Faith That Moves Mountains

Introduction: Desperate Moments Have you ever faced a moment in life where you were completely out of options? I mean, you’ve tried everything. You’ve prayed, you’ve planned, you’ve hustled, and still—nothing. It’s like you’re trapped in quicksand, the more you struggle, the deeper you sink.

This is where we find a desperate father in Matthew 17. He brings his suffering son to Jesus, having exhausted every other option. He tried the doctors, the religious leaders, even the disciples—but nothing worked. His son is suffering, throwing himself into fire and water, and no one can help. And some of you know exactly how that feels. You’ve prayed for healing, for a breakthrough, for a wayward child to come home—but it feels like nothing is happening.

Let’s walk through this powerful moment together.

When Faith Fails, Fear Takes Over

The father says, “I brought my son to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.” (Matthew 17:16)

The disciples had been given authority over demons, yet they couldn’t cast this one out. Jesus’ response is shocking: “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you?” (Matthew 17:17)

Whoa. That’s intense! But Jesus is making a point—when faith fails, fear takes over. The disciples were relying on their past successes, their own strength, their own abilities. And when they encountered a challenge bigger than their faith, they panicked. Sound familiar?

Illustration: The Power Cord Without Power

Imagine this with me:

There’s a beautiful, state-of-the-art hospital room. Brand new equipment. Shiny monitors. The best life-saving machines. There’s even a ventilator next to the bed—ready to help someone breathe again.

But there’s a problem.

The power cord isn’t plugged in.

Now picture a father rushing into that room, carrying his unconscious son in his arms, begging the staff to save him. The staff rush in, confident in their knowledge, pushing buttons, adjusting dials—

but nothing happens.

The machine doesn’t work. Not because it’s broken. Not because they didn’t try.

It doesn’t work because it isn’t connected to power.

That’s the American church.

We’ve got programs, podcasts, lights, buildings, strategy, structure—

but we’ve lost the power of faith.

We’ve settled for motion without power. Noise without substance. Action without anointing.

Just like those disciples in Matthew 17.

They’d seen miracles before. They’d cast out demons before. They had the right equipment.

But when the father showed up with a desperate need, they didn’t have power.

And Jesus didn’t say, “Nice try, boys.”

He said, “O faithless and perverse generation…”

Now, let me bring this closer to home.

What about you?

You’ve got a Bible on your phone.

You listen to sermons.

You know the verses.

But when the crisis hits…

when your child walks away from God…

when the doctor says “cancer”…

when the money runs out…

when your marriage starts to crumble…

do you panic—or do you plug into real faith?

Because fear grows when faith shrinks.

Let me ask you:

What’s the “unplugged machine” in your life right now?

What have you been trying to fix, solve, or control…without plugging into Jesus?

It’s time to stop pretending.

It’s time to stop performing.

It’s time to stop relying on past experiences or self-confidence.

Plug into real faith again.

Because when faith rises, fear runs.

The Power of Even the Smallest Faith

Jesus rebukes the demon, and instantly, the boy is healed. The disciples, confused and humbled, ask, “Why couldn’t we cast it out?” Jesus replies, “Because of your unbelief. For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.” (Matthew 17:20)

A mustard seed! One of the tiniest seeds on the planet. Jesus is saying that even a small, genuine faith in a great God is more powerful than all the self-reliance in the world.

Illustration: The Suspended Bridge and the Tourist

Picture this: You’re standing at the edge of a canyon, hundreds of feet deep. Between you and the other side is a narrow suspension bridge—old wood planks, ropes swaying in the wind. There are two people standing next to you.

The first guy is a professional hiker.

Full gear. All the right lingo. Super confident. He says, “This is nothing—I’ve done harder trails than this!”

He takes a deep breath, steps onto the bridge confidently—

but he’s put all his trust in his own balance, his own gear, and his own judgment.

Halfway across, the wind picks up. He slips. Falls.

Why? Because the bridge itself was rotten. His confidence was in the wrong thing.

Then there’s the second person.

A nervous tourist. Shaking. White knuckles gripping the rope.

