“Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” ~ Matthew 17:20
REFERENCE:
Scripture often uses mountains to symbolize immovable obstacles or insurmountable challenges. Imagine being confronted by a towering mountain that seems to touch the heavens. Jesus tells us that faith, the size of a mustard seed, can move the mountain. An unwavering trust and absolute belief in God’s power (without having options) will overturn impossible situations.
The father of this young lad had his son’s ‘mountain of sickness’ to deal with. He could not, so he brought it to the disciples; they also could not until Jesus intervened. Jesus leveled that mountain with a commanding word by driving out the spirit that possessed the boy. When asked why He had a different result, Jesus pointed to faith – faith like a mustard seed. Until faith is activated, your mountain will not be eliminated.
When mountains arise, their imposing size paralyzes us and hints at the impossibility of resolving the challenge. Mountains are strong and solid, yet Jesus proposed faith like the principle of the fulcrum – how a little jack can raise a car of about 1400 kilograms. The same is the principle of the mustard seed faith; like a fulcrum, it will lift a mountain that is a thousand times its size.
David faced a man of a mountain in Goliath. He was intimidating and heavily decked with a soldier’s coat of mail. David was just a shepherd boy, uneducated and unskilled in the art of war, but he understood the power of fulcrum – how a little with God in it can achieve much. He brought Goliath down with faith in God and a stone (like mustard seed) in his sling. Imagine what great giant a stone and a sling can fall; imagine how much a mustard seed faith can achieve;
The Bible has examples of mountain-moving faith. Jesus tops the list – He healed those born blind, lepers, and the crippled. Moses, with a rod, parted the Red Sea. Samson busted the heads of a thousand Philistines with a donkey’s jawbone. Don’t despair; God can accomplish much with your little if you believe, without doubt, that mountains of trouble can be moved. If you have faith like a mustard seed, you have what you need for victorious living.
PHOTO QUOTE
ADDITIONAL TEXTS:
I Samuel 17:45-47, Judges 15:14-17, and Hebrews 11:6
ACTION STEP:
Take time out today to reflect on any mountain-like situation in your life. Write it down. Then, identify a Bible verse that builds your faith in order to overcome the challenge. Write this verse next to your ‘mountain’ and repeat this verse throughout the day, reminding yourself of God’s power and your capacity for faith. This small act will plant a seed of belief and cultivate trust in God’s ability to move your mountain.
