faith can move mountains essay in english

3 True Ways Your Faith Can Move Mountains

Have you heard the phrase “faith that moves mountains”? 

This beloved phrase comes from Matthew 17:20: “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.”

Jesus utters this shocking pronouncement to his disciples. This brings up questions for us. Does this mean that if we have enough faith, we can do anything we want? If we believe hard enough, can we accomplish miraculous feats?

Some motivational speakers might say this is the case. Just believe hard enough, and you’ll get what you want. However, read in the context of the passage, and of the Bible as a whole, we begin to see that using faith like some sort of magical power is not  what Jesus is advocating. 

Faith is not a mustering of will or a power to wield. Faith comes from trusting in God and His  will.

What Jesus is advocating is something far more radical.

Photo credit: Unsplash/Sam Mgrdichian

What Does It Mean That “Your Faith Can Move Mountains”?

We must go back to the context of this verse to truly understand what Jesus is saying.

In Matthew 17 , Jesus has just come down from the mountain where He was Transfigured before Peter, James, and John. The following occurs in Matthew 17:14-20 :

“When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. ‘Lord, have mercy on my son,’ he said. ‘He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.’ ‘You unbelieving and perverse generation,’ Jesus replied, ‘how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.’ Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment. Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, ‘Why couldn’t we drive it out?’ He replied, ‘Because you have so little faith . 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.’”

Here, Jesus could potentially be talking about real mountains. The Lord does have that power. However, in context, the problem being addressed is that the disciples could not drive out the demon because they had too little faith.

Jesus constantly used metaphors and parables in His teachings. Here, the “mountain” Jesus is metaphorically alluding to is the demon-possessed boy. Jesus is making a point that even the tiniest bit of faith — the size of a mustard seed, the smallest seed the disciples would have been familiar with — can accomplish great things. The point here seems to be the vast difference between the size of a mustard seed and the size of a mountain. If the disciples had even the smallest bit of faith, it could do great — mountain-sized — things. 

Photo credit: Unsplash/Ian Stauffer

What Do We Have Faith In?

This is another area of clarification. Do we have faith in our own abilities? 

No. We are told, “Lean not on your own understanding” ( Proverbs 3:5 ), and 2 Corinthians 3:4-5 reminds us, “Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.”

Do we have faith in the favorable outcome? If we believe hard enough that a thing will happen, shall it cause that thing to do so? 

Though “believe it and you can achieve it” may sound like a good slogan, it is ultimately foolishness. God controls the outcome, not us. Proverbs 16:9 reminds us, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”

So what do we have faith in? Our faith is in God. 

Jeremiah 10:12-13 says, “But God made the earth by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding. When he thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.”

The Lord has the power to move mountains. Our faith is in Him  to do so. Nothing will be impossible for us ( Matthew 17:20 ) because “nothing will be impossible with God” ( Luke 1:37 ). 

This leads us to some wonderful news. We don’t have to summon up enough faith to perform miracles. It isn’t about believing hard enough, trying hard enough. We only need faith the size of a mustard seed. It is our God  who performs mighty deeds.

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Ron Tech 2000

3 Ways Your Faith Can Move Mountains

We serve an awesome God who is capable of great things. He can move all of our mountains. 

We may have faith in and claim His promises for our lives. Here are three ways our Lord moves mountains when we put our faith in Him.

1. Have faith that the Lord will move mountains that are obstacles to your faith.

Sometimes one of the most seemingly insurmountable obstacles is that of clinging fast to God. 

Psalm 32:8 says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”

When we feel that we can no longer keep the faith, we may turn our eyes to God. When we don’t understand something about the Bible or God, the Lord will lead us toward Him. If we have faith that God will pull us through, He is faithful to lead us through this life and all of its snares into a full relationship with Him.

We may ask the Lord to help us overcome the obstacles in our hearts that separate us from Him. 

2. Have faith that the Lord can move mountains that are obstacles in your life.

Clearly faithful believers are not promised easy lives. (The book of Hebrews puts this idea to rest quite solidly.) We will  suffer. Our very world is broken. “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time,” Paul says in Romans 8:22 .

Jesus says in John 16:33 , “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Jesus promises that we will have trouble. However, He has overcome  the world. Nothing in it holds power over Him or can thwart His will.

When we pray in accordance with God’s will, we may have faith that, no matter the odds, the will of God will  be accomplished. When we pray, “If it is your will, may it be done,” we know His will shall indeed be done. 

No sickness, no obstacle, no poverty, no broken relationship, no cycle of sin, nothing is too big for God to overcome. 

Paul says it far better. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” ( Romans 8:38-39 ).

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/kieferpix

3. Have faith that the Lord can move the mountain of forgiveness.

This one is twofold. 

First, our sin may seem insurmountable. We may believe that we are beyond saving, beyond forgiveness . If you truly knew what I’ve done , we think, you would understand. You would see that I am beyond rescue.

But if we have the tiniest bit of faith — faith the size of a mustard seed — and we put that faith in Jesus, our sins are wiped out forever.

Psalm 103:10-12 tells us, “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

Second, we may find it impossible to forgive others. Humans do truly atrocious things to each other — things that do not deserve forgiveness. However, Jesus is very serious about forgiveness. In Mark 6:14-15 , He says, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Others may not deserve our forgiveness. However, neither do we deserve the Lord’s forgiveness. Yet, Jesus died a brutal death that we might be forgiven. He commands that we also forgive.

By human logic, this is nonsensical, even impossible. But by faith, forgiveness is possible. Through prayer, through faith, we are able to forgive those who have sinned against us.

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/seb_ra

How Can We Continue to Grow Our Faith?

As we’ve discussed, moving mountains is not accomplished by mustering up enough faith . It is done by trusting God to move the mountains by His  power.

However, it should be our desire to draw ever closer to Him, to grow deeper in faith.

Growing in faith is not about studying or intellect, though these can help. It is not about rigor or discipline, though these also have their place in our growth. Rather, growing in faith is growing in relationship . 

Our faith is a relationship with our infinite Creator. The scandal of the cosmos is that the all-powerful God would call humans His friends ( John 15:15 ) and children ( 1 John 3:1 ). As we spend time with Him, learn about Him, talk with Him, walk with Him, and follow His teaching, we will grow in relationship and grow in faith. For if we are God’s friends and children, will we not align with His will? And will not He, as the best of friends and fathers, delight to move the mountains that rise up against us?

Our Lord flattens mountains. He forgives sins. He makes a way. Perhaps none capture this so beautifully as Isaiah in Isaiah 40:1-4 :

"Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.   A voice of one calling: 'In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.”

Photo credit: Unsplash/Nikola Jovanovic

Faith That Moves Mountains (Mark 11:20-26)

Kenneth w. yates, i. introduction.

In Mark 11:23 Jesus makes an astounding promise to His disciples:

“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.”

Clearly, this statement raises a number of questions. What is the context of this statement? Is it to be taken literally? What does it mean? In the process of answering these questions another issue will surface. Does this promise support the idea that the Church has replaced Israel?

In this article I will attempt to answer these questions.

II. THE CONTEXT

The Lord’s statement about a faith that can move mountains is found in the broader passage of Mark 11:20-26. 1 In turn, these verses are contained in the larger context of 11:12-26. Verses 20-26 form the closing section of an inclusio .

Mark 11:12-14 contains the account of Jesus cursing a fig tree. He comes to the tree expecting to find fruit, but finds none. Verses 20-26 describe what happens the next day and also refer to the fig tree. The disciples see that the tree has been withered at its roots (vv 20-21). Verses 22-26 involve the Lord’s teachings about what the withered fig tree demonstrates to the disciples.

Sandwiched between the events at the fig tree, Mark tells the reader that Jesus cleansed the temple in Jerusalem. The day before, Jesus had come to the temple and looked around (v 11). Based upon the fact that the next day He cleansed the temple out and was not pleased with what He saw, we can safely assume that He did not find what He expected to find. This is supported by the fact that He denounces what He saw going on in the temple (v 17). Like the fig tree, He did not find any acceptable “fruit” in the temple.

The fig tree was destroyed by the word of the Lord. The actions of the Lord in the temple, occurring between the two events at the fig tree, showed that the temple was to be destroyed. In Mark 13:2, the Lord will specifically state that this is what is going to happen.

Piotrowski says that this reminds those familiar with the OT about the account in Jeremiah 7–8. Jesus quotes from Jer 7:11 when He cleans out the temple (Mark 11:17). In Jeremiah 8, God does not find any figs on fig trees and this is the reason for the imminent destruction of the temple described in Jeremiah 7 in Jeremiah’s day. Jesus’ not finding figs indicates that the temple of His day will be destroyed as well. 2

Stein agrees that the whole section of the accounts of the fig tree and the cleansing of the temple (Mark 11:12-26) indicates a coming judgment on the nation and temple. 3 These verses should be seen as a unit. Mershon agrees and says that the cursing of the fig tree and cleansing of the temple should be viewed together as a condemnation of Israel. 4 Grassmick says that these episodes help explain each other. 5

Viewing these accounts as a unit finds support in the idea that Mark has used this “sandwiching” technique before. In Mark 5:21-43 he tells of how the Lord meets a man with a very ill daughter (vv 21-24). The Lord eventually heals the girl, raising her from the dead (vv 35-43). In between, Mark relates how the Lord heals a woman with an issue of blood (vv 25-34). Mark intends that the reader sees these two healings as a package. Perhaps they teach that Christ can overcome defilement, or the woman teaches the man that Jesus can raise his daughter, even after he is told his daughter had died. 6

A. Different Contexts?

When studying the context of Mark 11:20-26, another issue is the question as to whether all these verses belong to this time in Jesus’ life. France says that the account of what happened to the fig tree (vv 20-21) is a symbol of the judgment that is about to fall upon Israel and the temple, but that the verses that follow (vv 22-25) were spoken of Jesus on a different occasion. 7 If this is the case, then the teachings in vv 22-25 were not used by the Lord in the context of judgment upon Israel and the temple. These teachings include a faith that can remove a mountain and the need for forgiveness when praying.

France and others maintain that vv 22-26 do not belong in the context of the cursing of the fig tree, in part, due to the abrupt shift in the subject matter. It is difficult to see a connection between judgment on Israel as illustrated in the fig tree, and the need for faith that can move mountains. The connection is even less clear when one speaks of the need to forgive others.

Stein is even more blunt than France. He says that vv 22-25 have nothing to do with the cursing of the fig tree. 8 The fig tree was not used by the Lord as a lesson about faith and forgiveness. Collins says that these teachings were part of the instructions of Jesus when He performed another miracle. 9 Cranfield also believes that vv 22-25 were not found in this context, but were part of a catechism of the early Church that the writer of Mark adds on here. 10

This view may strike some as reflecting a low view of the inspiration of the Scriptures. This article will argue that there is no need to conclude that Jesus did not say vv 22-26 at this point in His ministry.

B. Verse 26

Scholars seem to generally agree that v 26 supports the idea that vv 22-25 were not a part of the original context. Many contend that when Jesus says that if we do not forgive others we will not be forgiven, it comes from a scribal gloss (Matt 6:15) and is not a part of the original Gospel of Mark. 11 This suggests that the verses prior to this statement also came from elsewhere. After saying that v 26 is a scribal gloss from Matt 6:15, Stein points out that all of vv 22-25 is found in other Gospel accounts as well and could have been imported by Mark into this context (Matt 5:23 24; 6:9-15;7:7-8; 17:20; Luke 11:9-10; 17:6; John 14:13-14; 15:7;16:23-24). 12

By their rating given to v 26, Metzger and his committee are confident that the verse is not a part of the original. 13 They give its exclusion a rating of “A,” which reflects their highest level of confidence. Based upon their comments, however, their confidence seems firmly grounded in the preference for the Critical Text (hereafter CT). They place great weight on the fact that v 26 is not found in early witnesses, even though it is found in the majority of manuscripts. The committee also admits that v 26 could have been original and omitted by an early scribe due to homoeoteleuton. 14 This would explain its absence in these early manuscripts.

Even though many see an abrupt shift of focus between vv 20-21 and vv 22-26, it is not necessary to conclude that vv 22-26 were not a part of Jesus’ teachings at the withered fig tree. The fact that Jesus taught the same truths in other places does not negate this conclusion. The Lord could have certainly taught the same truths in different contexts. If it can be shown that these teachings fit in the context of judgment upon Israel, then we should find that Mark accurately reflects what the Lord said on this occasion.

The same thing can be said specifically about v 26. If one is not predisposed to the CT, he does not need to posit the theory that v 26 was added to Mark by a later copyist who had Matt 6:15 in mind. The Majority Text (hereafter MT) may be correct and v 26 was omitted by an early scribe. This would explain its absence in the CT. This is especially true if v 26 makes sense in the current context.

III. IS IT LITERAL?

Does the Lord call upon His disciples to move literal mountains and cast them into the sea? This is highly doubtful for a number of reasons.

There are no examples of the Lord’s people throwing a mountain in a sea. The withering of the fig tree is parallel to the casting of the mountain into the sea. France makes the helpful comment that they are parallel at least in the sense that both are destructive acts. 15 Since mountains usually have people living on them, the throwing of a mountain into the ocean would have severe consequences! If the cursing of the fig tree is an illustration of coming judgment on the nation of Israel, it is natural to conclude that the removal of a mountain is also to be understood as an illustration of something.

DeGraaf maintains that the illustration of the removal of a mountain was understood by the Jewish disciples as doing what seems to be impossible. The OT prophets used this illustration in this way (Zech 4:7). 16 The mountain represents an obstacle that cannot be removed by human means. We use the phrase in a similar way when we say that we thank God for the mountains and valleys He has brought us through. This statement is understood as meaning that God has brought us through difficult times. God did it when we couldn’t do it in our own strength. Both Stein and Grassmick agree that the verse is a hyperbolic illustration about doing what is humanly impossible. 17

Cranfield says the illustration can have a broad range of uses. He comments that the Jews used the phrase in reference to rabbis who were good interpreters of the Scriptures. If there was a particularly difficult passage to understand, the teacher who could determine its interpretation was called a “mountain remover.” 18 When others thought the meaning was impossible to obtain, this teacher did the impossible.

Related to the question of whether removing a mountain is understood in a literal sense is the identity of the mountain in this case. Jesus refers to “this” ( touto ) mountain. Did He have a particular mountain in mind?

If Jesus did have such a mountain in mind there are two options in the immediate context. He is coming from Bethany and the mount of Olives (Mark 11:11). He is headed towards the temple mount (v 27).

France holds that since the removal of the mountain is clearly an illustration, the demonstrative adjective “this” should not be understood as referring to either the temple mount or the mount of Olives. The whole phrase is simply a proverbial saying. He particularly rejects the idea that the specific mountain is the temple mount. But as mentioned above, France does not believe v 22-25 belong to this context. 19 If one rejects the idea that Jesus spoke about a faith that can move mountains when He cursed the fig tree and prefigured the destruction of the temple, it is easy to reject the idea that “this” mountain in Mark 11:23 has a connection with the temple mount.

It must be recognized, however, that Jesus was heading towards the mountain the temple was on and it was in sight. In addition, Jesus’ actions in the temple and towards the fig tree in Mark 11 deal with judgment on the temple. The Lord will soon predict its complete destruction (Mark 13:2). France mentions that the Gospels never call the temple mount a mountain. But he admits that Isa 2:2-3 can be understood to do so. 20 One could add Micah 4:1-3, which is parallel to Isa 2:2-3.

Jesus may very well have used the removal of a mountain as a proverbial, hyperbolic, statement. But this does not mean that He is not using the temple mount as an example of a humanly impossible obstacle. Evans takes this view as well. 21

It may be significant that when Jesus refers to the sea, He does not modify it with the adjective “this.” Stein says this is a general statement. The Dead Sea was visible from the mount of Olives, and the Mediterranean Sea was nearby to the west. The Lord did not have a particular sea in mind. 22 But the lack of specificity indicates that even if Jesus was dealing with the temple mount in some sense in this illustration, He was not talking about literally casting it into a literal sea.

To summarize, the Lord did not tell His disciples that if they believed they could cast a literal mountain into a sea. The statement is best taken to mean that faith can overcome seemingly impossible obstacles. At the same time, one is probably justified in seeing that Jesus is dealing with a particular mountain in this passage. It takes center stage in the whole account of vv 12-26. He doesn’t literally throw it into the Dead Sea, but the temple mount presents an obstacle for the Lord.

With this background, it is possible to discuss the meaning of the passage.

IV. THE MEANING OF MARK 11:23

A. the broader context.

Mark 11 falls within the last week of Jesus’ life. He has come to Jerusalem to offer Himself as the King (Mark 11:1-11). However, the nation will reject and crucify Him. The religious leaders will lead the way in this endeavor. Even in the extended passage under discussion, after Jesus cleanses the temple, the religious leaders are said to seek how they might destroy Him.

Prior to arriving in Jerusalem, Jesus has told His disciples that these things were going to happen to Him. He tells them the religious leaders will kill Him (8:31). Then, He says that He will be delivered over to men who will kill Him (9:31). On the third occasion, He describes His upcoming death in a way that indicates He will be crucified by the Romans (10:33-34).

In each of these predictions of His death, the disciples do not understand what He is saying. It is clear that they think He is going to Jerusalem to be the King. They have proclaimed that He is the Christ (8:29). As they follow the Lord to Jerusalem, their biggest concern is over who will be the greatest (9:34). In fact, two of the inner circle want the highest positions of honor in the kingdom that they think will soon appear (10:37).

The reaction of the religious leaders is tragic in light of the way the Gospel of Mark began. John the Baptist had come before the Lord, preparing the way for His entrance to the nation. He had preached a message of repentance and the need for forgiveness (Mark 1:1-4). Implied in the need for forgiveness is that judgment will follow if the nation did not obey that message.

