I Corinthians 15:56-58 (NLT)
For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.
As believers, we are called to be unmovable and unshakable yet still have the faith to move mountains. There are some days it seems I am so consumed with just trying to keep it all together that I do not know if I am coming or going. Why does faith seem like such a complicated effort? If I have the victory over sin, why is it a constant battle? If death has no power over me, why do I fear it so much? Why do I feel so weak? Why am I swayed by the enemy’s report? I try to be enthusiastic about the Lord, but how can I share the Gospel if I don’t believe it myself? Welcome to the church today!
Jesus has paid the penalty of sin. The Law no longer has the power to convict believers who by faith accept salvation by way of the Blood of Jesus Christ. There is power in the Blood. We do not give the power to His Blood in our belief, but we are empowered when we live by faith and do believe accepting this gift of righteousness as a way of life. We have the ability to be strong and immovable yet at the same time move the mountains that hinder us. By faith even in the smallest portion, we are able to believe His Word, walk in His Way and accomplish His Will. As a reminder: Nothing God does is useless. This means that every detail of your life is intended to turn out good and in your favor by faith. (Romans 8:28) Do you believe God enough to live like it?
Matthew 17:14-20 (NLT)
At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, “Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. “So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.” Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well. Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?” “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”
How many of us are like His Disciples who although we strive to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ fail miserably in our effort? Why is the church void of miracles today? Why are people not being healed and delivered every time we meet as a congregation? Have we no faith? According to Jesus Christ, “if you have faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it would move.” He goes on to say, “NOTHING would be impossible.” To desire the things of God is not enough, God’s People must believe that He is able. God is not the lottery. In the lottery, many will play but only one can have the grand prize. With Jesus Christ, we are promised that NOTHING is impossible for those who believe and we all can attain the prize by faith. In Mark 9, we discover that not only did the disciples lack faith but the father of the stricken child had some faith issues of his own. He asked the Lord, “Help me overcome my unbelief…” (Mark 9:23-24) I wonder what would happen if the church individually and collectively cried out to God to empower us to overcome our unbelief so we could walk by faith as Children of the Light. Jesus told His Disciples that such power comes from prayer and fasting. (Mark 9:29) What if we began to pray and fast for more faith and belief rather than prosperity and healing? Would we find what we were after all along?
Isaiah 49:9-11 (NLT)
I will say to the prisoners, ‘Come out in freedom,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Come into the light.’ They will be my sheep, grazing in green pastures and on hills that were previously bare.
They will neither hunger nor thirst. The searing sun will not reach them anymore. For the LORD in his mercy will lead them; he will lead them beside cool waters. And I will make my mountains into level paths for them. The highways will be raised above the valleys.
Jesus has made the way of freedom for believers and even called them to such a place. The problem is although we answer the call of repentance most people fail to follow it through looking for relief rather than redemption. Redemption frees us rather than a brief respite. It requires leaving the old life behind to claim the brand new life that comes by faith. The grass is always greener on the other side but most of the time is not as good as it looked from the other side so we carry that over to our experience with Jesus Christ afraid to leave the known for the unknown. It is impossible to please God without faith. (Hebrews 11:6) Faith is confirmed by movement from darkness into life to good from evil and to follow His Word, His Will and His Way. The Lord has promised to make mountains move and become level paths and to ease the peaks and valleys. God’s Mercy leads us to the Cross but faith moves us onward.
John 10:1-5 (NLT)
“I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”
Jesus is a good shepherd who leads His Sheep and cares for them diligently. However, if we truly belong to Jesus Christ, we should know His Voice and follow Him. The problem is we are accustomed to the darkness and comfortable there so we are reluctant to step out into the Light of His Love unsure of whether He who has called us is faithful or even able to save us. If you truly believed in the Lord, there would be no choice. Those who believe in the Power of God have no problem leaving the darkness behind and living in the Light. They can easily let go of evil to embrace all that is good in situations, circumstances and even people which is clearly not the case. We live defeated, diseased and disabled lives cripple by the darkness trying to serve two masters and failing miserably. (Matthew 6:24) Good and evil cannot coexist just as darkness has no place in the light. Children of God must make a choice to live in the righteousness of Jesus Christ by faith believing the Power of God and living like it to see His Kingdom come to earth.
