THE GOSPEL: Power to Move Mountains!

So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt,... 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)

The Apostle Mark includes some additional key phrases Jesus used to help make "moving mountains" possible: So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 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. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. (Mark 11:22-24) Jesus had taught about this "mountain moving" faith before, when He told His disciples, "...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. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” (Matthew 17:20-21; see THE GOSPEL: Faith, Power, Prayer and Fasting)

Whether Jesus meant we'd be able to move mountains literally or figuratively, the point we all need to realize is that  “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26; Mark 10:27) Jesus will teach in a future study, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father." (John 14:12) But this kind of faith and ability does come without us meeting certain conditions.  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. (I Corinthians 13:2)

If we profess to be Christians, people who love God and believe the Word of God, we also have to love each other.  If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. (I John 4:20-21) “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.” (Mark 11:25-26; see THE GOSPEL: Don't be a Hypocrite, a Show-off)

Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10) We can't come to God in any kind of way, with our hearts and minds being any kind of way, then ask in prayer, and expect to receive.  We have to have faith in God; have no doubt in our heart, but believe that those things we ask will be done; and if we have anything against anyone, forgive him, that our Father in heaven may also forgive us. Then, through the power of God's Holy Spirit in us, we'll be able to say to this mountain, "Be removed and be cast into the sea!"