Jesus preached the same message to the nation (Mark 1:15). He told them they needed to repent and believe the good news about the kingdom. If that nation had turned from their sins and believed that the kingdom was at hand in the Person of Jesus Christ, that generation of Jews would have seen the coming of the kingdom.

People today are saved by faith in Jesus Christ for eternal life. The message of the good news in Mark 1 was different. It was the good news about the kingdom of God for the nation of Israel. That generation of Jews had the requirement of turning from sins before the kingdom would have come at that time for the nation as a whole. Both John and Jesus proclaimed the necessity for that nation to bear the fruit of repentance (Matt 3:8). They were looking for a nation pursuing righteousness.

When Jesus comes into Jerusalem in Mark 11, He does not find that fruit. The temple had turned into a den of thieves (Mark 11:17). The nation, through its leaders, had decided to reject the King and His offer of the kingdom.

This explains the need to clean out the temple. It also explains the cursing of the fig tree. Because Israel, as pictured by the fig tree, had not born the expected fruit, judgment was coming upon it.

It is not an accident that immediately after the incident of the fig tree, the Lord is opposed by the religious leaders. They want to know by whose authority He had cleaned out the temple (11:28). Basically, the Lord tells them His authority came from the same place John the Baptist got his. Both John and the Lord preached the same message. Part of that message was that if the nation did not repent and believe, judgment would fall.

B. Jesus’ “Mountain”

Jesus found Himself in a difficult situation. The temple was the place by which God called His name. The prophets had said that the kingdom was coming to the nation of Israel. But God’s people had rejected His messenger John, His message, and the Lord Himself.

This was not the way the Jews understood what would happen when the Messiah came to the nation. Certainly the disciples did not understand how the nation could reject their King (Mark 8:32; 9:32).

But Jesus does what seems to be humanly impossible. He pronounces a judgment on the very temple of God. The temple was the pride of the nation. Who could pronounce that the day would soon come when not a single stone of those magnificent buildings would lie one upon another (13:2)? Christ postpones the coming kingdom of God for the nation of Israel. He puts off the very plan of God for His chosen people. If we see “this” mountain as a reference to the temple mount, we could say that Jesus has figuratively removed a mountain by pronouncing judgment upon the nation and her temple.

The withered fig tree is a picture of it. The illustration itself is a picture of the humanly impossible. A person cannot cause a live tree to wither at the roots simply by his word.

Marcus points out that Mark wants to make a connection between the complete destruction of the temple in 13:2 and the fig tree withered at its root in 11:21. In both cases a disciple tells the Lord to “look” ( ide ) at something amazing. 23 The first is the withered fig tree. The second is the beautiful buildings of the temple (13:1). The Lord pronounces judgment on both.

When Peter points out the withered tree to the Lord (v 21), Jesus immediately tells the disciples to have faith in God (v 22). Lane is one who questions if the teachings of vv 22-25 originally belong to this context because of the supposed difference in subject matter with v 21. However, he admits that there may indeed be a connection. Jesus received His authority and power to pronounce judgment upon Israel from God the Father. 24 That is what He will say to the religious leaders immediately after this account (11:27–12:12).

Jesus, in the midst of difficulties and rejection, believed in God and relied upon Him. As such, He could do what was seemingly impossible. He will now tell the disciples they should follow that example.

C. Believe in God (vv 22-24)

As Jesus’ ministry was characterized by reliance upon God, the disciples should do the same. While some do not see the connection between this exhortation and the cursing and the withering of the fig tree, there is indeed a clear one.

Jesus did what was seemingly impossible in a difficult situation. The disciples would face difficult situations as well. But there is another connection.

With the rejection of the Lord by the nation the disciples would experience trying times. Mark is a book about the cost of discipleship. Discipleship is not the same thing as believing in Jesus for eternal life. As they followed the Lord, the disciples would learn the cost of following the King who was rejected by His people. Jesus had spoken to them of this earlier (Mark 8:34-38).

As disciples, and by taking up their crosses in following the Lord, they will find themselves in situations that seem humanly impossible to endure. Of particular importance here is the original audience. Most scholars agree that Mark was written to Christians living in Rome. There is evidence of this from early Christian writers. These Christians were encountering persecution. 25 How appropriate that Mark would include in the life of the Lord an event that taught the disciples that God is completely reliable in the midst of extreme difficulties and opposition. Finding Himself in that seemingly hopeless situation, the Lord could speak of the temple mount being destroyed. He could cause a tree to wither at the roots as an illustration of what would happen.

The Lord instructs His disciples to be people of prayer (v 24). In prayer, Jesus tells them, they have the source to find the very power of God. 26 Jesus just did a miraculous thing (v 21). They can as well as they rely on God and believe He will do what they ask. 27 God can deal with any difficulty. 28 This would have been particularly comforting to the original readers as well.

It needs to be noted that the faith Jesus speaks of here (v 23) is the faith of a disciple. It is not a super kind of faith. When Jesus says to believe in the “heart,” He is not referring to a faith that is greater than a head faith. Believing with the mind and believing in the heart are the same thing (Luke 24:25, 45). They both mean that faith is something that happens internally and simply mean to accept that something is true. 29 Here, it means that God is able and will do what we ask.

The faith here, then, is not the faith that leads to eternal life. Instead, it is the faith needed when disciples, who are already believers and have eternal life, face hardships. The original disciples would face difficulties as they see the nation reject the One they proclaimed as the Christ. They would need faith when they saw that the coming of the kingdom was delayed. 30 We must bear in mind that at this time they had no concept of the Church. For them, they could not even think of a scenario where the nation rejected the King and the temple was destroyed.

It is evident as well that the Lord is speaking of praying for things according to the will of God (Matt 6:9–10; John 14:13–14; 15:7; 16:23–24). In the case of Jesus, it was God’s will that the nation be judged for their sins. The Mosaic Covenant required that the nation be cursed if it rejected God (Deut 27–28). Blessings would come upon the nation for obedience. Cursing would come upon it for disobedience. In Mark, Jesus had offered the nation the incredible blessing of the promised kingdom. It was now inevitable, according to the will of God, that the curse of judgment would fall upon them.

When disciples face difficulties and opposition they have the privilege of praying to God for His will to be done. The will of God is expressed in the Word of God. Even if such things seem impossible, especially when faced with opposition, God will accomplish His will. For example, God wants His people to bear fruit and glorify Him by living righteously. In times of persecution and difficulties, it may seem like this is impossible. But the believer should not “doubt” it (v 23). DeGraaf summarizes the sense of these verses:

The person praying can therefore believe that what he requests will happen because it is God’s will. He will neither doubt God’s ability to do what he requests, since God can do anything, nor will he doubt that God will grant his petition, since it is God’s will. He will not have a divided heart about this matter. 31

But the Lord says the believer needs more than faith in order to have his prayers answered. He also needs to be merciful. Specifically the believer must forgive those who sin against him.

D. The Necessity for Forgiveness (vv 25-26)

As mentioned above, some maintain that when Jesus introduces the idea of forgiveness at the end of this pericope Mark is importing His words from a different context. The idea of forgiveness seems foreign to the discussion about the destruction of the temple and the need for faith in God’s revealed will.

The most obvious connection is that answered prayer does not just depend upon faith in God. It also depends upon forgiving others. But faith and forgiveness are intimately connected. Part of the revealed will of God is that believers forgive one another. It takes faith to do that. Often times, when others wrong us we do not want to forgive. We must believe what God has revealed. We are to forgive.

There is also a connection to the larger context. Jesus is speaking of the difficult times disciples will face. In times of difficulties, it is common for believers to sin against others. In these times of stress it is even easier to harm, or sin against, others as we feel we need to do things in our own power.

The Lord speaks of the fact that if we want to be forgiven, we must forgive others. There is a positional forgiveness that the believer receives when he believes in Jesus Christ for eternal life (Col 2:13-14). This positional forgiveness makes fellowship with God possible.

Here in Mark 11:25-26, the Lord is not talking about positional forgiveness. He is speaking of fellowship forgiveness. 32 The believer in fellowship with the Lord will experience answered prayer. In 1 John 3:22, John says that when we do what God commands, and are therefore in fellowship with Him (abide with Him), we receive what we ask of God. God commands us to forgive. If we want our prayers answered we must forgive. When we forgive others we receive a daily cleansing of sins which allows us to be in intimate communion with God.

There may also be a connection here between forgiveness and the removal of a mountain. Forgiving others may seem impossible for us. But God has commanded us to do so. If we ask Him for the grace to do it, He will remove that “mountain.”

Once again, the reader of Mark needs to remember that it is a book about discipleship. Walking in Christ’s footsteps is difficult. Part of that walk is forgiving others. That can be a difficult thing to do. But the Lord is saying that those who do so by believing in what God has commanded will experience answered prayer.

After the disciples discover that the fig tree Jesus cursed has become withered at its roots, the disciples are amazed (vv 20-21). Jesus then tells them that they have the same power at their disposal.

The cursing of the fig tree was not just a miracle. It was an illustration of what was going to happen. God’s people and temple were to be judged. This judgment and what happened to the fig tree did not seem humanly possible.

As the disciples experienced difficulties because of that coming judgment, they should rely upon the power of God. In prayer they had that power available. They needed to believe that God could remove whatever “mountain” they encountered as they did the will of God. Part of that will was forgiving others. As they did, they would experience the power of God in answered prayer.

But there is an additional question that arises in light of the judgment that Jesus speaks of in this account. Does the judgment on Israel mean that God is finished with the Jewish nation and that the Church has permanently replaced the temple God judged?

V. HAS THE CHURCH REPLACED ISRAEL?

Some who believe that Mark has imported teachings from Christ in other contexts in vv 22-25 believe that there is still a connection with the judgment that is coming upon the nation. They see this connection in what is called replacement theology. The withered fig tree (vv 20-21) pictures judgment on the temple. This judgment means that the Church has replaced Israel. Mark uses the teachings of vv 22-25 to make this point.

France says that even though the “house of prayer” in Jerusalem is about to be destroyed, it will be replaced by the praying community of the Church. 33 Marcus similarly says that the connection between vv 20-21 and vv 22-25 is that prayer will stop at the temple, but prayer will continue to go on in the elect community of Christians. 34

Culpepper says that the “mountain” Jesus speaks of is the mount of Olives and that in Mark 11:23 He has in mind Zech 14:4. Zechariah says that in the last days Christ will split the mount of Olives. For Culpepper, the point is that in the destruction of the nation and the coming of the Church the eschatological day has come. He even connects Jesus’ discussion on forgiveness with the destruction of the temple. Even though the temple is destroyed, that cannot block one’s prayers. However, unforgiveness within the Church can. 35

Evans also says that Zech 14:4 is behind v 23. The temple is no longer the place of prayer. It might as well be cast into the sea. In these last days, God accomplishes His redemptive work in the Church. Those who have been redeemed and are forgiven express that new relationship in prayer. 36 Lane says that v 23 and its connection with Zech 14:4 means that we have entered the Messianic Age. 37

It is difficult, however, to understand how Zech 14:4 can be the reference behind v 23. Zechariah deals with the splitting of the mount of Olives, and not a judgment on the temple. More importantly, Zechariah 14 speaks of the coming of the Lord at the end of the Tribulation. It is not talking about the Church age.

Even though the Church is the temple of God in the Church age, this does not mean the Church has replaced Israel. One cannot deduce this from these verses. The Lord is telling the disciples that Israel did not bear the fruit that was expected. This is pictured in the fig tree.

But the disciples can. As they walk in obedience and forgive one another, they will not only experience answered prayer and a daily cleansing of sin, but they also will be in fellowship with God. Even in the midst of difficulties, including the destruction of the temple, they can produce fruit that pleases God.

VI. CONCLUSION

In the book that bears his name, James, the half-brother of the Lord, is addressing Christians who are going through difficult times. He tells them that in the midst of trials they should pray to God for the things they need. They are to be people of faith, not doubting that the Father will answer their prayers. This will include bearing spiritual fruit (Jas 1:2-6).

James also says that as they go through these difficulties they will need to be merciful (James 2:13). It is during times of difficulties that Christians are especially susceptible to treat others in an unloving manner (Jas 3:14; 4:1-2). Forgiving one another will be sorely needed.

In Mark 11:20-26, Jesus teaches His disciples the same truths. The Lord had offered Israel the kingdom when He came to them. In order for that kingdom to come the nation needed to produce fruit. It did not. They would even reject and kill the One who is the King. As a result judgment would fall.

This judgment would involve the severe discipline of God’s chosen people. It would involve the destruction of the temple of God. It would involve putting off the kingdom of God until a future generation of Jews receive it.

Only the power of God could accomplish such things. But Jesus pronounced that judgment. He was in control in the midst of the difficulties before Him. As an illustration of that judgment, He caused a non-fruit bearing tree to wither at its roots.

The disciples were instructed to learn from Christ’s example. The same power that Christ displayed was available to them. They were about to experience difficult times. In the midst of that, they should be people of prayer. In those prayers they should believe that God would do the things they asked as they followed His will.

They were to be people of faith as the kingdom was delayed in its coming. As they went through these difficulties they were to forgive each other. This is an example of what it means to believe God. He would give them the ability to do so. Such obedience would result in fellowship with Christ as He forgave them of their sins on a daily basis. In fellowship with Him, they would do what Israel did not do. They would produce fruit that was pleasing to God.

In fact, there was nothing that God would not do for them. He would remove any “mountain” in their path. This was true even though they were facing things that at that time they had no idea were coming.

____________________

1 As will be discussed below, the majority of scholars believe the passage ends at v 25 and that v 26 is a scribal gloss. However, the majority of manuscripts contain v 26. This article will argue that v 26 certainly makes sense in the meaning of the passage as well.

2 N. G. Piotrowski, “‘Whatever You Ask’ for the Missionary Purposes of the Eschatological temple: Quotation and Typology in Mark 11–12,” Southern Baptist Journal of Theology , 21, (2017): 102-103. Piotrowski’s points are well taken. However, it must be pointed out that Piotrowski says that God looks for figs on the fig trees in Jeremiah. That is not the case. Instead, God takes away the figs from the trees as a judgment on the nation (Jer 8:13). If we are to find parallels with Mark 11, perhaps we should say that Jesus takes away the figs from the tree when He says that no one will ever eat from it again.

3 Robert H. Stein, Mark , Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008), 521.

4 Barry Mershon, Jr., “Mark,” in The Grace New Testament Commentary , vol 1 (Denton, TX: Grace Evangelical Society, 2010), 189.

5 John D. Grassmick, “Mark,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary , New Testament Edition (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1983), 157.

6 The connection between the accounts is also seen in the fact that the girl is 12 years old and the woman has had an issue of blood for 12 years. In addition, both are healed by Jesus touching them in their uncleanness. To touch a woman with an issue of blood made one unclean. To touch a dead person did as well.

7 R. T. France, The Gospel of Mark: A Commentary on the Greek Text (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2002), 447-48.

8 Stein, Mark , 519.

9 Adela Yarbro Collins, Mark, Hermeneia (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2007), 532.

10 C. E. B. Cranfield, Mark , Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary (London, ENG: Cambridge University Press, 1966), 360.

11 Stein, Mark , 522; Cranfield, Mark , 362; Collins, Mark , 532; Craig A. Evans, Mark 8:27–16:20 , Word Biblical Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2001), 194; William L. Lane, The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1974), 409.

12 Stein, Mark , 520.

13 Bruce Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament (New York: United Bible Societies, 1971), 110.

14 Homoeoteleuton comes from the Greek and means “same endings.” When scribes copied a manuscript they sometimes omitted words because of the same endings of words in the next successive lines. The scribe thought he had already copied a verse because it was similar to the next one in many respects. In the case of v 26 the similarities between the words of v 25 and v 26 are very apparent, both in Greek and English.

15 France, Mark , 448.

16 David DeGraaf, “Some Doubts about Doubt: The New Testament Use of Diakrino” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society , 48:8 (December 2005): 744-49.

17 Stein, Mark , 522; Grassmick, “Mark,” 158.

18 Cranfield, Mark , 361.

19 France, Mark , 449.

21 Evans, Mark , 188.

22 Stein, Mark , 520.

23 Joel Marcus, Mark 8–16 , The Anchor Yale Bible (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2009), 793.

24 Lane, Mark , 409.

25 Grassmick, “Mark,” 99; Mershon, “Mark,” 140.

26 France, Mark , 447; Grassmick, “Mark,” 158.

27 Collins, Mark , 534.

28 Lane, Mark , 410.

29 Robert N. Wilkin, Confident in Christ: Living by Faith Really Works (Irving, TX: Grace Evangelical Society, 2015), 249-50.

30 Mershon, “Mark,” 190.

31 DeGraaf, “Some Doubts,” 749.

32 While all believers have received positional forgiveness, only those who confess their sins and who forgive others when sinned against receive fellowship forgiveness (1 John 1:9).

33 France, Mark , 448.

34 Marcus, Mark , 794-95.

35 R. Alan Culpepper, Mark , Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary (Macon, GA: Smyth & Helwys, 2007), 382.

36 Evans, Mark , 195.

37 Lane, Mark , 411.

by Kenneth Yates

Faith to Move Mountains: What does it mean & How to Have it

By Author Jeran Ferguson

Categories Righteous Living

Can faith move mountains?

Of course, faith can move mountains! Jesus said in multiple places throughout the New Testament that if we have faith in God, without any doubt, we can speak to a mountain (or anything) “move” and it will have to move.

“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.” (Mark 11:23)

Although I do believe that Jesus was being literal when He mentioned faith being able to move a mountain, I also believe that Jesus was personally trying to find something that would completely shock His disciples so He chose something that was on the extreme side, such as a mountain.

The mountain illustrates everything that is in the way of God’s will. So sickness, disease, death, evil spirits, storms, etc.

Everything that does not produce life and truth within people is to be spoken against and commanded in the name of Jesus Christ to leave.

