Why Didn’t My Mountain Move pt. 2
Intro: Part 2 of a series of messages on:
WHY DIDN’T MY MOUNTAIN MOVE?
TEXT: Exodus 19:20 And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses [up] to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.
KEY PASSAGE FROM TEXT: the LORD called Moses [up] to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.
SOME MOUNTAINS IN LIFE ARE TO BE CLIMBED.
SOME MOUNTAINS IN LIFE ARE TO BE CONQUERED.
SOME MOUNTAINS IN LIFE ARE TO BE COMMANDED.
SOME MOUNTAINS IN LIFE ARE CORDONED OFF.
Some Mt.’s in life you will command into the sea. (A Future message in this series). Some Mt.’s in life you will have to go in and with hand to hand combat conquer it. (Also a future message). Some Mt.’s in life you won’t be able to command into the sea, or conquer in a fight, but you have to climb them, and hike up them, in order to receive benefit from them. (Today’s message).
Finally there are some Mt.’s you can’t command, conquer, or climb, they are cordoned off. God has placed in front of them an access denied sign. If it’s an opportunity you can’t climb it. If it is an obstacle you can’t conquer it. If it is a hardship you can’t command it out of you life. Knowing what kind of Mt.. you are facing is paramount to how you must respond to it. (Serenity prayer?)
In all likelihood you are at this very moment facing at least one of these Mt.’s. May God give you the wisdom to know how to respond properly to the Mts. in your life.
This weeks message is that there are some Mt.’s in life that are to be climbed. Mt.’s in scripture speak of challenges, obstacles, and places of unique an exceptional fellowship with God. It is that third aspect which we wish to key in on this week, and for that purpose we will equate prayer as a mountain in life that can’t be commanded, conquered, but must be climbed one step at a time.
Sinai or Horeb as it is also called in scripture is the place where God gave Moses the 10 commandments and also the Mt. to which Elijah fled when fleeing from Jezebel. The common consensus (Though not without dispute) is that Sinai corresponds to a Mt.. that today is known as Gebel Musa (Mountain of Moses).
Today a pathway of almost 4,000 steps leads from the base to the summit, which is a peak of 7,498 feet.1 Many of those steps are twice what our average steps today are. Pilgrims to the site are advised that they should take plenty of water with them, and that the trek will take about three hours time. Now I want you to think for a moment what it must have been like for Moses to climb Mt. Sinai. Remember he was 80 years old, and there were no carved out stairs for him, the journey probably involved some climbing on his hands and knees.
No stairs, no hand rails, no ski lift, no elevator, no short cut, no easy way up. From this we will learn several principles about prayer. 1. There is no substitute for prayer. 2. There is no shortcut for prayer. 3. There is no short changing pray-ers. (Those who pray)
1. There is no substitute in God’s economy for prayer.
We are a nation of substitutes. We have a substitute for salt, sugar, butter, and milk. We have a substitute for teeth, hair, bad vision, and bad hearing. You get the point, but there is absolutely no no substitute in the world for prayer! Matthew 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
God will not accept giving money as a substitute for prayer.
God will not accept going to church as a substitute for prayer.
God will not accept feeling empathy for people as a substitute for praying for them.
Fact is - if Moses did not climb Mt. Sinai he would have missed all God had for him there. There was no other way for Moses to get what God had for him, but to follow Him in the obedience of Mt. climbing. In the same way there simply is no other way to get some things accomplished but by the means of prayer. There are some things in life that simply will not change until you get a hold of God on Mt. Prayer and Pray Until Something Happens.
2. There is no shortcut for prayer.
Prayer is a Mt. in life that has no short cuts. I wish that I could tell you as a pastor I never have any trouble praying. Scheduling it is always convenient, my mind never wanders, I always "feel," a burden for the people I need to pray for. But that is not so. Sometimes prayer is easy, but more often than not prayer is a discipline not unlike Moses climbing a mountain. You have to know your goal, keep plugging away, and it often involves tiresome work.
For me the first five minutes of prayer are the hardest. It seems as if I have to break through to a higher level before I have greater liberty in prayer. Perhaps Moses found his climb easier the closer he got to the summit. Anyway the analogy is this: God didn’t speak to Moses till he had finished all his climbing. Sometimes we have to press in to God, before we get the blessing of His presence. Didn’t He Himself say: Hebrews 11:6 But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Have you every noticed that word "diligently," before?
How about this verse on prayer also: James 5:16 Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (KJV) The Greek word translated effectual fervent is "energeo" from which we get the word energy. For prayer to work it needs energy behind it!
Illus: Commercial that says don’t you wish in life there was an "easy" button. There is no easy button for prayer. But the more often you do it, the easier it is, the more enjoyable it is and God has also promised to make your feet like hinds feet and to cause you to walk on your high places. (Hab 3:19)
3. There is no short changing pray-ers.
Though prayer may be difficult God will not short change anyone. The mountain may be difficult to climb but the mountain top is a place of reward. We are rewarded with answers to our prayers, but better yet we are rewarded with fellowship with the Father. Psalms 126:6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves
Close: Some mountains in life will never be dealt with until you pray through. Is that the kind of mountain you are facing? Though there is no substitute for prayer God has promised to provide us with a helper for prayer. (Rom. 8:26,27) If you are struggling with a prayer mountain, have you ever thought of asking God through His Holy Spirit to help you in that regard? Would you like prayer for God to help your prayer life? As we close this service do you have a need in your life that you would like this pastor and congregation to pray together with you about?
