Mark 11:23 (NIV) says, “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them”.
Matthew 17:20 (NIV) echoes this truth: “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you”.
Many of us have heard these verses so often that they can sound familiar, even routine. And when someone tells you during a difficult moment, “Just have faith,” it can sound like cliché. But these scriptures carry a powerful truth that is meant to transform how we see our challenges.
When you read Mark 11:23 closely, two key words stand out: doubt and believe.
What we believe has a powerful way of shaping how we live and what we experience. Even believing our doubts can produce results, just not the ones we hope for. When deep in your heart and mind you start believing things like, “I may never get that job,” or “I may never step into ministry,” you slowly begin to live according to those expectations. In many ways, doubting yourself becomes its own form of faith, a negative faith that can be just as strong as believing for something good, even something impossible.
Hebrews 11:1 reminds us, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” I have witnessed God move in my life in ways that only He could, and each testimony strengthens the truth that faith really does move mountains.
We all face mountains, and they come in many forms:
- Being denied a bank loan.
- Desiring a new home but having little to no finances.
- Wanting a vehicle but having no means to purchase one.
- Trying repeatedly to get into your choice university, but being denied.
- Needing healing when doctors say there is no cure.
- Competing for a promotion at work.
- Taking a driving test with minimal experience.
These are the kinds of mountains that seem impossible to move through human effort, but they shift when faith steps in. So how do you build a faith strong enough to move your mountains?
- Acknowledge Your Mountains - Be honest with God about what feels impossible. Sometimes admitting, “Lord, this is too big for me,” is the first step toward breakthrough.
- Be Honest About Your Faith - Don’t pretend to be stronger than you feel. Tell God when your faith is weak. I’ve had many moments where I prayed, “Lord, I don’t have the courage for this.” He honors honesty.
- Face Your Mountains - Refuse to run from challenges. Stand before them knowing you’re not standing alone.
- Ask God for Help - God knows what you need, but He invites you to ask. Don’t let the quiet lie whisper that your situation is “too impossible” for God. Nothing is impossible for Him.
- Expect God to Answer - Faith not only asks, it expects. Believe that God is at work even when you cannot see the process unfolding.
- Believe God’s Word - Dare to trust the supernatural power of God’s promises. Remember Hebrews 11:1, faith sees what the natural eye cannot.
But what happens when the answer does not come right away? You wait. You trust. You learn to rest with confidence in the truth that God’s timing is perfect and that He will come through in the way and moment that is best.
And sometimes, God asks you to match your faith with action:
- Believing for a vehicle? Go look at the showroom.
- Believing for a home? Start calling agents and viewing properties.
- Trusting God for a promotion? Equip yourself. Study, take a course, prepare.
- Facing spiritual resistance? Fast and pray until the mountain begins to shift.
My prayer is that you embrace a faith bold enough to move mountains and radical enough to propel you into action. May your belief in God’s power unlock the impossible in your life.
What Are You Trusting God For Today?
Take a moment right now to reflect: What are you trusting God for today? Is it peace in the midst of uncertainty, provision for your family, guidance in your work, healing, restoration, or a breakthrough in a particular area of your life? Whatever it is, don’t keep it to yourself; write it down. Putting your thoughts and desires on paper is an act of faith; it helps you clarify your trust in God and shows your heart’s sincerity.
Once you have written them down, bring them before God in prayer. Speak to Him openly and with confidence, trusting that He hears every word. Our Heavenly Father is not distant or indifferent. He is a good Father who delights in caring for and blessing His children.
As Jesus reminded us in Matthew 7:9-11:
"Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!"
God’s goodness never wavers. He desires to give you good gifts in line with His will and His perfect timing. So today, release your requests into His hands with confidence, trusting that your faithful Father is both able and willing to respond in the way that is best for you.
My prayer is that you would embrace a faith radical enough to move mountains and courageous enough to propel you into action. May your trust in God’s power open doors you never thought possible and awaken the impossible in your life.
A Prayer for Radical, Mountain-Moving Faith
Father, thank You for inviting us into a life where nothing is impossible with You. Strengthen our hearts to believe Your Word above our fears and doubts. Teach us to trust You with every mountain we face, whether great or small.
Give us a radical faith that responds with action, a faith that endures, a faith that sees beyond what is visible and confidently believes for the impossible. We place our hope fully in You.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Author: Kimberly A.S. Williams