Faith to Move Mountains

Matthew 17:14–20 NKJV

14 And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16 So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.” 17 Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

Faith to Move Mountains

HARNESSING THE POWER OF FAITH

IN OUR LIVES, WE ENCOUNTER MANY OBSTACLES. THESE OBSTACLES CAN BE PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, OR SPIRITUAL. THEY CAN BE AS TANGIBLE AS A MOUNTAIN OR AS INTANGIBLE AS A FEELING OF DESPAIR. YET, IN THE FACE OF THESE OBSTACLES, WE ARE NOT ALONE. WE HAVE A POWERFUL TOOL AT OUR DISPOSAL, A TOOL THAT CAN OVERCOME ANY OBSTACLE, NO MATTER HOW LARGE OR DAUNTING IT MAY SEEM. THAT TOOL IS FAITH.

FAITH IS NOT JUST A BELIEF IN SOMETHING UNSEEN. IT IS A DEEP, ABIDING TRUST IN THE POWER AND GOODNESS OF GOD. IT IS A CONVICTION THAT, NO MATTER WHAT WE FACE, GOD IS WITH US, GUIDING US, STRENGTHENING US, AND HELPING US TO OVERCOME. IT IS A CERTAINTY THAT, WITH GOD ON OUR SIDE, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE.

THIS IS THE FAITH THAT JESUS SPEAKS OF IN OUR PASSAGE TODAY.

IT IS A FAITH THAT CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS.

IT IS A FAITH THAT CAN HEAL THE SICK, CAST OUT DEMONS, AND TRANSFORM LIVES. IT IS A FAITH THAT, THOUGH IT MAY BE AS SMALL AS A MUSTARD SEED, IS MIGHTY IN ITS POWER.

NOW, LET'S CONSIDER THE FIRST ASPECT OF THIS FAITH.

IT IS A FAITH THAT IS ACTIVE, NOT PASSIVE. IT IS NOT A FAITH THAT SIMPLY BELIEVES IN GOD, BUT A FAITH THAT ACTS ON THAT BELIEF.

IT IS A FAITH THAT STEPS OUT IN TRUST, EVEN WHEN THE WAY IS UNCLEAR. IT IS A FAITH THAT, LIKE THE FATHER IN OUR PASSAGE, KNEELS BEFORE JESUS AND PLEADS FOR MERCY.

IT IS A FAITH THAT, DESPITE THE DOUBTS AND FEARS THAT MAY ASSAIL US, CHOOSES TO TRUST IN GOD'S POWER AND GOODNESS.

THE SECOND ASPECT OF THIS FAITH IS ITS RESILIENCE.

IT IS A FAITH THAT ENDURES, EVEN IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY.

IT IS A FAITH THAT, LIKE THE MUSTARD SEED, CAN WITHSTAND THE STORMS OF LIFE AND STILL GROW AND FLOURISH.

IT IS A FAITH THAT, EVEN WHEN FACED WITH FAILURE, AS THE DISCIPLES WERE IN OUR PASSAGE, DOES NOT GIVE UP, BUT CONTINUES TO TRUST IN GOD'S POWER.

THE THIRD ASPECT OF THIS FAITH IS ITS TRANSFORMATIVE POWER.

IT IS A FAITH THAT CHANGES US, FROM THE INSIDE OUT. IT IS A FAITH THAT, LIKE THE BOY IN OUR PASSAGE, BRINGS HEALING AND WHOLENESS.

IT IS A FAITH THAT, AS WE NURTURE AND CULTIVATE IT, GROWS AND BLOSSOMS, BEARING FRUIT IN OUR LIVES AND IN THE LIVES OF THOSE AROUND US.

THE FOURTH ASPECT OF THIS FAITH IS ITS POTENTIAL. IT IS A FAITH THAT, THOUGH IT MAY START SMALL, CAN GROW TO MOVE MOUNTAINS.

IT IS A FAITH THAT, LIKE THE MUSTARD SEED, MAY SEEM INSIGNIFICANT, BUT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME A MIGHTY TREE.

IT IS A FAITH THAT, AS WE NURTURE AND CULTIVATE IT, CAN ACCOMPLISH GREAT THINGS FOR GOD'S KINGDOM.

SO, AS WE CONSIDER THESE ASPECTS OF FAITH, LET US BE ENCOURAGED.

LET US REMEMBER THAT, NO MATTER WHAT WE FACE, WE HAVE A POWERFUL TOOL AT OUR DISPOSAL.

A TOOL THAT CAN OVERCOME ANY OBSTACLE, NO MATTER HOW LARGE OR DAUNTING IT MAY SEEM.

