Mountain Movers
Mountain Movers- Matthew 21:18-22
I am getting to the place where I can no longer climb, tunnel through or walk over a mountain. I am learning now how to become a mountain mover.
The Clark Sisters came out with a song sometime ago that said: “I’m looking for a miracle. I expect the impossible. I seen the invisible, I have felt the intangible. The sky is the limit to what I can have. Just believe and receive. God will perform it today. I expect a miracle everyday. God will make a way.”
NIV translation of James 1:2 says consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance (patience).
Perseverance must finish its work in so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Verse12: Blessed is the man or woman who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. God rewards those who can overcome their circumstance through faith in him. The word crown was a wreath given to the winner or athlete who conquered the race. Look at somebody and tell them, I am going to get my crown. I going to fight back and win. I am going to make it to the finish line. I’ve come too far to turn back now. They come to test our faith. Faith in what; our faith in God.
So when trouble rises, God must be making a way. The Bible says in
Psalms 46:1 that God is our refuge and strength an very a present help in the time of trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Verse 7 says, The Lord Almighty is with us. The Lord of Host is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge.
Refuge
· is a military term
· means a safe place or protection from my enemies.
God is often portrayed as strength. God is the greatest power. There is no failure in God. There is no weakness in God. There is no fear in God. There is doubt in God. There is no
Strength
· is the quality of being strong,
· ability to endure
· power, toughness, solid (God is my rock)
· power to resist attack
You can’t touch this. I’m too anointed to be disappointed, too blessed to be stressed, too powerful to be doubtful, too gifted to be neglected, too prayed up to be put down. Just encourage yourself in the Lord. God has given you his power.
That is why no weapon formed against you shall be able to prosper and every tongue that rises up against you shall be condemned.
When the trouble came up God is standing right there. What a friend we have in Jesus all our sins and grieve to bear. What a privilege it is to carry everything to God in prayer. You were never alone when the trouble began. You just have to wait on God and get out of the way in order to let God have his way. God’s got your answer.
Faith can move substantial obstacles in the path of mercy. In God’s holy dictionary the word impossible does not exist. For all things are possible to those who believe. The Philippians writer says I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.
What if Faith? In the revised standard bible Hebrews 11:1 says that Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Conviction means that it has been tested and proven by experience. It is proven by the biblical witnesses in the rest of the text.
Faith is trust in, reliance on God who is himself faithful and trustworthy. Habakkuk says in 2:4 verse that the righteous shall live by faith or their faithfulness.
You should not live based on your daily circumstances. You should not live by what people think of you or say about you. You don’t walk according to your problems. You walk by faith in God. In all of thy ways we should acknowledge the Lord and he will direct our paths.
Faith in Jesus was always backed up by power and then a miracle. Faith moved Jesus to something supernatural that was manifested in the natural. That’s what we need we need Holy Ghost, anointing, casting out demon, yoke breaking, yoke destroying power. The problem in the church is that it has lost its power.
Anointing- The God given spiritual, enabling power to perform the ministry that God has given you.
What is the Fig Tree all about. Fig trees in Palestine brought forth the fruit first then the leaves would come after it. Why would Jesus curse the tree?
What do we do when something doesn’t work ?
1. Put it to the side
2. Get mad and…
3. Get rid of it
4. Try to fix it
I. THE TREE’S PURPOSE
A. To bear fruit
B. To feed the hungry
C. To multiply
II. THE TREE’S PROBLEM ?
A. It is not fulfilling it’s purpose
1. No spiritual fruit
2. No fruit of repentance
B. It is casting a large shadow
1. It is robbing others of the sun
2. It’s surroundings are suffering
C. It is robbing nutrients
1. Sucking up all the water
2. Taking up all the food
D. It is wasting space
1. What could be if it were gone
2. What tender plant is being suffocated
III. THE TREE’S FATE
A. Wither and die
1. Be unfruitful
2. Face the fiery furnace
B. engrafted
1. Be revived
2. Be renewed
3. Be reborn
There must be something that he is trying to instruct his disciples about. The one thing people of God we have to be careful is watching people who have a whole lot of leaves but no fruit. The issue of the fig tree is the issue of deception, being deceived.
How many times have seen people in positions of power and performance that could not operate in those seats. Be careful when you asked for a position in a church or even on your job. You never know what the responsibilities and just how much accountability has to go into performing in your role.
We have too many credentialed preachers who have no power and no word.
Too many singers who have no more songs. Too many deacons or stewards who can’t pray. Too many of the laity who don’t have the fruit of the spirit. But yet they have jealousy, hatred, bitterness, unforgiveness, strife, anger, impurity, doubt. Leaves of the flesh.
Jesus is hungry for folks who have as Galatians 5:22-23 says. Joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
One writer states that faith laughs at our impossibilities and then shouts it shall be done.
The removal of mountains symbolizes the removal of obstacles. When the child of God gets the abilities to deal with difficulties they are then known as mountain movers.
Have you any rivers that can’t cross. Have you any mountains you cannot tunnel through. God specializes in things that no other power, but Holy Ghost power can do.