Why Can't We Move Mountains?

..for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you (Matthew 17:20).

If you asked, you'd find most Christians today are hesitant to say they can move mountains. Why not? Jesus says that we can, and the Bible repeats it several times. The obvious answer is that we don't have enough faith, but that's not exactly true. At the time of salvation, when the Holy Spirit comes to reside in us, we have enough faith, because it's a gift and not something we achieve. Most of us just don't recognize the fact. Like the disciples who couldn't cast out demons in Matthew 20, we don't believe that we can.

Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth (Mark 9:23).

I think some people have also tried to figuratively move a mountain to test God, and this is wrong. In my recollection, God only gives us permission to test Him in one area, and that is tithing. In Malachi 3:10, He says, "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the window of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." Miracles are not to be seen as a way to prove or test God. 

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that :If we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: (1John 5:14).

photo bu Hugh Morton

Then, sometimes our motives are misplaced. Are we trying to glorify God and do His will or exalt ourselves and satisfy some goal of ours? We may be trying to move the wrong mountain, because it may not be in God's will. First, we need to attune ourselves to His Word, His nature, and His will. Then, like Elijah and many others, we can ask anything in His name, and it will be done. Now, go move those mountains in faith.

____________________________________