MOUNTAIN-MOVING FAITH

by Alan Conner

In Mt. 21:18-22, our Lord has just cursed a barren fig tree that had nothing on it but leaves and the fig tree withered (v. 19). The disciples were dumb-founded when they saw the tree wither and asked, "How did the fig tree wither all at once?" In giving them an answer, the Lord spoke these incredible words,

"Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen. And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

How are we to understand this mountain-moving faith? Should we really be able to move mountains by our faith? If so, what kind of mountains, literal or figurative? Let’s think through what the Lord is saying.

First, why was Jesus cursing a fig tree? Was He condemning the "Green-party" by being anti-trees? Or was He unfairly holding the tree accountable for not having figs even though it was not the season for figs (Mk. 11:13)? None of the above. Jesus had an important lesson to teach His disciples. The fig tree was a symbol of Israel. As the fig tree had only leaves and no fruit, so the nation of Israel had the leaves of religion but no spiritual fruit. Israel had the outward show of religion, the temple, the priesthood, the daily service, the feasts, the sacrifices, etc, but they were void of grace, faith, humility, love and true spirituality. Like Adam and Eve, they were clothed in fig leaves, yet guilty in their disobedience and sin. Thus, cursing the fig tree foreshadowed the judgment soon to fall on Israel. In 70 A.D. this symbolic curse upon the fig tree became a reality when the Romans came and destroyed Jerusalem and the temple.

With this in mind, let us explore what Jesus meant by our being able to curse fig trees and cast mountains into the sea by our faith? If we take this literally, the mountain in view would be the Mount of Olives since Jesus was travelling from Bethany to Jerusalem (some even suggest it is Mt. Zion, the temple mount), and the sea would be the Dead Sea or the Mediterranean Sea. But is Jesus saying we should be able to literally cast mountains into the sea and curse trees by our faith? I don’t think so. What would be the point of doing this anyway? Rather than seeing a literal meaning here, it is probably best to see the Lord using the literal mountain to teach another truth to His disciples just as He did with the literal tree. Yes, Christ did literally curse the fig tree and it withered, for there was a lesson to be learned. The point of the instruction on mountain moving faith, however, is not that all Christians should become literal earth-movers, or tree killers but that by faith we can do things that are humanly impossible if it is God’s will. So what kind of mountains does our Lord have in mind?

Since the point of the cursing of the fig tree seems to be a lesson on ecclesiastical judgment or church discipline (on Israel), it seems that this should guide us, at least in part, in our interpretation. Thus, the mountain moving faith will remove mountains of sin in the midst of God’s people. With this in mind, the lesson may be that, by faith, the disciples are to boldly call a sin a sin, and exercise judgment on sin (and sometimes sinners!), just like Jesus did on the fig tree as an emblem for Israel. Examples of this being worked out in the lives of the apostles can be seen when Peter rebuked both Ananias and Sapphira and they were struck down for their sin (Acts 5). As the fig tree died so did they. Also, when Paul was confronted by a mountain of opposition in Elymas the magician who was trying to persuade others to reject the gospel, by faith he pronounced judgment on Elymas and he was struck blind (Acts 13:11), effectively removing the problem. This was the ministry of the apostles under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to remove the cursed trees and mountains opposing the gospel and this they could only do through the power of faith. Without faith, it is humanly impossible to deal justly with sin. Our sin nature generally loves sin too much to censure it. We will always find a loophole or a hiding place for sin to take cover in. Faith alone imparts the boldness to righteously confront sin.

But, I don’t think we need to limit this mountain moving faith to just exercising discipline upon big mountain size sins. In Mt. 17:20 where Christ speaks of mountain moving faith in a different context, the "mountain" seems to refer to the obstinate demon that the disciples could not cast out. They had met a "mountain" which they could not move because of the "littleness of their faith (17:20). By inference, these "mountains" could also refer to any circumstance or trial which is beyond the reach of human power, especially in the area of furthering the work of the gospel or of God’s grace in the lives of people. Thus, our Lord is teaching us that by faith we can overcome whatever opposes us spiritually or is an obstacle to our ministry. Even though it may have beaten us in the past, by faith in God’s power, we can overcome. "This is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith" (1 Jn. 5:4).

Thus, the God-blessed prayer of faith can do what is impossible for us to do by ourselves. We can move mountains of opposition or wither the trees of sin. "For I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." We have no power in ourselves to kill sin in our life or in the life of the church, or overcome an enormous trial, but by the prayer of faith and according to the will of God we can speak to that mountain and say, "Be taken up and cast into the sea," and it will obey (Rom. 8:13). That which is impossible for man is possible for God. By God’s power and in God’s timing, He will enable us to overwhelmingly conquer in the name of Jesus Christ. As Christ cursed the fig tree and it withered and died, so can we to our besetting sins and impossible circumstances. But such mountains do not bow to human words alone, it requires the power of God which only faith-filled prayer can tap.

So what challenges are you facing today in your spiritual life that seem impossible to overcome? Are you discouraged, depressed, or worrying to excess because of troubling circumstances in your life? Is there sin in your life or in the church that is going unchecked? Are there obstacles in your Christian life that you can’t seem to overcome? Is your ministry suffering, is your witness hidden under a basket? Remember the words of Christ that both giant sins and giant problems can be cut down to size by the believer who in faith will call upon the Lord, trusting in His good will and power to remove it. So, ask the Lord to increase your faith, and go hunt down those mountains!


Your servant in Christ, Alan Conner