To cast a mountain into the sea seems impossible. To deal with this difficulty some have supposed that Jesus is speaking in hyperbole, i.e., that he uses an absurdity to point out the great possibilities of prayer. However, I tend to think the words of Jesus are quite literal. When he says “this mountain,” I think he was standing on or perhaps pointing to the Mount of Olives, a very literal mountain that the disciples had traversed many times. That particular mountain might be cast into the sea.
For a disciple to cast a mountain into the sea, two conditions must be met, both humanly strange:
1. He must talk to the mountain.
So I ask this question, what’s the hardest part about casting a mountain into the sea? Most people would probably answer, “Having faith,” or “Not doubting in your heart.” And in truth those things are very hard to do at times. But I submit the hardest part is having the courage to talk to the mountain in the first place. What kind of person looks at a mountain and talks to it? If you do that on a regular basis, people will begin to question your sanity. Yet that’s exactly what Jesus tells His disciples they must do.
2. He must not doubt in his heart.
So I ask this question, what’s the hardest part about casting a mountain into the sea? Most people would probably answer, “Having faith,” or “Not doubting in your heart.” And in truth those things are very hard to do at times. But I submit the hardest part is having the courage to talk to the mountain in the first place. What kind of person looks at a mountain and talks to it? If you do that on a regular basis, people will begin to question your sanity. Yet that’s exactly what Jesus tells His disciples they must do.
The Application
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:24).
This promise has three parts. It is comprehensive: “Whatever you ask for.” It is conditional: “Believe that you have received it.” It is definite: “It will be yours!” And note the change of tenses: There is the present: “whatever you ask for.” There is the past: “you have received it.” There is the future: “it will be yours.” As the kids like to say, What’s up with that? We are to pray in the present, with the assurance that God has already granted our request, even though the answer will not come until the future.
Prayer is the bow, the promise is the arrow; faith is the hand which draws the bow, and sends the arrow with the heart’s message to heaven. The bow without the arrow is of no use, and the arrow without the bow is of little worth, and both without the strength of the hand are to no purpose. Neither the promise without prayer, nor prayer without the promise, nor both without faith avail the Christian anything. What was said of the Israelites, “they could not enter in, because of unbelief,” the same may be said of many of our prayers. They cannot enter heaven because they are not put up in faith.
In light of Jesus’ teaching, we may draw the following applications. When we pray, we should:
Pray for something definite
Earnestly desire it
Not question God’s ability
Persevere in prayer
Add works to our faith.