In short, faith in the name of Jesus Christ can assuredly move mountains. It can heal the sick, it can raise the dead, it can free people from demons, and it can calm any storm. No mountain can stand against a believer who is filled with the Spirit of God and who has faith in the name of Jesus.

What does it mean to have faith that moves mountains?

To have faith that moves mountains means that you have faith in God to such a degree that unbelief is not present when you speak the name of Jesus over a situation.

“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.” (Mark 11:23)

Jesus revealed in this passage what it means to have faith that moves mountains.

He said that the person who has this faith speaks to the mountain (or the problem) and tells it to move. And when this person speaks it is not some vain thing, but they are believing that what they say will come to pass. In fact, they are believing so much that there is zero doubt in their heart.

[Related articles: How to Act on Your Faith (Step-by-Step) , The Prayer of Faith: What it is & How to do it , and How to Activate Your Faith (Step by Step) ].

Essentially, we can break this down to the person who has faith to move mountains as someone who speaks and believes that what they say will come to pass as long as it is according to God’s will (which is no hard to know by the way).

How to have faith that moves mountains

To have faith that moves mountains you have to (1) receive and understand the word of God, (2) spend much time in prayer, and (3) cast off the cares of this world and seek God’s Kingdom first.

I cover each one of these steps in extreme detail in multiple other articles, you can find them here:   What a Mustard Seed of Faith Means (And How to Have it) and How to Get/Receive Faith (Explained) .

But right now let’s give an overview of each one of these steps so that you are well-equipped to have mountain-moving faith.

Receive and understand the word of God.

The first step is to receive the word of God, for “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17) so if we don’t ever read the Bible on a consistent basis we’ll never receive the ability to have faith.

Also, Jesus referred to God’s word as a seed that must be planted in our hearts and He mentioned that we do this through understanding what we are reading/hearing (Matthew 13:19). If we don’t do this then the wicked one comes and takes away what we read.

So we can’t just read the word consistently but we also must understand it. [Related article: How to Get/Receive Faith (Explained) ].

Spend much time in Prayer

The next step is to spend much time in prayer.

Now many of you may have been expecting this step to be in here, but I’d bet that you are not sure as to why. In other words, you suspect prayer has something to do with building a faith that can move mountains but you’re not exactly sure how it does this.

Well, in the same passage where Jesus referred to the word of God as a seed, He also said that the word of God must take root in our hearts for it to bear fruit. (Matthew 13:20-21)

If this doesn’t take place then the word gets scorched from our lives when we run into trials, such as persecutions and temptations because we have no root in ourselves, therefore we will stumble.

This is important to note because Jesus said that if this happens the word will not bear fruit in our lives, which means that our faith will not grow.

Because remember; the word is an “incorruptible seed” (1 Peter 1:23) and “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17) . So when we hear the word and understand it, we are planting the seed of faith (a.k.a the word of God) into our heart, but if we don’t allow it to grow then no faith grows.

So what does this have to do with prayer?

Everything! Because prayer is the way we deepen the soil in our hearts so that the word of God can begin to take root in us.

How do I know this?

Because right before Jesus was going to be taken to get crucified, He spent the night praying for many hours and He also told His disciples to do the same, but when He left them and then came back He found them sleeping.

“Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour?  Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation . The spirit indeed  is  willing, but the flesh  is  weak.” (Matthew 26:40-41)

Jesus revealed in this passage that the secret to overcoming temptation and trials is prayer. He says, “pray or you’ll enter into temptation”. What He means by “enter into” is you’ll succumb to it.

These disciples were about to be tempted and tried. Death was about to knock on their door and they couldn’t handle it when it did. Every one of them fled from Jesus.

So if Jesus says in Matthew 13 that if we don’t “have root in ourselves” then we’ll fold under trials and persecutions, and then later says in Matthew 26 that to overcome trials, persecutions, and temptations we need to pray, the logical conclusion is that prayer is the key to allowing the word of God to take root in our hearts. (Related article:  7 Tips to Develop and Maintain a Consistent Prayer Life )

Cast off the cares of this world

The third step is to cast off the cares of this world and seek first the kingdom of God.

Another thing that hinders the word of God from growing faith in our lives is the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches.

Jesus said that if the word of God is sown among thorns, the thorns would choke the word and thus the word would become unfruitful.

The thorns in this passage referred to “the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things” (Mark 4:19) .

So what do we do to ensure that the “cares of this world” do not choke out the word of God.

In Matthew 6:19-34 , Jesus addressed the issue of having the cares of this world. I encourage you to go and read that whole passage when you have the time.

At the end of chapter 6, Jesus comes to a conclusion and He says, “For after all these things (clothing, money, shelter, etc.) the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But  seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. ” (Matthew 6:32-33)

So the antidote to worry, care, and desire for other things is a lack of seeking His Kingdom first. And since this passage was in the context of prayer, fasting, and giving, I believe that these are the main ways we seek Him first in our lives.

I hope you enjoyed this article and that it helped you in your walk with God.

God bless you all!

Get Our Weekly Devotional

Subscribe to our devotional and receive ministry updates. Each week we look at scripture, we observe what it says, we take actionable steps to apply it to our lives, and we always end the email with prayer. Enter your email to join us!

I agree to receive your newsletter and accept the data privacy statement.

Weekly devotional you can read in 2 minutes 

No spam. Nothing annoying or unexpected. Just actionable steps to apply the Word of God.  

Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. We’re on a mission to change that. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ.

You Are Meant to Move Mountains

Jon Bloom Twitter @Bloom_Jon

‘be perfect’, the wild glory of an ‘ordinary’ life, the strong legacy of a weak father, god beckons through beauty, when love takes you by the shoulders, the lost son who never left, ‘abraham, take your son’.

Staff writer, desiringGod.org

On the mountain, Jesus revealed his divine glory to Peter, James, and John. The four had just rejoined the rest of the disciples and the ever-present, clamoring, curious, constantly needy crowd when a desperate father threw himself before Jesus and pleaded,

“Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” (Matthew 17:15–16)

Jesus’s response must have caught everyone off-guard:

“O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” (Matthew 17:17)

Phew. Those are searing words. You can almost see the impotent, humbled disciples casting chastened glances at each other. The afflicted boy was brought to Jesus, whose omnipotent word soon dispatched both demon and disease.

The Holy Exasperation of a Grieving God

Who was Jesus calling faithless and twisted? These words were aimed at the disciples, the crowd, Israel, the world, and us. All of these are wrapped into the Greek word geneá (generation): a group, a nation, or an entire age.

In Jesus’s exclamation, we get a glimpse into the deep anguish and grief that he lived with during his sojourn on earth. This was no impatient outburst of a tired man. This was a careful, measured, if anything highly restrained and understated revelation of the exasperation the Holy One experiences bearing with evil people (Luke 11:13) who don’t really know how evil they are (John 2:24–25).

What must it have been like for Jesus to have created and uniquely loved each of these people who, because of their own perversity, did not know, believe, or receive him (John 1:3, 10–11)? Oh, many loved that he could heal, feed, and excite them with miracles. But, as their Creator, the one to whom they would ultimately give an account for their sin (John 5:22; Romans 14:12), he was despised and rejected by them (Isaiah 53:3). They were faithless and twisted, and Jesus, who was faithful and righteous (Revelation 3:14), was dwelling among them. It was harder for him to bear than any of them imagined.

Little Faith Results in Ministry Failure

And the disciples, at that moment, were counted among the faithless and twisted. So can we be. Our faithlessness is the worst part of our perversity (numerous English translations choose “perverse” in Matthew 17:17). More accurately, our lack of faith in God is the root of all our perversity.

But were the disciples really faithless? After all, they had tried to cast out the demon and disease. Wasn’t that faith? Perhaps. But whatever faith was present, while apparently well meaning, didn’t produce any results. It didn’t put God’s glory and power on display, it didn’t proclaim the coming of the kingdom of God, and it didn’t help the boy or the father. That’s why Jesus didn’t commend their effort; instead he rebuked their failure.

Later, when the disciples privately asked Jesus why they had failed, his explanation was succinct: “Because of your little faith” (Matthew 17:20). This was an unnerving answer. Jesus did not speak of God’s mysterious, inscrutable will in choosing not to answer at the time the disciples asked. Jesus put the blame squarely on the disciples’ shoulders. Their ministry failure was due to their little faith.

This account is included in the Scriptural canon in part to make us squirm and force us to ask the same soul-searching question over our ministry failures that the disciples were forced to ask: “Why could we not ____?”

Of course, not every unanswered prayer for healing, provision, conversion, etc. is a result of little faith. But we must not let ourselves off the hook too quickly when we don’t see prayers answered or when our ministry efforts fail. Being a Calvinist doesn’t mean we always get to appeal to God’s mysterious inscrutability. Yes, God is sovereign. And in this narrative, the sovereign God makes a clear statement: Little faith results in ministry failure.

What If Nothing Was Impossible for You?

But like all of Jesus’s rebukes to his disciples, his reproof is not intended to condemn us but to exhort us to press in further. If we currently have little faith, it is possible for us to have more faith. If we failed yesterday or today, we don’t have to continue to fail. “Little faith” is not a permanent label. Jesus means it as a catalyst for our transformation. For this is what he followed up with:

“For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20)

If Jesus’s rebuke over our little faith makes our heads droop, his promise should make our jaws drop: “nothing will be impossible for you.” Those are not empty words. That phrase is a check to be cashed.

How would you live differently if you really believed that nothing would be impossible for you?

Don’t let cynicism squelch that question. Our lightning quick and loud unbelief is not commendable. It is perverse, twisted. It robs us of more than we know. When contemplating such a question, it can be tempting for some of us to quickly point to the errors of the word-of-faith movement and reaffirm that we aren’t going to fall in that ditch. Good. We should not. But that does not excuse us to live at peace with little faith and impotence in kingdom ministry.

We are meant to move mountains — to see the impossible occur through the exercise of faith in the omnipotent promises of our sovereign Lord. If we are not seeing mountains move, we are living beneath our means. We are living as paupers when we have millions in our heavenly bank account. Jesus doesn’t commend this. He rebukes it.

The faith of God’s people is the channel through which God chooses to manifest much of his glory that results in the conversion of unbelievers. If we have little faith, then little glory is seen through us. We must not be content with this.

If we recognize that we have little faith, let us repent today and join the disciples in pleading, “Increase our faith” (Luke 17:5), and not let God go until he blesses us with an answer. It is a request he loves to grant.

Jesus really does mean for us to move mountains. He wants us to live in the bold joy of knowing that nothing will be impossible for us.

New Resources in Your Inbox

A digest from Desiring God

The Pitfalls of Being a Thinker

Life Is Too Brief to Waste

Answered Faith

Faith Bible Study #5 – Mountain-Moving Faith: Embracing the Power of Belief

Pastor Duke Taber

Updated on: July 15, 2024

Introduction

Faith is a central theme throughout the Bible, and one of the most powerful illustrations of faith is found in Jesus’ teaching on faith to move mountains. In both Matthew 17:20 and Matthew 21:21-22, Jesus uses the metaphor of moving mountains to describe the incredible potential of faith in the life of a believer.

In this Bible study, we will explore the concept of faith to move mountains, examining the context and meaning of Jesus’ teaching, as well as its application for our lives today. We will consider what it means to have mountain-moving faith, the obstacles that can hinder our faith, and the practical steps we can take to cultivate a deeper trust in God.

The idea of moving mountains through faith may seem like a daunting or even impossible task. Mountains, after all, are symbols of permanence, stability, and immovability. They are massive, solid structures that have stood the test of time and weathered countless storms.

In the same way, the challenges and obstacles we face in life can often feel like immovable mountains. Whether it’s a health crisis, a financial struggle, a broken relationship, or a seemingly impossible situation, these mountains can loom large in our minds and hearts, casting a shadow of fear, doubt, and despair.

However, Jesus’ teaching on faith to move mountains reminds us that, with God, nothing is impossible. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead and seated Him at the right hand of the Father is available to us as believers. When we place our faith in God and align our will with His, we tap into a supernatural strength and authority that can move even the most immovable of mountains.

Throughout this study, we will explore what it means to have this kind of mountain-moving faith. We will examine the biblical basis for Jesus’ teaching, as well as examples of individuals in Scripture who demonstrated extraordinary faith in the face of impossible circumstances.

We will also consider the obstacles that can hinder our faith, such as doubt, fear, and unbelief. We will explore practical strategies for overcoming these obstacles and cultivating a deeper trust in God, even in the midst of life’s storms and challenges.

As we delve into this topic, may we approach it with open hearts and minds, ready to receive the wisdom and insight that God has for us. May we be inspired and challenged by Jesus’ words, and may we grow in our understanding and experience of mountain-moving faith.

Through this study, may we come to a deeper realization of the power and potential of faith in our lives. May we be encouraged to place our trust fully in God, knowing that He is able to do immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine. And may we be empowered to face life’s mountains with courage, confidence, and unwavering faith in the One who is able to move them.

For You or Your Church!

A 13-week Faith Bible study course perfect for Mid-Week services, home groups, or personal growth!

The Context of Jesus’ Teaching

To fully understand and apply Jesus’ teaching on faith to move mountains, it is important to consider the context in which He spoke these words. In both Matthew 17 and Matthew 21, Jesus uses the metaphor of moving mountains to illustrate the power and potential of faith in the life of a believer.

In Matthew 17, Jesus has just come down from the Mount of Transfiguration, where He revealed His divine glory to Peter, James, and John. Upon descending the mountain, Jesus is confronted with a crowd and a man whose son is possessed by a demon. The man approaches Jesus and expresses his frustration that the disciples were unable to cast out the demon.

Jesus rebukes the “faithless and perverse generation” and proceeds to cast out the demon Himself. When the disciples ask why they were unable to do so, Jesus replies, “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” (Matthew 17:20, NKJV).

In this context, Jesus is addressing the disciples’ lack of faith and the obstacle it posed to their ministry. He uses the metaphor of moving mountains to illustrate the power and potential of even the smallest amount of faith, comparing it to a tiny mustard seed.

The mustard seed was proverbial in Jewish culture for its small size, yet Jesus suggests that even this small amount of faith is sufficient to accomplish the impossible. He emphasizes that the issue was not the size of their faith, but the presence of unbelief, which hindered their ability to minister effectively.

In Matthew 21, the context is slightly different. Jesus has just cursed a fig tree for its lack of fruit, causing it to wither away. The disciples are amazed at how quickly the tree withered, and Jesus uses this opportunity to teach them about the power of faith and prayer.

He says to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive” (Matthew 21:21-22, NKJV).

In this context, Jesus is emphasizing the importance of faith and the absence of doubt in the life of a believer. He again uses the metaphor of moving mountains to illustrate the incredible potential of faith, suggesting that it can even enable the impossible feat of casting a mountain into the sea.

Jesus also connects faith with prayer, indicating that a believer who prays with faith and without doubt can expect to receive whatever they ask. This promise is not a blank check for personal wishes or desires, but rather an assurance that God is willing and able to answer the prayers of His children when they align with His will and purpose.

In both contexts, Jesus is challenging His disciples to a deeper and more authentic faith, one that is not hindered by unbelief or doubt. He is calling them to place their trust fully in God, knowing that He is able to accomplish the impossible through even the smallest amount of faith.

As we consider the context of Jesus’ teaching, we are reminded that faith is not just an abstract concept or a mental assent to certain beliefs. Rather, it is a living, active trust in God that has the power to transform our lives and enable us to do the impossible.

We are also reminded that faith is not something we muster up on our own strength, but rather a gift from God that grows as we cultivate our relationship with Him. As we spend time in His presence, meditate on His Word, and seek His will, our faith is strengthened and deepened, enabling us to face life’s challenges with courage and confidence.

May the context of Jesus’ teaching inspire us to examine the depth and authenticity of our own faith, and to seek a deeper trust in God that is not hindered by unbelief or doubt. May we embrace the power and potential of mountain-moving faith, knowing that with God, nothing is impossible.

Reflective Questions:

1. In what areas of your life do you feel like you are facing an immovable mountain? How can Jesus’ teaching on faith to move mountains speak to your situation?

2. Have you ever experienced a time when your faith was hindered by unbelief or doubt? What were the circumstances, and how did you overcome those obstacles?

3. What do you think it means to have faith as small as a mustard seed? How can you cultivate this kind of authentic, active faith in your own life?

4. How does Jesus’ connection between faith and prayer challenge or encourage you in your own prayer life? What does it mean to pray with faith and without doubt?

5. In what ways can you align your faith and prayers with God’s will and purpose, rather than your own desires or wishes? How can you discern His will in your life and circumstances?

The Meaning of Mountain-Moving Faith

The metaphor of moving mountains is a powerful and vivid illustration of the potential of faith in the life of a believer. But what does it actually mean to have mountain-moving faith? And how can we apply this concept to our own lives and circumstances?

At its core, mountain-moving faith is a deep, unwavering trust in God’s power, goodness, and faithfulness. It is a confidence that God is able to do the impossible, even when our circumstances seem insurmountable or beyond hope.

This kind of faith is not based on our own strength, abilities, or understanding, but rather on the character and promises of God. It is a recognition that God is sovereign over all things, and that His plans and purposes are always good, even when we cannot see or understand them.

Mountain-moving faith is also a faith that is active and obedient. It is not just a mental assent to certain beliefs or doctrines, but a willingness to step out in trust and obedience, even when the way ahead is unclear or uncertain.

In the Bible, we see numerous examples of individuals who demonstrated mountain-moving faith in the face of impossible circumstances. One such example is Abraham, who was called by God to leave his homeland and go to a place he had never seen, based solely on God’s promise and direction (Genesis 12:1-4).

