Is A Mountain Keeping You From What You Want?

Don’t scale mountains, level them.

I am not a mountaineer. Camping and hiking—no, thank you!  “Roughing it” has always been a stay at the Holiday Inn. While I prefer the comforts of an all-inclusive resort, I’ve spent many trips pioneering through wild terrain.

Whether mountain high or valley low, the enemy attempts to erect monumental obstacles in life that divert us from God’s plan by trapping us into a self-destructive pattern of behavior.

Obstacles, which I refer to as mountains, are built to keep us from living the life God designed.

On a cliff with no compass or map! 

I turned 18 in the late 80s—a period in music history dominated by punk rock. I bought into the music and the rebellion. I dressed in black and entered into a phase of my life that flirted with danger as I sported a know-it-all attitude.

Often ignoring the warning signs flashing before me, I made many poor choices and found myself up a creek without a paddle. Looks often drove my dating decisions, yet I was torn up when he acted as wild as his appearance. I was repeatedly hurt as the bad boy realized I was a good girl.

As new wave faded into grunge, my poor choice in men went from bad to worse. After college, I was a victim of emotional and physical abuse by someone I loved. It was a slow and painful ride down a shame spiral, and when it ended I was left with zero self-esteem. My boundaries had been violated so many times I really had no respect left for myself, and went out with the next bad boy, only to be date-raped on our second outing.

I spent years in the wilderness and could not see a way out. I was a shell of a person with zero grasp of my identity. I was robbed of what was left of my innocence. I was embarrassed and deeply afraid. My thought life was out of control, convincing me I got what I deserved. I sunk to some low places as I isolated myself, scared to trust myself or anyone else.

I made it through this dark time by screaming out to God to rescue me and by seeking help from key people who gave me the space and safety to heal. Slowly I began to recognize myself as God created me to be. I sought freedom and equipped myself to break old patterns by making different choices.

I’m equipped, but can only handle a small hill.

Once my thought life was in order and deep wounds were healed, I entered my 30s with confidence. I’d scaled the precipice of loss and unmet expectations many times and was ready to stay on a good course. I found myself navigating down some small hills, but generally life was good.

Finally, at 35 years old, I married a wonderful man. My new husband made no secret that he wanted 12 kids, and we entered marital bliss with excitement for what would come. However, the first several years of marriage were devastating as I miscarried five times.

With each loss, I became more disoriented, running down trails that had no end. I was climbing with a ton of weight on my back—fear, hopelessness, jealousy and shame. Pressure mounted and cracks formed in my marriage, but not in my mountain.

I reached the apex after we suffered our fifth loss. When tests concluded, the doctor delivered one final blow: I had severely damaged tubes, was now sterile and would never have a natural child.

As my spouse’s dream of a large family seemed to be fading away, I decided it was time to set up camp and rest. I pressed into God’s truth and pursued Jesus. The more I accepted what He did for me, the more I realized it was never my job to scale this mountain.

In Jesus’ tortured travel up the mountain to His death, He leveled all my mountains.

As the truth of victory sunk in, I was renewed. This was revelation!

I began get free as I processed the truth. Instead of striving to figure out a way to defeat infertility and keep from miscarrying, all I had to do was believe in Jesus and stand on the foundation of His Word!

I was never meant to scale mountains. I was called to level them!

I was not created to scale peaks, but I was called to take an active role in my destiny! Once I fully entered into a covenant agreement with Jesus, I was granted access to His power and authority by way of the Holy Spirit!

That means as a fully equipped co-heir, I have a responsibility to level any mountains just like Jesus did, but how?

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done” (Matthew 21:21).

It was life-changing to come into this agreement: It is my charge to take dominion of the mountains in my life.

Instead of complaining, I dug deep and screamed at my mountains. I started by grieving the losses. Then I rebuked my diagnosis and demanded my body to function as God designed. I commanded all generational curses causing miscarriages to be broken. I launched an assault on fear and jealousy. I forgave my body for failing me. I thanked Jesus for complete healing, fought off doubting thoughts and waited patiently for God to move.

When my mountain crumbled, we experienced a miraculous healing with no medical intervention. Despite all expert opinions, God’s perfect will prevailed, my tubes were healed and an embryo traveled safely into my womb.

God’s truth and the power of my words leveled my mountain. We gave birth to a baby girl nearly a year later. We received our miracle through faith that my words could and would crumble the mountain I found myself on.

The truth is I will face hard times. In fact, I’ve endured three more miscarriages, but now I stare down my mountains, and you can too! Here’s how:

1. Shout at the mountain and command it to be removed! (Mark 11:23)

2. Build your faith—it has something to say. (2 Corinthians 4:13)

3. Guard your tongue. Speak life and not death. (Proverbs 18:21)

4. Be bold and demand God’s will to be done for what you have authority over. (Mark 16:17)

5. No wavering! Be a believer and not a doubter. (Matthew 14:31)

6. Be patient and trust. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

7. Have faith. Remain firm in knowing your mountain will move! (Matthew 17:20)

Just think of the potential miracles you could manifest if you started speaking to your mountains! Be encouraged to shout at your mountains and access the power that is all ready inside you.