Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, “May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,” and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.
—Mark 11:22-24 (NLT)
This passage of Scripture has incredible Truth to reveal to us. But, perhaps, we just read these verses and never allow them to impact us. Maybe, we don't act upon these words because we have doubts. How often do we read God’s Word and never believe by faith in response to its Truth? More often than we want to admit.
“I tell you,” Jesus declares twice in these verses. He wants the disciples to do more than hear His words. He wants them to believe and receive His message. The Holy Spirit continually speaks these same words to us, but often we don't hear Him. Other priorities are on our minds and not just things we put before God. Fear can block His voice. Doubt can crush our faith. “I tell you,” the Holy Spirit speaks. “Listen. Believe and receive my message.”
What are these truths we need to believe in Mark 11:23-24? The message Jesus gave in these three verses reaches beyond human understanding. It makes no sense to the natural mind. A mountain can't be lifted and thrown into the sea. Can something happen just because you believe and don't doubt? Can you pray for anything, and if you think you have received it, it's yours? These are very bold declarations. But they are more than that. These words are Truth, and the carnal mind can never grasp them. The Truth of the Holy Spirit can only be received by your spiritual mind.
“Have faith in God,” the Holy Spirit tells us. It’s not our responsibility to move mountains in our lives. It’s His. Our responsibility is to act upon His Truth by speaking it. “You can say to this mountain," Jesus said. We receive what we believe. When we don't believe and speak to our mountains, we don't see God move. But if we choose to believe what God has promised and speak it, we shall receive it. We can speak His Truth, and our mountains will move.
Doubt can also enter when we don't see our mountains move immediately. Some mountains, such as fear or sickness or depression or emotional damage, take a long time to heal. God's power does the work. When we apply faith and consistently speak in response to His Truth, we act upon that Truth by allowing the Holy Spirit to transform our minds. This can be difficult when we have strongholds that are deeply rooted. But when we hold tightly to His Truth, confessing without wavering in the promise God has given, we declare that He is faithful to keep it. And our faith grows.
Can we pray for anything, and if we believe we receive it? Isn’t this what Jesus told His disciples? His Word is Truth. And it is what the Holy Spirit speaks to us. The prayer of faith takes as Truth what God has declared. Prayer doesn’t change God, but it profoundly changes us. Our perception of who God is and who we are in Christ realigns with God’s Truth. And the Word becomes life-changing and powerful to move the things that overwhelm us. We experience His Truth grounding and empowering us beyond human reasoning.
Act upon God’s Truth, and your understanding of His Truth grows. Your action to declare His promise fosters even greater faith. When you speak in faith—when you pray in faith what you believe is true, you speak the Truth of His Word into existence.
Have faith in God. Continually speak to the mountains in your life. Don’t doubt in your heart. “If you believe, ask anything,” Jesus said, “and you will receive.”
© 2021 Lynn Lacher
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