Mountains or Molehills

 This article was written by Tony Kettle my dear friend and brother in Christ who has given me permission to publish it.

Zechariah 4:7 MSG)

‘So, big mountain, who do you think you are? Next to Zerubbabel you're nothing but a molehill…”

I believe the above scripture wonderfully captures God’s heart and attitude to what APPEAR to be insurmountable problems and challenges in life. The Lord Jesus added a further touch to the matter when He declared:

Mark 11:23 (ESV)

”Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.”

Unfortunately, most of us tend to reverse the principle involved and, when presented with a challenge, we end up making a ‘mountain out of a molehill.’ In other words, because of our mindset, we allow the ‘obstacle’ facing us to assume proportions which, quite often, greatly exaggerate the severity of the situation. Furthermore, in order to rationalise this tendency, society finds it convenient to generally adopt the approach, “don’t judge people because someone's molehill could be another person's mountain.”

However, Christians are meant to demonstrate a bolder attitude to life’s ‘curveballs’ and to view problems, obstacles, challenges as opportunities for growth. Our Lord Jesus is an “Overcomer” (John 16:33) and God’s Word describes us as “overcomers” too (1 John 4:4). We need to grasp the reality of this.

John 16:33 (ESV)

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

1 John 4:4 (AMP)

Little children (believers, dear ones), you are of God and you belong to Him and have [already] overcome them [the agents of the antichrist]; because He who is in you is greater than he (Satan) who is in the world [of sinful mankind]. 

It’s all a question of perception - whether we see the glass as being half empty or half full!

Most of us are certainly not Hollywood-type ‘superheroes’ but we can still live as “overcomers.” Joni Eareckson Tada was paralysed at the age of 17, and she thought her life was over - but she became an “overcomer” and continues to be despite having to contend with immense challenges.

She is known for saying, “I just make my emotions obey me and I’m not going to be led by them.” The key to her courageous approach to life is her unshakeable faith and trust in God.

One of her powerful quotes is:

“God is more concerned with conforming me to the likeness of His Son than leaving me in my comfort zones. God is more interested in inward qualities than outward circumstances - things like refining my faith, humbling my heart, cleaning up my thought life and strengthening my character.”

Throughout Revelation 2 and 3 the Lord refers to “The one who conquers” being rewarded in various ways. He is talking about those who are “overcomers” - those who do the things that He does as the Supreme “Overcomer” (John 14:12; 16:33) - NOT those who see themselves as “grasshoppers” and think they are unable to face the ‘giants’ (Numbers 13:32-33)!

Numbers 13:32-33 (ESV)

32 So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. 33 And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”

Goliath appeared as formidable as a “MOUNTAIN” to the Israelites, except for one boy, David, who, because of his faith, regarded Goliath as nothing but a “molehill” - and OVERCAME him (1 Samuel 17:24, 26, 45-51).

1 Samuel 17:24 and 26 and 45-47 (ESV)

24All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were much afraid.

26 And David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hand.”

God desires that we have the heart of David - and of Joshua and Caleb (Numbers 14:6-9)! Because, if we really trust Him, He will give us the VICTORY:

Romans 8:37 (ESV)

”No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

Philippians 4:13 (ESV)

”I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Blessings


Tony

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus, the Name above all names!

Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!