When I was a lost man still clinging to my autonomy, ruling my own life, cherishing the sin which was destroying me…I often prayed to God. Looking back on those years, it seems ironic that I would request, sometimes demand, favor from the very God I was rejecting but something inside of me knew that He was my eventual and only hope. Those prayers were not honoring to Him. They were all me-focused. All of them. I was a staggering pagan, indulging all his physical desires and yet when I found myself trembling and alone, all I really wanted was God to come and help me. Eventually I asked Him for mercy and requested that He remove the mountain of my guilt. On a Thursday morning in early August of 1994 God did exactly that. He’s been moving mountains for me ever since and my prayer is that He will continue to do so until the last mountain that remains before me is the mount of His Kingdom which shall never be moved.
“Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” – Matthew 17:19-20 {ESV}
I’ve been redeemed for over eighteen years and, until the last twelve months or so, I’ve never spoken to my intimidating mountains in person. I’ve been affiliated with Baptists ever since I was saved (though from what I understand I’m not a very orthodox Baptist). My Pentecostal friends have been barking at mountains forever but, truth be known, I’ve historically felt it to be a little awkward to consider speaking to obstacles, circumstances, spiritual enemies and elements of Kingdom resistance. I suppose I have been a little high-brow in my approach to spiritual warfare. I prefer reason. Talking to God and applying the biblical injunctions to allow Him to fight my battles has always seemed more befitting for me. Does not God command us to call on Him for divine aid? Did He not commit to fight our battles for us? My main reservoir for strength and victory has been a steadfast prayer life and I delight in talking with God and intuiting His voice as He communicates back to me. Prayer is good. Prayer is commanded. Prayer humbles me and exalts God. Quite frankly, prayer works really well. Mountains crumble, enemies fall, circumstances often change, my vision of God increases, spiritual confidence enlarges and I trust that prayer will characterize my journey until the ultimate destination is reached. Can’t I just talk to God about the things that oppose and intimidate me? Can’t I just pray about these things?
But Jesus taught His stagnant disciples that the reality of their faith would occasionally manifest itself in them talking, not to God about the mountain, but to the mountain itself. What do you think about that?
I hear a hundred dyed-in-the-wool Baptists clicking the X in the upper right hand corner of their computer screen. Relax, folks. I’ve not lost my mind and I think it would be incredibly irresponsible of the followers of Jesus to gloss over what the Savior was teaching His followers in those verses from Matthew 17 above. Sometimes God wants us to be humble and yielded, waiting upon Him to do what only He can do. Other times He is pleased when we boldly size up what is opposing us and decree that it will not be allowed to prevail. We who love the written Word are the most susceptible to reduce the Christian life to the art of mastering a Book and getting PhD’s in knowledge. We may negligently dismiss the spiritual, the supernatural. You may not approve of my verbiage here but let us remember that the Christian life is a supernatural life. Though it is often reasonable, faith is not originated in reason. Though our trust in God produces visible results, the means to those results are primarily invisible. We are people of a Kingdom that is not globally recognized because it is globally unseen – the very context of our true citizenship rests in the realm of the supernatural. So the Son of God tells us on occasion to give ourselves over to Him in ways that embarrass the flesh. ‘Speak to mountains…’, Jesus says. We prefer to speak to Him about the mountains because that makes more sense to us. He says further, ‘Tell it to get out of your way…’ We shuffle our feet because this is getting a little embarrassing. Jesus doesn’t stop talking as He continues to press home the point by saying, ‘That opposing giant of a mountain will obey your voice. Nothing is impossible.’
So now we get to decide if we will take the One who is called Truth at His word. We get to choose whether we will make His statements something other than they are. We get to find out if we care more about reputational dignity, denominational loyalty above obedient faith in the King who never lies to us. We get to decide how desperate we are for the mountain to be removed. He will likely bring you to the point of agonizing so powerfully over something in your life that you hear Him say, “I’m with you. Tell that intimidating Giant that you are evicting him. He will crumble at your voice. I promise you, child.” I know you have prayed for God to move it for you… but have you spoken to that unauthorized thing in your life that continues to impose itself on you? Have you told it leave you alone?
I have. Many times. And it works because Jesus Christ my Lord authorizes it.
Wow, Pastor Jeff; how well put. My family has been under so much warfare in the past 3 yrs that we feel worn out at times but can definitely relate to your message. We have experienced so many blessings from GOD that we stay humbled with tears of joy. We definitely know that praying in the faith and with power and with fasting that our GOD, the GOD of Abraham,Jacob, and Issac is all powerful,all knowing and full of love,mercy and grace on our behalf. It is hard for me to accept that kind of love and acceptance without works because my earthly father was a good man and hardworking but alcohol consumed him daily except on Sundays when then he listened to preaching on the radio and was very quiet; unlike the dad I saw during the week days. So Thank You for your guidance,and your boldness in the messages you post. Keep listening to God and not man. This day and time we are in,need of Christians that know how to put their armor on and not afraid to fight the war we are all in daily for our minds, our bodies, and our souls.
I like that Dad. Reminds me of Chambers’ statement on controlling things we understand. So we seek to understand EVERYTHING. That’d be me! : )
My premise is that, though God’s children, we retain our fear-based natural responses to life’s challenges. That said, the appeal of study and prayer alone is not surprising. Both are safe activities; Scripture doesn’t attack us and neither does our God when we pray. In short, we feel safe. Speaking to mountains, however, is a bit different. What if it doesn’t move? What if it crumbles at my word but falls down on me? Speaking to mountains entails personal risk, or so it seems. That risk demands courage. That’s why study and prayer can seem like a much better approach…they are safe and, therefore, so are we. May we all be courageous.
I cherish the Bible as it divides my soul and shapes my thoughts and actions, refining my prayers and separating me from denominational habits I lazily followed for decades. I have been a “name it claim it”, doused in 40 weight oil, charismatic. I have been a nothing but study, pray and hold my breath white knuckler. Both failed. Neither was based on humbled relationship with God.
What I glean -as always-from what you share- is if it is in the Word, it is Truth.
I believe the key is in what you wrote…”how desperate are you”. When my best efforts and prayers leave me the same as I began, that is when I speak to the mountain. I once argued against this “take away my problem” type prayer. A wise Marine grinned and said, “ok, you can keep them if you want them”, then walked away.
You are right on that point, and I’d rather be biblical than Baptist any day!