Faith to Move Your Mountain

When you need faith to move your mountain…

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This passage has been a challenge to me. It’s easy to feel like somehow we must manufacture mountain-moving faith–as if it is some secret formula only the most devoted can learn.

Sometimes we’re trying to move the wrong mountain.

I struggled with the questions in my heart about how to have faith to move my mountains. But sometimes we’re trying to move the wrong mountain and too often we ask the wrong question.

Jaque Banas of Vision Writer’s International teaches the concept of journalizing, a specific way of meditating on Scripture by taking dictation from the Holy Spirit and writing to capture, assimilate and obey His personal instructions.In her study, Prayer the Power to Possess, she writes:

“If you don’t know the question, ask God. We will give you the question or the need…then when you pray and when the answer comes; you’ll recognize it because you understood what the question was” (p.17).

Journalizing on this passage, God helped me to understand a different perspective.

Your faith comes from Me. By faith, say to the mountains in your life, “be cast into the sea.” It is My power, not the power of your words or even the power of your faith that moves the mountain, any solid, seemingly permanent obstacle in your life. It is My power that lifts up and casts out the mountain. Pray and believe you have received.

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So I speak to the mountain in my life—

this flesh that clings to discouragement, trying to make it on my own. I say to this mountain, be cast into the sea. Not because I have mountain-moving power, but because I have a mountain-moving God who is for me. It is God’s power that moves the mountain and gives me faith to stand firm in the face of the challenge before me.

How often have I tried to blaze my own trail through the mountain, tried to move mountains with my own religious effort and good behavior? Somehow try to drum up enough faith to blast through rock and scale cliffs higher than I can climb?

How easy it is start off in faith but grow weary in the climb.

When did I begin to take the responsibility out of faith’s hands, weighing down my soul with the pressure to succeed?

Where is that tipping point when flesh grabs control and self-reliance replaces faith?

Greater than the perceived challenge of success, I see the real mountain in my life. I see the mountain that must come down, the peaks that rise high with independence and a do-it-myself mentaility.

This mountain that must move is that old confidence in myself—the habits riveted to getting my needs met.

I prayed, Lord show me the real mountain, for it is not what I thought it was. I thought the mountain was getting to the next level, succeeding at what I felt called to.

No that’s not the mountain at all.

The biggest obstacle in my life is my own stubborn independence.

This is the mountain that must move.

…and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.–Ephesians 4:23-24

What is the mountain in your life?

 

8 Responses to Faith to Move Your Mountain
  1. Dawn Paoletta (
    July 21, 2014 | 7:49 am

    Ginger,
    I can appreciate the power of journaling (and journalizing) scripture to connect with God. I love the way you show us that process so beautifully in this post. And thank you for sharing the links, I have never heard of this particular ministry. However writing to God, through God, with God in a journal is a vital part of my relationship with Him.

  2. Ginger Harrington
    July 21, 2014 | 11:04 am

    Yes, journaling is a powerful way to connect with God. I hope you enjoy the links, and thanks so much for your encouragement.

  3. Barbie
    July 21, 2014 | 11:17 am

    I love the concept of journalizing with God. He brings the revelation! Thanks for sharing.

    • Ginger Harrington
      July 21, 2014 | 2:23 pm

      He does indeed. So important just to be open and listening. Sometimes it’s so hard to make time to be still and clear my head of all the things going on!

  4. Susan Stilwell
    July 22, 2014 | 7:59 am

    When did I begin to take the responsibility out of faith’s hands? Ouch, am I ever guilty of this! And I’m with Dawn and Barbie — I love the idea of journalizing. I’m not so diligent with it, but I’m getting better. And I also love the idea of asking for the right question. It’s like surveying the mountain to find the right perspective.

    Great, thought-provoking post, Ginger!

    • Ginger Harrington
      July 22, 2014 | 4:34 pm

      I love your insight of surveying the mountain to find the right perspective! How often I get caught up in the wrong question. Thanks for your comments, Susan!

  5. Marlene
    July 23, 2014 | 10:44 am

    Your words and wisdom continue to nourish and refresh me. Thanks.

  6. Michelle
    July 24, 2014 | 5:59 pm

    I must admit the mountain in my life is stubborn independence, as you said.
    I want to figure it out and fix it myself.
    However, I need to rely on, be dependent on, God.