Abraham’s faith was tested numerous times throughout his life, most notably when God asked him to sacrifice his son Isaac (Genesis 22). Despite the seeming impossibility of the situation, Abraham trusted in God’s goodness and provision, believing that God would either provide a substitute or raise Isaac from the dead (Hebrews 11:17-19).

Another example of mountain-moving faith is found in the story of Joshua and the battle of Jericho (Joshua 6). God instructed Joshua to march around the city once a day for six days, and on the seventh day, to march around it seven times, with the priests blowing trumpets. On the seventh time around, the people were to give a great shout, and the walls of the city would fall down flat.

From a human perspective, this battle plan made no sense. Jericho was a heavily fortified city, with walls that seemed impenetrable. Yet Joshua and the Israelites trusted in God’s instructions and obeyed, even when it seemed foolish or illogical. As a result, the walls of Jericho fell, and the city was taken.

These examples illustrate that mountain-moving faith is not a matter of mustering up enough belief or positive thinking to make things happen. Rather, it is a deep trust in God’s character and promises, and a willingness to obey His instructions, even when they seem impossible or counterintuitive.

Mountain-moving faith is also a faith that perseveres in the face of obstacles and setbacks. It recognizes that God’s timing and methods may be different than our own, and that His plans may unfold over a long period of time, rather than in a single, dramatic moment.

This kind of persevering faith is exemplified in the life of Joseph, who endured years of betrayal, false accusations, and imprisonment before God ultimately elevated him to a position of power and influence in Egypt (Genesis 37-50). Throughout his trials, Joseph trusted in God’s sovereignty and goodness, believing that He would work all things together for good, even when the circumstances seemed hopeless.

As we seek to cultivate mountain-moving faith in our own lives, we must recognize that it is not something we can achieve on our own strength or willpower. Rather, it is a gift from God that grows as we cultivate our relationship with Him and seek to align our will with His.

This means spending time in God’s presence through prayer, worship, and meditation on His Word. It means seeking His wisdom and guidance in all things, and being willing to obey His instructions, even when they seem difficult or costly.

It also means surrounding ourselves with a community of believers who can encourage and support us in our faith journey. As we share our struggles and victories with one another, we can spur each other on toward greater trust and obedience, reminding each other of God’s faithfulness and power.

Ultimately, mountain-moving faith is a faith that is anchored in the person and work of Jesus Christ. It recognizes that through His death and resurrection, Jesus has already conquered sin, death, and every obstacle that stands in our way. As we place our trust in Him and abide in His love, we can face life’s mountains with courage, confidence, and unwavering faith.

May we seek to cultivate this kind of mountain-moving faith in our own lives, trusting in God’s power and goodness, even in the face of impossible circumstances. May we be willing to step out in obedience and perseverance, knowing that He is able to do immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine. And may we find our strength and hope in Jesus Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith.

1. What does it mean to you to have mountain-moving faith? How have you experienced this kind of faith in your own life, or seen it exemplified in the lives of others?

2. How can you cultivate a deeper trust in God’s character and promises, even when circumstances seem impossible or hopeless? What specific attributes of God can you focus on and remind yourself of in times of doubt or fear?

3. In what areas of your life is God calling you to step out in obedience and faith, even when the way ahead is unclear or uncertain? How can you trust in His guidance and provision as you take those steps?

4. How can you persevere in faith, even when faced with obstacles, setbacks, or long periods of waiting? What encouragement or inspiration can you draw from biblical examples like Joseph or Abraham?

5. In what ways can you anchor your faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ? How does His death and resurrection give you confidence and hope in the face of life’s mountains and challenges?

Overcoming Obstacles to Mountain-Moving Faith

While the concept of mountain-moving faith is inspiring and empowering, it is important to recognize that there are often obstacles and barriers that can hinder our ability to trust God fully and step out in obedience. These obstacles can come from a variety of sources, including our own doubts, fears, and past experiences, as well as the influence of our culture and the enemy’s lies and deceptions.

One common obstacle to mountain-moving faith is doubt. Doubt can take many forms, from intellectual questions about the existence or goodness of God, to emotional struggles with trust and surrender. When we face difficult circumstances or unanswered prayers, it can be easy to doubt God’s power, love, or faithfulness.

The disciples themselves struggled with doubt, even after witnessing Jesus’ miracles and teachings firsthand. In Mark 9, a man brings his demon-possessed son to Jesus, after the disciples were unable to cast out the demon. When Jesus asks the father if he believes, the man responds, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24, NKJV).

This honest cry reflects the reality that even believers can struggle with doubt and unbelief at times. The key is to bring those doubts to Jesus and ask for His help in overcoming them. As we seek His face and meditate on His Word, our faith can be strengthened and our doubts can be replaced with trust and confidence.

Another obstacle to mountain-moving faith is fear. Fear can paralyze us and keep us from stepping out in obedience, even when we know God is calling us to do so. We may fear failure, rejection, or the unknown, and allow those fears to dictate our actions and decisions.

Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly commands His people to “fear not,” reminding them of His presence, protection, and power. In Isaiah 41:10, God says, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (NKJV).

When we are gripped by fear, we can cling to promises like these and remind ourselves of God’s faithfulness and love. We can also take practical steps to confront our fears, such as seeking wise counsel, breaking down big steps into smaller ones, and choosing to focus on God’s truth rather than our own anxious thoughts.

A third obstacle to mountain-moving faith is a lack of perseverance. When we face delays, setbacks, or unanswered prayers, it can be tempting to give up and lose heart. We may question whether God is really listening or whether His promises are true for us.

However, Scripture reminds us that perseverance is a key component of authentic faith. In James 1:2-4, we read, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (NKJV).

Perseverance in faith means continuing to trust and obey God, even when we don’t see immediate results or answers to our prayers. It means holding fast to His promises and character, even when our circumstances seem to contradict them. As we persevere in faith, we can trust that God is working behind the scenes, shaping us into the image of Christ and preparing us for the plans and purposes He has for us.

Finally, a significant obstacle to mountain-moving faith can be the lies and deceptions of the enemy. Satan, the father of lies (John 8:44), seeks to undermine our faith and keep us from trusting and obeying God. He may whisper doubts about God’s goodness, tempt us to rely on our own strength and understanding, or accuse us of being unworthy or disqualified from God’s love and grace.

To overcome these lies, we must take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). This means actively replacing lies with the truth of God’s Word, and choosing to believe what He says about us, rather than what our emotions or circumstances may suggest.

We can also arm ourselves with the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:16-17). As we study and meditate on Scripture, we can recognize and resist the enemy’s lies, and stand firm in our identity as beloved children of God.

Ultimately, overcoming obstacles to mountain-moving faith requires a daily, moment-by-moment dependence on God. It means cultivating a lifestyle of prayer, worship, and obedience, and surrounding ourselves with a community of believers who can encourage and support us in our faith journey.

It also means being willing to take steps of faith, even when we feel uncertain or afraid. As we step out in obedience, we can trust that God will meet us where we are and provide the strength, wisdom, and resources we need to overcome any obstacle that stands in our way.

The story of David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17) provides a powerful example of overcoming obstacles to mountain-moving faith. When the Israelites were faced with the seemingly insurmountable challenge of the giant Goliath, they were paralyzed by fear and doubt. But David, a young shepherd boy, saw the situation through the lens of faith.

He recognized that the battle was not his, but the Lord’s (1 Samuel 17:47), and he trusted that the same God who had delivered him from the lion and the bear would also give him victory over Goliath. Armed with this confidence, David stepped out in faith and obedience, defeating Goliath with a single stone from his sling.

Like David, we may face giants in our own lives that seem impossible to overcome. But as we trust in God’s power and goodness, and step out in obedience to His call, we can have confidence that He will fight for us and give us the victory.

May we be encouraged and empowered by the examples of faith in Scripture, and may we seek to cultivate a mountain-moving faith that overcomes every obstacle and barrier. As we fix our eyes on Jesus and anchor our hope in His promises, we can trust that He will lead us into a life of purpose, power, and unshakable faith.

1. What doubts or fears have you struggled with in your own faith journey? How have you seen God meet you in those struggles and help you overcome them?

2. In what areas of your life do you need to persevere in faith, even when you don’t see immediate results or answers? How can you hold fast to God’s promises and character in those situations?

3. Have you ever experienced the lies or deceptions of the enemy in your own life? What specific truths from God’s Word can you use to combat those lies and stand firm in your identity as a child of God?

4. How can you cultivate a lifestyle of prayer, worship, and obedience that helps you overcome obstacles to mountain-moving faith? What practical steps can you take to make these practices a regular part of your daily life?

5. In what areas of your life is God calling you to step out in faith and obedience, even when you feel uncertain or afraid? How can you trust in His power and provision as you take those steps?

Cultivating Mountain-Moving Faith

As we have seen throughout this study, mountain-moving faith is a powerful and transformative force in the life of a believer. But how can we cultivate this kind of faith in our own lives? What practical steps can we take to deepen our trust in God and step out in obedience to His call?

One key to cultivating mountain-moving faith is to prioritize our relationship with God above all else. This means setting aside regular time for prayer, worship, and meditation on His Word. As we spend time in God’s presence, our faith is strengthened and our perspective is transformed.

In Mark 1:35, we read that Jesus Himself prioritized time with the Father: “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed” (NKJV). If Jesus, the Son of God, needed to spend regular time in prayer and communion with the Father, how much more do we need to make this a priority in our own lives?

As we pray, we can bring our doubts, fears, and struggles before God, and ask for His help in overcoming them. We can also pray for an increase in our faith, knowing that God is able to do immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).

Another key to cultivating mountain-moving faith is to immerse ourselves in God’s Word. The Bible is our source of truth, wisdom, and inspiration, and it has the power to transform our minds and hearts. As we read and meditate on Scripture, our faith is strengthened and our perspective is aligned with God’s.

In Romans 10:17, we read, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (NKJV). The more we expose ourselves to God’s Word, the more our faith will grow and deepen. We can make Bible reading and study a regular part of our daily routine, and seek out opportunities to learn and grow in our understanding of Scripture.

We can also cultivate mountain-moving faith by stepping out in obedience to God’s call, even when it feels uncomfortable or risky. Faith is not just a mental assent to certain beliefs, but an active trust that is demonstrated through our actions and choices.

In James 2:17, we read, “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (NKJV). True faith is evidenced by a willingness to obey God and follow His leading, even when it goes against our own desires or understanding.

This may mean taking a step of faith in our relationships, our careers, or our ministry. It may mean saying yes to a new opportunity or challenge, even when we feel unqualified or unprepared. As we step out in obedience, we can trust that God will equip us and guide us every step of the way.

Another way to cultivate mountain-moving faith is to surround ourselves with a community of believers who can encourage and support us in our faith journey. We were never meant to walk this path alone, but to be part of a body of believers who can spur one another on toward love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24).

This may mean getting involved in a small group or Bible study, finding a mentor or accountability partner, or simply being intentional about building relationships with other believers who can encourage and challenge us in our faith.

As we share our struggles and victories with one another, we can find strength and inspiration to keep pressing on, even when the way ahead seems difficult or uncertain. We can also learn from the faith and example of others, and be reminded of God’s faithfulness and power in their lives.

Finally, cultivating mountain-moving faith requires a daily, moment-by-moment dependence on God. It means recognizing that we are utterly helpless and dependent on Him for everything, and that apart from Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5).

This kind of dependence is not a sign of weakness, but of spiritual maturity and strength. It is a recognition that God is the source of all wisdom, power, and provision, and that our lives are found in Him alone.

As we cultivate this kind of dependence on God, we can have confidence that He will meet us in our every need and circumstance. We can trust that He is working all things together for our good and His glory, and that He will never leave us or forsake us.

May we seek to cultivate mountain-moving faith in our own lives, through prayer, Bible study, obedience, community, and dependence on God. May we fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, and trust in His power and goodness to move the mountains in our lives and in our world. And may we be a living testament to the transformative power of faith, bringing glory to God and hope to a world in need.

1. How can you prioritize your relationship with God and make prayer, worship, and meditation on His Word a regular part of your daily life? What specific steps can you take to create space for these practices?

2. In what ways can immersing yourself in God’s Word strengthen and deepen your faith? How can you make Bible reading and study a consistent habit in your life?

3. What steps of obedience is God calling you to take in your own life, even when they feel uncomfortable or risky? How can you trust in His guidance and provision as you step out in faith?

4. Who are some people in your life who can encourage and support you in your faith journey? How can you be intentional about building relationships with other believers and being part of a community of faith?

5. What does it mean to cultivate a daily, moment-by-moment dependence on God? How can you practice recognizing your need for Him and trusting in His power and provision in every area of your life?

As we come to the end of this study on faith to move mountains, we have explored the context and meaning of Jesus’ teaching, the obstacles that can hinder our faith, and the practical steps we can take to cultivate a deeper trust in God.

We have seen that mountain-moving faith is not just a matter of positive thinking or mental assent, but a deep, unwavering trust in God’s power, goodness, and faithfulness. It is a faith that perseveres in the face of obstacles and setbacks, and steps out in obedience and dependence on God.

Throughout Scripture, we have seen examples of individuals who demonstrated this kind of faith, from Abraham and Joshua to David and the early church. Their stories inspire and challenge us to place our own trust in God, even when the way ahead seems impossible or uncertain.

As we seek to cultivate mountain-moving faith in our own lives, we must prioritize our relationship with God above all else, immersing ourselves in His Word and spending regular time in prayer and worship. We must also be willing to step out in obedience to His call, even when it feels uncomfortable or risky, and surround ourselves with a community of believers who can encourage and support us in our faith journey.

Ultimately, mountain-moving faith is anchored in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who is the author and perfecter of our faith. Through His death and resurrection, He has overcome every obstacle and barrier that stands in our way, and has made a way for us to have abundant, eternal life in Him.

As we fix our eyes on Jesus and trust in His power and goodness, we can face any mountain or challenge that comes our way with courage, confidence, and unwavering faith. We can trust that He is able to do immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine, and that He is working all things together for our good and His glory.

May we be inspired and empowered by Jesus’ teaching on faith to move mountains, and may we seek to cultivate this kind of faith in our own lives. May we be a living testament to the transformative power of faith, bringing hope and healing to a world in need.

And may we never forget that, with God, all things are possible. As Jesus declared, “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” (Matthew 17:20, NKJV).

Was This Bible Study Helpful?

You can access the entire study for your church, home group, or personal enrichment with copyright permission to print out as many copies as you want for less than a cup of coffee at Starbucks!

The complete study is available in printable PDF format. Learn more about the entire Faith Bible Study Lessons Here.

More Bible Studies On Faith

Further reading.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Pastor Duke has been preaching and teaching the Bible since 1988.

Bible Studies

A Biblical Guide To Money – 13 Week Bible Study

13 Bible Study Lessons For New Believers

13 Bible Study Lessons On The Parables Of Jesus

13 Bible Study Lessons On Grace

13 Bible Study Lessons On The Fruit Of The Spirit

13 Bible Lessons On Worship

Articles for you.

PH +1 702-659-0965

441 Honeysuckle St. Mesquite NV 89027

© 2024 Answeered Faith

• How to Be Saved
• Request Prayer
• Free Resources
• Listen Online
• Station Finder
• Escuchar en linea
• Daily Hope TV
• Current Teaching
• About Pastor Rick
• Our Beliefs
• Daily Hope Ministries
• Partners in Hope
• Church Leaders
• Donate Login
• Store Login

Connect with Pastor Rick Warren

• Today’s Offer
• PARTNERS IN HOPE
• More Ways to Give

Your Faith Can Move Mountains

by Rick Warren — December 26, 2017

“Have faith in God! If you have faith in God and don’t doubt, you can tell this mountain to get up and jump into the sea, and it will. Everything you ask for in prayer will be yours, if you only have faith” (Mark 11:22-24 CEV).

Faith opens the door to miracles. If you study the Bible and history, you find that every time God moves on Earth and does a miracle, it’s because somebody believed. 

Jesus said in Mark 11:22-24, “Have faith in God! If you have faith in God and don’t doubt, you can tell this mountain to get up and jump into the sea, and it will. Everything you ask for in prayer will be yours, if you only have faith” (CEV). Faith can move mountains! 

God has set up the universe in a hierarchy of laws, and the law of faith is actually a higher law than the laws of nature. That’s where miracles come in. Because when faith is used, the law of faith goes into practice, and the law of faith can actually do more than the laws of physics. 

Does God still perform miracles today? Of course he does. Every time you stretch your faith, God does miracles — every single time . My question for you is this: What’s the mountain in your life that needs to be moved? What’s the thing you’ve already decided will never change? That’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. But how do you know it won’t change? Maybe God wants your faith to supersede the law of nature. He has in the past, and he is doing it today all around the world. God is in the mountain-moving business. Do not doubt or underestimate what he wants to do in your life. 

Matthew 13:58 says, “[Jesus] did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith” (NIV). 

You might say, “I don’t see many miracles in my life.” How would you answer this question: Are you seeing with eyes of fear, or are you seeing with eyes of faith? Faith opens the door to miracles.  

• What prayer need in your life have you given up on — you believe things will never change? 
• How do you think God wants you to start praying for that thing? What does he want you to do in faith?
•  When have you seen with eyes of faith and not eyes of fear?

Give hope, prayer, and encouragement below. Post a comment & talk about it.

Sign up for pastor rick’s free daily hope devotional.

Para suscribirse al boletín en español haga clic aquí .

• Name * First Last
• Please share your story or prayer request.

SIGN UP FOR THE CURRENT STUDY

Get each day’s devotional and audio message delivered to your inbox, sign up for pastor rick's daily hope devotional.

