Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. -Hebrews 11:1
Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, …ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. Matthew 21:21
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Learn how to defeat doubt and strengthen faith to cultivate a resilient spirit and transform your challenges into victories.
Does mountain-moving faith seem impossible to you?
The word ‘mountain’ is a little interesting. It can mean- to rise or rear. So this verse is saying we, through faith, can ‘move’ something that’s rising or rearing up. Interesting, huh? Mountains in the Bible often is symbolic of nations. Our prayers could even sway the results of an election!
What if it has taken a while? What if you’ve started to doubt? What if your faith is starting to get shaky?
What if you feel God isn’t listening to your prayers and you feel He’s a million miles away?
Maybe you’re weary with waiting on the Return of the Lord. Maybe you find yourself feeling the need to prepare spiritually for not allowing yourself to be moved as this wait intensifies?
Doubt and lack of faith are something we’ve all experienced. I’ve found that I have to check myself when faith seems weak, because…
There is a way to build your faith back up- if you want it!
There are ways to tear down your doubts- if you want it!
The Bible has a very simple answer, and it won’t take a lot of work on your part to get started.
Romans 10:17 tells us where faith comes from. Faith comes by hearing. Hearing what? The Word of God.
A simple and easy way to start defeating doubt and strengthening your faith, is simply listening to God’s Word. And what a wonderful supply of ways we have to do that these days! We have endless varieties of sermons, audio Bibles, Scriptures set to music and more, to help us accomplish getting to “hear”. We can also get the live action hearing, by gathering with the body of believers on the first day of the week as commanded.
God chose your ears to be the tool to build your faith. All you need do, is hear.
Precious soul, this is God’s Word, and if you will put in practice “hearing the Word”, you will see your faith liven up again.
Want more? Want the mountain-moving faith? The faith that sees things rearing up and and can, through faith, move them?
Remember Jacob?
In Genesis 32:26 Jacob said; I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
Jacob wrestled all night, had his hip out of joint, and still cried out that he would not let go until God blessed him.
Have you wrestled through the night lately, refusing to leave your knees until God blessed you?
Sometimes we have not because we ask not. (James 4:2)
Can I tell you, that any night of my 33 years of knowing Him, no matter how far away He seemed or how small my faith was, if I went into my ‘prayer closet’ and determined not to come out until He blessed me-He did!
He is the Author of our faith! And He loved us so much that He wrote out instructions and examples of what we need to do for every need we have- including more faith!
Jeremiah 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
That is your written guarantee from the Lord. Seek (with all your heart) and you will find Him. When you go through this process, you will absolutely find that your faith grows as He proves faithful to His Word, to be found when you seek.
Here is another tip to stir up your faith. 2 Peter 3:1 says; …I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
By way of remembrance. Your memory.
Remember what He has done. Consider writing it out and keeping a list somewhere of answered prayers. In the back of your Bible is a fantastic place to keep records of God’s faithfulness to you. Read it when you go to pray with small faith about a matter. Read it after you’ve prayed about something that you still feel is impossible. Study on the marvelous things He’s done in your life and don’t neglect the refreshing of the impossible things He did throughout the Bible for ordinary people like us. He is still the same God! Remember.
Once your faith is back to being nourished, funny things may happen. You might start to consider that God can change your perspective about the mountains that you’re praying to be removed because at times, they are tools He might use. I can tell you from experience, sometimes we don’t understand why things were ‘not moving’ until many years later. Sometimes what seems like a horrible monstrous mountain that really aught not be there- is holding back an even uglier something that you would not believe!
When your faith is healthy, your trust in God deepens and you trust Him more with things you cannot understand.
When our faith is healthy, we also see more of what we cannot, without Him. Sometimes the mountain has been moving but our doubt and lack of faith kept us from seeing it or realizing what was happening.
One more possibility about the mountain verse: Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, …ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. Matthew 21:21
If mountain in this verse also relates “to rise, or rear”, this could imply catching it in it’s early formation and if that be so, something that’s just starting is going to be less a bother than something well-established. Once a ‘mountain’ is well established in someone’s life, there’s roots and strongholds. The same grace and time that God gave you to pull up some of your roots, He may be granting to another. He knows all things and the effects on all involved, and He is merciful.
It is important to focus on God and His Word as the source of our faith, not the mountains that we see. Faith comes by hearing, not seeing! (Although it is a blessing when we do get to see!)
And lastly, be careful not to have, faith in your faith, but rather have faith in Your Loving God Who absolutely can move mountains in all their stages; roots, strongholds and all. He is the King of kings, Lord of lords, and the creator of all things!
And don’t forget- if you need more faith…
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