“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.”Mark 11:23

What blocks God’s power in our lives? What prevents us from experiencing answers to prayer? One of the primary problems is doubt. The Bible repeatedly points to faith as a central ingredient in receiving answers to our prayers and experiencing God’s healing power. Faith means trusting in God completely, regardless of the circumstances and no matter what other people might say. The Bible says we must “walk by faith,” no matter how things appear (2 Corinthians 5:7). And we must trust God even if the obstacle before us seems as big as a “mountain.” But doubt often stands in our way and sabotages our faith. When it enters our minds, our faith is undercut, and we focus on reasons why our prayers won’t be answered. To understand how doubt operates, it can help to realize that the Greek word translated here as “doubt” has a legal basis. This compound word involves making a judgment and judging the conditions we face. Like a judge, we are deciding the outcome in advance. In effect, we’re telling God why we don’t trust Him or redefining what we think He meant. However, this process inevitably means separating ourselves from Him, placing a barrier between what He has said and what we believe. In contrast, faith means trusting in God and His Word, simply believing that He means what He says. It means not resisting Him or denying His Word. Jesus said that if we want to enter the Kingdom of God, we must be like little children (Luke 18:17). This means having absolute faith and trust in God. It means believing and not doubting. Brothers & Sisters, what are the mountains you face? Sickness? Finances? Relationships? Remember that God has given you His Word, and His promises are true. Be on guard against the poisoning influence of doubt. Be a person of faith, not doubting God, but believing His promises are true.