By Natasha Wilson · Monday, November 9, 2026
Scripture Reading: Mark 11:20–25
“Have faith in God.”
Key Scripture — Mark 11:22 (NKJV)
Have you ever prayed about something for so long that you've begun to wonder whether God is listening?
Maybe it's a broken relationship, a financial burden, a loved one who needs healing, or a situation that seems impossible to change. You've prayed about it for weeks, months, perhaps even years. You've asked God for help, pleaded with Him, and waited patiently.
Yet the mountain is still standing.
In Mark 11, Jesus teaches His disciples something remarkable about faith. After Peter notices that the fig tree Jesus had cursed has withered, Jesus responds by speaking about the power of faith. He tells them that whoever speaks to a mountain, believing without doubting, can see even the impossible accomplished.
But there's something important we must not overlook.
Before Jesus says anything about moving mountains, He says four simple words:
“Have faith in God.” — Mark 11:22
Not faith in ourselves. Not faith in the words we speak. Not even faith in the strength of our own believing.
Faith in God.
Jesus wasn't giving His disciples a magical formula for getting whatever they wanted. He was teaching them to trust in the limitless power of their heavenly Father.
Interestingly, this isn't the first time Scripture uses a mountain to illustrate an overwhelming obstacle.
In Zechariah 4:6–7, God speaks to Zerubbabel, who faced the enormous task of rebuilding the temple. The obstacles before him seemed like a great mountain. But God reminded him that the work would be accomplished not through human strength or ability, but through His Spirit.
The mountain was great, but God was greater.
And perhaps that is something we need to remember when facing our own mountains.
How often do we spend our days speaking about how impossible our circumstances are? We talk about what isn't working, what hasn't changed, and how hopeless everything seems.
There's nothing wrong with acknowledging our struggles. God invites us to bring our burdens to Him.
But what if, alongside our honest prayers, we began reminding ourselves of who God is?
Instead of saying, "Nothing will ever change," we could say, "God is able, even when I cannot see a way."
Instead of, "I can't get through this," we could remember that His strength is sufficient for our weakness.
Not because our words can command God to act, but because His promises give us a reason to hope.
And yet, we must remember another important truth.
Faith does not mean that God must answer every prayer in the way we expect.
Think of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in Daniel 3:17–18. Standing before a blazing furnace, they boldly declared that God was able to deliver them. But they also acknowledged that even if He did not, they would remain faithful.
Their confidence was not dependent upon their circumstances changing.
Their confidence was in God Himself.
The apostle Paul understood this too. In 2 Corinthians 12:8–9, he describes pleading with the Lord three times to remove a painful affliction. But rather than removing it, God assured Paul that His grace was sufficient.
Paul's unanswered request was not evidence of insufficient faith.
God was still working, even though the difficulty remained.
This brings us back to Jesus' teaching in Mark 11.
Immediately after describing faith that can move mountains, Jesus tells His disciples to pray. And in verse 25, He reminds them to forgive others.
Faith, prayer, and a heart surrendered to God belong together.
First John 5:14 reminds us that our confidence in prayer comes from knowing that God hears us when we ask according to His will.
So perhaps the question isn't simply, "Have you spoken to your mountain?"
Perhaps a better question is:
"Do I trust the One who has power over the mountain?"
We can pray boldly. We can speak God's promises with confidence. We can refuse to surrender to despair.
But we must also trust His wisdom, His timing, and His will.
Sometimes God removes the mountain. Sometimes He leads us through difficult circumstances. And sometimes He gives us the strength to remain faithful while we wait.
Whatever the outcome, our hope is not found in a mountain moving.
Our hope is found in the God who never changes.
A Moment of Reflection
Is there a mountain in your life you've been praying about for a long time?
Have you begun measuring God's faithfulness by whether that situation has changed?
Today, take that burden to Him again. Speak His promises over your fears, remembering that He is able. Then surrender the outcome to His loving hands.
Let's Pray
Heavenly Father,
You know the mountains standing before us. You know the prayers we've prayed, the tears we've cried, and the times we've wondered why nothing seems to be changing.
Forgive us when we place more confidence in what we can see than in who You are.
Teach us to pray boldly, to speak words of faith rather than despair, and to believe that nothing is impossible for You.
But Father, above all, help us trust Your will. When You remove the mountain, may we praise You. When You ask us to wait, may we remain faithful. And when Your answer is different from what we hoped for, remind us that Your grace is sufficient.
May our faith rest not in our own words or understanding, but in Jesus Christ, our Saviour.
In His precious name, Amen.
Further Scripture Study: Matthew 17:20; Zechariah 4:6–7; Daniel 3:17–18; 1 John 5:14–15; 2 Corinthians 12:8–10.