A TOOL THAT, THOUGH IT MAY BE AS SMALL AS A MUSTARD SEED, IS MIGHTY IN ITS POWER. THAT TOOL IS FAITH. AND WITH IT, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE.

HANDLING PERSONAL MOUNTAINS

IN THE MIDST OF OUR LIVES, WE ENCOUNTER MOUNTAINS. THESE MOUNTAINS, THESE CHALLENGES, THEY CAN SEEM DAUNTING.

JESUS TELLS US THAT IF WE HAVE FAITH AS SMALL AS A MUSTARD SEED, WE CAN SAY TO OUR MOUNTAIN, 'MOVE FROM HERE TO THERE,' AND IT WILL MOVE.

NOW, THIS ISN'T A LITERAL COMMAND. JESUS ISN'T TELLING US TO GO OUT AND START COMMANDING PHYSICAL MOUNTAINS TO MOVE.

NO, HE'S USING A METAPHOR.

THE MOUNTAINS HE'S TALKING ABOUT ARE THE CHALLENGES IN OUR LIVES, THE OBSTACLES THAT STAND IN OUR WAY.

AND SO, THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT OUR MOUNTAINS ARE NOT INSURMOUNTABLE.

THEY MAY SEEM BIG, THEY MAY SEEM DAUNTING, BUT THEY ARE NOT INSURMOUNTABLE. WITH FAITH, WE CAN OVERCOME THEM.

BUT WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE IN PRACTICE? HOW DO WE APPLY THIS TRUTH TO OUR LIVES?

FIRSTLY, WE NEED TO IDENTIFY OUR MOUNTAINS. WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES IN YOUR LIFE?

WHAT ARE THE OBSTACLES THAT ARE STANDING IN YOUR WAY?

THESE COULD BE ANYTHING FROM A DIFFICULT RELATIONSHIP, TO A CHALLENGING WORK SITUATION, TO A PERSONAL STRUGGLE OR ADDICTION. WHATEVER THEY ARE, THE FIRST STEP IS TO IDENTIFY THEM.

ONCE WE'VE IDENTIFIED OUR MOUNTAINS, THE NEXT STEP IS TO APPROACH THEM WITH FAITH.

THIS IS WHERE OUR SCRIPTURE PASSAGE COMES IN.

JESUS TELLS US THAT IF WE HAVE FAITH AS SMALL AS A MUSTARD SEED, WE CAN COMMAND OUR MOUNTAIN TO MOVE, AND IT WILL MOVE.

BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE FAITH AS SMALL AS A MUSTARD SEED?

A MUSTARD SEED IS TINY, ALMOST INSIGNIFICANT. AND YET, WHEN IT IS PLANTED, IT GROWS INTO A LARGE TREE.

IN THE SAME WAY, OUR FAITH MAY START SMALL, BUT IT CAN GROW INTO SOMETHING MUCH LARGER.

THIS BRINGS US TO OUR SECOND POINT.

WE NEED TO NURTURE OUR FAITH.

JUST LIKE A MUSTARD SEED NEEDS TO BE WATERED AND CARED FOR IN ORDER TO GROW, SO TOO DOES OUR FAITH.

WE NURTURE OUR FAITH THROUGH PRAYER, THROUGH READING AND MEDITATING ON GOD'S WORD, AND THROUGH FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHER BELIEVERS.

AS WE NURTURE OUR FAITH, IT GROWS.

AND AS IT GROWS, IT BECOMES STRONGER.

AND AS IT BECOMES STRONGER, IT BECOMES MORE CAPABLE OF MOVING MOUNTAINS.

BUT THERE'S A THIRD ASPECT TO THIS AS WELL.

NOT ONLY DO WE NEED TO IDENTIFY OUR MOUNTAINS AND APPROACH THEM WITH FAITH, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO ACT.

FAITH ISN'T JUST ABOUT BELIEVING, IT'S ALSO ABOUT ACTING.

IN THE ORIGINAL GREEK, THE WORD USED FOR FAITH IN THIS PASSAGE IS "PISTIS". THIS WORD IS USED THROUGHOUT THE NEW TESTAMENT, AND IT CARRIES WITH IT A SENSE OF ACTION.

James 2:17 NKJV

Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

IN JAMES 2:17, FOR EXAMPLE, WE READ THAT "FAITH BY ITSELF, IF IT IS NOT ACCOMPANIED BY ACTION, IS DEAD."

SO, FAITH ISN'T JUST ABOUT BELIEVING THAT GOD CAN MOVE OUR MOUNTAINS.

IT'S ALSO ABOUT TAKING ACTION, ABOUT DOING OUR PART.

