May 18, 2012 Mountain Moving Prayer

Mountain Moving Prayer Mark 11:23-25 “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” YOU’RE likely wondering, “When has anyone prayed and a mountain moved into the sea? Surely there have been many people of great faith. Wouldn’t someone have tried that prayer to prove Jesus correct? Maybe no one has. It would be such an amazing faith prayer: “Mountain, move!” But is that what Jesus is teaching here? The mountain is symbolic in Jewish teachings. Mountains are the place of awesome power as God gave the law to them at Mt. Sinai. He also offered great demonstrations of power at Mt. Horeb. Mountains are also a place of protection. Jerusalem is on a mountain. Mountains symbolize God’s holiness, power and protection. Jesus’ teaches his disciples here that prayer is a powerful tool to move the power of God to do God’s will. A faithful person’s prayer will bring God’s will into one’s life or the lives of those for whom the prayer is offered. Then there’s one more thing Jesus teaches: a praying person’s heart must be clean of unforgiveness. Before praying for your need, forgive those who have sinned against you. Ask God to cleanse your heart. Then pray, “Lord, your will be done…” Pause and consider is your praying heart a faith-filled clean heart?