John 1:4-5 (NLT)
The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.
The Word is Jesus Christ. He was here in the beginning. (John 1:2) God created everything via His Word. (John 1:3) Jesus is God’s Word wrapped in flesh to show us the way to life and how to live. (John 1:14) The Word of God is life and light to a believer. The Word allows us to stand confidently and boldly before the Throne of God covered in the Blood of Jesus accessing all of His Power to remain unshakable and immovable in our faith. The Light of His Word shows us how to live and move those mountains along the way as they literally melt before us as we follow Jesus as sheep follow a shepherd. Although they are not sure of everything that the shepherd is doing, they know that he cares for them and will protect them so they go! Do you believe the Word of God has power in your life? It is the beginning of faith and the mustard seed that grows mighty oaks of righteousness. (Isaiah 61:3) If you have a stand to take or mountain to move it all begins with the Word. His Name is Jesus.
Romans 16:12-14 (NLT)
Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.
Jesus has empowered us to live a new life separated from sin. This is very important in the empowerment of Jesus Christ for your life. You will never have faith if you try to serve the old life while building on a faith foundation. You live in the freedom of God’s Grace which is the empowerment to leave evil and sin to live as a Child of God. However, too many times we want the best of both words and abuse God’s Grace as a doormat to His Favor with no intention of ever building a firm foundation of faith, walking in the Light, or pursuing the Highway of Holiness. What a waste of time and effort! The Word of God is life. “He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” Why settle for second best when the best is yet to come? Those who do not truly believe that the old life is gone and a new life has begun will return to the known rather than take a risk on the unknown.
Ephesians 5:6-9 (NLT)
Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. Don’t participate in the things these people do. For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
Our new life in Jesus Christ enables us to be immovable in our faith and His Light allows us to move mountains using that same belief in the Lord. We are called to live as people of the light. Light produces what is good, right and true. It will yield a harvest of God’s Promises, Blessings and Favor for those who will choose to remain in it. The Lord will light up the darkness in your life. (2 Samuel 22:29-31) He reveals the perfect way even if there are unfavorable conditions. The Lord fights the battle and empowers us to stand in the midst of opposition. We always win in the Light. Even when darkness seems to overtake us, God is there. (Daniel 2:22) He is not oblivious to the darkness it is as light to Him. So God works an escape route for His People who choose to follow His Voice and walk by faith believing in the Power of God no matter what they world says or does. The Light is inside of you! (2 Corinthians 4:7) Even in the midst of overwhelming odds and devastating diagnoses, we know that our God is right there on top of things working ever detail for our good by faith for those who choose a new life and to live in the Light. Our response to His Call is to live immovably in the Light by faith following the Word, Will and Way of God. Miracles happen in this place. Deliverance is a reality. People are healed, restored and made whole. It all begins with a mustard seed of faith that digs roots in His Word, chooses to follow His Way and lives according to His Will. Where are you today? Come out of the cell of fear, doubt and depression – welcome to a brand new life. Now just follow the Light and don’t be surprised when mountains move, valleys melt and His Best begins to rain in your life.”Jesus replied, “My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going. Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.” (John 12:35-36)
Let me remind you again, nothing God does is ever useless. He created you! You are not useless! He knows everything that happens in the light AND dark. Nothing in your past or present will hinder His Love for you! It is unfailing in that Jesus knew you inside and out and STILL chose to give His Life for you! You have faith now use it. You are filled with the Light of His Love so follow it! Ask the Lord to help your unbelief! Plant your feet in a firm foundation of faith and decide that you will not move until the Shepherd calls – listen for His Word! Pray for faith! Fast to believe! Mountains will move but you will be immovable!
Hebrews 12:25-29 (NLT)
Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.”This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain. Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire.
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