THIS BRINGS US TO THE NEXT POINT. WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION. WE NEED TO DO OUR PART. THIS COULD MEAN TAKING STEPS TO MEND A BROKEN RELATIONSHIP, SEEKING HELP FOR A PERSONAL STRUGGLE, OR MAKING CHANGES IN OUR WORK SITUATION.

WHATEVER IT IS, WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION.

AND FINALLY, WE NEED TO TRUST.

WE NEED TO TRUST THAT GOD IS WITH US, THAT HE IS FOR US, AND THAT HE WILL HELP US TO OVERCOME OUR MOUNTAINS.

IN THE ORIGINAL GREEK, THE WORD USED FOR TRUST IN THIS PASSAGE IS "ELPIZO". THIS WORD IS USED THROUGHOUT THE NEW TESTAMENT, AND IT CARRIES WITH IT A SENSE OF HOPE AND EXPECTATION.

IN ROMANS 15:13, FOR EXAMPLE, WE READ THAT "MAY THE GOD OF HOPE FILL YOU WITH ALL JOY AND PEACE AS YOU TRUST IN HIM, SO THAT YOU MAY OVERFLOW WITH HOPE BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT."

SO, TRUST ISN'T JUST ABOUT BELIEVING THAT GOD CAN MOVE OUR MOUNTAINS.

IT'S ALSO ABOUT HAVING HOPE AND EXPECTATION, ABOUT KNOWING THAT GOD IS WITH US AND FOR US.

WE ALL HAVE MOUNTAINS IN OUR LIVES. BUT WITH FAITH, WE CAN OVERCOME THEM. WE NEED TO IDENTIFY OUR MOUNTAINS, APPROACH THEM WITH FAITH, NURTURE OUR FAITH, TAKE ACTION, AND TRUST IN GOD. AND AS WE DO THESE THINGS, WE WILL SEE OUR MOUNTAINS MOVE.

HOPE IN THE PROMISE OF MATTHEW 17:14-20

AS WE IMMERSE OURSELVES IN THE PROMISE OF MATTHEW 17:14-20, WE FIND OURSELVES STANDING AT THE FOOT OF A MOUNTAIN. THIS MOUNTAIN, HOWEVER, IS NOT A PHYSICAL ONE. IT IS A METAPHORICAL MOUNTAIN, A SYMBOL OF THE CHALLENGES WE FACE IN OUR LIVES. YET, THE MESSAGE OF THIS PASSAGE IS CLEAR: EVEN A LITTLE FAITH CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS.

THE FIRST THING WE MUST UNDERSTAND IS THE POWER OF FAITH. FAITH, AS SMALL AS A MUSTARD SEED, CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS.

THIS IS NOT A METAPHOR OR A FIGURE OF SPEECH. IT IS A LITERAL TRUTH. FAITH, IN ITS PUREST FORM, IS A FORCE OF NATURE, A POWER THAT CAN OVERCOME ANY OBSTACLE. IT IS A POWER THAT RESIDES WITHIN EACH ONE OF US, WAITING TO BE UNLEASHED.

THE MUSTARD SEED IS ONE OF THE SMALLEST SEEDS, YET WHEN IT IS PLANTED, IT GROWS INTO A LARGE TREE. SIMILARLY, OUR FAITH, NO MATTER HOW SMALL, CAN GROW AND ACHIEVE GREAT THINGS.

THIS GROWTH OF FAITH IS NOT A SUDDEN, MIRACULOUS EVENT. IT IS A GRADUAL PROCESS, A JOURNEY THAT REQUIRES PATIENCE, PERSEVERANCE, AND ABOVE ALL, TRUST IN THE PROMISE OF GOD.

A CHRISTIAN AUTHOR, ONCE SAID, "FAITH IS THE ART OF HOLDING ON TO THINGS YOUR REASON HAS ONCE ACCEPTED, IN SPITE OF YOUR CHANGING MOODS."

THE SECOND THING WE MUST UNDERSTAND IS THE ROLE OF ACTION IN FAITH.

FAITH IS NOT A PASSIVE STATE OF MIND. IT IS AN ACTIVE FORCE THAT PROPELS US TO TAKE ACTION.

IT IS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND OUR ACTIONS, THE FUEL THAT POWERS OUR JOURNEY TOWARDS THE FULFILLMENT OF GOD'S PROMISE.

FAITH WITHOUT ACTION IS LIKE A SEED THAT IS NEVER PLANTED. IT REMAINS DORMANT, NEVER REALIZING ITS POTENTIAL TO GROW AND BEAR FRUIT. BUT WHEN WE ACT ON OUR FAITH, WHEN WE TAKE THAT FIRST STEP TOWARDS THE MOUNTAIN, WE SET IN MOTION A CHAIN OF EVENTS THAT LEADS TO THE FULFILLMENT OF GOD'S PROMISE.

