PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 17:14-21
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20)
Jesus is not offering a golden ticket to whatever our heart may desire.
He is not promising that any and every task is possible, if we believe.
He is describing faith as commitment to Jesus and to his kingdom purpose.
When we seek first his kingdom and righteousness, the Lord will help us succeed.
When we are focused on helping and blessing others, we have his power behind us.
Its not that there are no mountains in the way, but the Lord will make a way.
It is not faith in faith but faith in the Lord’s kingdom purpose, and what he is doing.
If I am confident that the Lord will build his kingdom here, then my work is not in vain.
The disciples were still young in their faith, and had to learn about kingdom confidence.
I can relate, though I am not young in my faith – my faith still seems so small.
But even mustard seed faith is sufficient in his hands, he can use it.
What is the “this mountain” for me, that is hindering my in my work with Jesus?
Can I change my thinking to say instead ‘this mountain cannot stop me’, and keep going?
“I can do all this through you, who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)
PRAYER
Lord, so many things seem impossible to me, but I choose to focus on what I can do with your help and strength. I say to this mountain… in Jesus’s name MOVE!
“if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain” I remember my Mother going to a faith healer who was visiting in a church nearby. She came back disappointed. Yet she kept her faith in Jesus – she just knew this was not the way that Jesus was going to heal her. She continued to live with her arthritic pain and her hearing disability -it was a reminder to her to keep her faith. Yet, Jesus expected that his disciples could have cast out that demon. It was a matter of calling on Jesus – and so it is today. We can heal others, cast out demons in Jesus name alone – but the healing doesn’t always come in dramatic ways but I believe it comes. The greatest miracle is when a person puts their trust in Jesus – no matter what happens – that is when real healing happens. Often a illness, disability is seen as something that God has cursed me with – therefore the healing of being embraced by God’s love is the most important. I pray that for all I meet – that they may be healed of unbelief and find Jesus!
When sent out by Jesus, the disciples had healed many and yet this time they could not because of their unbelief or their little faith. Faith in Jesus was needed – the faith of a mustard seed. the focus is not on how little my faith is but on how great my Jesus is. I just need to believe that God wil take care of the mountains in my life for He takes care of me.
1 Be not dismayed whate’er betide,
God will take care of you;
Beneath his wings of love abide,
God will take care of you.
Refrain:
God will take care of you,
through ev’ry day, o’er all the way;
He will take care of you,
God will take care of you.
2 Through days of toil when heart doth fail,
God will take care of you;
When dangers fierce your path assail,
God will take care of you. [Refrain]
3 No matter what may be the test,
God will take care of you;
Lean, weary one, upon his breast,
God will take care of you. [Refrain]