I’m told that I can move mountains if I have enough faith. But if my mountain doesn’t move, what’s the problem with my faith?

Faith and believing are often used interchangeably, as if they mean the same thing. For sake of our discussion, we need to see faith as something much different, a matter of knowing as opposed to hoping or thinking something is true. In believing, we try to convince ourselves while worrying that we could possibly be wrong.

Faith comes from hearing, then believing.

We can be sure the Holy Spirit spoke to David in his years as a shepherd, for the Spirit is given to guide us, not just to make us feel good about ourselves. David’s practice with a sling probably resulted in more misses than hits—until the day when the Spirit guided his aim against the lion and the bear. His faith didn’t magically appear out of nowhere. First, David heard what God was speaking to his heart, and at some point, he believed that voice.

Faith doesn’t move mountains.

Maybe you’re like I was, led to think that if I just believed harder, then I could apply the misinterpretation of Matthew 17:20, which says a tiny amount of faith is enough for me to move mountains. With that perspective, I can also apply the distortion of Philippians 4:13, as if to say, “I can do anything, because Christ will give me the strength.” Where are those interpretation wrong?

Let’s be clear. Faith isn’t what moves mountains. God does that. Or if we have the earth-moving equipment, we might do that. Without faith, we’ll quit. We won’t make the moves we need to make for God to do the work he wants to do.

Believing is not enough.

Scripture tells us “the devils believe and tremble” (James 2:19), and we know their “believing” isn’t helping them. If we lack the faith that changes our behavior, our confession that we believe in Christ won’t save us from Hell. Writing to the Christians in Galacia, the apostle Paul said, “Your self-serving nature can lead you to such things as infidelity, pornography, and other sexual impurity—contentions, anger, and resentment—false doctrines, psychics, and misplaced worship—envy, jealousy, and preying upon others—alcohol, drugs, and mindless partying. As I’ve said before, don’t think for a second that you can do such things and have any place in the Kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19–21).

How easily I can misunderstand the Bible verse that says, “All things are possible for those who believe” (Mark 9:13). After the power of possibility thinking failed to yield the results I expected, I finally had to accept the reality that possible means I might get what I want.

I can be thankful for unanswered prayer, because I am sure God has a better plan.

May you, among all believers, be able to understand God in his fullness, that we know the love of Christ, which cannot be fully explained but is known by experience when you are filled with God’s Spirit. May God who is able to do more than we can even imagine, whose power is at work in us, reveal the magnitude of his glory in everyone surrendered to Christ Jesus, both now and forever. Amen. — Ephesians 3:18–21

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This topic is covered more thoroughly in the online book From Birth to Transformation. Click Here. The first three episodes are free, and “The Problem with Faith” is the fourth episode, which costs little more than a glass of water ($0.17).