Crosswalk Editors Daily Devotional and Bible Devotions

• BROWSE TOPICS X
• Devotionals
• Newsletters

What it Means to Have Faith that Can Move Mountains - The Crosswalk Devotional - April 30

• Sign Up for Email

What it Means to Have Faith that Can Move Mountains By Whitney Hopler

“… 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 NIV 

While hiking the Craggy Pinnacle trail off the Blue Ridge Parkway, I looked out on a clear afternoon to see mountains surrounding me in every direction. The majestic and rugged mountains stretched out with peaks reaching toward the sky. Surrounded by all those mountains, I felt profoundly small. The panoramic mountain view reminded me of the immensity of the world beyond me. Yet, I didn’t feel afraid. In fact, I felt a deep sense of wonder that inspired me to thank God . I knew by faith that, even though I was small and the mountains around me were big, my mighty God was right there with me. 

In Matthew 17:20 , Jesus uses a tiny mustard seed to illustrate the huge power of faith. The mustard seed, which is only about 1 to 2 millimeters long, has the potential to grow into a large shrub. It experiences tremendous growth, and we can, too. Jesus assures us that if we have even the smallest amount of genuine faith, we can make a significant impact. Faith is so powerful that we can use it for anything – even something that seems as impossible as moving a huge mountain. 

Mountains in the Bible often symbolize the challenges and obstacles we face. They represent anything that looms large, causing fear, doubt, or uncertainty in our lives. Just as mountains are solid and immovable, our problems seem overwhelming and unyielding. But Jesus reminds us that with faith, nothing is impossible. 

Faith, like the mustard seed, starts small but grows with nurture and care. It requires trust in God’s power, even when circumstances are challenging. When we have faith, we acknowledge that God is greater than any obstacle we face, and we believe in his ability to care well for us. 

We face many mountains in our lives: health issues, financial struggles, relationship challenges, spiritual battles, and more. Jesus warns us in John 16:33 that we will experience trouble in this fallen world, but assures us that he has overcome the world. So, if we place our faith in Jesus, he will empower us to move any kind of mountain in our lives. We can be confident of Jesus’ promise in Matthew 17:20 that nothing will be impossible for us when we have faith – even a tiny amount of faith. Our faith becomes the catalyst for change, helping us confront our obstacles with persistent prayer that leads to courage and perseverance. 

Just as a mustard seed planted in fertile soil grows into a large and beautiful shrub with bright yellow flowers, our faith can grow in beautiful ways. Our faith will grow and blossom when we root it in God’s Word and nurture it through prayer and obedience. Faith empowers us to face our mountains head-on, knowing that nothing is too difficult for us to handle when we’re relying on Jesus to help us. 

As we journey through life, we may encounter mountains of various shapes and sizes. Some may appear towering and intimidating, while others may seem more manageable. But regardless of their magnitude, Jesus assures us that with faith, we have the power to overcome them. Our faith becomes the catalyst for miracles as God’s mighty power moves mountains for us. 

Jesus calls us to have faith in God ’s active involvement in our lives. He encourages us to believe that we will witness God at work, transforming our circumstances for good purposes. As we exercise our faith, we align ourselves with God’s will, inviting his power to work miracles in and through us. Just as we can move mountains through faith, we can overcome our challenges with the assurance that God is with us every step of the way. So, let’s have faith that we will see God’s wonder at work in our lives , moving mountains with unlimited power! 

Intersecting Faith & Life:

As you reflect on how faith can move mountains, consider these questions:

• What are the “mountains” in my life right now? How do they make me feel?
• Do I truly believe that my faith has the power to move those mountains?
• How can I cultivate and strengthen my faith, even in the face of challenges?
• How has God demonstrated his faithfulness to me in the past, and how can I draw strength from those experiences? 
• In what areas of my life do I struggle to trust God fully, and how can I surrender those areas to God in faith? 

Further Reading: Matthew 21:21-22 Mark 11:23-24 Psalm 121:1-2 Isaiah 40:4 Psalm 46:1

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/TFILM 

Check out fantastic resources on Faith , Family , and Fun at Crosswalk.com ! 

Related Resource: Bold Prayers: Asking God to Reveal the Roots of Our Anxiety

Sometimes, anxiety can hit without any recognizable provocation, or our anxiety can feel more intense than the situation warrants. When we find ourselves in that place, we can pray the prayer ancient Israel's second king, David, prayed at the end of Psalm 139, trusting that our God will and is leading us to increased freedom. Listen in to this episode of Faith Over Fear and have your mind and heart fixed on the truth you need for your day! If you like this episode, be sure to subscribe on   Apple or   Spotify so you never miss an episode!

The Crosswalk Devotional Archive

• Working While We Wait - The Crosswalk Devotional - September 9 Sep 09, 2024
• God’s Unchanging Heart for His Profoundly Imperfect People - The Crosswalk Devotional - September 8 Sep 08, 2024
• Fighting Spiritual Strongholds - The Crosswalk Devotional - September 7 Sep 07, 2024
• God’s Comfort in His Songs - The Crosswalk Devotional - September 6 Sep 06, 2024

Editor's Picks

Popular Today

• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use
• Crosswalk App
• California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information
• California - CCPA Notice

How to go to Heaven

How to get right with god.

Can faith really move mountains?

For further study, related articles, subscribe to the, question of the week.

Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox!

What does it mean, believers can move mountains?

By BibleAsk Team

August 24, 2018

• हिन्दी
• മലയാളം

Table of Contents

The phrase “believers can move mountains” is a powerful metaphorical expression found in the New Testament of the Bible , specifically in the teachings of Jesus Christ . It signifies the extraordinary potential and power of faith .

Biblical Context of “Moving Mountains”

The concept of moving mountains through faith is mentioned in several places in the New Testament. The primary references are found in the Gospels, where Jesus uses this metaphor to illustrate the power of unwavering faith .

Matthew 17:20 (NKJV)

“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.'”

The mustard seed may be small to begin with, but hidden within it is the power of life, and, once given the right circumstances, it will grow. The possession of faith, Jesus says, is not a matter of quantity but of quality. It is not so much the amount of faith, but its truthfulness. Either a person has faith or he does not have faith. The very smallest amount of faith is enough to accomplish the impossible (Mark 11:23).

Too often the reason a Christian can’t experience God ’s strength in his daily life is that he is “fearful” and has “little faith.” Christians need to cast away their trust in themselves and depend totally and completely on God ’s power (Matthew 8:26). As Christ calmed the winds and the waves of the sea, so He is able to banish the storms of life that so often blow over the human soul .

Matthew 21:21 (NKJV)

“So Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, “Be removed and be cast into the sea,” it will be done.'”

The meaning of moving mountains is contextual. Jesus said that His followers can move mountains in response to an incident where His disciples failed to perform a miracle of healing. A certain man asked the disciples to heal his epileptic son, who was suffering severely but the disciples, couldn’t. Jesus said to them, “…Bring him here to Me.” And He rebuked the demon , and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour (Matthew 17:14-18, NKJV).

The disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why could we not cast it out? (Matthew 17: 19). He answered them, “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” (Matthew 17:20 also 21:21; Luke 17:6).

Jesus, here, was speaking of figurative mountains of trials. For He Himself never moved literal mountains, nor did He intend His followers to do that. Christ spoke of the great problems that the disciples will face in their lives as they went out on His great commission to preach the good news to the world. And the Master assured His disciples that no difficulty, will be too great for them to overcome (Isaiah 45:18; 55:8–11). For “With God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26, NKJV).

Mark 11:23 (NKJV)

“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.”

In these passages, Jesus emphasizes the potency of faith. By using the metaphor of moving mountains, He is not suggesting that believers will physically relocate geological formations, but rather, He is highlighting the boundless possibilities that come with true, unwavering faith.

Theological Significance

Faith as trust in god.

At its core, the statement about moving mountains reflects the essential Christian teaching about faith. Faith, in this context, is complete trust and confidence in God and His power. It is not merely belief in the existence of God, but a profound trust in His omnipotence, wisdom , and goodness.

Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

This definition from Hebrews underscores the nature of faith as a conviction in things not yet realized or visible. It is this kind of faith that Jesus speaks of when He says believers can move mountains.

Faith and Prayer

The metaphor also ties closely to the teachings on the efficacy of prayer. Jesus’ statements about moving mountains are often linked with instructions on prayer, emphasizing that faith-filled prayer can yield miraculous results.

James 5:15-16 (NKJV)

“And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

Faith, therefore, is not only about belief but also about active trust expressed through prayer. The mountain-moving faith is one that is exercised through persistent and sincere prayer.

Practical Implications for Believers

Overcoming personal obstacles.

For believers, the metaphor of moving mountains can be applied to personal and communal challenges. Whether facing illness, financial difficulties, relational conflicts, or spiritual battles, the promise of mountain-moving faith encourages believers to trust in God’s power to intervene and transform their circumstances.

Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

This verse resonates with the concept of mountain-moving faith, affirming that with Christ’s strength, believers can overcome any difficulty.

Advancing God’s Kingdom

The metaphor also applies to the broader mission of the church . The early Christians faced immense persecution and numerous obstacles in spreading the gospel. The assurance that faith can move mountains provided them with the courage and perseverance needed to fulfill their mission.

Acts 4:29-31 (NKJV)

“Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.’ And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit , and they spoke the word of God with boldness.”

This passage demonstrates the early church ’s reliance on prayer and faith to overcome the immense challenges they faced, essentially moving the mountains before them.

Challenges to Understanding and Applying the Metaphor

Misinterpretation of faith.

One of the significant challenges in understanding the metaphor of moving mountains is the potential for misinterpretation. Some might view it as a guarantee that every desire or prayer will be granted if one has enough faith. However, biblical faith is not about coercing God into fulfilling personal wishes but aligning oneself with God’s will and purposes.

1 John 5:14-15 (NKJV)

“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”

True mountain-moving faith seeks God’s will above all and trusts that He knows what is best for His children.

The Role of Doubt

Jesus also highlights the importance of not doubting. Doubt can undermine faith and hinder its effectiveness.

James 1:6-8 (NKJV)

“But 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. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

This passage from James echoes Jesus’ teachings and emphasizes the necessity of unwavering faith. Doubt creates instability and can prevent believers from experiencing the full power of their faith.

Examples of Mountain-Moving Faith in the Bible

Abraham is often cited as a quintessential example of faith. Despite his old age and the apparent impossibility of having a child with Sarah , he believed in God’s promise.

Romans 4:20-21 (NKJV)

“He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.”

Abraham ’s faith was metaphorically mountain-moving because he believed in God’s promise against all odds, and God fulfilled His promise.

Moses , leading the Israelites out of Egypt, faced numerous seemingly insurmountable challenges, yet his faith in God’s guidance and power led to miraculous events, such as the parting of the Red Sea.

Hebrews 11:29 (NKJV)

“By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.”

Moses ’ faith moved the mountain of the Red Sea, enabling the Israelites to escape from Pharaoh’s army.

The Ultimate Example: Jesus Christ

Jesus Himself is the ultimate example of mountain-moving faith. His entire ministry, culminating in His death and resurrection, was marked by faith in God’s plan and power.

John 11:41-42 (NKJV)

“Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.'”

Jesus’ prayer before raising Lazarus from the dead demonstrates His unwavering faith in God’s power and purpose.

Contemporary Application

Personal life.

In contemporary Christian life, believers are encouraged to apply the principle of mountain-moving faith to their personal circumstances. This involves trusting God with their deepest concerns and challenges, believing that He is able to do far more than they can ask or imagine.

Ephesians 3:20 (NKJV)

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.”

This assurance encourages believers to bring their needs to God with confidence, trusting in His limitless power.

Community and Global Challenges

On a broader scale, mountain-moving faith can inspire action to address significant social and spiritual challenges. Whether combating injustice or spreading the gospel, faith empowers believers to undertake great tasks, trusting that God will work through their efforts.

Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV)

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth . Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit , teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen .”

The Great Commission itself is a call to mountain-moving faith, trusting in Jesus’ authority and presence as believers go into the world.

The phrase “believers can move mountains” encapsulates the profound power of faith as taught by Jesus Christ. Through various biblical passages and examples, it becomes clear that this metaphor is not about literal geological changes but about the spiritual and practical power of faith to overcome great obstacles and achieve the seemingly impossible. By placing unwavering trust in God, engaging in fervent prayer, and aligning with God’s will, believers can experience and witness the extraordinary capabilities that faith bestows.

The teachings of Jesus, supported by the broader scriptural context, emphasize that faith must be genuine, devoid of doubt, and fully reliant on God’s omnipotence. This kind of faith has been exemplified by biblical figures such as Abraham, Moses, and ultimately Jesus Himself, each demonstrating that with God, nothing is impossible.

In contemporary application, believers are encouraged to apply this principle both personally and collectively, addressing challenges with the confidence that faith in God brings. Whether facing personal trials or engaging in broader missions, the metaphor of moving mountains continues to inspire and empower believers to trust in God’s power to transform their circumstances and the world around them.

In His service, BibleAsk Team

We'd love your feedback, so leave a comment!

If you feel an answer is not 100% Bible based, then leave a comment, and we'll be sure to review it. Our aim is to share the Word and be true to it.

• Featured Essay The Love of God An essay by Sam Storms Read Now
• Faithfulness of God
• Saving Grace
• Adoption by God

Most Popular

• Gender Identity
• Trusting God
• The Holiness of God
• See All Essays

• Best Commentaries
• Featured Essay Resurrection of Jesus An essay by Benjamin Shaw Read Now
• Death of Christ
• Resurrection of Jesus
• Church and State
• Sovereignty of God
• Faith and Works
• The Carson Center
• The Keller Center
• New City Catechism
• Publications
• Read the Bible
• TGC Pastors

U.S. Edition

• Arts & Culture
• Bible & Theology
• Christian Living
• Current Events
• Faith & Work
• As In Heaven
• Gospelbound
• Post-Christianity?
• The Carson Center Podcast
• TGC Podcast
• You're Not Crazy
• Churches Planting Churches
• Help Me Teach The Bible
• Word Of The Week
• Upcoming Events
• Past Conference Media
• Foundation Documents
• Regional Chapters
• Church Directory
• Global Resourcing
• Donate to TGC

To All The World

The world is a confusing place right now. We believe that faithful proclamation of the gospel is what our hostile and disoriented world needs. Do you believe that too? Help TGC bring biblical wisdom to the confusing issues across the world by making a gift to our international work.

Why Doesn’t Our Faith Move Mountains?

Perplexing passages, more by thomas schreiner.

Editors’ note : This series analyzes perplexing passages of the Bible. Previously:

• Dan Doriani on Matthew 24:15–16
• Miles Van Pelt on Judges 11:29–40
• Mark Gignilliant on Exodus 4:24–26
• Jimmy Agan on Matthew 15:26
• Dennis Johnson on Revelation 21:1
• Greg Beale on Revelation 13:8
• Miles Van Pelt on Judges 16:1–3
• Jack Collins on Psalm 2:7
• Stephen Dempster on 1 Samuel 28
• Tremper Longman on Ecclesiastes
• Ardel Caneday on Hebrews 6:4–8  

Peter tells us Paul wrote some things that are hard to understand (2 Pet. 3:16).

Jesus said some difficult things, too. 

Twice the Lord told his disciples that if they had faith like a mustard seed they could do jaw-dropping things. In Matthew, mustard seed faith is tied to expelling a demon, and Jesus says those who have such faith can move mountains (Matt. 17:20). In Luke, those with mustard seed faith will be able to forgive those who sin against them since such faith can pluck up mulberry trees and cast them into the sea (Luke 17:6). All kinds of questions enter our minds.

What is faith like a mustard seed?

Why doesn’t our faith move mountains?

Are we failing to see great things from God because of our lack of faith?

Faith that Encourages

In the stories recounted in both Matthew and Luke, the disciples long for more faith. Then  they could do great things for God. Then  they could cast out demons and forgive a brother or sister who’s especially annoying. Jesus tells them they don’t need great faith; they need just a little faith. He clearly speaks of a small amount of faith since the mustard seed was the smallest seed known in his day. Jesus also informs his disciples that the kingdom of heaven is as small as a mustard seed (Matt. 13:31).

We’re prone to think if we just had more faith, then God could do amazing things through us. But Jesus tells us something quite astonishing. The issue isn’t whether we are full of faith but whether we have any faith. If we have the smallest amount of faith, God works on our behalf. Jesus stops his disciples short and asks them: Do you believe in me at all? Do you trust God at all?

Why is Jesus’s answer encouraging? Because we don’t get caught in the morass of thinking about whether we have enough faith. When facing a given situation, we call out to God to give us faith—no matter how small. A small amount of faith is sufficient because the focus is not on our faith but its object.

The issue isn’t whether we are  full  of faith but whether we have  any  faith. . . . A small amount of faith is sufficient because the focus is not on our faith but its object.

Why is it true that mustard seed faith can move mountains and uproot mulberry trees? Jesus plainly tells us. It isn’t because of the quantity of our faith but the object of our faith. If our faith is in the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, then it has a great effect. Our faith makes a difference not because it is so great but because  God is so great, because he is the sovereign one who rules over all things. Our faith doesn’t thrive when we think about how much faith we have; it springs up when we behold our God—when we see Jesus as the One crucified and risen for us.

Faith that Stands on Promises

Still, we have questions about this verse. Does our mustard seed faith move mountains and uproot mulberry trees? Do we see this happen today? Are prosperity preachers right in saying that if we had more faith, we wouldn’t get sick and would enjoy the riches of this world?

First, it’s critical to note Jesus is using an illustration. He’s not literally talking about moving mountains and uprooting trees. There’s no example in Scripture of mountains disappearing because someone had faith. Jesus is teaching that stunning things happen if we have faith. The question is, what kind of stunning things should we expect?

Here we must take into account the entire Bible. The old saying is correct: a verse without a context is a pretext. And the context is the whole Bible, which includes reading it in its covenantal and redemptive-historical timeline. We can’t just pluck any verse in the Bible and apply to our lives without considering how it relates to the sweep of Scripture as a whole.