THE THIRD THING WE MUST UNDERSTAND IS THE PROMISE OF GOD. THE PROMISE OF MATTHEW 17:14-20 IS NOT A PROMISE OF EASY VICTORIES OR QUICK SOLUTIONS. IT IS A PROMISE OF VICTORY THROUGH FAITH.

IT IS A PROMISE THAT OUR FAITH, NO MATTER HOW SMALL, CAN OVERCOME ANY OBSTACLE, CAN MOVE ANY MOUNTAIN.

THIS PROMISE IS NOT A GUARANTEE OF A PROBLEM-FREE LIFE. IT IS A GUARANTEE OF VICTORY IN THE FACE OF PROBLEMS.

IT IS A GUARANTEE THAT WITH FAITH, WE CAN OVERCOME ANY CHALLENGE, WE CAN CONQUER ANY MOUNTAIN.

SO, LET US TAKE HOLD OF THIS PROMISE. LET US PLANT THE SEED OF FAITH IN OUR HEARTS.

LET US WATER IT WITH THE WORD OF GOD, NURTURE IT WITH PRAYER, AND LET IT GROW.

LET US TAKE ACTION, LET US MOVE TOWARDS THE MOUNTAIN, AND LET US WITNESS THE POWER OF FAITH IN ACTION.

AND AS WE DO SO, LET US REMEMBER THE WORDS OF THE APOSTLE PAUL IN ROMANS 8:31, "IF GOD IS FOR US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US?" WITH FAITH IN OUR HEARTS AND THE PROMISE OF GOD IN OUR HANDS, THERE IS NO MOUNTAIN WE CANNOT MOVE.

THERE IS NO OBSTACLE WE CANNOT OVERCOME. THERE IS NO CHALLENGE WE CANNOT CONQUER.

SO, LET US MOVE FORWARD WITH FAITH. LET US MOVE MOUNTAINS. LET US LIVE IN THE PROMISE OF MATTHEW 17:14-20.

CONCLUSION

AS WE COME TO THE END OF OUR TIME TOGETHER TODAY, LET'S REMEMBER THAT OUR FAITH, NO MATTER HOW SMALL, HAS THE POWER TO MOVE MOUNTAINS.

IT'S NOT ABOUT THE SIZE OF OUR FAITH, BUT THE SIZE OF OUR GOD. AND WE SERVE A GOD WHO IS BIGGER THAN ANY MOUNTAIN WE FACE.

HE'S BIGGER THAN OUR FEARS, OUR DOUBTS, OUR FAILURES. HE'S BIGGER THAN OUR PAST, OUR PRESENT, AND OUR FUTURE. AND HE'S CALLING US TO TRUST IN HIM, TO LEAN ON HIM, AND TO LET OUR FAITH RISE UP AGAINST THE MOUNTAINS IN OUR LIVES.

SO, LET'S NOT BE DISCOURAGED WHEN WE FACE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS.

INSTEAD, LET'S SEE THEM AS OPPORTUNITIES TO EXERCISE OUR FAITH, TO GROW IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, AND TO EXPERIENCE HIS POWER IN OUR LIVES.

REMEMBER, IT'S NOT ABOUT US AND WHAT WE CAN DO.

IT'S ABOUT GOD AND WHAT HE CAN DO THROUGH US WHEN WE PUT OUR FAITH IN HIM.

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LET'S BOW OUR HEADS FOR OUR CLOSING PRAYER.

"DEAR LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORD THAT HAS SPOKEN TO US TODAY. WE THANK YOU FOR REMINDING US OF THE POWER OF FAITH AND THE GREATNESS OF YOUR LOVE. AS WE LEAVE THIS PLACE, HELP US TO CARRY THESE TRUTHS IN OUR HEARTS AND TO LIVE THEM OUT IN OUR LIVES. GIVE US THE COURAGE TO FACE OUR MOUNTAINS, THE STRENGTH TO OVERCOME THEM, AND THE FAITH TO BELIEVE IN THE IMPOSSIBLE. WE ASK THIS IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS, AMEN."

AND NOW, AS WE PART WAYS, MAY THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE LOVE OF GOD, AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT BE WITH US ALL, NOW AND FOREVERMORE. AMEN.

GO IN PEACE, SERVE THE LORD WITH GLADNESS, AND LET YOUR FAITH MOVE MOUNTAINS. GOD BLESS YOU ALL!