Bible Message/Preaching : Faith to move a mountain
22So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God. 23"For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24"Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. 25"And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 26"But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses." Mark 11:22-26
We might also remember the incident of a man with an epileptic son and suffers severely. 16"... disciples, could not cure him." 17Jesus 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." 18And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. 19Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" 20So 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. 21"However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting." (MT 17:14 -21)
We always hear people telling "For we walk by faith, not by sight." (2COR 5:7). But what do they really mean by that?What is faith?
It may mean many things (Miss-Conceptions):- faith is only what you believe - purely intellectual terms
- some mental state that one must reach before they are able to "tap into" God’s "resources" - nothing but the new-age power-of- the-mind teaching!
- when faith is applied to our desire, and we attach the magical phrase, "in Jesus’ name" to the end of our prayer, God must answer us - wishful thinking
- faith is what the believer resorts to when all reason is against them, a blind-leap against all evidence and against all odds - self-willed hope
What is the Biblical concept of faith?
The Biblical view of faith is that of trusting God to lead us in the direction He would want us to go, but many have turned faith into God’s trusting them to lead Him. Are we not guilty of dethroning God as the Creator and King of the universe, and turning Him into a genie in a bottle? Someone who will satisfy our fleshly desires?!
We're asked to 1…run the race with endurance that is set before us, 2looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, (HEB 12:1-2) Jesus is our example in everything – He prayed in Gethsemane, “not my will but Yours be done”.
He taught that We should pray that God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven, not the other way around- “My will be done in Hraven as on Earth”! (Mt 6:10)! We should hope for things in faith, but we must also understand that if that hope is not rooted in God's will, we will not receive the answer we are expecting (I Jn 5:14-15). Forgiving others is the second key. Apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." then he said, if you've faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you. (LK 17:5-6)
Faith is defined as the substance of things hoped for & the evidence of things not seen. 2For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. 3By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. 6But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (HEB 11:1-3,6)
Some say blind-faith, BUT Why is faith not denying the reality?
Of all the great heroes of faith named in the Bible espl. In Heb 11, trusted in God’s ability to perform what He said He would do. They trusted and acted upon God’s Word.
Noah did not build an ark by faith and then pray for a flood – he received the word of the Lord and obeyed. They have not even heard of rain! He must have suffered much mockery.
Moses did not pray to deliver God’s people and then look for those people, but responded to God’s Word which said that He would be the one to deliver God’s people. Abraham did not leave the land of Ur and then believe that God would give him a land and a seed. Their faith was not in some mere wish, but was obedience to the expressed will and Word of God - a response to God, not an initiative of man.
Although it is true that nothing is impossible with God, but the fact of the matter remains that God, in His sovereignty, does not always choose to do the impossible. Faith is not denying reality, it is understanding that God can change reality.
What is this simple child-like faith that Jesus spoke of?
Faith is simply taking God for His Word. Children believe easily – the state of complete trust! We do not tell God what we want and then believe hard enough in order to get it. E.g.: We may want to go out or do something and do not want it to rain, but the farmer is in much need of rain !
Faith is believing in God’s Word, and in God’s will, and in all things trusting that He will do that which is right. We are to trust in the Lord with all our heart, not leaning on our own understanding, but acknowledging the Lord in all our ways and allowing Him to direct our paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). We do not tell God which paths we want to walk down, but by faith we trust Him to lead us down the path we need to go down.
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. - accept the authority of the Scriptures! (ROM 10:17)
The Biblical concept of faith is trust in God with corresponding works. 17Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 26For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. (JAS 2:17,26).
Some people never seem to have enough faith because they have turned faith into mental gymnastics wherein their will is imposed on God by "faith." This is new-age teaching! Their lack of faith is not due to the fact that they are not spiritual enough, but because they have not yet given up the reigns of their life to God for Him to guide them and do what is best. What makes faith so difficult is that it demands that we relinquish all confidence in self, which includes our will, and rely solely on God. It demands that we quit trying to "make it happen" and trust God "to make it happen" in His way and in His time.
The (Ultimate) Purpose of faith:
Gal 3:5-9 5Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?; 6just as Abraham "believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." 7Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 8And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed." 9So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.
We are asked to take the shield of faith so that we'll be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. (Eph 6:16 )
- Shield is used for protecting vital organs,
- it is light & agile (easily movable)
2PET 1:5-8 5But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. (Agape) 8For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. That we may all grow up to Christ.
Jas 1:2-6 2My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
We are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation, we have 4 ..an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance reserved in heaven, that does not fade away We can greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9receiving the end of your faith; the salvation of your souls. (1PET 1:3-9)
REV 17:14 "These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful."
Meditation:
Before closing lets examine if: Our hope in faith is in accordance with the will of God and act on it before it is too late!
My prayer is that you all will be victorious and will be people of faith – those who can move many mountains!!
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