 2:10
2. Prayer and fasting = setting aside time with the Lord to change you; to develop your faith.
d. Prov 4:20-22 tells us God’s Word functions as medicine if we use it rightly.
e. Joshua 1:8; Ps 1:1-3 tell us the one who meditates in God’s Word will be a success at what he does — including moving mountains.
1. Lack of knowledge of God’s Word is an enemy of faith.
2. Faith grows as our understanding of God’s Word grows. Rom 10:17
1. Sincerity; deep commitment to the Lord
a. We have made the point that mountain moving faith is not the same thing as commitment to the Lord (faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord).
b. The disciples were totally committed to the Lord, but were often rebuked by Jesus for their lack of faith. Mark 10:28; Matt 17:20
c. The centurion, who was commended for his great faith was not even a follower of Jesus. Matt 8:10
2. Head faith instead of heart faith.
3. Hope — I believe the Lord is going to do it some day.
a. That is future; there must be a past tense element to your faith.
b. When Jesus taught about mountain moving faith, He said in Mark 11:24 we must believe we receive at the time we pray.
1. We accept the fact that God has spoken (past tense).
2. Because we have His Word, it is as good as gone; we will see results.
3. Past tense = God has spoken
4. Future results = I will see / feel
c. Faith receives; faith takes; faith possesses.
d. If someone said: I know the Lord is going to save me someday, you’d immediately correct his thinking, speaking, and believing.
4. A general faith in the power of God
a. Probably everyone who believes in God believes in the power of God, but that is not mountain moving faith.
1. God is a healer; I know God heals; I believe God can and does heal.
2. None of that is mountain moving faith,
b. A general believing in God’s power and promises must be personalized before it will move any mountains.
1. God has power to help me now; God is helping me now.
2. God has spoken about me, and it is as good as done.
c. Martha’s response to Lazarus’ death is a good example. John 11
1. She is a follower of Jesus (v27), yet in the crisis, her response was to blame God. v21
2. She makes the expected religious remarks when Jesus comes. v22,24
3. But what does she really believe about her current situation?
a. When Jesus orders the stone removed from Lazarus’ tomb, her first words were not “Oh, goody!”, they were: he stinks! v39
b. v40 According to Jesus, she is not in faith.
4. Jesus raised Lazarus, not because of her faith, but in spite of it.
a. Jesus demonstrated mountain moving faith — you have heard me. v41
b. He was not happy with the “faith” of these people.
c. v33;37 He groaned = to snort with anger; to have indignation
1. Remember, your faith cannot override another person’s will.
a. If that were so, we could use this to get everyone saved.
b. Your faith will always work for you and your young children.
c. You can only use it for others when you have their complete agreement.
2. You do not know where your faith is until it is tested.
a. You don’t know how strong your belief is until it is challenged.
b. You do not know how much you believe in healing until you get sick.
c. Often times we think we are farther along in our faith than we actually are.
1. Don’t be discouraged; we all have room for growth.
2. Perhaps if you had not attempted to exercise mountain moving faith you would have been sick for 10 days instead of
d. We must be willing to examine our own faith.
1. When it doesn’t work, we tend to water down God’s promises rather than look at ourselves.
2. What if the disciples had said to Jesus in Matt 17 — Why couldn’t we do this? And, don’t tell us our faith is the problem.
3. There must be a persistence to your faith (you don’t give in until the mountain moves).
a. How bad do you really want what you are believing for?
b. Abraham had to persist for 25 years, and each day took him further away from his desire according to sight. What if he had quit in the 10th year?
c. There is an element of digging your heels in — you don’t try this, you do it.
1. You just keep walking; you endure until you see the fulfillment of God’s promise to you.
2. That is called patience. Heb 6:12
4. Sin in your life can keep you from moving mountains.
a. Part of Jesus’s teaching on mountain moving faith includes the command to forgive. Mark 11:25
b. Worrying and complaining and mountain moving faith are mutually exclusive.
1. Worrying and complaining are sins. Phil 4:6; 2:14
2. Both get their information from what they see = walking by sight.
c. Jesus called worry little faith in Matt 6:30.
1. Worry = not expecting God to provide the basic necessities of life
2. If you don’t have confidence in Him to take care of you in the everyday, daily events of life, you will not be able to whip up mountain moving faith when the extra ordinary need comes up.
d. You must walk in daily, general faith in order to exercise mountain moving faith.
1. Daily, general faith is agreement with God: what He says about you and your life.
2. How do you talk about yourself, your life, and God when you aren’t in church?
a. What you don’t have? What is going wrong? (Without taking God into account)
b. What you see and feel rather than what God says?
3. Remember Martha? She was a worrier! Luke 10:41
5. Mountain moving faith must have corresponding actions. James 2:17-26
a. You can say you believe, but your words and actions demonstrate what you really believe.
b. Note the two examples given in James of faith and works.
1. Abraham and Rahab
2. Both of their actions and words demonstrated that they believed what God had told them.
c. Corresponding actions reveal where you are –especially what comes out of your mouth.
1. Mountain moving faith is based on confidence.
a. You know what God has promised you.
b. You believe it and then express your agreement by the way you talk and act.
c. God brings His will to pass.
2. If you do not know what God has promised, you will not be moving any mountains.
3. If you are not fully persuaded that what God has promised He will do, you will not be moving any mountains.
4. How do you know if you are fully persuaded?
a. Do you have corresponding actions?
b. What comes out of your mouth in the crisis?
5. Mountain moving faith is not a formula; it is about confidence in God who has revealed to us what He wants to do in our lives.
6. Examine your faith honestly.