Faith isn’t abstract; we put our faith in the promises of God, in the truth he has revealed. Scripture never promises believers they will be healthy or wealthy. Paul’s thorn in the flesh (2 Cor. 12:7–10) was probably a physical disease, and though he prayed three times for deliverance, God said “no.” Similarly, it wasn’t God’s will to heal Paul’s ministry partner Trophimus (2 Tim. 4:20), and it wasn’t because Paul lacked mustard seed faith! Additionally, Timothy wasn’t healed miraculously and instantaneously of stomach ailments, but was told to take wine to settle his indigestion (1 Tim. 5:23). Certainly Paul believed God could heal Timothy, but God had determined he would not be healed. Moreover, Romans 8:35–39 clearly teaches some believers are persecuted, and some suffer from lack of food and clothing. God never promised us a comfortable life.

Faith isn’t abstract; we put our faith in the promises of God, in the truth he’s revealed. Scripture never promises believers they will be healthy or wealthy.

Mountain-moving faith, then, must be based on God’s promises—on what is revealed in his Word—not on what we wish will happen or even fervently believe will happen.

Misguided faith can lead to disaster. In the 1520s, Thomas Muntzer believed he was led by the Holy Spirit to bring in the golden age, and warred alongside the peasants to overturn political power. But Muntzer was inspired by fantasies and died in the revolt he led. He trusted in “spiritual revelations” rather than the written words of Scripture.

We must ask first, then, whether one’s faith is truly based on the Word of God. Otherwise, it rests on the vain imaginations of man.

Faith that Sanctifies

The question remains: What is mountain-moving faith? Notice what Jesus says in Luke: Those who have faith like a mustard seed do great things. They have the faith to forgive brothers and sisters who sin against them repeatedly.

The illustration Jesus provides, then, is enormously helpful. We know it’s God’s will that we forgive those who sin against us. Yet when we’re faced with actually forgiving them, we often struggle because the pain is so severe.

Mustard seed faith, then, is faith that kills works of the flesh (Gal. 5:19–21) and produces the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22–23). Love, joy, peace, and patience are mountains that can only be climbed by faith; faith, after all, expresses itself in love (Gal. 5:6). Mustard seed faith believes the gospel will go the ends of the earth and triumph over the gates of hell. And the clearest evidence of mustard seed faith is whether you love God and your neighbor.

Our greatest enemies are not outside of us but within. Our greatest foe is the hate and rebellion that overtakes us, and mustard seed faith—because it is placed in Jesus Christ—gives us the victory over our sin.

Yet we are freed from the sin that enslaves when we rely on Christ and not our own strength and works. Mustard seed faith is enormously powerful—not because of our faith, but because it unites us to the God who raised Jesus Christ from the dead.

Are You a Frustrated, Weary Pastor?

In ‘You’re Not Crazy: Gospel Sanity for Weary Churches,’ seasoned pastors Ray Ortlund and Sam Allberry help weary leaders renew their love for ministry by equipping them to build a gospel-centered culture into every aspect of their churches.

We’re delighted to offer this ebook to you for FREE today. Click on this link to get instant access to a resource that will help you cultivate a healthier gospel culture in your church and in yourself.

Thomas Schreiner is the James Buchanan Harrison professor of New Testament interpretation and associate dean for Scripture and interpretation at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. You can follow him on Twitter .

Now Trending

1 who was ‘i’ without my iphone, 2 richard hays thinks god changed his mind about same-sex sex. is he right, 3 god loved me by giving me a broken family, 4 prevent dechurching: 3 critical questions your church should ask, 5 the 11 beliefs you should know about jehovah’s witnesses when they knock at the door.

The Curious Case of the Christian Reformed Church

The CRC traveled far down the road toward theological liberalism—and then hit the brakes. Here’s how a denomination found its way back to orthodoxy.

As a Single Man, I Felt Little Pressure to Get Married. I Wish I Had.

Where the Political Parties Stand on Social Issues in 2024

Can a Man Feel Like He’s a Woman?

When Spiritual Disciplines Took Over My Life

‘Rings of Power’ Season 2: Getting Better, Still Flawed

Limiting My Phone Expanded My View of God

Latest Episodes

Trevin wax on reconstructing faith.

Who Is the Faithful and Wise Servant? (Matt. 24:45–25:46)

Examining the Current and Future State of the Global Church

Hoping Against Hope in American Democracy

Welcome and Witness: How to Reach Out in a Secular Age

Love in the Face of Adversity (Rom. 12:9–21)

Gaming Alone: Helping the Generation of Young Men Captivated and Isolated by Video Games

A Biblical Theology of New Creation with G. K. Beale

Faith & Work: How Do I Glorify God Even When My Work Seems Meaningless?

Let’s Talk Reunion: The Blessings of Bible Study with Friends

Getting Rid of Your Fear of the Book of Revelation

Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places: A Sermon from Julius Kim

Introducing The Acts 29 Podcast

Can Faith Really Move Mountains?

“Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them” (Mark 11:23).

Faith has been wonderfully described in the Bible, used by great people who loved God and would do anything and everything for him. Even Abraham, the father of faith, had such faith in God to the point of sacrificing his son (God intervened and blessed Abraham as the father of nations).

Faith in the gospel, which is accepting and trusting the one we cannot see, knowing that he died and rose and will come again — that is the faith of salvation in Christ Jesus, which every believer who has confessed Christ has received redemption for their souls.

Faith, as the gift of the Spirit, is another example of faith we have read and even seen; the apostle worked tremendously with this gift through the power of the Holy Spirit with signs following.

We have seen and read of the great miracles that seemed impossible but done by the Holy Spirit trough great evangelists of our time, both past and present because of their faith in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Faith to Move Mountains

Mountains come to us in diverse forms, such as obstacles, opposition, sickness, death, difficulty, impossibility, and insurmountable situations.

What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel, you will become level ground  ( Zechariah 4:7 ).

Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain  ( Isaiah 40:4 ).

The mountain here is not a literal mountain that we see as we drive through our hometown, this mountain is a figurative mountain as expressed above. Faith removes them from our way, it makes them plain and they become as nothing before us. For nothing can stand in the way of a man or woman of faith ( Mark 11:23 ; Matthew 21:21 ).

Jesus was telling the disciples, who were marveled because the fig tree dried up, that even this mount, the Mount of Olives if you say to it be thou cast into the sea, it will literally be cast into the sea because you believe it can be done.

Why? Because we have faith, that whatever we say believing shall be done. Just as we believe that Jesus is the Savior. So, therefore, no matter how little our faith is, even if it is as small as a mustard seed , inasmuch it has the backing of faith as we make our declarations, it will be, just as we say it should.

That is why speaking and praying in faith is important for us as believers, we are not just ordinary people, Christ says whatever you believe it shall be established unto you, the Matthew Henry’s commentary puts it better.

Whosoever shall say to this mountain, this Mount of Olives, be removed and cast into the sea. If he has but any word of God, general or particular to build his faith upon, and if he shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he said, according to the warrant he has from what God hath said, shall come to pass, he shall have whatever he said through the strength and power of God in Christ Jesus, the greatest difficulty shall be gotten over and the thing shall be effected.

Buttressing on this, Jesus went further in verse 24 telling them of the importance of believing while making a request in prayer, and Hebrews 11 tells of how men and women of old used faith to move obstacles seen and unseen.

Seemingly Unmovable Mountains

We have been able to discuss faith as it applies to salvation and also as the gift of the spirit; we have also seen how faith no matter how small can move mountains, figurative mountains or literal mountains.

How then does our faith move mountains?

Having identified your mountain (mountains in the form of difficulty, failure, and sickness, etc.). Anything you can think of that serves as an obstacle to enjoying the best life God has for you, how then can you exercise your faith in moving them.

Using Matthew 17:14-21 , the disciples could not cast out the demon, and then Jesus pointed out some factors that hindered them:

• Unbelief; lack of faith
• *And I add, to be deeply rooted in the Word

Having these we can move any form of the mountains, which was buttressed in Matthew 17:21 because most times, as recorded in 2 Corinthians 10:4 , the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of this world. They have divine power to demolish strongholds.

Most of the time our unbelief restricts the manifest power of God in our lives, it is because of our unbelief that we bring little to pass if you have but a grain of true faith, though little as mustard seeds, you shall speak and it shall stand.

Note, an active faith can remove mountains, not of itself, but in the form of a divine power engaged by a divine promise (Word of God), both of which faith fastens upon.

Jesus, in all his teachings, always taught his disciples the importance of faith and why they needed to be in faith, any time his disciples fell short of this, he would ask, “Where is your faith? You faithless generation?” ( Luke 8:25 ; Mark 9:19 ; Mark 4:40 ; Matthew 14:31 ).

But to anyone who shows his or her faith, he would commend, like the woman with the issue of blood ( Matthew 15:28 ), the Centurion ( Luke 7:1-10 ), etc. This shows that when we apply our faith to our difficulties, God is always pleased because this shows we trust in him to make all impossibilities possible.

What Does This Mean?

Fear, doubt, unbelief, and prayerlessness hinders the working wonders of faith in our lives, whenever we show the above, we are saying, “God, this situation is bigger than you, you just cannot solve this,” forgetting that he is the God of all possibilities.

Trusting in God is leaving all to him in faith, knowing that everything will work out just fine for you. But that does not mean we should not do our own part, for faith without works is dead.

Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/leonid_tit

Jolaade Olatunbsoun  is an experienced Christian writer, having written for clients, local churches, and youth fellowship. Jolaade’s focus is on expounding biblical passages and expressing God’s love through writing. Her writing infuses faith into daily life, helping readers grow in the knowledge and love of God and His words. Desiring to help people understand the Bible, maximize their potential, and have a deeper fellowship with God, Jolaade develops content for Sunday school materials, Christian material for books, devotionals, eBooks, articles, short stories, and poems. Her blog may be found here . 

How Do You Know Where You’ll Go after You Die?

I Am a Christian - Robert Hampshire

The Transformative Impact of Grace

The Best Birthday Prayers to Celebrate Friends and Family 

Morning Prayers to Start Your Day with God

31 Night Prayers: Powerful to Pray Evening Rest and Bedtime

Monday Morning Prayers to Start Your Week With God

What are the 10 Commandments? List, Origin, and Bible Meaning

When it comes to encouraging our spouse, we are the best people for the job, so we cannot opt-out.

Bible Baseball

Play now...

Saintly Millionaire

Bible Jeopardy

Bible Trivia By Category

Bible Trivia Challenge

When Mountains Won’t Move

Jesus said to them… “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of 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.” – Matthew 17:20-21 (NRSV) 

We had plenty of faith, boatloads of hope, deep wells of love, and landline-generated phone trees that make modern online systems look lame. And still, the cancer did not move. It retreated for a time—but then it returned, stronger than ever. Our dear friend died and, for some, their faith died with her. 

Perhaps you, too, have encountered mountains that no amount of faith could move. Maybe you’re weary from banging your head against what seems impossible.  

Does that mean faith is worthless? Does it mean Jesus was clueless? Does it mean we’re doing faith wrong?  

It’s easy to fall into that dangerous way of thinking. A longtime ordained minister still remembers the colleagues who told him his three-year-old daughter might have survived leukemia if only he had prayed harder.  

But there is faith—and then there’s magical thinking. There are mountains—which will, over many eons, become as moving molehills—and then there are glaciers, whose melting we observe with anxious hearts. There are miracles of all shapes, sizes, and timeframes—and then there’s the way things work (or don’t) most of the time.  

We may hope against hope that things will work out. Faith is trusting that, even if they don’t, God’s love will carry us through somehow. Faith is realizing that, sometimes, the mountain that needs moving is us.

Prayer When mountains won’t move, give me faith enough to see how I can. When mountains won’t move, give me courage enough to climb them.

Small Group Discussion

Short Essay & Paragraph On Faith For Students

Faith is what enables people to move on when things get difficult and what brings them back to good after bad decisions. It is important to show confidence in yourself and others around you. You never know how far your prayers will go for someone else, even if that person is the most unlikely.

Table of Contents

Paragraph on Topic Faith in Yourself

Just like my family, I’ve always had faith in myself, but it wasn’t there all the time. I’ve often made the wrong decisions: preferring boys to friends; spending time with people who haven’t encouraged me; not doing my homework or homework because I was too busy hanging out with friends, and spending money because I didn’t think about the future.

I was fortunate to have a family who loved me no matter what, and they were always there to pick me up when I fell. They never gave up on me and never lost faith in me.

I think that’s the most important thing about faith; it has to be worked on. You can’t just say “I have faith” and then don’t do anything about it. It is something that you must earn through your actions and prayers . God always listens, and he will help you if you let him.

No matter, what happens in this life, I know that my loved family and I will always have faith in each other, in ourselves, and God. It is something that can never be taken away.

What exactly is this belief? Webster’s dictionary defines it as trust or confidence in a person or thing. In the Bible, faith is described as the certainty of hope, the conviction of things that cannot be seen (Hebrews 11:1). What does it all mean?

To put it simply, to believe is to believe in something that cannot be seen. It is trust in God no matter what happens in your life. It has hope for the future, even when it is difficult. Faith also means being willing to do whatever is necessary to follow Jesus Christ, even if that means making sacrifices.

Faith was everything to me. It was the light at the end of the tunnel in difficult times, and it gave me hope when I didn’t think it would get better. It was also a source of strength when I needed it most. And I know that I am not alone—millions of people around the world believe in God, no matter what their religious beliefs may be.

What does it all mean for you? Well, first and foremost, it means that you are never alone. No matter what happens in this life, you can always turn to God for help . He is always there for you and will never leave you. Second, it means that you should always have hope for the future.

It’s tough right now, but it’s getting better. God has a plan for your life and he will never misdirect you. After all, it means that you should always be ready to do whatever is necessary to follow Jesus Christ. Even if it’s difficult or you have to make some compromises, it will be worth it in the end.

Essay On Faith

Faith can be defined as a belief in something for which there is no proof or evidence. It is often associated with religious beliefs, but it can also refer to a belief in oneself, in others, or in a higher power or purpose. Faith can provide individuals with a sense of purpose and direction, and can also help to provide comfort and security in difficult times.

Faith can also play a significant role in shaping one’s values and actions. For example, religious faith may influence an individual’s views on issues such as morality, social justice, and the environment. Faith can also be a source of inspiration and motivation, encouraging individuals to take positive actions in the world.

However, faith can also be a source of division and conflict. Different individuals and groups may have different beliefs and values, and these differences can lead to disagreements and even violence. It is important for individuals to respect the faith and beliefs of others, even if they do not agree with them.

Faith can be a personal and private matter, and the level of importance placed on it can vary greatly from one person to another. Some people may find that faith plays a central role in their lives, while others may have little or no interest in it. Regardless of the level of importance placed on faith, it can have a profound impact on an individual’s life.

Short essay on faith in God

Faith in God is the belief in the existence of a higher power or supreme being who is responsible for the creation and maintenance of the universe. This belief is central to many religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, and it can play a significant role in shaping an individual’s values, actions, and worldview.

Believing in God can provide individuals with a sense of purpose and meaning in life, as well as a source of comfort and guidance in times of difficulty. It can also serve as a moral compass, providing individuals with a framework for making ethical and moral decisions. Additionally, believing in God can help individuals to find a sense of belonging and connection with a larger community of believers.

However, faith in God can also be a source of controversy and debate. Some individuals may question the existence of God or reject the idea of a higher power altogether. Additionally, different religions may have different beliefs about the nature of God and how to worship or connect with him, which can lead to conflicts and misunderstandings.

Ultimately, faith in God is a deeply personal and subjective belief that can have a profound impact on an individual’s life. For some, it can provide a sense of hope and peace, while for others it may not be a significant part of their life. Regardless of one’s personal beliefs, it is important to respect and tolerate the diverse perspectives and faith of others.

Short essay on faith can move mountains

The phrase “faith can move mountains” is often used to express the idea that faith can accomplish seemingly impossible tasks and overcome great obstacles. This phrase is rooted in religious and spiritual beliefs, and suggests that faith in a higher power or in oneself can be a powerful force for change and progress.

Faith can provide individuals with the courage and determination to tackle difficult challenges and pursue their goals. It can give people the strength to persevere in the face of adversity, and the belief that they can achieve their dreams. By having faith, individuals can overcome their fear, doubts, and insecurities, and can approach their challenges with a positive attitude and unwavering determination.

Faith can also be a source of inspiration and motivation for others. When individuals have faith in their abilities and in the possibilities of the future, they can inspire and motivate others to do the same. This can create a positive and productive environment, where people work together towards a common goal, encouraged by each other’s faith.

However, faith alone is not enough to move mountains. It must be combined with hard work, dedication, and perseverance. Faith can give you the determination and motivation to keep going, but it is the actions that you take and the effort you put in that will ultimately make the difference.

In summary, faith can be a powerful force that can help individuals to overcome obstacles and achieve great things. It can provide strength, motivation, and inspiration, and can give people the courage and determination to pursue their goals and make a positive impact in the world.

FAQ: On Faith

Q: What is faith?

A: Faith is a belief in something for which there is no proof or evidence. It can be associated with religious beliefs, but it can also refer to a belief in oneself, in others, or in a higher power or purpose.

Q: How can faith shape one’s values and actions?

A: Faith can play a significant role in shaping one’s values and actions. For example, religious faith may influence an individual’s views on issues such as morality, social justice, and the environment. Faith can also be a source of inspiration and motivation.

Q: How can faith be a source of division and conflict?

A: Different individuals and groups may have different beliefs and values, and these differences can lead to disagreements and even violence. It is important for individuals to respect the faith and beliefs of others, even if they do not agree with them.

Q: Is faith important for everyone?

A: The level of importance placed on faith can vary greatly from one person to another. Some people may find that faith plays a central role in their lives, while others may have little or no interest in it.

Q: How can faith impact an individual’s life?

