Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.” 1 Samual 17:45-47

Have faith in God, Jesus answered. 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. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:22-24

What if you speak to the mountain only to find when God removes it, there stands a giant? Sometimes it seems we are hard pressed on all sides, leaving us feeling persecuted and abandoned. (2 Corinthians 4) We’ve finally removed a barrier and there’s still more conquering yet to do.

I think it’s important to know that Goliath won’t be moved by our own power or might. Just like God throws the mountain into the sea as we speak to it in Jesus’ name, God also delivers us from the giant. The battle is His. He will equip us to fight the battle, then He will take over where our weakness begins. (His strength is made perfect in our weakness 2 Corinthians 12:9)

We will have mountains, and we will have goliaths just beyond the mountain, but if God can use just a boy with 5 smooth stones and a sling, He can certainly equip us to slay the giant. Don’t give up. Whether you’re waiting for mountain removal or preparing to slay a giant, God is fighting our battle through Jesus and the power of The Holy Spirit.

I’ve come to realize the more opposition we face, the bigger the blessing. Don’t quit. Jesus wants us to live victorious lives as overcomers. Remember, David wasn’t just a boy. He was a boy with mighty faith in a big and powerful God.

…you all are partakers with me of grace. Philippians 1:7b

• Partaker– to take part in or experience something along with others; to have a portion
• Grace – unending love and mercy, consistent favor, a gift, forgiveness, redemption, healing, transformation, and unmerited favor

This morning as I began reading Philippians, I got stopped at just a few words at the very beginning of chapter 1… partakers of grace. Every day we are all partakers of grace.  It’s not like money where we spend it all, then have to earn more and put it into an account in order to spend it again. God’s grace is always available, and His mercy is new every day. His grace is sufficient. It’s exactly what you and I need every single day.

Have a blessed day as you partake in God’s amazing grace!

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered.

 “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.

 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:22-24

Jesus himself tells us to trust God. He acknowledges the mountains in our life.

Jesus doesn’t say to negotiate with the mountain. He doesn’t say to question the reason the mountain exists. He doesn’t say to sit and have a pity party because we are experiencing a mountain. We can’t let the mountains of our life paralyze us. We can’t keep our eyes fixed on the mountain. The longer we keep our eyes fixed on the mountain, the bigger the mountain appears.

After Jesus instructs us to trust God, He tells us to literally talk to the mountain. Jesus specifically tells us to tell the mountain to “go throw yourself into the sea.” When we instruct the mountain to throw itself into the sea and we trust God at the same time, the mountain has no other choice but permanent removal.

Isn’t it time you told it to throw itself into the sea?  Mountain moving takes faith. “Trust God and don’t doubt.”

There’s a bigger picture…something you’ve been believing and praying for in your life that’s just beyond the mountain.  The mountain is a  barrier to the blessing God has in store.

Once the barrier is removed, God can really show off. He can work miracles way above what we ever dreamed possible, but the mountain must go first.

What’s your mountain? It’s time for mountain removal. Use your authority in Christ and speak to it. The ball is in your court.

“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. Mark 11:23