Can faith really move mountains?
The Bible has a lot to say about the power of faith and its ability to “move mountains.” This common metaphor points to the incredible power of faith in God to accomplish what seems impossible. At the same time, the Bible makes it clear that faith is not like a magic wand – it only has power when it is placed in the all-powerful God.
What does it mean to “move mountains”?
The expression “move mountains” is used several times in the New Testament to refer to overcoming great difficulties or achieving the seemingly impossible. Jesus used this expression in Matthew 17:20 when he told his disciples, “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.”
The background for this imagery likely comes from the Old Testament prophets who used mountain imagery to refer to kingdoms and rulers that seemed unmovable from their positions of power (Isaiah 40:4; 41:15; Zechariah 4:7). The point is that faith in God can overcome any obstacle, no matter how insurmountable it may seem.
At the same time, the Bible makes it clear that moving mountains is not about having enough personal faith to literally move a physical mountain. Jesus said “if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed” you can move mountains, implying that even a tiny amount of faith placed in an all-powerful God can accomplish great things. It’s not about the quantity of faith, but the object of faith – God himself.
Faith comes from God
If faith is the key to moving mountains, an important question is “where does faith come from?” According to the Bible, true faith is not something humans can drum up on their own through sheer willpower. Ephesians 2:8 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” Like salvation itself, the ability to have faith comes as a gift from God.
Philippians 1:29 tells believers, “it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should…not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake.” Here again we see that faith is portrayed as a gift given by God. Other verses speak of God allotting or appointing to people a “measure of faith” (Romans 12:3).
So faith is not something we inherently possess or can produce through our own efforts. It is divinely imparted to believers by God’s grace. This is an important truth, because it means that faith itself is part of the working of God in someone’s heart. Our ability to believe comes from God’s activity in us.
How does faith “move mountains”?
Given that true faith originates from God, it is no surprise that faith only has power when it is specifically placed in God. Jesus told his disciples that faith could move mountains not simply because they believed hard enough in their own abilities, but because they placed their faith in the omnipotent God.
The apostle Paul expressed this same idea when he declared, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). It was not his own abilities Paul had in mind, but Christ’s power at work within him.
We see this principle at work in Hebrews 11, the famous “Faith Hall of Fame” chapter. The chapter provides example after example of people in the Old Testament who accomplished amazing things by faith:
“By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days” (v. 30). The people trusted God and followed his instructions, and he caused the walls to crumble.
“By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac…He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead” (vv. 17, 19). Abraham trusted God to fulfill his promises, even when it meant going against all logic.
“By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents…because they saw that the child was beautiful” (v. 23). Moses’ parents trusted God’s purposes, even in the face of danger.
In every case, the common denominator was faith placed specifically in the God “who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist” (Romans 4:17). People moved mountains not because they had strong self-confidence, but because they radically trusted their all-powerful God.
Faith is believing God can do what seems impossible. As Jesus told his disciples, “All things are possible for one who believes” (Mark 9:23). When our faith is in God, we have access to the same divine power that “gives life to the dead and calls into existence things that do not exist.” But if faith is placed in our own abilities or efforts apart from God, it loses this power.
Faith is active, not passive
There is one other key component to biblical faith – it always involves action. Faith is not passive, but leads to tangible obedience. As James wrote, “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17). Mere intellectual agreement with spiritual truths is not true biblical faith.
This active nature of faith is seen in the examples from Hebrews 11. In every case, faith led people to take radical steps of obedience: marching around Jericho for seven days, offering up Isaac on an altar, hiding an infant from soldiers, and many more examples. Their faith in God compelled them to act in accordance with what God said to do.
So moving mountains by faith does not happen in a vacuum, but through tangible steps of trusting obedience to God. When he gives a command or points us in a certain direction, faith means obeying even when it seems risky, nonsensical, or impossible in the eyes of the world. The axiom is “trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus.”
Faith trusts God to remove mountains, in His way and time
One final point on the mountain-moving power of faith: Ultimately it is God who decides which mountains will be moved and which ones will remain in place for our good. Sometimes we think a certain obstacle needs to be taken away for God’s glory or our comfort. But the all-wise God often allows challenges to remain for the greater purpose of growing our character and dependence on him.
The Bible promises that as we trust and obey God, he will give us strength to climb over or dig through the mountains that remain in place. Paul wrote, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). God lovingly allows trials that highlight our need for his power and grace.
So biblical faith means trusting God even when the mountains in life don’t move. It means leaning on his grace to empower us to endure trials while waiting patiently on his perfect timing. Faith knows that God can move any mountain in a second, yet lovingly chooses not to because it is better for us spiritually.
This perspective allows believers to trust God and maintain joy in the midst of ongoing difficulties. Faith motivates us to obey even while obstacles remain, believing that God will faithfully walk with us each step of the journey.
Key principles on faith and moving mountains:
– Moving mountains refers to overcoming great difficulties, not literally moving physical mountains.
– True faith only comes as a gift from God, not through human effort alone.
– Faith has power because it taps into God’s power – it is only as strong as its object.
– Faith leads to tangible action and obedience, not just passive belief.
– Faith trusts that God moves mountains according to his perfect timing and will.
– God sometimes allows obstacles to remain for our spiritual growth. His grace empowers us to endure.
– With faith in God, we can overcome any difficulty, no matter how impossible it seems. His power knows no limits.
In summary, faith truly can move mountains because of who it is placed in – the God of the impossible. By his grace, he enables us to believe and trust in his unlimited power. And he lovingly chooses when and how to use that power to move the mountains in our lives, for our eternal joy and his great glory.