A: Faith can provide individuals with a sense of purpose and direction, and can also help to provide comfort and security in difficult times. It can also have a profound impact on an individual’s life, regardless of the level of importance placed on it.

Hello! Welcome to my Blog StudyParagraphs.co. My name is Angelina. I am a college professor. I love reading writing for kids students. This blog is full with valuable knowledge for all class students. Thank you for reading my articles.

Related Posts:

• 0 Shopping Cart

• 1 Corinthians
• Bibliography

1 Corinthians 13 – Agape Love

Audio for 1 corinthians 13:.

1 Corinthians 13 – Agape Love

G. Campbell Morgan wrote that examining this chapter is like dissecting a flower to understand it. If you tear it apart too much, you lose the beauty. Alan Redpath said one could get a spiritual suntan from the warmth of this chapter.

A. The supremacy of love.

1. (1-2) love is superior to spiritual gifts in and of themselves..

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

a. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels : The Corinthians were enamored with spiritual gifts, particularly the gift of tongues . Paul reminds them even the gift of tongues is meaningless without love. Without love, a person may speak with the gift of tongues, but it is as meaningless as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal . It is nothing but empty noise.

i. “People of little religion are always noisy ; he who has not the love of God and man filling his heart is like an empty wagon coming violently down a hill : it makes a great noise , because there is nothing in it .” (Josiah Gregory, cited in Clarke)

b. Tongues of men and of angels : The ancient Greek word translated tongues has the simple idea of “languages” in some places (Acts 2:11 and Revelation 5:9). This has led some to say the gift of tongues is simply the ability to communicate the gospel in other languages, or it is the capability of learning languages quickly. But the way tongues is used here shows it can, and usually does, refer to a supernatural language by which a believer communicates to God. There is no other way to understand the reference to tongues of… angels .

i. In Paul’s day, many Jews believed angels had their own language, and by the Spirit, one could speak it. The reference to tongues of… angels shows that though the genuine gift of tongues is a legitimate language, it may not be a “living” human language, or may not be a human language at all. Apparently, there are angelic languages men can speak by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

ii. Poole has a fascinating comment, suggesting that the tongues of… angels describes how God may speak to us in a non-verbal way: “Angels have no tongues, nor make any articulate audible sounds, by which they understand one another; but yet there is certainly a society or intercourse among angels, which could not be upheld without some way amongst them to communicate their minds and wills to each other. How this is we cannot tell: some of the schoolmen say, it is by way of impression: that way God, indeed, communicates his mind sometimes to his people, making secret impressions of his will upon their minds and understandings.” Poole was not correct in his suggestion that angels can’t speak – in many places in the Bible, angelic beings speak, both in heaven, and on earth. Yet, it is interesting to consider angels may have capacities for communication that we do not have, and will not have until believers are glorified in their resurrection bodies.

c. Prophecy , knowledge , and faith to do miracles are likewise irrelevant apart from love. The Corinthian Christians missed the motive and the goal of the gifts, making them their own goal. Paul draws the attention back to love .

i. Paul, quoting the idea of Jesus, refers to faith which could remove mountains (Matthew 17:20). What an amazing thing it would be to have faith that could work the impossible! Yet, even with that kind of faith we are nothing without love .

ii. A man with that kind of faith can move great mountains, but he will set them down right in the path of somebody else – or right on somebody else – if he doesn’t have love.

iii. It isn’t an issue of love versus the gifts. A church should never be forced to choose between love and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Paul is emphasizing the focus and goal of the gifts: love, not the gifts for their own sake.

iv. “Possession of the charismata is not the sign of the Spirit; Christian love is.” (Fee)

d. Have not love : Paul uses the ancient Greek word agape . The ancient Greeks had four different words we could translate love . It is important to understand the difference between the words, and why the apostle Paul chose the Greek word agape here.

i. Eros was one word for love. It described, as we might guess from the word itself, erotic love. It refers to sexual love.

ii. Storge was the second word for love. It refers to family love, the kind of love there is between a parent and child, or between family members in general.

iii. Philia is the third word for love. It speaks of a brotherly friendship and affection. It is the love of deep friendship and partnership. It might be described as the highest love of which man, without God’s help, is capable of.

iv. Agape is the fourth word for love. It is a love that loves without changing. It is a self-giving love that gives without demanding or expecting repayment. It is love so great that it can be given to the unlovable or unappealing. It is love that loves even when it is rejected. Agape love gives and loves because it wants to; it does not demand or expect repayment from the love given. It gives because it loves; it does not love in order to receive. According to Alan Redpath, we get our English word agony from agape . “It means the actual absorption of our being in one great passion.” (Redpath) Strictly speaking, agape can’t be defined as “God’s love,” because men are said to agape sin and the world (John 3:19 and 1 John 2:15). But it can be defined as a sacrificial, giving, absorbing kind of love. The word has little to do with emotion; it has much to do with self-denial for the sake of another.

v. We can read this chapter and think that Paul is saying that if we are unfriendly, then our lives mean nothing. But agape isn’t really friendliness; it is self-denial for the sake of another.

2. (3) The most dramatic renunciations of self are, in the same way, profitless without love.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor , and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

a. Bestow all my goods to feed the poor : This is what Jesus told the rich young ruler to do (Matthew 19:16-30), and he refused. But even if the rich young ruler had done what Jesus said, yet had not love , it would have been of no profit.

b. Though I give my body to be burned : Even if I lay my life down in dramatic martyrdom, apart from love, it is of no profit. Normally, no one would doubt the spiritual credentials of someone who gave away everything they had, and gave up their life in dramatic martyrdom. But those are not the best measures of someone’s true spiritual credentials. Love is the best measure.

i. There were some early Christians so arrogant as to think that the blood of martyrdom would wash away any sin. They were so proud about their ability to endure suffering for Jesus, they thought it was the most important thing in the Christian life. It is important, but not the most important. Without love, it profits me nothing . Even if it is done willingly (Poole notes “and not be dragged to the stake, but freely give up myself to that cruel kind of death”), without love, it profits me nothing .

ii. Some believe the burning referred to here is not execution, but branding as a criminal or as a slave for the sake of the gospel. The more likely sense is execution, but it really matters little, because the essential meaning is the same – great personal sacrifice.

iii. As well, some ancient Greek manuscripts have if I give up my body that I may glory instead of though I give my body to be burned . Again, the meaning is the same, and the difference is really minor.

iv. Many Christians believe the Christian life is all about sacrifice – sacrificing your money, your life, for the cause of Jesus Christ. Sacrifice is important, but without love it is useless, it profits me nothing .

c. Each thing described in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 is a good thing. Tongues are good, prophecy and knowledge and faith are good, sacrifice is good. But love is so valuable, so important, that apart from it, every other good thing is useless. Sometimes we make the great mistake of letting go of what is best for something else that is good, but not the best.

B. The description of love.

“Lest the Corinthians should say to the apostle, What is this love you discourse of? Or how shall we know if we have it? The apostle here gives thirteen notes of a charitable person.” (Poole)

1. (4a) Two things love is : longsuffering and kind.

Love suffers long and is kind.

a. Love : At the beginning, we see love is described by action words, not by lofty concepts. Paul is not writing about how love feels, he is writing about how it can be seen in action. True love is always demonstrated by action.

b. Love suffers long : Love will endure a long time. It is the heart shown in God when it is said of the Lord, The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). If God’s love is in us, we will show longsuffering to those who annoy us and hurt us.

i. The ancient preacher John Chrysostom said this is the word used of the man who is wronged, and who easily has the power to avenge himself, but will not do it out of mercy and patience. Do you avenge yourself as soon as you have the opportunity?

c. Love is kind : When we have and show God’s love, it will be seen in simple acts of kindness. A wonderful measure of kindness is to see how children receive us. Children won’t receive from or respond to unkind people.

2. (4b-6) Eight things love is not : not envious, not proud, not arrogant, not rude, not cliquish, not touchy, not suspicious, not happy with evil.

Love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth.

a. Love does not envy : Envy is one of the least productive and most damaging of all sins. It accomplishes nothing, except to hurt. Love keeps its distance from envy, and does not resent it when someone else is promoted or blessed. Clarke describes the heart which does not envy : “They are ever willing that others should be preferred before them .”

i. Is envy a small sin? Envy murdered Abel (Genesis 4:3-8). Envy enslaved Joseph (Genesis 37:11, 28). Envy put Jesus on the cross: For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy (Matthew 27:18).

ii. “Many persons cover a spirit of envy and uncharitableness with the name of godly zeal and tender concern for the salvation of others; they find fault with all; their spirit is a spirit of universal censoriousness; none can please them; and every one suffers by them. These destroy more souls by tithing mint and cummin, than others do by neglecting the weightier matters of the law. Such persons have what is termed, and very properly too, sour godliness .” (Clarke)

b. Love does not parade itself : Love in action can work anonymously. It does not have to have the limelight or the attention to do a good job, or to be satisfied with the result. Love gives because it loves to give, not out of the sense of praise it can have from showing itself off.

i. Sometimes the people who seem to work the hardest at love are the ones the furthest from it. They do things many would perceive as loving, yet they do them in a manner that would parade itself . This isn’t love; it is pride looking for glory by the appearance of love.

c. Love… is not puffed up : To be puffed up is to be arrogant and self-focused. It speaks of someone who has a “big head.” Love doesn’t get its head swelled; it focuses on the needs of others.

i. Both to parade itself and to be puffed up are simply rooted in pride. Among Christians, the worst pride is spiritual pride. Pride of face is obnoxious, pride of race is vulgar, but the worst pride is pride of grace !

ii. William Carey is thought by many to be the founder of the modern missionary movement. Today, Christians all over the world know who he was and honor him. He came from a humble place; he was a shoe repairman when God called him to reach the world. Once when Carey was at a dinner party, a snobbish lord tried to insult him by saying very loudly, “Mr. Carey, I hear you once were a shoemaker!” Carey replied, “No, your lordship, not a shoemaker, only a cobbler!” Today, the name of William Carey is remembered, but nobody remembers who that snobbish lord was. His love showed itself in not having a big head about himself.

d. Love… does not behave rudely : Where there is love, there will be kindness and good manners. Perhaps not in the stuffy, “look at how cultured I am” way of showing manners, but in the simply way people do not behave rudely .

e. Love… does not seek its own : Paul communicates the same idea in Romans 12:10: in honor giving preference to one another . Also, Philippians 2:4 carries the same thought: Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others . This is being like Jesus in a most basic way, being an others-centered person instead of a self-centered person.

i. “Love is never satisfied but in the welfare, comfort, and salvation of all . That man is no Christian who is solicitous for his own happiness alone; and cares not how the world goes, so that himself be comfortable.” (Clarke)

f. Love… is not provoked : We all find it easy to be provoked or to become irritated with those who are just plain annoying. But it is a sin to be provoked , and it isn’t love. Moses was kept from the Promised Land because he became provoked at the people of Israel (Numbers 20:2-11).

g. Love… thinks no evil : Literally this means “love does not store up the memory of any wrong it has received.” Love will put away the hurts of the past instead of clinging to them.

i. One writer tells of a tribe in Polynesia where it was customary for each man to keep some reminders of his hatred for others. These reminders were suspended from the roofs of their huts to keep alive the memory of the wrongs, real or imagined. Most of us do the same.

ii. Real love “never supposes that a good action may have a bad motive… The original implies that he does not invent or devise any evil.” (Clarke)

h. Love… does not rejoice in iniquity : It is willing to want the best for others, and refuses to color things against others. Instead, love rejoices in the truth . Love can always stand with and on truth, because love is pure and good like truth.

3. (7) Four more things love is : strong, believing, hopeful, and enduring. Spurgeon calls these four virtues love’s four sweet companions .

Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

a. All things : We might have hoped Paul would have chosen any phrase but this! All things covers everything! We can all bear some things , we can all believe some things , we can all hope some things , and we can all endure some things . But God calls us farther and deeper into love for Him, for one another, and for a perishing world.

i. “You must have fervent charity towards the saints, but you will find very much about the best of them which will try your patience; for, like yourself, they are imperfect, and they will not always turn their best side towards you, but sometimes sadly exhibit their infirmities. Be prepared, therefore, to contend with “all things” in them.” (Spurgeon)

ii. “Love does not ask to have an easy life of it: self-love makes that her aim. Love denies herself, sacrifices herself, that she may win victories for God, and hers shall be no tinsel crown.” (Spurgeon)

b. Love… bears all things : The word for bears can also be translated covers . Either way, Paul brings an important truth along with 1 Peter 4:8: And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”

i. “Love covers; that is, it never proclaims the errors of good men. There are busybodies abroad who never spy out a fault in a brother but they must hurry off to their next neighbour with the savoury news, and then they run up and down the street as though they had been elected common criers. It is by no means honorable to men or women to set up to be common informers. Yet I know some who are not half so eager to publish the gospel as to publish slander. Love stands in the presence of a fault, with a finger on her lip.” (Spurgeon)

ii. “I would, my brothers and sisters, that we could all imitate the pearl oyster. A hurtful particle intrudes itself into its shell, and this vexes and grieves it. It cannot eject the evil, and what does it do but cover it with a precious substance extracted out of its own life, by which it turns the intruder into a pearl. Oh, that we could do so with the provocations we receive from our fellow Christians, so that pearls of patience, gentleness, long-suffering, and forgiveness might be bred within us by that which has harmed us.” (Spurgeon)

c. Love… believes all things : We never believe a lie, but we never believe evil unless the facts demand it. We choose to believe the best of others.

i. “Love, as far as she can, believes in her fellows. I know some persons who habitually believe everything that is bad, but they are not the children of love… I wish the chatterers would take a turn at exaggerating other people’s virtues, and go from house to house trumping up pretty stories of their acquaintances.” (Spurgeon)

d. Love… hopes all things : Love has confidence in the future, not pessimism. When hurt, it does not say, “It will be this way forever, and even get worse.” It hopes for the best, and it hopes in God.

e. Love… endures all things : Most of us can bear all things , and believe all things , and hope all things , but only for a while! The greatness of agape love is it keeps on bearing, believing, and hoping. It doesn’t give up. It destroys enemies by turning them into friends.

i. “If your brethren are angry without a cause, be sorry for them, but do not let them conquer you by driving you into a bad temper. Stand fast in love; endure not some things, but all things, for Christ’s sake; so you shall prove yourself to be a Christian indeed.” (Spurgeon)

4. The best way to understand each of these is to see them in the life of Jesus.

a. We could replace the word love with the name Jesus and the description would make perfect sense. We can easily say, Jesus suffers long and is kind; Jesus does not envy… and make it through the whole chapter.

b. We can measure our spiritual maturity by seeing how it sounds when we put our name in place of the word love . Does it sound totally ridiculous or just a “little” far-fetched?

c. There is a reason why Paul put this chapter in the midst of his discussion of spiritual gifts. Paul wants the Corinthian Christians to remember that giftedness is not the measure of maturity, the display of love is.

C. The permanence of love.

1. (8-10) love will outlive all the gifts..

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

a. Love never fails : Paul addresses the over-emphasis the Corinthian Christians had on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He shows they should emphasize love more than the gifts, because the gifts are temporary “containers” of God’s work; love is the work itself.

b. Therefore, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are appropriate for the present time, but they are not permanent. They are imperfect gifts for an imperfect time.

c. That which is perfect : Paul says when that which is perfect  has come , then the gifts will be “discontinued.” But what is that which is perfect ? Though some that believe the miraculous gifts ceased with the apostles say it refers to the completion of the New Testament, they are wrong. Virtually all commentators agree that which is perfect is fulfilled when we are in the eternal presence of the Perfect One, when we are with the Lord forever, either through the return of Christ or graduation to the eternal.

i. The ancient Greek word for perfect is telos . Considering the way the New Testament uses telos in other passages, it certainly seems to speak about the coming of Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:8, 15:24, James 5:11, Revelation 20:5, 20:7, 21:6, and 22:13).

d. W hether there are tongues, they will cease : Many who believe the miraculous gifts ended with the apostles (such as John MacArthur) claim since the verb will cease is not in the passive, but in the middle voice, it could be translated, tongues will stop by themselves . Their analysis sounds scholarly, but is disregarded by virtually all scholars of ancient Greek.

i. Even if this translation is correct, it does nothing to suggest when tongues will cease. John MacArthur claims, “tongues ceased in the apostolic age and that when they stopped, they stopped for good.” But this passage doesn’t tell us “tongues will stop by themselves,” and it tells us tongues will cease only when that which is perfect has come .

ii. John Calvin thought the will cease spoke of the eternal state. “But when will that perfection come? It begins, indeed, at death, because then we put off many weaknesses along with the body.” (Calvin)

e. W hether there are tongues, they will cease : In his use of will fail and will cease and will vanish away , Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is not trying to say that prophecies , tongues , and knowledge have different fates. He is simply writing well, saying the same thing in three different ways. They will end, but love never fails .

i. “There is virtually no distinction between the two Greek verbs that describe the termination of both prophecies and tongues. True, the verb with prophecies is in the passive voice (believers are the implied agents), while the verb with tongues is interpreted as the active voice. The difference is only a stylistic change and nothing more.” (Kistemaker)

f. We prophesy in part : This is airtight evidence prophecy is not the exact same thing as preaching, or even “inspired” preaching. Who can listen to a preacher drone on and on, and say they only prophesy in part ? It seems like a lot more than a part !

i. “Preaching is essentially a merging of the gifts of teaching and exhortation, prophecy has the primary elements of prediction and revelation.” (Farnell, cited in Kistemaker)

2. (11-12) Illustrations of the temporary nature of the gifts and the permanence of love.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

a. When I was a child : Childish things are appropriate for children, and the gifts are appropriate for our present time. But the gifts of the Holy Spirit will not be appropriate forever.

i. Paul is not trying to say that if we are spiritually mature, we will not need spiritual gifts. But he does say that if we are spiritually mature, we will not over-emphasize spiritual gifts, especially at the expense of love.

b. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face : When we can fully see Jesus (not as in a poorly reflected image), the need for the gifts will have vanished, and so the gifts will pass away. The gifts of the Holy Spirit will be overshadowed by the immediate presence of Jesus. When the sun rises, we turn off the lesser lights.

c. Face to face : Paul uses this term to describe complete, unhindered fellowship with God. 1 John 3:2 tells us when we get to heaven, we shall see Him as He is . There will be no more barriers to our relationship with God.

i. In Exodus 33:11, it says the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend . In Exodus 33, face to face is a figurative expression, meaning free and open fellowship. Moses had not – and could not – see the actual face of God the Father in His glory. This is the sense in which John says No one has seen God at any time (1 John 4:12). In the spiritual sense which Moses had a face to face relationship with God, we can have a free and open relationship with God. But in the ultimate sense, it will wait until then , when we are united with Jesus in glory.

ii. In a passage like Numbers 12:8, where the Lord says of Moses, I speak with him face to face , the phrase face to face is a figure of speech, telling of great and unhindered intimacy. Moses’ face was not literally beholding the literal face of God, but he did enjoy direct, intimate, conversation with the Lord. But the face to face Paul speaks of here is the “real” face to face .

d. For now we see in a mirror : This speaks again to the perfect fellowship with God we will have one day. Today, when we look in a good mirror, the image is clear. But in the ancient world, mirrors were made out of polished metal, and the image was always unclear and somewhat distorted. We see Jesus now only in a dim, unclear way, but one day we will see Him with perfect clarity. We will know just as I also am known .

i. The city of Corinth was famous for producing some of the best bronze mirrors in antiquity, but at their best, they couldn’t give a really clear vision. When we get to heaven, we will have a really clear vision of the Lord.

i. We couldn’t handle this greater knowledge on this side of eternity. “If we knew more of our own sinfulness, we might be driven to despair; if we knew more of God’s glory, we might die of terror; if we had more understanding, unless we had equivalent capacity to employ it, we might be filled with conceit and tormented with ambition. But up there we shall have our minds and our systems strengthened to receive more, without the damage that would come to us here from overleaping the boundaries of order, supremely appointed and divinely regulated.” (Spurgeon)

e. Then I shall know just as I also am known : God knows everything about me; this is how I also am known . But in heaven, I will know God as perfectly as I can; I will know just as I also am known . It doesn’t mean I will be all knowing as God is, but it means I will know Him as perfectly as I can.

i. Heaven is precious to us for many reasons. We long to be with loved ones who have passed before us and whom we miss so dearly. We long to be with the great men and women of God who have passed before us in centuries past. We want to walk the streets of gold, see the pearly gates, see the angels around the throne of God worshipping Him day and night. However, none of those things, precious as they are, make heaven really “heaven.” What makes heaven really heaven is the unhindered, unrestricted, presence of our Lord, and to know just as I also am known will be the greatest experience of our eternal existence.

ii. “The streets of gold will have small attraction to us, the harps of angels will but slightly enchant us, compared with the King in the midst of the throne. He it is who shall rivet our gaze, absorb our thoughts, enchain our affection, and move all our sacred passions to their highest pitch of celestial ardour. We shall see Jesus.” (Spurgeon)

f. Now I know in part : The gifts of the Holy Spirit are necessary and appropriate for this present age, when we are not yet fully mature, and we only know in part . There will come a day when the gifts are unnecessary, but that day has not come yet.

i. Clearly, the time of fulfillment Paul refers to with then face to face and then I shall know just as I also am known speaks of being in the glory of heaven with Jesus. Certainly, that is the that which is perfect spoken of in 1 Corinthians 13:10 as well. According to the context, it can’t be anything else.

3. (13) A summary of love’s permanence: love abides forever.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

a. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three : The three great pursuits of the Christian life are not “miracles, power, and gifts”; they are faith , hope , and love . Though the gifts are precious, and given by the Holy Spirit today, they were never meant to be the focus or goal of our Christian lives. Instead, we pursue faith , hope , and love .

i. What is your Christian life focused on? What do you really want more of? It should all come back to faith , hope , and love . If it doesn’t, we need to receive God’s sense of priorities, and put our focus where it belongs.

b. Because faith , hope , and love are so important, we should expect to see them emphasized throughout the New Testament. And we do:

i. Remembering without ceasing your work of faith , labor of love , and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father. (1 Thessalonians 1:3)

ii. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love , and as a helmet the hope of salvation . (1 Thessalonians 5:8)

iii. For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith . For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love . (Galatians 5:5-6)

iv. Who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart. (1 Peter 1:21-22)

v. Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel. (Colossians 1:4-5)

vi. For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day . Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus . (2 Timothy 1:12-13)

c. But the greatest of these is love : Love is greatest because it will continue, even grow, in the eternal state. When we are in heaven, faith and hope will have fulfilled their purpose. We won’t need faith when we see God face to face. We won’t need to hope in the coming of Jesus once He comes. But we will always love the Lord and each other, and grow in that love through eternity.

d. Love is also the greatest because it is an attribute of God (1 John 4:8), and faith and hope are not part of God’s character and personality. God does not have faith in the way we have faith , because He never has to “trust” outside of Himself. God does not have hope the way we have hope , because He knows all things and is in complete control. But God is love, and will always be love.

i. Fortunately, we don’t need to choose between faith , hope , and love . Paul isn’t trying to make us choose, but he wants to emphasize the point to the Corinthian Christians: without love as the motive and goal, the gifts are meaningless distractions. If you lose love, you lose everything.

©2018 David Guzik – No distribution beyond personal use without permission

Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. Please see our Privacy Policy for cookie usage details.

Cookie and Privacy Settings

We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.

Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.

These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.

Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.

We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.

We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.

These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience.

If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here:

We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.

Google Webfont Settings:

Google Map Settings:

Google reCaptcha Settings:

Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:

The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them:

You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page.

• Interlinear

7 Bible Verses about Faith Moving Mountains

Most relevant verses.

And He *said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.

Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him.

And Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen.

And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would obey you.

And Jesus *answered saying to them, “Have faith in God.

If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

He *said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.

Bible Theasaurus

Related topics.

• Christ Telling The Truth
• Faith In God
• Faith, And Blessings Of God
• Faith, Growth In
• Having Faith
• In The Heart Of The Sea
• Mountains Removed
• Not Believing In Jesus
• Plucking Out
• Small Things
• Doubt, results of
• 62 more topics on Faith
• 5 more topics on Moving
• 8 more topics on Mountains

Never miss a post

Related Readings

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

• All Translations (Parallel)
• NASB New American Standard Bible
• KJV King James Version
• HCSB Holman Bible
• ISV International Standard Version
• YLT Youngs Literal Translation
• Darby Darby Translation
• ASV American Standard Version
• WBS Webster
• NET NET Bible
• AMP Amplified
• LEB Lexham Expanded Bible
• WEB World English Bible
• WE Worldwide English (NT)
• EMB The Emphasized Bible
• BBE Bible in Basic English
• WNT Weymouth New Testament
• KJ2000 King James 2000
• AUV An Understandable Version
• MSTC Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
• MKJV Modern King James verseion
• JuliaSmith Julia Smith Translation
• Godbey Godbey New Testament
• ACV A Conservative Version
• NHEB New Heart English Bible
• Mace Daniel Mace New Testament
• Wesley John Wesley New Testament
• Worsley Worsley New Testament
• Haweis Thomas Haweis New Testament
• Diaglott Emphatic Diaglott Bible
• LOV Living Oracles New Testament
• Sawyer Sawyer New Testament
• ABU American Bible Union New Testament
• Anderson Anderson New Testament
• Noyes Noyes New Testament
• TCV Twentieth Century New Testament
• Worrell Worrell New Testament
• Moffatt Moffatt New Testament
• Goodspeed Goodspeed New Testament
• MNT Montgomery New Testament
• Williams Williams New Testament
• Common Common New Testament

OpenBible.info Geocoding Topical  Bible Labs Blog

What does the Bible say about ?

A ‣ B ‣ C ‣ D ‣ E ‣ F ‣ G ‣ H ‣ I ‣ J ‣ K ‣ L ‣ M ‣ N ‣ O ‣ P ‣ Q ‣ R ‣ S ‣ T ‣ U ‣ V ‣ W ‣ Y ‣ Z

100 Bible Verses about Faith To Move Mountains

Matthew 17:20 esv / 22 helpful votes helpful not helpful.

He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

1 Corinthians 13:2 ESV / 14 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

Matthew 21:21 ESV / 13 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.

Mark 11:22-24 ESV / 9 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

James 1:5 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

James 1:3 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

Hebrews 12:2 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 11:6 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Hebrews 11:1-40 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. ...

1 Corinthians 16:13 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

John 14:12 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

Luke 17:6 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

1 John 5:4 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

1 John 4:18 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

1 Peter 5:9 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

1 Peter 1:7 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

So that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 11:1 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Ephesians 2:8 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

2 Corinthians 5:7 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

Ephesians 6:16 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;

1 Corinthians 2:5 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

So that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

2 Peter 1:5 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,

1 Peter 1:5 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

James 2:26 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

Hebrews 12:11 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

1 Timothy 3:9 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

1 Timothy 1:19 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith,

1 Thessalonians 5:8 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.

1 Thessalonians 1:8 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.

Philippians 4:19 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 2:20 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

1 Corinthians 13:13 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:1-13 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; ...

1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Romans 10:17 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Romans 10:9 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 8:28 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

John 3:16 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Mark 11:23 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.

Mark 9:23 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”

1 Peter 1:21 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

1 Peter 1:9 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

James 2:20 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?

James 1:6-8 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Hebrews 11:3 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

2 Timothy 4:7 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

1 Timothy 6:11 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.

1 Timothy 4:12 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

1 Timothy 4:6 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed.

1 Timothy 2:15 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.

1 Thessalonians 3:7 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith.

1 Thessalonians 3:5 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.

Colossians 2:12 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.

Colossians 2:7 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Philippians 4:13 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Galatians 3:26 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.

2 Corinthians 13:5 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

2 Corinthians 10:15 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged,

2 Corinthians 1:24 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.

1 Corinthians 15:17 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.

1 Corinthians 15:14 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.

1 Corinthians 12:9 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

To another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,

Romans 5:1 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 4:16 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,

Romans 4:12 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

Romans 1:17 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Luke 17:1-37 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And he said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” ...

Mark 11:1-33 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’” And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. And some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” ...

Matthew 21:22 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

Matthew 17:19-20 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

Matthew 17:1-27 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” ...

Matthew 10:1 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.

1 John 1:9 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Hebrews 10:22 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Philemon 1:6 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.

Titus 1:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

In hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began

2 Timothy 2:22 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

2 Timothy 1:5 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.

1 Timothy 3:13 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

1 Timothy 1:14 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

2 Thessalonians 1:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.

Ephesians 3:17 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

Galatians 5:5 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.

2 Corinthians 8:7 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.

Romans 4:9 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness.

Romans 1:5 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,

Acts 26:18 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

To open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Acts 6:5 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch.

John 14:14 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

John 10:7 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

Luke 7:50 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Mark 11:23-24 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Mark 11:22-25 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

Matthew 21:21-22 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

Matthew 18:19 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.

Matthew 15:28 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

Matthew 14:31 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Matthew 14:29-31 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Suggest a Verse

Enter a verse reference (e.g., john 3:16-17 ).

Visit the Bible online to search for words if you don’t know the specific passage your’re looking for.

Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License . All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles , a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com.

• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Meaning of faith can move mountains in English

Faith can move mountains.

• agnosticism
• Anglicanism
• anti-Catholic
• anti-Catholicism
• heretically
• humanistically
• ideologically
• religiously
• scripturally
• superstitiously
• theologically
• this-worldly

Examples of faith can move mountains

Translations of faith can move mountains.

Get a quick, free translation!

Word of the Day

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

a soft toy bear

Like a bull in a china shop: talking about people who are clumsy

Learn more with +Plus

• Recent and Recommended {{#preferredDictionaries}} {{name}} {{/preferredDictionaries}}
• Definitions Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English English Learner’s Dictionary Essential British English Essential American English
• Grammar and thesaurus Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English Grammar Thesaurus
• Pronunciation British and American pronunciations with audio English Pronunciation
• English–Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Simplified)–English
• English–Chinese (Traditional) Chinese (Traditional)–English
• English–Dutch Dutch–English
• English–French French–English
• English–German German–English
• English–Indonesian Indonesian–English
• English–Italian Italian–English
• English–Japanese Japanese–English
• English–Norwegian Norwegian–English
• English–Polish Polish–English
• English–Portuguese Portuguese–English
• English–Spanish Spanish–English
• English–Swedish Swedish–English
• Dictionary +Plus Word Lists
• English    Idiom
• Translations
• All translations

To add faith can move mountains to a word list please sign up or log in.

Add faith can move mountains to one of your lists below, or create a new one.

{{message}}

Something went wrong.

There was a problem sending your report.

myCBSEguide

•  Entrance Exam
•  Competitive Exams
•  ICSE & ISC
•  Teacher Exams
•  UP Board
•  Uttarakhand Board
•  Bihar Board
•  Chhattisgarh Board
•  Haryana Board
•  Jharkhand Board
•  MP Board
•  Rajasthan Board
•  Courses
•  Test Generator
•  Homework Help
•  News & Updates

•  Dashboard
•   Mobile App (Android)
•  Browse Courses
•  New & Updates
•  Join Us
•  Login
•  Register

No products in the cart.

• Homework Help
• English Language and Literature

short paragraph on Faith can move …

CBSE, JEE, NEET, CUET

Question Bank, Mock Tests, Exam Papers

NCERT Solutions, Sample Papers, Notes, Videos

Posted by Toshika Shakya 3 years, 3 months ago

Sia ? 3 years, 3 months ago

6 Thank You

Related Questions

Posted by Khusi Gupta 1 month, 1 week ago

Posted by Namandeep Kaur 1 month, 1 week ago

Posted by Navam Kothari 1 month, 1 week ago

Posted by Divyanshi Divyanshi 1 month, 1 week ago

Posted by Vandana V 1 month, 1 week ago

Posted by Kruthika Hg 1 month, 1 week ago

Posted by Padmini Chundawat 1 month, 1 week ago

Posted by Riddhima Gupta 1 month, 1 week ago

Posted by Sushravya S 1 month, 1 week ago

Posted by Riddhima Paliwal 1 month, 1 week ago

Trusted by 1 Crore+ Students

Test Generator

Create papers online. It's FREE .

CUET Mock Tests

75,000+ questions to practice only on myCBSEguide app

Download myCBSEguide App

All courses.

• Entrance Exams
• Competative Exams
• Teachers Exams
• Uttrakand Board
• Bihar Board
• Chhattisgarh Board
• Haryana Board
• Jharkhand Board
• Rajasthan Board

Other Websites

• Examin8.com

CBSE Courses

• CBSE Class 12
• CBSE Class 11
• CBSE Class 10
• CBSE Class 09
• CBSE Class 08
• CBSE Class 07
• CBSE Class 06
• CBSE Class 05
• CBSE Class 04
• CBSE Class 03
• CBSE Class 02
• CBSE Class 01

CBSE Sample Papers

• CBSE Test Papers
• CBSE MCQ Tests
• CBSE 10 Year Papers
• CBSE Syllabus

NCERT Solutions

• CBSE Revision Notes
• Submit Your Papers
• Terms of Service
• Privacy Policy
• NCERT Solutions for Class 12
• NCERT Solutions for Class 11
• NCERT Solutions for Class 10
• NCERT Solutions for Class 09
• NCERT Solutions for Class 08
• NCERT Solutions for Class 07
• NCERT Solutions for Class 06
• NCERT Solutions for Class 05
• NCERT Solutions for Class 04
• NCERT Solutions for Class 03
• CBSE Class 12 Sample Papers
• CBSE Class 11 Sample Papers
• CBSE Class 10 Sample Papers
• CBSE Class 09 Sample Papers
• CBSE Results | CBSE Datesheet

Please Wait..

• Secondary School

Essay on Faith Can Move Mountains!​

Faith can move mountains.

Introduction:

Faith communicates with the heart. It is a hope that exists outside of the conscious consciousness. Everything we value is based on our belief in people's potential, which has yet to be realised. The evidence of history suggests otherwise: the world is packed of ugliness, brutality, and injustice.

My Belief on Faith:

Overcoming one's worries and taking that leap of faith takes a lot of courage. It's difficult to let go of control, but I'm reminded over and over that God is in charge of everything. It's not easy to step out of one's comfort zone and allow God take the wheel, but I can tell you from personal experience that it's at those moments of surrender where God truly manifests His presence. God's greatest work and miracles in our lives take place in those times of joyful surrender.

Conclusion:

Faith has the power to move mountains. I honestly believe that we can do more than we can dream if we have faith.

Essay on Faith can move mountains.Faith has the power to move mountains. I honestly believe that we can do more than we can dream if we have faith. Overcoming one's worries and taking that leap of faith takes a lot of courage.

Explanation:

What does it mean to have mountain-moving faith? This statement appears throughout the Bible, particularly in Matthew, Mark, and Thomas' Gospels. When we examine this sentence, we can see that when we focus on our issues, God appears little; yet, when we focus on God, the problems appear small. When we turn to Jesus for help, he bears our problems and heals us.

Faith has the power to move mountains. I honestly believe that we can do more than we can dream if we have faith. Overcoming one's worries and taking that leap of faith takes a lot of courage. It's difficult to let go of control, but I'm reminded over and over that God is in charge of everything. It's not easy to step out of one's comfort zone and allow God take the wheel, but I can tell you from personal experience that it's at those moments of surrender where God truly manifests His presence. God's greatest work and miracles in our lives take place in those times of joyful surrender.

New questions in English