Speak to the mountain

“And Jesus answered them, Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, Be taken up and cast into the sea, it will be done” – Matthew 21:21.

We’ve all had seasons when the challenges of life feel overwhelming. During those times, it’s easy to be tempted to talk about how bad things are. Maybe you received a bad medical report, or maybe you’re facing a financial obstacle. But the more you talk about something, the bigger it becomes in your mind. Instead, you’ve got to dig your heels in and say, “No, I am not going to give life to that defeat. I am not going to speak sickness over myself. I’m not going to speak lack. I’m not going to speak fear. I’m choosing a different report. I believe the report of the Lord which says I am blessed. I am favoured. I am prosperous. I am healthy. I am whole. I’m a victor, not a victim.”

Remember, even if you don’t see how things could ever work out, God does. You’ve got to speak to those mountains in your life and declare favour over those situations. Instead of talking to God about how big your problems are, talk to your problems about how big your God is! As you speak to your mountains, they will be moved, and you will move forward into the victory God has prepared for you.

Surrender

Whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. —Matthew 16:25.

As a young girl, Amy Carmichael (1867–1951) wished she had blue eyes instead of brown. She even prayed that God would change her eye color and was disappointed when it didn’t happen. At age 20, Amy sensed that the Lord was calling her to serve Him as a missionary. After serving in various places, she went to India. It was then that she realized God’s wisdom in the way He had made her. She may have had a more difficult time gaining acceptance from the brown-eyed people if her eyes had been blue. She served God in India for 55 years. We don’t know for sure that Amy was more readily accepted because of her eye color. But we do know and believe that it is the Lord “who has made us, and not we ourselves” (Ps. 100:3). As we submit to His wisdom in everything, we can serve Him effectively.

Amy knew what submission was. When asked about missionary life, she replied, “Missionary life is simply a chance to die.” Jesus said, “Whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matt. 16:25).

Our lives are never more secure than when they are abandoned to God.

Spiritual Satisfaction

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” – Matthew 5:6.

In the natural, what do you do when you’re hungry and just not sure what will satisfy you? You may try to think of what to eat, but maybe you’re not sure what will hit the spot. Spiritual hunger works the same way. You may feel a restlessness or unsettledness, but you can’t quite figure out what will satisfy it. You may try to fill that need with other things like food, friends etc, but only God can fill that hunger.

Today’s verse tells us what will fill that hunger in our soul – righteousness. When you hunger and thirst for righteousness, which is God’s way of doing things, you will be spiritually satisfied. But just like you have to take time to eat in the natural, you have to take time to “eat” or partake of God’s righteousness. Every day, He has a table of blessing set for you. When you spend time in prayer, worship and reading His Word, you are partaking of His righteousness. You are filling your soul. The more time you spend with Him, the more He will fill you and satisfy your hunger all the days of your life.

Gifts to the King

“And on going into the house, they saw the Child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then opening their treasure bags, they
presented to Him gifts — gold and frankincense and myrrh” – Matthew 2:11

Can you imagine what it must have been like for the Wise Men when they saw Jesus? He was just a child in a stable surrounded by animals, but these
Wise Men recognized that He was the King of kings and the Lord of lords; the Savior of the world. Immediately, they fell on their faces to worship
Him, but notice what they did next — they presented Him gifts as part of their worship. And they didn’t just give any old thing they had; they gave
Him their absolute best — costly gold, frankincense and myrrh.

When we give Jesus our absolute best — our time, talent and resources, it is truly an act of worship. We are saying with our actions, “God, You mean
more to me than anything. Because You are so awesome, I want to give You everything that I am.” It pleases Him when we come to Him with this
attitude. When we draw near to Him with an open and humble heart, He draws near to us. Remember, when you give Him your best, He gives you His best in
return.

Are you besides yourself?

“Whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” – Matthew 16:25.

One of the great needs in the church today is for every Christian to become enthusiastic about his or her faith in Jesus Christ. This is the very essence of vital spiritual experience. The apostles had been with Christ, and could not help but testify to what they had seen and heard.

Every Christian should become an ambassador of Christ with splendid wildness and happy abandon. Christians should be so intoxicated with Christ and so filled with holy fervor that nothing could ever quench their ardor. However, let me warn you that when you take this position with Christ, you will be called crazy, you might even be persecuted. You will be accused of being beside yourself, you will be called a religious fanatic, and some will label you an extremist.

Think of the glorious daring of Christ’s men and women! Paul was satisfied with nothing less than taking the Gospel to Rome, to Spain, to any place the Lord sent Him. Could it be, that we too, could be considered to be beside ourselves, so that we might at least command the world’s attention.

Courtesy: Dr. Billy Graham