22 “Have faith in God.”
23 “Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him.
24 “Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.  Mark 11:22-24 (NAS)

For someone who believes strongly in the absolute sovereignty of God, that there’s nothing out of his control, that all has been decided beforehand, and that his will must be done, these promises are problematic.

All kinds of questions run through your mind. What if God has already decided? Who am I to change his mind? Perhaps that’s why the Lord uses the illustration of moving a mountain. Who would contemplate this? It’s impossible. That’s the point.

There are many things in life that appear as impossible as moving a mountain, and from these challenges we must not slink away, but pray. It’s not the mountain that must be moved, but our doubt! With this out of the way, whatever God decides, or has decided, who knows, will be good and acceptable.

“Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” (John 11:40) These were Jesus’ words before raising a man from the dead, who’d already been embalmed and entombed for four days! Have faith in God and pray. Yes, he does answer prayer, and apparently he is swayed by a believing heart.

We might say, why pray? He says, why not? I’m telling you too!

This may be why the disciples asked the Lord to “increase their faith.” Luke 17:5 It’s obviously the first mountain to be moved.