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3 Steps To Prayers That Move Mountains

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What are prayers that move mountains? These powerful prayers are rooted in faith to the God who moves mountains…but can you pray them today? Discover what the Word has to teach you about prayer prayers that move mountains in your life.

The key to praying effectual mountain-moving prayers is to have genuine faith in the God who created the universe and holds all things together.

He is the God of miracles and the One who makes the impossible become possible.

Faith as small as a mustard seed moves mountains

In Matthew 17:14-21 we find the story of a man had come to Jesus with his son who was possessed by a demon.

He asked Jesus to heal his son, saying that the disciples had been unable to do so. Jesus cast out the demon, and the son was healed immediately.

In response to Jesus’ healing of the boy, the disciples asked Him why they had not been able to cast out the demon.

His response was that their faith was too small.

Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

Matthew 17:19-20, ESV
prayers that move mountains text over image of woman praying at a mountaintop

Nothing is impossible through faith

Why is it so important to have faith? Because through faith, all things are possible.

There are multiple times in the Gospels where Jesus is recorded as stating that with God, all things are possible:

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”

Matthew 19:26; Mark 10:27 ESV

Jesus used this statement to refer to the powerful gift of salvation which is made possible through the work of God.

He also used the phrase to encourage the father of the possessed boy to believe in Him in Mark 9:14-29, which is the parallel passage to Matthew 17:14-21 referenced above.

This concept echoes the response of the angel Gabriel to Mary in Luke 1:26-38. Her question to him was how she could bear a son since she was a virgin.

He told her that “nothing will be impossible with God.”

Just as each of these people experienced the impossible made possible through God, you have the same opportunity today as well.

While you aren’t going to see a replay of Mary’s story, there are countless ways that God works in amazing ways in the lives of His people, whether it be His provision in times of impossible financial difficulties, healing of diseases, bringing hardened lost souls to Himself, or any other incredible situation.

He is in the business of making possible things that people think are impossible.

The heart that prays prayers that move mountains

The foundation of effective prayer is faith, believing that God can make the most impossible situations turn around for our good and His glory. But, another aspect you need to keep in mind is that when you pray, your heart and soul needs to be right with God.

If you go before the Lord with a mind and heart that are full of sin and lacking in repentance, you run a great risk in finding our prayers unanswered.

The Old Testament in particular, especially in the books of the prophets, records God on multiple occasions telling his prophets that because of Israel’s sin and refusal to repent, He would not hear their cries any longer. 

Praying prayers God answers

One other key to answered prayers (and surely the prayer that move mountains are indeed ones you would refer to as answered!) is this:

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

I John 5:14-15, ESV

It’s not enough to blindly believe God is able to answer your prayer, but if you want to see what you ask for come to pass (instead of the answer you receive be a “NO!”), then you must ensure that prayer is in alignment with the Word of God.

Too often, people confuse “God didn’t answer my prayer” or with “God answered me, but told me a ‘NO’ I didn’t want to receive.”

That happens when a person’s prayers don’t align with God’s purpose. To understand His purpose (to the best of our limited human ability) one has to turn to the Bible and read it, understand it, and then pray it.

Have a heart and life to pray and move mountains

Lastly, let’s turn to James. Up until now you’ve seen God’s responsibility in moving mountains (responding to genuine faith), your responsibility in praying mountain-moving prayers (praying according to the Word), but now it’s time to examine your role:

Living a righteous life.

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

James 5:!6

Yes, your life and heart impact your prayers, because they directly impact your relationship with the Lord.

How To Pray Prayers That Move Mountains Today

Let’s re-cap. To pray prayers that move mountains, according to Scripture, you need these 3 steps:

  1. Have faith in God
  2. Pray according to His Word
  3. Make sure your heart is clean: confess your sins to God and, as necessary, to each other

Remember, read the Word, learn it, and then live it.

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