Is this what Jesus meant to say?

Question

So when Jesus said:
"If you have faith, and doubt not, if you shall say unto this mountain, 'Be taken up, and be cast into the sea,' it shall be done."

He really meant:
"Faith is really powerful. But your faith alone in't really going to move any mountain. If God also wanted that mountain moved at the same time you told it to move, it will happen. But God is only really concerned with spiritual mountains, so by mountains, I mean difficult internal obsticles and still only if God wills it."

Is this right?

Answer 1

Who would be knowing what he meant? He is not here no more to ask so no point to guess.

Answer 2

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Roms. 10:17). That means, you've got to hear God speaking first, just like Elijah.

What happened with Elijah? God told him to meet the priests of baal and to give them a chance to call down fire upon their sacrifice first. They were at it a long time, calling on their god and cutting themselves, but nothing happened. Then Elijah
built another altar (the first one was defiled) and called upon his God - and the fire fell (I Ki. 18:20+).

My experience is this, that, most of the time, for us, God is into moving spiritual mountains. Even in Old Testament times, a miracle was pretty scarce (that's why everyone loves Elijah!). Nowadays, God is concentrating on men's reactions to the setting forth of the Gospel and he wants to do miracles in their hearts.

Isn't coming out of unbelief into saving faith in a crucified Saviour and being regenerated by the Holy Spirit truly a miracle? No man can do that, only God. I know, I've tried 'saving' people and it doesn't work!

I question your point about faith moving 'difficult internal obstacles only if God wills it'. Didn't Jesus say 'you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free' (John 8:32). Free, free, completely free! So, the truth is out there somewhere for you to know and to make you completely, utterly and absolutely free. God does indeed will it.

As regards whether the mountain might be a literal mountain you can move by this wonderful faith of God - yes, indeed I do believe that the mountain could really be an actual physical mountain, too. No problem! My God is a god of miracles and he can do them whenever he chooses through his people. Ever heard of Smith Wigglesworth?

It's just that God does everything to purpose. He doesn't use up his 'fireworks' unless there's a good reason to. And, I also happen to believe that he's saving his biggest fireworks until last! Read the book of Revelations (there's a blessing on he who reads this book, so read it often - ch. 1:3) and see what the two witnesses do to folks who try to harm them (ch. 11:5) and - regarding moving mountains - see in Rev 6:14 how 'every mountain and island were moved out of their places' and in Rev 8:8 at the sound of the second angel 'as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood'.

The whole book is chock full of miracles. That enough fireworks for you?

Answer 3

I think that if you have faith, what you want will line up with what God wants. I also think that sometimes moving physical mountains helps us spiritually.

Here is my lesson that God gave me with this passage. I was studying faith in my devotions about a year ago. My pastor started a series on faith as well. This is what I learned.

I volunteered to get and spread wood chips around the play equipment at my son's preschool since there wasn't any and it didn't look safe.

So, one Saturday, 3 large dump trucks pulled into the parking lot and dumped wood chips. I stood there alone in the parking lot with my shovel and thought, "Wow - that's a mountain of wood chips! Was I ever dumb for volunteering for this alone".

Then I remembered that verse and prayed, "Lord, I need this mountain moved." The reply was James 2:7 "Faith without works is dead" - get shoveling.

A bit later a bunch of kids showed up at the play ground. They thought it looked fun and wanted to help, but there were no shovels. I prayed for shovels, while I let them use mine for a while. Soon the kids needed to go to the bathroom and went into the preschool. A crabby old lady came out and was wondering what those kids were doing, saying that the doors are supposed to be locked and all that. Since she was there, I asked for shovels. It turned out that there were shovels right inside the door there, because they were going to have some construction done soon.

The kid's parents came to get the kids and the offered to help as well. Pretty soon - the mountain was moved.

Answer 4

Mat 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: 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.

A mustard seed is the smallest of seeds, so either you have faith or you don't.

Mountains are "symbolic" of nations/governments. But there its talking about Satan's new world order Babylon.

Sea's are "symbolic" of peoples (Rev 17:15)

Threw your "faith" you can cast Satan's beast system into the sea/people. "and nothing shall be impossible unto you".

Answer 5

Sounds good, but god put us on the earth to serve him. If we serve him and make him happy, in return he will make us happy, (ask not and you shall not receive) anything is possible if you beleive in him and have faith that he can do somthing for you. even if its a real mountain that you need to be moved.

Answer 6

hi. nicely i don't be responsive to if i can assert what he substitute into rather asserting, i'm not Jesus. yet i'm going to provide it a shot. you are able to relate this word to the call of a "born lower back christian". the assumption being that they now see the dominion of God because of the fact they have been saved by potential of Jesus and consequently, "born lower back". Rebirth can recommend very virtually something, metaphorically, including rejuvenation or in basic terms a metamorphosis in concept. The gist of the asserting is that, until eventually a guy ameliorations his techniques to the procedures of God and lightweight, he won't see the basically real kingdom. thank you and strong bye. P.S- something stated interior the above message is my very very own opinion and is not provided as certainty. you're loose to disagree and that i make an apology for any offense i could have inadvertently led to, inspite of the undeniable fact that I assure you that it substitute into not my purpose nor might i elect to push any of my ideals upon the reader. thank you and strong bye.

Answer 7

Darn you are twisted and really twisting the words. I don't understand where you see God in any of that.

What I see is if you say you are going to do something, then do it. Alot of people say they will jump off a mountain but never do it, they are the liars who you maybe can't trust. So, don't say anything if you don't mean it.

Answer 8

i don,t know if faith can move a mountain or not, don't think i have met anyone with that much faith. god bless you

Answer 9

Yes! Right on!!! You are totally right!!! I wish everyone would understand that! A lot of people go to a mountain and tell it to move and when it doesn't they say the Bible is wrong and that Jesus is a phony! And no, Smarty pants :), that is totally wrong!

Answer 10

I believe so...Paul said that if he moved mountains without love, he (and we) was nothing.
So you are correct, God can easily move the real moutains, but He is more concerned about our spiritual ones.

Answer 11

No Jesus meant what he meant , the bible says without faith it is impossible to please God . God acts when we come to him in faith, that is why he wants us to be like children when it comes to his word, he wants us to believe it just like he said and not question.cheers