She says, “I don’t know if I can do this…”

But this time, the bridge is solid. Reinforced. Brand new.

And even though her grip is weak… even though her steps are small and unsure…

she makes it all the way across.

Why? Because she was connected to something stronger than herself.

That’s what Jesus is saying in Matthew 17.

It’s not about having big faith in you—

it’s about having small faith in a big God.

The disciples had tried everything they knew. But Jesus tells them:

“You couldn’t cast it out because of your unbelief.”

They were relying on past experiences. On their own effort.

And Jesus gently but firmly reminds them: “Faith the size of a mustard seed moves mountains.”

Now, what about you?

You might look strong on the outside.

You’ve got the degrees, the experience, the network, the hustle.

But if the “bridge” you’re standing on is self-reliance—it’s going to fail you when the winds of life hit.

Faith isn’t about how tightly you can hold on.

It’s about what you’re holding on to.

So here’s the question:

Where in your life do you need to trade your tight grip on control…

for a tiny mustard-seed grip on God?

Because the smallest faith in a strong Savior will take you farther than the biggest faith in yourself ever will.

Faith Moves Mountains When It’s Planted in God’s Power

Jesus says, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move,’ and it will move.” (Matthew 17:20)

Here’s what’s wild—Jesus wasn’t speaking in hyperbole. In Jewish thought, “moving mountains” was a phrase used for overcoming obstacles. But Jesus is saying that real, living faith has the power to do the impossible because it’s connected to an all-powerful God.

Illustration: The Disconnected Wi-Fi

A few weeks ago, I sat down to watch something on my TV—simple enough. I pulled up the streaming app, clicked on the movie… and it just started buffering. Spinning. Waiting. Nothing.

I tried again. Nothing.

So I started getting frustrated—like some of y’all do when the Wi-Fi cuts out, right?

Then it hit me: the TV wasn’t connected to the right network.

It was still trying to run off the guest Wi-Fi from my neighbor’s house that I had used once, months ago.

The signal was there, but it was weak, and it wasn’t mine.

So no matter how many times I clicked, swiped, or reloaded…

it didn’t matter—because I wasn’t connected to the source.

Jesus says, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed… you can move mountains.”

And He wasn’t joking. He wasn’t exaggerating.

He was saying: Even a weak signal of real faith—if it’s connected to the right source—unleashes the power of God.

But here’s the problem:

Some of us are trying to stream the promises of God while connected to fear.

Trying to download peace while plugged into doubt.

Trying to hear from God while logged into self-reliance.

And we wonder why it keeps buffering.

So let me ask you:

What mountain are you standing in front of today?

That addiction that keeps winning.

That marriage that feels too far gone.

That debt that keeps climbing.

That diagnosis that shook your world.

You’ve pressed every button.

You’ve tried every fix.

But you’re still not seeing a breakthrough.

Could it be…

you’re connected to the wrong network?

Call to Action:

Right now, Jesus is inviting you to switch networks.

He’s not asking for big faith.

He’s just asking for real, mustard-seed faith in Him.

So here’s the moment:

Will you surrender that mountain to Jesus today?

Not partially. Not with a backup plan.

But with open hands, real faith, and full trust?

Because the God who moves mountains is still moving today.

And your little faith—when connected to Him—is more powerful than you could ever imagine.

Remember this: 

“Faith isn’t about how strong you feel; it’s about how strong your God is.” 

Even the smallest faith, when placed in the hands of Jesus, can move mountains.

So today, I’m inviting you—bring your impossible situation to Him. Let go of fear. Stop relying on yourself. And even if all you’ve got is mustard-seed faith—plant it. Watch what God does.

Prayer:

Benediction:

May the God who moves mountains strengthen your faith, even when it feels as small as a mustard seed. May you walk in the confidence that His power is greater than your fear, His love is deeper than your doubts, and His presence is with you in every battle.

As you leave today, may you trust Him in the impossible, surrender what you cannot control, and step forward in faith, believing that the God who called you is faithful to move every mountain in His perfect time.

Now go in His strength, walk in His peace, and live by His unstoppable faith. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.